Poland: key facts
Poland is a country located in Central Europe. It has borders with six countries. Poland covers an area of 312,679 km2, making it the 6th largest country in Europe after Ukraine, Russia, France, Spain, and Italy.
Poland’s capital and largest city is Warsaw. Other major cities include Kraków, Łódź, Wrocław and Poznań.
Poland has been a member of the European Union since 1 May 2004 and part of NATO since March 1999. The country is also a member of the Schengen Agreement. In addition, Poland is classified as a high-income economy by World Bank and high-income in the region by The Economist Intelligence Unit. It also ranks as one of the safest countries in Europe to live in. Its main economic activities include agriculture, chemical industry, coal mining, and computer sciences.
Poland today remains an emerging market with real growth potential and untapped resources. The Polish business climate has been steadily evolving in recent years, driven by broad economic reforms aimed at restructuring institutions and creating competitive markets throughout society, especially within infrastructure sectors such as energy, communications, and transportation. Investors see Poland as an attractive location characterized by relatively low labor costs – less than half of their levels in German or Scandinavian economies – with low taxes on production equipment investment income, flat personal income tax rates on residents, and a skilled labor force.
