After the elimination of democratic and pro-Western elements during World War II, Poland became part of the Communist bloc in 1947. It embraced democracy in 1987 under the impetus of the Solidarity (Solidarność) trade union, which won a landslide victory in the partially-free elections on 4 and 18 June 1989. Since then centre-left and centre-right coalitions alternated in power up until the election of 25 October 2015, which led to the formation of a single-party government. Poland has been a member of NATO since 1999 and on 1 May 2004, it became a member of the European Union.
Under the Constitution approved by referendum on 25 May 1997, the President of the Republic, directly elected for a five-year term, appoints the Prime Minister who must be voted in by the both houses of Parliament. Parliament comprises the Lower House (460 seats) and Senate (100 seats), whose members are elected for four-year terms.

Defence.
Military service has been voluntary since 2009. In response to tensions with Russia, the government has significantly increased military spending: an agreement was signed for $4.75 billion to purchase US Patriot missiles.

Justice.
The legal system is based on Napoleonic Law, reviewed and brought in line with Western European tradition. Recent reforms by PiS have been contested.

Economic situation.

The economy continues to grow over 4% in 2018 (3.7% in 2019), thanks to consumption and investments supported by EU funds. Unemployment is on the decline.

Primary sector
Agriculture.
Agriculture employs a significant share of the workforce. The most important crops are cereals (wheat, barley, maize and oats), potatoes, sugar beet, fruit (especially apples) and vegetables.
Livestock.
The main livestock species are pigs, cattle and farmyard animals. The number of horses raised is particularly high, especially draught horses.

Secondary sector
Minerals.
The Silesian coalfield is one of the largest in Europe, and there are secondary fields at Lublin, Wałbrzych and Nowa Ruda.
At Bogatynia (Turoszów basin) and near Konin and Bełchatów there are rich lignite deposits. Production of oil and natural gas is modest. Other mineral resources include lead and zinc in Silesia, copper, salt, sulfur, silver, magnesite, gypsum and feldspar.
Energy and industry.
Power generation relies almost exclusively on coal-fired power stations. The country has sizeable reserves of shale gas, but exploration has been slowed by administrative procedures and strict European regulations. Oil refineries (the main ones at Plock and Gdańsk) work with imported crude oil, especially from Russia, also supplied via the main “Druzhba” oil pipeline. In Świnoujście there is a regasification terminal.
The traditional heavy metal industry has been reformed progressively to respond to international competition, to attract foreign investments and to reduce the environmental impact. Some of the most polluting factories and mines in Silesia and the “black areas” of Poland have been shut down or modernized. The iron and steel industry is concentrated in Silesia and on the edges of the Silesian coalfield, with other centres at Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, Stalowa Wola, Warsaw and Szczecin. Metal-working is important in Wrocław, Poznań and Silesia. There are numerous cement works.
Mechanical industry covers a wide range of productions, including tractors, farm machinery, electrical machinery and home appliances. The railway sector is also relevant.
The motor industry, which relies heavily on foreign capital, is located at Warsaw-Żerań, Poznań, Lublin, Tychy, Gliwice and Bielsko-Biala (cars and vans), as well as Sanok (buses), Dęba (engines), and Starachowice, Tychy and Lublin (trucks). The ship-building industry at Gdańsk, Szczecin and Gdynia is in serious crisis. Chemical works are widepsread throughout the country, while the pharmaceutical industry is concentrated in Warsaw. There are rubber-processing plants at Poznań and Piastów.
The cotton industry is concentrated around Łódź, with wool in southern Poland and the Białystok area; synthetic and artificial textile fibres are also relevant, as in the flax industry. Glass-making is important in Silesia, and porcelain at Ćmielów, Chodzież and Wałbrzych. Other industries include brewing, distilling and tobacco.

Tertiary sector
Foreign trade.

The trade balance has returned to being active. The main trading partners are EU countries (especially Germany), followed by China, Russia and the United States.
The main imports are machinery, electronics and chemicals.

Main exports (M US$ - 2017) vehicles and parts thereof 26 500, machinery and home appliances 25 025, electrical and electronic equipment 17 080, furniture and accessories 12 874, iron and steel 11 347, plastics 10 271, telecommunications equipment 6 890, tyres and rubber articles 5 229, apparel and accessories 5 130, meat 5 090, pharmaceuticals 4 342, timber 4 265, computers and accessories 4 234, technical and electro-medical appliances 4 041

Finance and banking.
The central bank is the Narodowy Bank Polski. The Italian group Unicredit also took part in the commercial banking merger process. The presence of JP Morgan Chase is growing. The Stock Exchange is in Warsaw.

Tourism. The main destinations are the heritage cities (Warsaw, Cracow) and religious centres (Częstochowa).
Over 40% of tourists come from Germany.

Media and telecommunication.
In December 2015 the parliament approved a much-disputed act that provides for the government appointment of public information access summits. The law was criticized harshly by the opposition and the European Commission.

Education.
Education is free and compulsory from 7 to 15 years (primary and lower secondary).
Upper secondary schooling, lasting for 3 or 4 years, covers various subjects and paves the way to higher education.

Social security and health.
The social protection system is financed partly by workers and partly by the state. Free healthcare is provided by the state. The number of private clinics is increasing. In 2016, the government introduced the program 500+, which includes economic incentives for families with two or more children.