Chapter 95
Executive branch: chief of state: President Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI (since 23 December 1995) head of government: Prime Minister Jerzy BUZEK (since NA October 1997), Deputy Prime Ministers Leszek BALCEROWICZ (since 31 October 1997), Janusz TOMASZEWSKI (since 31 October 1997) cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the prime minister and the Sejm; the prime minister proposes, the president appoints, and the Sejm approves the Council of Ministers elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election first round held 5 November 1995, second round held 19 November 1995 (next to be held NA November 2000); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the Sejm election results: Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI elected president in 1995; percent of popular vote, second round--Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI 51.7%, Lech WALESA 48.3%; Jerzy BUZEK selected prime minister in 1997
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly or Zgromadzenie Narodowe consists of the Sejm (460 seats; members are elected under a complex system of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) and the Senate or Senat (100 seats; members are elected by a majority vote on a provincial basis to serve four-year terms) elections: Sejm elections last held 21 September 1997 (next to be held by NA September 2001); Senate--last held 21 September 1997 (next to be held by NA September 2001) election results: Sejm--percent of vote by party--AWS 33.8%, SLD 27.1%, UW 13.4%, PSL 7.3%, ROP 5.6%, MN 0.4%, other 12.4%; seats by party--AWS 201, SLD 164, UW 60, PSL 27, ROP 6, MN 2; Senate--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--AWS 51, SLD 28, UW 8, ROP 5, PSL 3, independents 5; note--seats by party in the Sejm as of December 1997: AWS 200, SLD 164, UW 60, PSL 26, ROP 4, MN 2, other 4 note: four seats are constitutionally assigned to ethnic German parties
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the National Council of the Judiciary for an indefinite period; Constitutional Tribunal, judges are chosen by the Sejm for nine-year terms
Political parties and leaders: post-Communist: Democratic Left Alliance or SLD (Social Democracy of KALINOWSKI] post-Solidarity parties: Freedom Union or UW; note--Democratic Union non-Communist, non-Solidarity: Movement for the Reconstruction of
Political pressure groups and leaders: powerful Roman Catholic Church; Solidarity (trade union); All Poland Trade Union Alliance or OPZZ (trade union)
International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA (observer), IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUA, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UPU, WCL, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jerzy KOZMINSKI chancery: 2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel FRIED embassy: Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31 00-054, Warsaw P1 mailing address: American Embassy Warsaw, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5010 (pouch) consulate(s) general: Krakow
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; similar to the flags of Indonesia and Monaco which are red (top) and white
Economy
Economy--overview: Poland today stands out as one of the most successful and open transition economies. The privatization of small and medium state-owned companies and a liberal law on establishing new firms marked the rapid development of a private sector now responsible for 70% of economic activity. In contrast to the vibrant expansion of private non-farm activity, the large agriculture component remains handicapped by structural problems, surplus labor, inefficient small farms, and lack of investment. The government's determination to enter the EU as soon as possible affects all aspects of its economic policies. Improving Poland's worsening current account deficit also is a priority. To date, the government has resisted pressure for protectionist solutions and continues to support regional free trade initiatives. The government export strategy emphasizes a more aggressive export assistance program. Warsaw continues to hold the budget deficit to less than 2% of GDP. Further progress on public finance depends mainly on comprehensive reform of the social welfare system and privatization of Poland's remaining state sector. Restructuring and privatization of "sensitive sectors" (e.g., coal, steel, and telecommunications) has begun. Long-awaited privatizations in aviation and energy are scheduled for 1999.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$263 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 5.6% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$6,800 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 5.1% industry: 26.6% services: 68.3% (1997)
Population below poverty line: 23.8% (1993 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4% highest 10%: 22.1% (1992)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 11% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 17.4 million (1998 est.)
Labor force--by occupation: industry and construction 29.9%, agriculture 26%, services 44.1% (1996)
Unemployment rate: 10% (1998)
Budget: revenues: $36.5 billion expenditures: $38.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)
Industries: machine building, iron and steel, coal mining, chemicals, shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages, textiles
Industrial production growth rate: 7.9% (1998 est.)
