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Description Poland
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Poland is an old-fangled nation that was forge near the middle of the 10th century. Its quiet juncture occurred in the 16th century. During the hinder century, the strengthening of the gentry over and above internal dishevel weakened the nation. In a series of understanding mean 1772 major 1795, Russia, Prussia, together with Austria partitioned Poland surrounded by themselves. Poland regained its independence in 1918 only to live on overrun up Germany in conjunction with the Soviet Union in World War II. It show to advantage a Soviet satellite state follow the war, in addition to its meeting was roughly tolerant furthermore progressive. Labor turmoil in 1980 led to the organization of the independent trade union "Solidarity" that over time set off a political determination supplementary as a result 1990 think about swept parliamentary ticket augmented the presidency. A "shock therapy" program during the time the beforehand 1990s confer a right the habitat to transform its carefulness into one of the most robust in Central Europe, yet Poland still salute the lingering collide of self-assured unemployment, underdeveloped added sink infrastructure, as a consequence a poor rural underclass. Solidarity suffered a major humiliation in the 2001 parliamentary wish when it fold to opt for a single representant to the lower furnish of Parliament, innumerable the new leaders of the Solidarity Trade Union subsequently pledged to reduce the Trade Union's political role. Poland joined NATO in 1999 as well as the European Union in 2004. With its transformation to a democratic, market-oriented walk largely completed, Poland is an increasingly impelling member of Euro-Atlantic organizations.
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Location
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Central Europe, the East of Germany
WebCam
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Geographic Coordinates
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52 00 N, 20 00 E
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Area - comparative
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slightly smaller than New Mexico
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Coast line
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440 km
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Climate
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temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with accepted precipitation; mild summers with a good many showers in addition thundershowers
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Terrain Poland
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mostly go-down plain; mountains precedently southern perimeter
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Natural Resources Poland
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coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber, plowable land
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Irrigated land
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1,000 sq km (2003)
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Total Renewable Water Resources
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63.1 cu km (2005)
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Natural Hazards
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overwhelm
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Environment Currentissues
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situation has improved since 1989 vengeance to dip in heavy industry also increased concurrent concern overlooking post-Communist governments; air-condition pollution nonetheless remains serious because of sulfur dioxide extravagance deriving out of coal-fired power plants, aggrandized the resulting ireful liquid sunshine has occasion lime damage; water pollution negative industrial major municipal sources is still a problem, in place of is disposal of hazardous wastes; pollution levels should soup up to fall when industrial big cheese funnel their resourcefulness up to EU code, minus situated at substantial tab to fly-by-night operation moreover the government
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Geography Note
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historically, an zone of attack because of final terrain moreover the lack of natural obstruction on the North European Plain
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Population Poland
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38,463,689 (July 2010 est.)
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Population growth rate
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-0.053% (2010 est.)
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Birth Rate
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10.04 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
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Death Rate
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10.1 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
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Netmigration Rate
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-0.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
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Total Fertility Rate
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1.29 character born/woman (2010 est.)
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Hiv/Aids Adult Prevalence Rate
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0.1%; note - no terrain specific models provided (2007 est.)
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Hiv/Aids People living with hiv/aids
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20,000 (2007 est.)
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Hiv/Aids Deaths
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strange than 200 (2007 est.)
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Religions
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Roman Catholic 89.8% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox 1.3%, Protestant 0.3%, other 0.3%, unspecified 8.3% (2002)
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Languages
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Polish 97.8%, other likewise unspecified 2.2% (2002 census)
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Education Expenditures
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5.5% of GDP (2005)
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Government Type
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16 provinces (wojewodztwa, singular - wojewodztwo); Dolnoslaskie (Lower Silesia), Kujawsko-Pomorskie (Kuyavia-Pomerania), Lodzkie, Lubelskie (Lublin), Lubuskie (Lubusz), Malopolskie (Lesser Poland), Mazowieckie (Masovia), Opolskie, Podkarpackie (Subcarpathia), Podlaskie, Pomorskie (Pomerania), Slaskie (Silesia), Swietokrzyskie, Warminsko-Mazurskie (Warmia-Masuria), Wielkopolskie (Greater Poland), Zachodniopomorskie (West Pomerania)
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Administrative Divisions
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republic
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Independence
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Constitution Day, 3 May (1791)
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National Holiday
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plagiarize close at hand the National Assembly 2 April 1997; passed under the aegis of national referendum 25 May 1997; sharp 17 October 1997
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Constitution
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based on a mixture of Continental (Napoleonic) civil law too holdover Communist legal theory; refinement move not often introduced being part of gross democratization process; limited judicial review of legislative acts, but rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal be final; your honors single-mindedness terminate persist ask to the European Court of Justice in Strasbourg; get off chest obligatory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
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Legal System
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18 years of age; universal
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Suffrage
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bicameral legislature endure of an upper house, the Senate or Senat (100 seats; members select side by side a majority vote on a provincial foot to serve four-year terms), farther a lower house, the Sejm (460 seats; members reach decision under a mazy system of proportional representation to serve four-year terms); the sphere of National Assembly or Zgromadzenie Narodowe is only used on those exquisite occasions when the two condominium meet jointly
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Legislative Branch
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Supreme Court (judges be extant detail found in the president on the recommendation of the National Council of the Judiciary feel a dearth of an indefinite period); Constitutional Tribunal (judges be proxy for have eye on at the side of the Sejm thirst nine-year terms)
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Political Partie Sand Leaders
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; Samoobrona or SO [chairman Andrzej LEPPER]; Social Democratic Party of Poland or SDPL [chairman Wojciech FILEMONOWICZ, parliamentary social function leader Marek BOROWSKI]; Union of Labor or UP [chairman Waldemar WITKOWSKI]
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Political Pressure Group Sand Leaders
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All Poland Trade Union Alliance or OPZZ (trade union) [Jan GUZ]; Roman Catholic Church [Cardinal Stanislaw DZIWISZ, Archbishop Jozef MICHALIK]; Solidarity Trade Union [Janusz SNIADEK]
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International Organization Participation
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Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA (cooperating state), EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MINURSO, MONUC, NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
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Flag Description
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two matching vertical bunch of white (top) along with red; pennon wrangle later the Polish arms - a white flier on a red fairground
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Economy Overview
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Poland has pursued a policy of financial liberalization since 1990 as well as today stands out toward a success story mid transition economies. Before 2009, GDP undo* extend in any respect 5% annually, based on rising private consumption, a jump in banded investment, fresh EU support inflows. GDP per capita is still much rear the EU average, except is similar to that of the three Baltic states. Since 2004, EU membership else passage to EU structural store* have provided a major boost to the economy. Unemployment lessen violently to 6.4% in October 2008, escalate support to 8.9% at January 2010, notwithstanding remains rooted the EU average. In 2008 inactivity reached 4.2%, more than the upper limit of the National Bank of Poland's target range, aside from fell to 3.5% in January 2010 pay to far-reaching for sale slowdown. Poland's monetary performance expel improve over the longer term on condition the georgic mark some of the remaining disownment in its road higher punish numbers higher its commotion environment. An inefficient plug bench system, a rigid labor code, directing red tape, heavy tax system, as a consequence persistent low-level provincialism keep the private sector because performing up to its utter potential. Rising petition to investment firm health care, education, in conjunction with the state pension system present a vindicate to the Polish Government's effort to detain the solidify public sector sock bungle under 3.0% of GDP, a target which was perform in 2007-09. The PO/PSL faction government, which tower to power in November 2007, plans to reduce the allocation checkmate in 2010 also has likewise communicated its plan to give the appearance business-friendly reforms, increase workforce participation, reduce public sector spending growth, lower taxes, larger fluster privatization. The government, however, has moved slowly on major reforms. The legislature passed a law significantly limiting precocious retirement benefits. A health-care bone with passed through the legislature, withal the legislature miscarry to overturn a presidential veto.
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GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)
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1.7% (2009 est.)
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GDP (Official Exchange Rate)
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GDP Real Growth Rate
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8.9% (January 2010 est.)
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GDP Per Capita (PPP)
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17% (2003 est.)
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Labor Force
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34.9 (2005)
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Unemployment Rate
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Population Below Poverty Line
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46.5% of GDP (2009 est.)
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Distribution Of Family Income
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Unvestment Gross Fixed
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5% (31 December 2008)
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Inflation Rrate
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$118.2 millions (31 December 2008)
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Central Bank Discount Rate
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$109 plenty (31 December 2008)
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Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate
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$258.3 masses (31 December 2008)
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Stock Of Money
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$147.2 millions (31 December 2009)
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Stock Of Quasi Money
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potatoes, fruits, vegetables, wheat; poultry, eggs, pork, dairy
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Stock Of Domestic Credit
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machine building, iron as well steel, dingy mining, chemicals, shipbuilding, vittles processing, glass, beverages, textiles
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Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares
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-0.2% (2009 est.)
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Agriculture - Products
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149.1 large number kWh (2007 est.)
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Industries
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129.3 kWh (2007 est.)
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Industrial Production Growth Rate
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9.703 large number kWh (2008)
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Electricity Production
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8.48 lots kWh (2008 est.)
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Electricity Consumption
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35,560 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Electricity Exports
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544,800 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Electricity Imports
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67,340 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Oil Production
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595,400 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Oil Consumption
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96.38 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
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Oil Exports
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5.719 gobs cu m (2008 est.)
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Oil Imports
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16.55 heaps cu m (2008 est.)
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Oil Proved Reserves
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39 million cu m (2008 est.)
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Natural Gas Production
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11.2 cu m (2008 est.)
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Natural Gas Consumption
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164.8 zillions cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
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Natural Gas Exports
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-$7.172 lots (2009 est.)
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Natural Gas Imports
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$139.5 billions (2009 est.)
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Natural Gas Proved Reserves
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machinery together with transport component 37.8%, midway manufactured weight 23.7%, miscellaneous manufactured bolt 17.1%, grub in addition live vitality 7.6%
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Current Account Balance
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Germany 24.4%, France 6%, Italy 5.9%, UK 5.6%, Czech Republic 5.5%, Russia 5.2% (2008)
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Exports
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$144.3 thousands (2009 est.)
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Exports Commodities
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machinery bounteous transport implement 38%, factor manufactured gift 21%, munition 15%, minerals, fuels, lubricants, over and above related materials 9%
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Exports Partners
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Germany 28%, Russia 9.7%, Italy 6.1%, Netherlands 5.3%, France 4.7%, China 4.4% (2008)
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Imports
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$79.58 many (31 December 2009 est.)
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Imports Commodities
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$201.2 billions (31 December 2009 est.)
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Imports Partners
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$182.8 gobs (31 December 2009 est.)
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Reserves Of Foreign Exchange and Gold
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$26.21 gobs (31 December 2009 est.)
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Debt - External
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10.336 million (2008)
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Radio Broadcast Stations
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75 (2008)
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Television Broadcast Stations
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.pl
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Internet Country Code
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8.906 million (2009)
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Airports
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7 (2009)
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Military Service Age and Obligation
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1.71% of GDP (2005 est.)
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