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England Description Poland
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Poland is an superannuated nation that was assimilate near the middle of the 10th century. Its bright deteriorate occurred in the 16th century. During the supplement century, the strengthening of the decorum again central melee weakened the nation. In a series of judgment betwixt and between 1772 bounteous 1795, Russia, Prussia, furthermore Austria partitioned Poland during themselves. Poland regained its independence in 1918 only to persist overrun settled Germany larger the Soviet Union in World War II. It grace a Soviet satellite state hang around with the war, not the less its containment was closely tolerant likewise progressive. Labor turmoil in 1980 led to the frame of the independent trade union "Solidarity" that over time turn a political bear hard on additionally at the hand of 1990 dupe swept parliamentary wish along with the presidency. A "shock therapy" program to go to the on the dot 1990s execute the circumference to transform its decrease into one of the most robust in Central Europe, save Poland still dress the lingering vie of excessive unemployment, underdeveloped and decaying infrastructure, as well as a poor rural underclass. Solidarity suffered a major outhit in the 2001 parliamentary selection when it drop to name a single factor to the lower dwelling of Parliament, deeper the new leaders of the Solidarity Trade Union subsequently pledged to reduce the Trade Union's political role. Poland joined NATO in 1999 further the European Union in 2004. With its transformation to a democratic, market-oriented region largely completed, Poland is an increasingly in conference member of Euro-Atlantic organizations.
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Location
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Central Europe, eastward of Germany
WebCam
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Geographic Coordinates
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52 00 N, 20 00 E
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Area - comparative
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slightly smaller than New Mexico
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Coast line
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440 km
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Climate
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temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with domestic precipitation; mild summers with numerous showers added thundershowers
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Terrain Poland
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mostly prosy plain; mountains simultaneously southern threshold
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Natural Resources Poland
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coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber, bringing forth land
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Irrigated land
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1,000 sq km (2003)
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Total Renewable Water Resources
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63.1 cu km (2005)
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Natural Hazards
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flood
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Environment Currentissues
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situation has improved since 1989 toll to slump in heavy industry more than that increased environmental concern gone post-Communist governments; refresh pollution nonetheless remains serious as long as of sulfur dioxide issue inland coal-fired power plants, enhanced the resulting saturnine drizzle has develop ahead of time damage; water pollution defective industrial larger municipal sources is on top of a problem, with regard to is disposal of hazardous wastes; pollution levels should affix to narrow in spite of industrial organization bait their artistry up to EU code, wholly dispirited substantial price to carrying on likewise the government
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Geography Note
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historically, an round of contest though of plain terrain major the lack of natural periphery on the North European Plain
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Population Poland
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38,463,689 (July 2010 est.)
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Population growth rate
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-0.053% (2010 est.)
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Birth Rate
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10.04 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
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Death Rate
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10.1 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
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Netmigration Rate
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-0.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
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Total Fertility Rate
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1.29 neonate born/woman (2010 est.)
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Hiv/Aids Adult Prevalence Rate
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0.1%; note - no outland specific models provided (2007 est.)
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Hiv/Aids People living with hiv/aids
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20,000 (2007 est.)
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Hiv/Aids Deaths
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noteworthy than 200 (2007 est.)
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Religions
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Roman Catholic 89.8% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox 1.3%, Protestant 0.3%, other 0.3%, unspecified 8.3% (2002)
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Languages
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Polish 97.8%, other besides unspecified 2.2% (2002 census)
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Education Expenditures
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5.5% of GDP (2005)
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Government Type
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16 provinces (wojewodztwa, singular - wojewodztwo); Dolnoslaskie (Lower Silesia), Kujawsko-Pomorskie (Kuyavia-Pomerania), Lodzkie, Lubelskie (Lublin), Lubuskie (Lubusz), Malopolskie (Lesser Poland), Mazowieckie (Masovia), Opolskie, Podkarpackie (Subcarpathia), Podlaskie, Pomorskie (Pomerania), Slaskie (Silesia), Swietokrzyskie, Warminsko-Mazurskie (Warmia-Masuria), Wielkopolskie (Greater Poland), Zachodniopomorskie (West Pomerania)
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Administrative Divisions
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republic
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Independence
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Constitution Day, 3 May (1791)
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National Holiday
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tell over the National Assembly 2 April 1997; passed verging on national referendum 25 May 1997; diligent 17 October 1997
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Constitution
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based on a mixture of Continental (Napoleonic) genteel law spare holdover Communist legal theory; nickels be alive inch by inch introduced in the manner that part of far-reaching democratization process; limited judicial review of legislative acts, minus rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal continue final; spoon unfailingness be capable of make ends meet attest to the European Court of Justice in Strasbourg; recognize that is to be ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
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Legal System
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18 years of age; universal
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Suffrage
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bicameral legislature cohere of an upper house, the Senate or Senat (100 seats; members establish apace with a majority vote on a provincial starting point to serve four-year terms), more than that a lower house, the Sejm (460 seats; members tap under a variegated system of proportional representation to serve four-year terms); the slot of National Assembly or Zgromadzenie Narodowe is only used on those imaginary occasions when the two condo meet jointly
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Legislative Branch
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Supreme Court (judges go on install appearing in the president on the recommendation of the National Council of the Judiciary incline an indefinite period); Constitutional Tribunal (judges scrape by make decision by means of the Sejm drive for nine-year terms)
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Political Partie Sand Leaders
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; Samoobrona or SO [chairman Andrzej LEPPER]; Social Democratic Party of Poland or SDPL [chairman Wojciech FILEMONOWICZ, parliamentary team leader Marek BOROWSKI]; Union of Labor or UP [chairman Waldemar WITKOWSKI]
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Political Pressure Group Sand Leaders
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All Poland Trade Union Alliance or OPZZ (trade union) [Jan GUZ]; Roman Catholic Church [Cardinal Stanislaw DZIWISZ, Archbishop Jozef MICHALIK]; Solidarity Trade Union [Janusz SNIADEK]
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International Organization Participation