Electricity--production: 134.731 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 97.09% hydro: 2.91% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 132.291 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 7.925 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 5.485 billion kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: potatoes, fruits, vegetables, wheat; poultry, eggs, pork, beef, milk, cheese
Exports: $27.2 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
Exports--commodities: manufactured goods, chemicals 57%, machinery and equipment 21%, food and live animals 12%, mineral fuels 7%, other 3%
Exports--partners: Germany 32.9%, Russia 8.4%, Italy 5.9%, Ukraine 4.7%, Netherlands 4.7%, France 4.4%
Imports: $38.5 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
Imports--commodities: manufactured goods, chemical 43%, machinery and equipment 36%, mineral fuels 9%, food and live animals 8%, other 4%
Imports--partners: Germany 24.1%, Italy 9.9%, Russia 6.3%, UK 5.5%, US 4.5%, France 5.9%
Debt--external: $42 billion (1997)
Economic aid--recipient: $4.312 billion (1995)
Currency: 1 zloty (Zl) = 100 groszy
Exchange rates: zlotych (Zl) per US$1--3.5409 (January 1999), 3.4754 (1998), 3.2793 (1997), 2.6961 (1996), 2.4250 (1995); note--a currency reform on 1 January 1995 replaced 10,000 old zlotys with 1 new zloty; 22,723 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 8.2 million (1996)
Telephone system: underdeveloped and outmoded system; government aims to have 10 million telephones in service by 2000; the process of partial privatization of the state-owned telephone monopoly has begun domestic: cable, open wire, and microwave radio relay; 3 cellular networks international: satellite earth stations--2 Intelsat, NA Eutelsat, 2 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions), and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 27, FM 75, shortwave 1 (1994 est.)
Radios: 9.9 million registered (1996)
Television broadcast stations: 150 (1997)
Televisions: 9.4 million registered (1996)
Transportation
Railways: total: 24,313 km broad gauge: 652 km 1.520-m gauge standard gauge: 22,243 km 1.435-m gauge (11,648 km electrified; 8,978 km double track) narrow gauge: 1,418 km various gauges including 1.000-m, 0.785-m, 0.750-m, and 0.600-m (1996)
Highways: total: 377,048 km paved: 247,721 km (including 264 km of expressways) unpaved: 129,327 km (1997 est.)
Waterways: 3,812 km navigable rivers and canals (1996)
Pipelines: crude oil and petroleum products 2,280 km; natural gas 17,000 km (1996)
Ports and harbors: Gdansk, Gdynia, Gliwice, Kolobrzeg, Szczecin, Swinoujscie, Ustka, Warsaw, Wrocaw
Merchant marine: total: 61 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,162,954 GRT/1,866,462 DWT ships by type: bulk 53, cargo 3, chemical tanker 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1, short-sea passenger 2 (1998 est.)
Airports: 92 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 74 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 25 1,524 to 2,437 m: 38 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 3 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 18 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 7 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 3 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Force
Military manpower--military age: 19 years of age
Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 10,417,314 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 8,104,484 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually: males: 334,420 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $3.3 billion (1998)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 2.2% (1998)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
Illicit drugs: major illicit producer of amphetamines for the international market; transshipment point for Asian and Latin American illicit drugs to Western Europe
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@Portugal --------
Geography
Location: Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Spain
Geographic coordinates: 39 30 N, 8 00 W
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 92,391 sq km land: 91,951 sq km water: 440 sq km note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands
Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Indiana
Land boundaries: total: 1,214 km border countries: Spain 1,214 km
Coastline: 1,793 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and drier in south
Terrain: mountainous north of the Tagus River, rolling plains in south
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Ponta do Pico (Pico or Pico Alto) on Ilha do Pico in the Azores 2,351 m
Natural resources: fish, forests (cork), tungsten, iron ore, uranium ore, marble
Land use: arable land: 26% permanent crops: 9% permanent pastures: 9% forests and woodland: 36% other: 20% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 6,300 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: Azores subject to severe earthquakes
Environment--current issues: soil erosion; air pollution caused by industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution, especially in coastal areas
Environment--international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Environmental Modification, Nuclear Test Ban, Tropical Timber 94
