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| Republic of Poland Rzeczpospolita Polska | |
|---|---|
 Flag
 Coat of arms
| |
 | |
| Capital and largest city | Warsaw |
| Official languages | Polish |
| Demonym(s) | Polish . Pole |
| Dominant mode of production | Capitalism |
| Government | Unitary parliamentary republic |
• President | Andrzej Duda |
• Prime Minister | Donald Tusk |
| Area | |
• Total | 312,696 km² |
| Population | |
• 2022 census | 38,036,118 |
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany, Czechia, Slovakia, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, as well as having a northern coast on the Baltic Sea. From 2015 to 2023, it was governed by the reactionary Law and Justice party, which has introduced official LGBT free zones.[1]
History[edit | edit source]
Kingdom of Poland[edit | edit source]
See main articles: Kingdom of Poland (1025–1385), Crown of the Kingdom of Poland (1385–1795)
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth[edit | edit source]
See main article: Kingdom of Poland and Grand Duchy of Lithuania (1569–1795)
Interwar period[edit | edit source]
See main article: Republic of Poland (1918–1939)
Poland annexed the western parts of the Byelorussian and Ukrainian SSRs in 1920 in the Polish–Soviet War. Polish leader Józef Piłsudski signed a non-aggression pact with Nazi Germany in 1934, and Poland annexed the Cieszyn region of Czechoslovakia in 1938. Poland lost its alliance with Germany when it refused to allow the Nazis to annex Danzig.[2]
Second World War[edit | edit source]
Nazi Germany invaded Poland on 1 September 1939. The Polish government quickly collapsed and its officials fled to Romania on 16 September. The Red Army entered Poland the next day to protect the Soviet Union's western borders.[2]
Socialist era[edit | edit source]
See main article: Polish People's Republic
After being liberated by the Red Army in the Second World War, Poland became a socialist people's republic.[3]
Capitalist counterrevolution[edit | edit source]
In 1989, the CIA-backed Solidarity party led by Lech Wałęsa organized a counterrevolution to establish capitalism.[1]
Economy[edit | edit source]
Energy[edit | edit source]
Poland's electrical system is dominated by fossil fuel energy, and particularly coal power. Coal generated virtually all of the country's total electricity generation in 1990, and approximately 70% in 2021.[4] Renewable energy such as wind power generated 20% of the country's electricity in 2021, though its maximum generative capacity is almost double this.[5] It is the EU's second largest coal polluter and has 42 coal power plants, and the Belchatow Power Station, the largest of its kind in Europe, generates 20% of Poland's electricity alone. The Polish government therefore generally opposes measures to cut subsidies for coal power.[6]
Before the 2022 Russo-Ukrainian conflict, Russian coal was a crucial part of Poland's energy mix. The sanctions that Poland placed on Russia officially banned coal imports from Russia, but nonetheless Russian coal continues to enter the country, with almost one million tonnes being brought into the country via ships, with coal flagged as being from Kazakhstan and other non-Russian countries.[7]
Polish government officials have insisted that nuclear power will be a core part of their green transition, and necessary to achieve climate targets. It does not currently have any functioning nuclear power plants, but wishes to have its first nuclear reactor begin construct in 2026, and operational by the early 2030s.[8] In September 2023, this planned nuclear reactor, in Choczewo, passed the environmental decision, which is the pre-requisite for the decision to begin construction.[9]
Politics[edit | edit source]
2020s[edit | edit source]
In October 2023, the Polish elections were held and the ruling Law and Justice party won the plurality of the votes but failed to achieve a majority. It is generally believed that the Law and Justice party has no viable way to form a coalition to achieve a majority in parliament. Former Prime Minister Donald Tusk is in command of an opposition bloc that collectively achieved a majority in parliament. In November 2023, the Law and Justice Party will attempt to form a coalition government under the incumbent Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. If they fail, then Donald Tusk will likely become Poland's new Prime Minister.[10]
Anti-communism[edit | edit source]
Right-wing president Andrzej Duda banned the Communist Party of Poland and criminalized the promotion of communist ideas.[1]
Military[edit | edit source]
NATO[edit | edit source]
Poland is currently occupied by approximately 10,000 U.S. troops. In March 2018, Poland signed a $4.75 billion deal with arms dealer Raytheon. In April 2022, the U.S. agreed to send F-35 aircraft and Abrams tanks to Poland. In June 2022, Joe Biden announced that the United States would establish a permanent military base in Poland. Poland spends 3% of its GDP on its military, one of the highest levels in NATO.[1]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Jeremy Kuzmarov (2022-07-16). "Russian-Hating Dream of Brzezinski Clan Nears Fulfillment as Poland Agrees to Host Permanent U.S. Base and Turn Baltic Sea into NATO Lake" CovertAction Magazine. Archived from the original on 2022-07-16. Retrieved 2022-07-18.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "The Truth About The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact" (2018-05-09). Politsturm. Archived from the original on 2021-01-23. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
- ↑ "The Most Recent Chapter in Anti-Communist Persecution in Poland" (2020-10-29). TheFinnishBolshevik. Archived from the original on 2021-08-10. Retrieved 2022-05-29.
- ↑ "Poland" (2022). International Energy Agency. Archived from the original on 2023-10-27. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
- ↑ Kira Taylor (2023-05-14). "Poland’s renewables capacity growing but coal still dominates – report" Euractiv. Archived from the original on 2023-10-27. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
- ↑ Gavin Maguire (2023-06-20). "Europe's clashes over coal may extend well beyond Poland" Reuters. Archived from the original on 2023-06-20. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
- ↑ Aleksandra Krzysztoszek (2023-09-28). "Polish senator: Russian coal still flowing into Poland" Euractiv. Archived from the original on 2023-09-28. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
- ↑ Kira Taylor (2023-09-27). "Poland insists on nuclear’s role in green transition" Euractiv. Archived from the original on 2023-09-27. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
- ↑ Wojciech Kosc (2023-09-25). "Poland’s first nuclear power plant clears key hurdle in ambitiously timed plan" Business News Europe. Archived from the original on 2023-09-28. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
- ↑ VANESSA GERA (2023-10-26). "Poland’s president calls for new parliament to hold first session Nov. 13" Associated Press. Archived from the original on 2023-10-27. Retrieved 2023-10-27.