Poland

C

Forestry

Forests covered 30 percent of Poland’s land area in 2005, slightly below the European average. State forests account for more than three-fourths of the forest area, and some sections are slated for privatization along with the wood-processing industry. Principal forest products include timber, fiber mass, paper, and cellulose. Poland exports significant quantities of wood products, mainly pulpwood, to the countries of Scandinavia, Austria, Germany, and other countries.

D

Fishing

After 1960 the bulk of Poland’s maritime fishing activities moved from the Baltic Sea to the Atlantic Ocean and then to the Sea of Okhotsk, which now supplies almost three-quarters of the country’s fish. Freshwater fishing is concentrated in the numerous lakes of northern Poland. In 2004 Poland’s catch totaled 227,400 metric tons. Annual landings usually consist principally of Alaska pollock, herring, European sprat, squid, cod, and carp. The major fishing ports are Świnoujście, Kołobrzeg, Darłowo, Ustka, Władysławowo, Puck, and Hel. Most of Poland’s fish is processed by private enterprises, though a small number of state and cooperative enterprises are also in operation. About 12 percent of the country’s fish catch is exported.

Between 1980 and 1993 the annual catch declined substantially, due largely to the pollution of Poland’s lakes, which has caused freshwater fish populations to diminish rapidly. Another problem facing Poland’s fishing industry is the need to secure access to new fishing areas as old ones become depleted or protected by quotas.

E

Mining

Poland’s mining sector has declined considerably since Communism ended in 1989, due in large part to a decrease in domestic demand and the reduction of government subsidies. This has resulted in large numbers of layoffs among miners. Coal (including hard coal and lignite) is Poland’s principal mineral product. The country ranks among the world’s leading producers of hard coal, although production has decreased significantly in the 1990s. With assistance from the World Bank, Poland has made efforts to restructure and modernize its coal-mining sector in accordance with strict environmental regulations. The country’s underground coal mines, most of which are located in Upper Silesia, have been grouped into a number of companies with the goal of eventual privatization. Poland is also a leading producer of sulfur. Other important mineral products include copper, lead, zinc, magnesite, and rock salt.

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F

Manufacturing

After the Communists came to power, Poland’s manufacturing base was expanded and placed largely under governmental control. Heavy industries, including machinery and iron and steel, were particularly emphasized. When the Solidarity-led government took over in 1989, it adopted a program to return many of Poland’s industries to private ownership. Under the Communists, economic investment was concentrated largely in Upper Silesia, Warsaw, Łódź, and Kraków; however, recent policies have encouraged a broader regional distribution of industry to include smaller cities and rural areas. In the mid-1990s Poland’s chief manufactures included machines, iron and steel, cement, chemicals, ships, food products, textiles, and automobiles.

G

Energy

The bulk of Poland’s electricity is derived from coal, with 1 percent generated by hydroelectric facilities. After 1990 Poland’s energy sector was restructured into more than 100 companies in which the state held a controlling interest and was subjected to strict environmental regulations, especially ones concerning sulfur dioxide emissions. Wholesale privatization of the energy sector is being considered, as are proposals to lessen Poland’s dependence on coal, which is particularly harmful to the environment, by encouraging the use of other energy sources, such as oil and gas. Due to its limited reserves, nearly all of Poland’s oil has to be imported. Most is imported by sea from the Persian Gulf, North Africa, Norway, and the United Kingdom. The rest comes from the former Soviet Union through the Friendship Pipeline, which originates in Russia and runs through Belarus to the Płock petrochemical refinery, in central Poland.