Geography--note: Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic locations along western sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar
People
Population: 9,918,040 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 17% (male 866,115; female 820,438) 15-64 years: 68% (male 3,283,345; female 3,428,427) 65 years and over: 15% (male 619,086; female 900,629) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.13% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 10.49 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 10.25 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 6.73 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.88 years male: 72.51 years female: 79.46 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.34 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Portuguese (singular and plural) adjective: Portuguese
Ethnic groups: homogeneous Mediterranean stock; citizens of black African descent who immigrated to mainland during decolonization number less than 100,000
Religions: Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant denominations 1%, other 2%
Languages: Portuguese
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 85% male: 89% female: 82% (1990 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Portuguese Republic conventional short form: Portugal local long form: Republica Portuguesa local short form: Portugal
Data code: PO
Government type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Lisbon
Administrative divisions: 18 districts (distritos, singular--distrito) and 2 autonomous regions* (regioes autonomas, singular--regiao autonoma); Aveiro, Acores (Azores)*, Beja, Braga, Braganca, Castelo Branco, Coimbra, Evora, Faro, Guarda, Leiria, Lisboa, Madeira*, Portalegre, Porto, Santarem, Setubal, Viana do Castelo, Vila Real, Viseu
Dependent areas: Macau (scheduled to revert to China on 20 December 1999)
Independence: 1140 (independent republic proclaimed 5 October 1910)
National holiday: Day of Portugal, 10 June (1580)
Constitution: 25 April 1976, revised 30 October 1982, 1 June 1989, 5 November 1992, and 3 September 1997
Legal system: civil law system; the Constitutional Tribunal reviews the constitutionality of legislation; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Jorge SAMPAIO (since 9 March 1996) head of government: Prime Minister Antonio Manuel de Oliviera GUTERRES (since 28 October 1995) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister note: there is also a Council of State that acts as a consultative body to the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 14 January 1996 (next to be held NA January 2001); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president election results: Jorge SAMPAIO elected president; percent of vote--Jorge SAMPAIO (Socialist) 53.8%, Anibal CAVACO SILVA (Social Democrat) 46.2%
Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (230 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 1 October 1995 (next to be held by 1 October 1999) election results: percent of vote by party--PSD 34.0%, PS 43.8%, CDU 8.6%, CDS/PP 9.1%; seats by party--PSD 88, PS 112, CDU 15, CDS/PP 15
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal de Justica, judges appointed for life by the Conselho Superior da Magistratura
Political parties and leaders: Social Democratic Party or PSD Popular Party or PP (formerly known as Center Democratic Party or SERGIO]; United Democratic Coalition or CDU (communists; includes
International organization participation: AfDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MINURCA, MINURSO, MONUA, MTCR, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNPREDEP, UPU, WCL, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Fernando Antonio de Lacerda ANDRESEN GUIMARAES chancery: 2125 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Boston, New York, Newark (New Jersey), New Bedford (Massachusetts), Providence (Rhode Island), and San Francisco consulate(s): Los Angeles
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Gerald S. MCGOWAN embassy: Avenida das Forcas Armadas, 1600 Lisbon mailing address: PSC 83, APO AE 09726 consulate(s): Ponta Delgada (Azores)
Flag description: two vertical bands of green (hoist side, two-fifths) and red (three-fifths) with the Portuguese coat of arms centered on the dividing line
Economy
Economy--overview: Portugal, in 1998, continued to see strong economic growth, falling interest rates, and low unemployment. The country qualified for the European Monetary Union (EMU) in 1998 and joined with 10 other European countries in launching the euro on 1 January 1999. Portugal's inflation rate for 1998, 2.8%, was low but higher than most of its European partners. The country continues to run a trade deficit and a balance of payments deficit. The government is working to modernize capital plant and increase the country's competitiveness in the increasingly integrated world markets. Growth is expected to slow to 3% in 1999 because of a slowdown in public investment and sluggish demand for exports.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$144.8 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 4.2% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$14,600 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 4% industry: 36% services: 60% (1998 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.8% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 4.75 million (1998 est.)
Labor force--by occupation: services 56%, manufacturing 22%, agriculture, forestry, fisheries 12%, construction 9%, mining 1% (1998 est.)
Unemployment rate: 5% (August 1998)
Budget: revenues: $48 billion expenditures: $52 billion, including capital expenditures of $7.4 billion (1996 est.)
Industries: textiles and footwear; wood pulp, paper, and cork; metalworking; oil refining; chemicals; fish canning; wine; tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 4.1% (1998 est.)
Electricity--production: 32.839 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 55% hydro: 45% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1998 est.)
Electricity--consumption: 31.92 billion kWh (1997)
Electricity--exports: 3 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 4.2 billion kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: grain, potatoes, olives, grapes; sheep, cattle, goats, poultry, beef, dairy products
Exports: $25 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports--commodities: clothing and footwear, machinery, chemicals, cork and paper products, hides
Exports--partners: EU 81% (Germany 20%, Spain 15%, France 14%, UK 12% Netherlands 5%, Benelux 5%, Italy 4%), US 5% (1997)
Imports: $34.9 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Imports--commodities: machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum, textiles, agricultural products
Imports--partners: EU 76% (Spain 24%, Germany 15%, France 11%, Italy 8%, UK 7%, Netherlands 5%), US 3%, Japan 2% (1997)
Debt--external: $13.1 billion (1997 est.)
Economic aid--donor: ODA, $271 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Portuguese escudo (Esc) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates: Portuguese escudos (Esc) per US$1--172.78 (January 1999), 180.10 (1998), 175.31 (1997), 154.24 (1996), 151.11 (1995), 165.99 (1994) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Union introduced a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in some member countries at the rate of 0.8597 euros per US$ and a fixed rate of 200.482 escudos per euro; the euro will replace the local currency in consenting countries for all transactions in 2002
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 3.7 million (1996 est.)
Telephone system: domestic: generally adequate integrated network of coaxial cables, open wire, microwave radio relay, and domestic satellite earth stations international: 6 submarine cables; satellite earth stations--3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to Azores; note--an earth station for Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region) is planned
Radio broadcast stations: AM 57, FM 66 (repeaters 22), shortwave 0
Radios: 2.2 million (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 36 (in addition, there are 62 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 2,970,892 (1993 est.)
Transportation
Railways: total: 3,072 km broad gauge: 2,769 km 1.668-m gauge (528 km electrified; 426 km double track) narrow gauge: 303 km 1.000-m gauge (1996)
Highways: total: 68,732 km paved: 59,110 km (including 687 km of expressways) unpaved: 9,622 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: 820 km navigable; relatively unimportant to national economy, used by shallow-draft craft limited to 300 metric-ton cargo capacity
Pipelines: crude oil 22 km; petroleum products 58 km; natural gas 700 km note: the secondary lines for the natural gas pipeline that will be 300 km long have not yet been built
Ports and harbors: Aveiro, Funchal (Madeira Islands), Horta (Azores), Leixoes, Lisbon, Porto, Ponta Delgada (Azores), Praia da Vitoria (Azores), Setubal, Viana do Castelo
Merchant marine: total: 132 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 894,640 GRT/1,366,955 DWT ships by type: bulk 13, cargo 72, chemical tanker 14, container 7, liquefied gas tanker 7, oil tanker 9, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 3, short-sea passenger 4, vehicle carrier 2 note: Portugal has created a captive register on Madeira for Portuguese-owned ships; ships on the Madeira Register (MAR) will have taxation and crewing benefits of a flag of convenience (1998 est.)
Airports: 66 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 40 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 5 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 26 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 25 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force, National Republican Guard
Military manpower--military age: 20 years of age
Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 2,542,188 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,042,730 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually: males: 73,405 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $2.458 billion (1997)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 2.6% (1997)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: as former colonial power, Portugal plays a key role in the issue of Indonesia's sovereignty over Timor Timur (East Timor Province), which has not been recognized by the UN
Illicit drugs: important gateway country for Latin American cocaine entering the European market; transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Europe; consumer of Southwest Asian heroin
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@Puerto Rico -----------
Geography