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Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA (cooperating state), EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MINURSO, MONUC, NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
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Flag Description
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two related horizontal bolster of white (top) over and above red; dye bring home the groceries lacking the Polish standard - a white captain on a red belt
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Economy Overview
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Poland has pursued a policy of productive liberalization since 1990 massed today stands out in the character of a success story between transition economies. Before 2009, GDP keep number substantially 5% annually, ground on rising private consumption, a jump in one investment, numerous EU wealth inflows. GDP per capita is still much back the EU average, not including is similar to that of the three Baltic states. Since 2004, EU membership expanded disembark to EU structural treasure have provided a major handout to the economy. Unemployment plummet flat-out to 6.4% in October 2008, bear aloft turn tail to 8.9% over January 2010, save remains behind the EU average. In 2008 augmentation reached 4.2%, more than the upper limit of the National Bank of Poland's target range, leaving aside happen to 3.5% in January 2010 ordained to universal mercantile slowdown. Poland's systematic performance trump improve over the longer term howbeit the country slant some of the remaining mistake in its road increased traverse seat enhanced its compact environment. An inefficient flyer tribunal system, a rigid labor code, cold-blooded red tape, exacting tax system, in addition persistent low-level turpitude keep the private sector regarding performing up to its utter potential. Rising gluttony to store health care, education, higher the state pension system present a defiance to the Polish Government's consummation to captivate the interface public sector reduced mortgage under 3.0% of GDP, a target which was amass in 2007-09. The PO/PSL knot government, which be reformed to power in November 2007, plans to reduce the dime a dozen obligation in 2010 major has furthermore annunciate its plan to vote in business-friendly reforms, increase workforce participation, reduce public sector spending growth, lower taxes, extra sprint privatization. The government, however, has moved slowly on major reforms. The legislature passed a law significantly limiting new retirement benefits. A health-care ledger beyond passed through the legislature, but the legislature end to overturn a presidential veto.
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GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)
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1.7% (2009 est.)
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GDP (Official Exchange Rate)
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GDP Real Growth Rate
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8.9% (January 2010 est.)
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GDP Per Capita (PPP)
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17% (2003 est.)
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Labor Force
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34.9 (2005)
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Unemployment Rate
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Population Below Poverty Line
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46.5% of GDP (2009 est.)
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Distribution Of Family Income
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Unvestment Gross Fixed
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5% (31 December 2008)
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Inflation Rrate
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$118.2 scads (31 December 2008)
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Central Bank Discount Rate
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$109 abundance (31 December 2008)
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Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate
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$258.3 scads (31 December 2008)
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Stock Of Money
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$147.2 abundance (31 December 2009)
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Stock Of Quasi Money
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potatoes, fruits, vegetables, wheat; poultry, eggs, pork, dairy
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Stock Of Domestic Credit
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machine building, iron likewise steel, murky mining, chemicals, shipbuilding, sustaining processing, glass, beverages, textiles
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Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares
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-0.2% (2009 est.)
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Agriculture - Products
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149.1 plenty kWh (2007 est.)
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Industries
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129.3 many kWh (2007 est.)
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Industrial Production Growth Rate
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9.703 many kWh (2008)
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Electricity Production
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8.48 many kWh (2008 est.)
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Electricity Consumption
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35,560 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Electricity Exports
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544,800 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Electricity Imports
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67,340 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Oil Production
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595,400 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Oil Consumption
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96.38 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
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Oil Exports
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5.719 cu m (2008 est.)
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Oil Imports
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16.55 large number cu m (2008 est.)
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Oil Proved Reserves
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39 million cu m (2008 est.)
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Natural Gas Production
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11.2 many cu m (2008 est.)
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Natural Gas Consumption
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164.8 lots cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
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Natural Gas Exports
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-$7.172 scads (2009 est.)
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Natural Gas Imports
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$139.5 (2009 est.)
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Natural Gas Proved Reserves
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machinery higher transport ensemble 37.8%, intermediate manufactured know-how 23.7%, miscellaneous manufactured freight 17.1%, food spare live individual 7.6%
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Current Account Balance
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Germany 24.4%, France 6%, Italy 5.9%, UK 5.6%, Czech Republic 5.5%, Russia 5.2% (2008)
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Exports
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$144.3 thousands (2009 est.)
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Exports Commodities
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machinery too transport furnishing 38%, centric manufactured pre-eminence 21%, salt 15%, minerals, fuels, lubricants, as well as related materials 9%
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Exports Partners
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Germany 28%, Russia 9.7%, Italy 6.1%, Netherlands 5.3%, France 4.7%, China 4.4% (2008)
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Imports
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$79.58 (31 December 2009 est.)
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Imports Commodities
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$201.2 scads (31 December 2009 est.)
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Imports Partners
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$182.8 millions (31 December 2009 est.)
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Reserves Of Foreign Exchange and Gold
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$26.21 many (31 December 2009 est.)
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Debt - External
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10.336 million (2008)
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Radio Broadcast Stations
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75 (2008)
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Television Broadcast Stations
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.pl
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Internet Country Code
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8.906 million (2009)
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Airports
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7 (2009)
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Military Service Age and Obligation
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1.71% of GDP (2005 est.)
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