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The following pages provide brief details of the location, history, geography, political structure, economy and demography of the majority of the countries in central and eastern Europe. There are also details of civil engineering infrastructure and in many cases information about the civil engineering profession. A standard format has been adopted but not all elements are reported due to either difficulty in obtaining reliable data or due to change in progress in the country. In particular, information on the western Balkan states has not been included.

Not only is Poland the largest country in central and eastern Europe after Russia, it also stands in a commanding central position and has one of the fastest growing economies. A high-quality transport infrastructure is thus vital to its success—including its anticipated accession to the European Union within five years—and a vast amount of expenditure has been sanctioned to this end. However, progress is painfully slow and there is still a long way to go. This paper reviews the current and planned development of the country's road and rail networks and its air and seaports, which collectively represent an enormous range of opportunities for civil engineers and investors worldwide.

Poland is the tiger economy of central and eastern Europe and is likely to become a member of the EU within the next five years. The country has undergone a remarkable transformation since 1989 in all sectors—including government, economy, industry, construction and training and education. It has successfully made the transition from command to market-led systems. Nearly all construction companies are now in the private sector and benefiting from investment in the economy. This paper reviews the developments in Poland over the last decade and considers the opportunities for future collaboration and partnership.