Population and Economic Activities.

Population. The population of the Polish People's Republic con­stitutes 30,000,000 people and is composed mainly of Poles.
The density is considerable: 96 persons to the square kilometre. Most densely populated are the Upper Silesian coalfield and the

Fig. 47. The Lenin Metallurgical Works in Nova Huta produces cast iron and steel.

central areas of the country. The eastern and western outlying regions are more sparsely populated.
Poland's contributions to world culture are considerable. It has given the world many distinguished scientists and artists (Co­pernicus, for example). Until the power of the people was establish­ed in 1944, however, the general educational level of the popula­tion was very low and greatly influenced by the Catholic church. In the Polish People's Republic today, education, science and art are the common property of the people. Universal compulsory edu­cation has been introduced into the country. Fig. 48. The Upper Silesian coalfield.

Economic Activities. Since the establishment of the power of the people, many new plants and factories have sprung up. Indus­trial output, as compared with the pre-war level, has increased many times. Machines are now manufactured which before the war were unknown to home industry: automobiles, tractors, turbines, etc.

In the south-west of the country lies the Upper Silesian  coa1fie1d, or Upper Silesian Basin, with enormous deposits of coking coal. Here more coal is mined than in any single People's Democracy of Europe. A number of Poland's power-stations are coal-operated. Other ores mined include zinc, lead and, to a smaller extent, iron. Limestone deserves mention too, as it is used for the smelting "f metals and the production of building materials. Poland imports iron ore partly from the U.S.S.R. and partly from Sweden, Square. using 'lie routes across the Baltic Sea and along the Odra for its trans­portation from the latter country. All this enables Poland to smelt pig-iron and steel in large quantities. The gases and other by­products of coking arc used for the manufacture of fertilizers, lacquers, paints and other chemicals. The smelted ore is converted light on the spot into mining machinery and other equipment.
Derricks,

Fig. 49. Warsaw: Constitution

smoking chimneys and blocks of factory buildings i over the territory of the Upper Silesian Basin. Town follows town in close succession. Coal mines are sometimes situated inside the towns under the very houses. The railway stations are crowded with trains loaded with coal, ore and metal. Katowice, the chief town of the basin, is a dense network of railways, tramlines and bus routes.
Poland has many textile mills that manufacture cotton, woollen and other fabrics (centre—Lodz).

Field crops include barley, oats and potatoes. The richest soils in the south-eastern and south-western regions and on the lower i caches of the Vistula are under wheat and sugar-beet. Dairy cattle and pigs are bred. Part of the peasants are united into producer co-operatives and so-called agricultural societies.

The capital of Poland, Warsaw (1,100,000 inhabitants) is situated on the river Vistula. In World War II Warsaw was entire­ly destroyed by the German fascists, only a heap of ruins remaining. Today, thanks to the labour of the Polish people, the city is almost restored. Broad new streets with comfortable houses and numerous parks and boulevards have appeared (Fig. 49). The multi-storeyed Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw is a gift from the Soviet Union to the people of Poland (Fig. 50). There are many factories and mills in the city that produce steel, automobiles, electrical en­gineering equipment and fabrics.

Fig. 50. Warsaw; Palace of Culture and Science.

The Polish People's Republic exports coal, zinc, machines, railway coaches, locomotives, ships and fabrics. It imports iron ore, oil, various machines, cotton and grain from the Soviet Union.
The Soviet Union assists Poland in prospecting for minerals and constructing powerful up-to-date plants and factories. The nil-refinery recently built in Poland is a vivid example of such help.
A pipeline now connects the Soviet Union, Poland and the neighbouring People's Democracies, facilitating the transportation of oil to these countries.
Questions and Assignments.

• Where is the average density of population greater: in Poland
  or in the whole of Europe?
• Explain why the Upper Silesian Basin is important to Poland's
  economy.
• Locate on the outline map the Polish towns known to you.