About Poland
Poland is a country in Central Europe, with the territory of 312,7 thousand km2 (the 6th biggest country among EU-28, and the 71st in the world) and the population of 38,4 million, with population density of 123 inhabitants per square kilometer. Since the 1 of May 2004, Poland is a member of the European Union, being the 6th country among EU-28 in the size of its population, the first – when it comes to rural population, and the second (following Romania) – in the number of farms. The number of people employed in agriculture, hunting, forestry and fisheries is 2,5 times higher that the share of people working in these sectors in the EU-28 (14,5% and 5,6%, respectively). Poland occupies 7,2% of the total area of the European Union, and borders with 7 countries i.e. 4 EU Member States (Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Lithuania) and 3 non-EU countries (Russia, Belarus, Ukraine). Its northern border is the Baltic Sea.
The country is characterised by considerable natural and environmental diversity. The share of forest areas in the total area of the country exceeds 30%. Numerous animal species are protected, including: bison, chamois, bear, beaver, lynx and wolf. Over 75% of the area of the country is located under 200 meters above sea level, and only 3,1% over 500 meters above sea level.
The climate of Poland is characterised by considerable differences in the duration of seasons. Although the annual average air temperature varies between 8 °C and 9 °C, the temperature may reach between even +38 °C in the summer, and -31 °C in the winter. The total precipitation varies between 600 mm and 700 mm and is the main source of water. Water resources in Poland are characterised by considerable annual, monthly and regional variations. As a result, there are on one hand droughts and on the other even floods in Poland.
Poland is divided into 16 voivodeships, 314 poviats, 66 cities with the rights of poviats, and 2.479 gminas. Mazowieckie Voivodeship is the biggest in Poland, both in terms of area (35,6 thousand km2) and in terms of population (5,2 million). Opolskie Voivodeship has the smallest area (9,4 thousand km2), and Lubuskie Voivodeship the smallest population (1,0 million). The Capital City of Warsaw is the gmina with the largest population (1,7 million), the Capital City of Warsaw is also a city in Mazowieckie Voivodeship with the rights of poviat.
Kraków is located in Małopolskie Voivodship which lies in southern Poland. It has the area of 15.108 square kilometres, and population of 3,2 million people.
Currently the population of Poland is 38,4 million, i.e. 23,2 million living in urban areas, and 15,2 million in rural areas. According to the population projection prepared by Central Statistical Office (GUS), the Poles population will decrease systematically until 2035 (by 2,3 million). It is forecasted that in rural areas the internal migration balance will be positive, yet decreasing, and it will not compensate for the loss of rural population, estimated at 0.5%, caused by the decreasing number of births. Creating new jobs in urban areas will be responsible for the increase of the population of urbanized areas, next to people settling in the cities who lived there temporarily.
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