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 APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200070027-9

Area Brief

LAND (U/OU)
 * Size: 120,000 sq. mi.


 * Use: 48% arable, 14% other agricultural, 27% forested, 10% other


 * Land boundaries: 1,922 mi.

WATER (U/OU)
 * Limits of territorial waters (claimed): 3 n. mi. (fishing, 12 n. mi.)


 * Coastline: 305 mi.

PEOPLE (U/OU)
 * Population: 33,146,000 (January 1973 estimate); density about 275 persons per square mile


 * Ethnic divisions: 98.7% Polish, 0.6% Ukrainians, 0.5% Belorussians, less than 0.05% Jews, 0.2% other


 * Religion: 95% Roman Catholic (about 75% practicing), 5% Uniate, Greek Orthodox, Protestant, and other


 * Language: Polish, no significant dialects


 * Literacy: about 98%

GOVERNMENT (U/OU)
 * Legal name: Polish People's Republic (PRL)


 * Type: Communist state


 * Capital: Warsaw


 * Political subdivisions: 17 provinces, 5 city provinces, 391 districts


 * Legal system: Mixture of Continental (Napoleonic) civil law and Communist legal theory; constitution adopted 1952; court system parallels administrative divisions with Supreme Court, composed of 105 justices, at apex; no judicial review of legislative acts; legal education at 7 law schools; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction


 * Branches: Legislative, executive, judicial system dominated by parallel Communist party apparatus


 * Government leader: Piotr Jaroszewicz, Premier; Henryk Jabłoński, chairman of Council of State (President)


 * Suffrage: Universal and compulsory over age 18


 * Elections: Parliamentary and local government every 4 years


 * Dominant political party and leader: Polish United Workers Party (PZPR) (Communist), Edward Gierek, First Secretary


 * Voting strength (1972 election): 97% voted for Communist-approved single slate


 * Communists: 2.27 million party members (December 1971)


 * Other political or pressure groups: National Unity Front (FJN), including United Peasant Party (ZSL), Democratic Party (SD), pro-government pseudo-Catholic Pax Association and Christian Social Association, Catholic independent Znak group; powerful Roman Catholic Church, Stefan Cardinal Wyszynski, Primate; Socialist Union of Polish Students (SZSP)


 * Member of: CEMA, GATT, ICAO, IHB, Indochina Truce Commission, Korea Truce Commission, Seabeds Committee, U.N. and all specialized agencies except IMF and IBRD, Warsaw Pact

ECONOMY (C)
 * GNP: $54.6 billion in 1972 at 1971 prices, $1,650 per capita; 1972 growth rate 7%


 * Agriculture: Self-sufficient for minimum requirements; main crops - grain, sugar beets, potatoes, oilseeds, exporter of livestock products and sugar; importer of grains; 3,200 calories per day per capita (1970)


 * Fishing: Catch 520,400 metric tons (1972)


 * Major industries: Chemistry, food processing, transportation equipment, machine building, iron and steel, textiles, and shipbuilding


 * Crude steel: 13.5 million metric tons produced (1972), about 410 kg. per capita


 * Electric power: 16,100,100 kw. capacity (1972); 76.5 billion kw.-hr. produced (1972), 2,305 kw.-hr. per capita.


 * Exports: $4,533 million (f.o.b., 1972); 42% machinery and equipment; 34% fuels, raw materials, and semi manufactures; 15% agricultural and food products; 9% light industrial products


 * Imports: $4,903 million (f.o.b., 1972); 43% machinery and equipment; 38% fuels, raw materials, and semi manufactures; 12% agricultural and food products; 7% light industrial products


 * Major trade partners: $9,436 million (1972); 62% with Communist countries, 38% with West


 * Monetary conversion rate: 3.32 zlotys = US$1 (commercial); 19.92 zlotys = US$1 (noncommercial); old commercial rates 4.00 zlotys = US$1 prior to 1972, 3.8 zlotys = US$1 in 1972


 * Fiscal year: Same as calendar year; economic data are reported for calendar years except for caloric intake which is reported for the consumption year, 1 July-30 June


 * Note: Foreign trade figures were converted as the 1972 rate

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APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200070027-9