Country Details
Poland
Central Europe, east of Germany
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Geography
Detailed information and insights
Location
Central Europe, east of Germany
Geographic coordinates
52 00 N, 20 00 E
Map references
Europe
Area
Total
312,685 sq km
Land
304,255 sq km
Water
8,430 sq km
Area - comparative
about twice the size of Georgia; slightly smaller than New Mexico
Land boundaries
Total
2,865 km
Border countries
Belarus 375 km; Czechia 699 km; Germany 467 km; Lithuania 100 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 209 km; Slovakia 517 km; Ukraine 498 km
Coastline
440 km
Maritime claims
Territorial sea
12 nm
Exclusive economic zone
defined by international treaties
Climate
temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and thundershowers
Terrain
mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border
Elevation
Highest point
Rysy 2,499 m
Lowest point
near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m
Mean elevation
173 m
Natural resources
coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber, arable land
Land use
Agricultural land
47.6% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 36.6% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 1.1% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 9.8% (2023 est.)
Forest
31% (2023 est.)
Other
21% (2023 est.)
Irrigated land
1,327 sq km (2016)
Major lakes (area sq km)
Salt water lake(s)
Zalew Szczecinski/Stettiner Haff (shared with Germany) - 900 sq km
Major rivers (by length in km)
Wisla (Vistula) river source and mouth (shared with Belarus and Ukraine) - 1,213 km
note: longest river in Poland
note: longest river in Poland
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Atlantic Ocean drainage
(Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)
Population distribution
population concentrated in the southern area around Krakow and the central area around Warsaw and Lodz, with an extension to the northern coastal city of Gdansk
Natural hazards
flooding
Geography - note
historically an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain