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:
slightly smaller than New Mexico

Land boundaries:
total: 3,047 km
border countries: Belarus 605 km, Czech Republic 615 km, Germany 456 km, Lithuania 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 432 km, Slovakia 420 km, Ukraine 428 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 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)

Total renewable water resources:
63.1 cu km (2005)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 11.73 cu km/yr (13%/79%/8%)
per capita: 304 cu m/yr (2002)

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