Geography of Poland
| Location: | Central Europe, east of Germany |
| Geographic coordinates: | 52 00 N, 20 00 E |
| Map references: | Europe |
| Area: | total: 312,685 sq km land: 304,465 sq km water: 8,220 sq km |
| Area - comparative: | slightly smaller than New Mexico |
| Land boundaries: | total: 3,056 km border countries: Belarus 416 km, Czech Republic 790 km, Germany 467 km, Lithuania 103 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 210 km, Slovakia 541 km, Ukraine 529 km |
| Coastline: | 491 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 extremes: | lowest point: near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m highest point: Rysy 2,499 m |
| Natural resources: | coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber, arable land |
| Land use: | arable land: 40.25% permanent crops: 1% other: 58.75% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | 1,000 sq km (2003) |
| Natural hazards: | flooding |
| Environment - current issues: | situation has improved since 1989 due to decline in heavy industry and increased environmental concern by post-Communist governments; air pollution nonetheless remains serious because of sulfur dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants, and the resulting acid rain has caused forest damage; water pollution from industrial and municipal sources is also a problem, as is disposal of hazardous wastes; pollution levels should continue to decrease as industrial establishments bring their facilities up to EU code, but at substantial cost to business and the government |
| Environment - international agreements: | party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94 |
| Geography - note: | historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain |