ABSTRACT
Since 1989, the Central European country of Poland has been undergoing a political shift toward democracy and an economic transition from a command economy to a market economy. Several features distinguish Poland from the region’s other transition economies. First, only those of Russia and the Ukraine exceed Poland’s vast area and population. Second, the process of building democracy in Poland began as early as 1956, a process that was supported by the strong Polish Catholic Church, which operated with varying degrees of intensity throughout the period of Poland’s socialist economy. Third, Poland’s has had a relatively strong private agricultural sector since World War II, with private farmers holding approximately 85% of the country’s total farmland. Fourth, private business ownership in the trade, crafts, and service sectors gained significance after 1956. Finally, Poland has a historic role as a pioneer of transformation including applying shock therapy-the process of radical transitioning from a centrally planned economy to one dictated by market forces.
Situated in Central Europe, Poland shares its borders with Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, and Russia’s Baltic enclave. In the north, Poland borders the Baltic Sea. With an area of 312,683 km2 (129,725 square miles) and stretching
some 650 km (405 miles) from the east to the west, Poland is the ninth largest country in Europe. At the end of 2001, Poland had a population of 38,632,000, ranking 29th in the world and 8th in Europe. The population consists of 48.6% boys and men and 51.4% girls and women. The average life span is 68.5 years for men and 77.0 years for women. Ethnically, Poland remains fairly homogenous, with ethnic minorities accounting for 2.6% to 3.9% of the population. Poland’s prevailing religion is Roman Catholicism.
