Poland - Population

The population of Poland in 2003 was estimated by the United Nations at 38,587,000, which placed it as number 30 in population among the 193 nations of the world. In that year approximately 12% of the population was over 65 years of age, with another 19% of the population under 15 years of age. There were 94 males for every 100 females in the country in 2003. According to the UN, the annual population growth rate for 2000–2005 is -0.08%, with the projected population for the year 2015 at 38,173,000. The population density in 2002 was 120 per sq km (310 per sq mi).

It was estimated by the Population Reference Bureau that 66% of the population lived in urban areas in 2001. The capital city, Warsaw, had a population of 2,260,000 in that year. Other large metropolitan areas were Katowice, 3,488,000; Lódz, 1,055,000; Gdansk, 893,000; and Cracow (Kraków), 857,000. According to the United Nations, the urban population growth rate for 2000– 2005 was 0.7%.