Poland: Where a Rich Cultural Legacy Intersects a Bright Future
An Inviting Country, Not Only Drawing Tourists But also Attracting Serious Attention from Foreign Investors

Poland’s history goes back to the year 966 when there was a Great Poland and a Little Poland. In 1047, both Polands united. Then Poland merged with Lithuania by royal marriage in 1386. The Polish-Lithuanian State reached the peak of its power between the 14th and 16th centuries. In the 18th century, the country was further apportioned among Prussia, Russia and Austria.

Its independence was recognized in the Treaty of Versailles in 1919, but Germany and Russia invaded Poland in September 1939 and divided the country. After World War II it became a Soviet satellite state, but its government was tolerant and progressive. In 1990, an independent trade union called “Solidarity” became a political force, with its leader, Lech Walesa, winning the presidency.

Government
Poland has a democratic republic. Executive power is exercised by the government, which consists of a council of ministers led by the Prime Minister. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of parliament. Members of parliament are elected by proportional representation. Currently, four parties are represented and elections occur at least every four years.

Presidential elections occur every 5 years. The President can veto legislation, passed by parliament, but otherwise serves mainly as a head of state. The judicial branch plays a minor role in Polish politics.

Demographics
Poland is a small country of 38,518,241 people located in east central Europe on the Baltic Sea. It borders four former Soviet republics: Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Lithuania, as well as Czech Republic, Germany and Slovakia. Poland’s population has a density of 328 people per sq. mi.

The land is a flat plain bordered on the south by the Carpathian and on the west by the Oder and Neisse Rivers. It compares in size to the US State of New Mexico. The capital city of Warsaw has a population 2,201,900 in the general metro area.

The People
The population of Poland is 96.7% Polish with only a small number of Germans, Belorussians and Ukrainians. Most of the residents are Roman Catholic with a small percentage of Eastern Orthodox and Protestant. The country has a 100% literacy rate and more than 11 million Polish people use the Internet.

Culture
Poland has a rich cultural history and a strong artistic atmosphere. In the 19th and 20th centuries the Polish focused on cultural advancement, which often took precedence over political and economic activity. From music to theater, writing to art, the country has been known to produce people who love and create unique pieces of work. Among having multiple Nobel Prize winners of literature, Chopin, one of Poland’s most famous composers of all time, complimented the country’s acclaimed beauty. It has also made its mark in film with Academy Award winning film director, Roman Polanski, best known for films such as “Chinatown” and “Rosemary’s Baby.”

Although, the people of Poland have eagerly followed cultural and artistic trends that are popular in other countries, especially Europe, their artists and arts retain a unique character. From paintings to sculpture, posters to photography and filmmaking, each generation continues to leave a legacy rich in culture.

Poland is almost as well knows for its sciences as it arts. In fact, Marie Curie who achieved international recognition in Paris for her scientific discoveries was a native of Poland and became the first woman to win a Nobel Prize in 1903.

Language
The Polish language is indigenous to Poland, developing from several Western Slavic dialects, including those spoken in the original Great Poland and Little Poland. Among Slavic languages Polish has the second largest number of speakers after Russian.

Polish is spoken by 98% of the people and is spoken only slightly differently various regions of the country so that mutual understanding is not a problem. The regional differences correspond mainly to old tribal divisions from around a thousand years ago.

Beyond its borders, millions of Polish speakers live in other countries including Germany, France, the United Kingdom, as well as the United States. Altogether native speakers of Polish worldwide are estimated at between 40 and 48 million.

Business and Economy
Poland has one of the fastest growing economies in Central Europe. Despite some continued systematic problems, Poland has progressed tremendous over the last decade in their overall economy. Because of this, it is now ranked the 21st worldwide in terms of the GDP. In the first quarter of 2007, Polish economy recorded the GDP growth at 7%, which is twice that of the European Union average. Poland has been a member of the EU since 2004.

Poland is attractive to foreign investors because it is located in the heart of continental Europe and has easy access to 250 million consumers. Poland itself is a significant market of 38 million consumers driving 10% annual retail market growth. The country has a labor force of 17.1 million and unemployment is 12.8%. Per capita income is estimated at $16,300.

With the largest component of its economy, being the service sector, along with positive forecasts of economic growth, Poland is likely to continue to move up in the world GDP ranking. The privatization of small and medium state-owned companies along with a liberal law on establishing new firms has encouraged development.

Industries account for 29% of the economy and include machine-building, iron and steel, coal mining, chemicals, shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages, and textiles. The country has natural resources of coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, and silver.

Agriculture accounts for 16.1% of Poland’s income, but is held back by structural problems, surplus labor, inefficient small farms, and a lack of investment. About 40 percent of the country’s land can be cultivated and the country’s agricultural products include potatoes, fruits, vegetables, wheat, poultry, eggs, pork, and dairy.