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Relations between New Zealand and Poland are friendly. New Zealanders and Poles fought together in Europe during World War II. The descendants of Polish ex-servicemen and the 730 Polish orphans who arrived in Wellington in 1944 form a large part of New Zealand’s Polish community, together with a wave of immigrants in the early 1980s.
Poland opened an Embassy in New Zealand in 1973. This was upgraded to full ambassador status in late 2004, at the same time as the first resident New Zealand ambassador presented credentials in Warsaw.
There is a Polish Honorary Consul in Auckland. The New Zealand Embassy in Warsaw opened its doors in January 2005 and was officially launched by the Prime Minister during her official visit to Poland in April 2005.
After the fall of Communism, New Zealand's trade with Poland virtually collapsed due to a dramatic fall in demand for New Zealand wool as the Polish economy restructured. Merchandise exports to Poland, having climbed to NZ$23 million in 1988, fell to a low of NZ$2.42 million in 1993. New Zealand business activity in Poland has recovered slowly as the Polish economy strengthened. In the year to December 2006, New Zealand exported goods worth $14 million to Poland led by wool, offal, butter and seeds. Imports from Poland over the period amounted to $24 million led by machinery, plastic tubes, glassware, electrical switching and telephone apparatus.
Since May 1 2004 Poland has not required New Zealanders to obtain a visa if they are visiting for less than 90 days. From 1 April 2005 Poles have been able to visit New Zealand visa-free for 90 days.
top of pageLand Area: 312,685 sq km
Population:
38.3 million
Capital City: Warsaw
Language: Polish
Political system: Parliamentary republic
National government: Coalition
between the conservative liberal Civil Platform
(PO) and the agrarian Polish Peasants' Party (PSL). The
Prime Minister heads a council of Ministers that
is responsible to Parliament. A President is elected
by universal suffrage for a 5 year term.
National legislature: Bicameral: Sejm (lower house) of 460 seats - Senate (upper house) of 100 members.
Last election: October 2007 (Parliamentary) October 2005 (Presidential)
Next election due: October 2011 (parliamentary) October 2010 (Presidential)
Head of State: President Lech Kaczynski (since Dec 2005)
Head of Government: Prime Minister Donald Tusk (November 2007)
GDP: US$420.2 billion (2007 est)
Real GDP growth: 6.5% (2007 est)
Exports: US$150.7 billion (2007 est)
Imports: US$150.7 billion (2007 est)
Main exports: Machinery and transport equipment, manufactures
Current account balance: US$ -18.1 billion (2007 est)
Inflation: 2.1% (2007 est)
Exports: (FOB) NZ$18.3 million
Main Exports: wool, offal, butter, casein and medical instruments
Imports: (CIF) NZ$27million
Main Imports: machinery, plastic tubes, glassware and tyres
(year to June 2007)
The Safetravel website provides a travel advisory for travellers to Poland [external link].
