Country Details
Poland
Central Europe, east of Germany
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Government
Detailed information and insights
Country name
Conventional long form
Republic of Poland
Conventional short form
Poland
Local long form
Rzeczpospolita Polska
Local short form
Polska
Former
Polish People's Republic
Etymology
the name probably comes from the Slavic word pole (field or plain), indicating the flat nature of the country
Government type
parliamentary republic
Capital
Name
Warsaw
Geographic coordinates
52 15 N, 21 00 E
Time difference
UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time
+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Etymology
the origin of the name is unknown; Warszawa was the name of a fishing village, and several legends link the city's founding to a man named Wars or Warsz
Administrative divisions
16 provinces or voivodships (wojewodztwa, singular - wojewodztwo); Dolnoslaskie (Lower Silesia), Kujawsko-Pomorskie (Kuyavia-Pomerania), Lodzkie (Lodz), Lubelskie (Lublin), Lubuskie (Lubusz), Malopolskie (Lesser Poland), Mazowieckie (Masovia), Opolskie (Opole), Podkarpackie (Subcarpathia), Podlaskie, Pomorskie (Pomerania), Slaskie (Silesia), Swietokrzyskie (Holy Cross), Warminsko-Mazurskie (Warmia-Masuria), Wielkopolskie (Greater Poland), Zachodniopomorskie (West Pomerania)
Legal system
civil law system; judicial review of legislative, administrative, and other governmental acts; constitutional law rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal are final
Constitution
History
several previous; latest adopted 2 April 1997, approved by referendum 25 May 1997, effective 17 October 1997
Amendment process
proposed by at least one fifth of Sejm deputies, by the Senate, or by the president of the republic; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote in the Sejm and absolute majority vote in the Senate; amendments to articles relating to sovereignty, personal freedoms, and constitutional amendment procedures also require passage by majority vote in a referendum
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship
Citizenship by birth
no
Citizenship by descent only
both parents must be citizens of Poland
Dual citizenship recognized
no
Residency requirement for naturalization
5 years
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
Chief of state
President Karol NAWROCKI (since 6 August 2025)
Head of government
Prime Minister Donald TUSK (since 11 December 2023)
Cabinet
Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, appointed by the president, and approved by the Sejm
Election/appointment process
president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister, deputy prime ministers, and Council of Ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the Sejm; all presidential candidates resign their party affiliation
Most recent election date
18 May 2025, with the second round on 1 June 2025
Election results
2025: Karol NAWROCKI elected president in second round; percent of vote - Karol NAWROCKI (PiS) 50.9%, Rafal TRZASKOWSKI (KO) 49.1%; NAWROCKI takes office 6 August 2025
2025: First round Rafal TRZASKOWSKI (KO) 31.4%, Karol NAWROCKI 29.5% (PiS), Slawomir MENTZEN 14.8%, Grzegorz BRAUN 6.3%, and Szymon HOLOWNIA 5.0%; second round to be held on 1 June 2025;
2020: Andrzej DUDA reelected president in second round; percent of vote - Andrzej DUDA (independent) 51%, Rafal TRZASKOWSKI (KO) 49%
2015: Andrzej DUDA elected president in second round; percent of vote - Andrzej DUDA (independent) 51.5%, Bronislaw KOMOROWSKI (independent) 48.5%
Expected date of next election
July 2030
Legislative branch
Legislative structure
bicameral
Legislative branch - lower chamber
Chamber name
Sejm
Number of seats
460 (all directly elected)
Electoral system
proportional representation
Scope of elections
full renewal
Term in office
4 years
Most recent election date
10/15/2023
Parties elected and seats per party
Law and Justice (PiS) (194); Civic Coalition (KO) (157); The Third Way (65); The New Left (Nowa Lewica) (26); Other (18)
Percentage of women in chamber
31.3%
Expected date of next election
October 2027
Legislative branch - upper chamber
Chamber name
Senate (Senat)
Number of seats
100 (all directly elected)
Electoral system
plurality/majority
Scope of elections
full renewal
Term in office
4 years
Most recent election date
10/15/2023
Parties elected and seats per party
Civic Coalition (KO) (41); Law and Justice (PiS) (34); The Third Way (11); The New Left (Nowa Lewica) (9); Independents (5)
Percentage of women in chamber
19%
Expected date of next election
October 2027
Judicial branch
Highest court(s)
Supreme Court or Sad Najwyzszy (consists of the first president of the Supreme Court and 120 justices organized in criminal, civil, labor and social insurance, and extraordinary appeals and public affairs and disciplinary chambers); Constitutional Tribunal (consists of 15 judges, including the court president and vice president)
Judge selection and term of office
president of the Supreme Court nominated by the General Assembly of the Supreme Court and selected by the president of Poland; other judges nominated by the 25-member National Judicial Council and appointed by the president of Poland; judges serve until retirement, usually at age 65, but tenure can be extended; Constitutional Tribunal judges chosen by the Sejm for single 9-year terms
Subordinate courts
administrative courts; military courts; local, regional and appellate courts subdivided into military, civil, criminal, labor, and family courts
Political parties
Civic Coalition
Confederation
Free Republicans
Polish Coalition or PSL
The Left
United Right or PiS
Confederation
Free Republicans
Polish Coalition or PSL
The Left
United Right or PiS
Diplomatic representation in the US
Chief of mission
Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Bogdan Adam KLICH (since 21 November 2024)
Chancery
2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
Telephone
[1] (202) 499-1700
FAX
[1] (202) 328-2152
Email address and website
washington.amb.sekretariat@msz.gov.pl
https://www.gov.pl/web/usa-en/embassy-washington
Consulate(s) general
Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
Chief of mission
Ambassador Thomas ROSE (since 6 November 2025)
Embassy
Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31, 00-540 Warsaw
Mailing address
5010 Warsaw Place, Washington, DC 20521-5010
Telephone
[48] (22) 504-2000
FAX
[48] (22) 504-2088
Email address and website
acswarsaw@state.gov
https://pl.usembassy.gov/
Consulate(s) general
Krakow
International organization participation
Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UN Security Council (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Independence
11 November 1918 (republic proclaimed); notable earlier dates: 14 April 966 (adoption of Christianity, traditional founding date), 1 July 1569 (Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth created)
National holiday
Constitution Day, 3 May (1791)
Flag
description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red
meaning: colors derive from the Polish emblem, a white eagle on a red field
meaning: colors derive from the Polish emblem, a white eagle on a red field
Note
note: similar to the flags of Indonesia and Monaco, which are red (top) and white
National symbol(s)
white crowned eagle
National color(s)
white, red
National coat of arms
Poland’s coat of arms was designed in 1927 by noted Polish graphic artist and educator Zygmunt Kaminski. The white crowned eagle is the national symbol, and white and red are the national colors, with white representing purity and truth and red symbolizing courage and the blood shed for freedom.
National anthem(s)
Title
"Mazurek Dabrowskiego" (Dabrowski's Mazurka)
Lyrics/music
Jozef WYBICKI/traditional
History
adopted 1927;
National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites
17 (15 cultural, 2 natural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales
Historic Krakow (c); Historic Warsaw (c); Medieval Torun (c); Wooden Tserkvas of the Carpathian Region (c); Castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork (c); Wieliczka and Bochnia Royal Salt Mines (c); Auschwitz Birkenau Concentration Camp (c); Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians (n); Białowieza Forest (n); Old City of Zamość (c)