Location:
Central Europe, east of Germany

Geographic coordinates:
52 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 312,685 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 304,255 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 8,430 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 70

Area - comparative:
about twice the size of Georgia; slightly smaller than New Mexico
Area comparison map:

Land boundaries:
total: 3,071 km
border countries (7): Belarus 418 km, Czech Republic 796 km, Germany 467 km, Lithuania 104 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 210 km, Slovakia 541 km, Ukraine 535 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]

Coastline:
440 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

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:
mean elevation:
[see also: Mean Elevation country ranks ]
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:
agricultural land: 48.2% arable land 36.2%; permanent crops 1.3%; permanent pasture 10.7%
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
forest: 30.6%
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 21.2% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
1,157 sq km (2007)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Total renewable water resources:
61.6 cu km (2011)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 11.96 cu km/yr (31%/60%/10%)
per capita: 312.3 cu m/yr (2009)

Natural hazards:
flooding

Environment - current issues:
decreased emphasis on heavy industry and increased environmental concern by post-communist governments has improved environment; air pollution remains serious because of 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

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, 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