User:Ctardif5/Warsaw

Agriculture
Due to the urban makeup of Warsaw, there exists limited agricultural activity within city limits. On the outskirts of the city, agriculture is prosperous and is a vital component to the survival of the city and its people. Outside of localized urban areas like Warsaw, roughly 46% of the nation's land is actively used for agricultural purposes. In order to maintain economic connections between urban residents and the agricultural producers outside of town, an exposition was recently created where agriculturalists can showcase their products and services. The annual Central Agricultural Trade Fair began in 2016 and has succeeded in the past two years, such that it is scheduled to occur again in 2018. The Warsaw Agricultural University has existed in the city since 1816 and is the oldest and largest university of its kind in Poland. This institution has been formally ranked as the 151st best in the world, of all agricultural and forestry universities.

Warsaw, and all of Poland, has historically been known for having generally unhealthy eating habits, with the often stereotypical kielbasa and other preserved food diet having some amount of reality. However, studies conducted by the United States' National Institute of Health suggested that there is an increased amount of stomach cancer in Warsaw, as compared to the general global population. It is unclear as to the specific cause(s) of this, but some in Warsaw have taken initiative to produce and offer healthier, organic food options within the city. BioBazar is the first and largest formal establishment of this type, and offers fresh, organic meats, vegetables, fruits and other food products in a market setting where the producers sell directly to the consumers. This development of healthy food options not only reduces health risks within Warsaw, but also reassures the stability of agricultural production in and around the city.

Political oversight and involvement in agriculture is very prevalent in Warsaw. The United States houses one of their Foreign Agricultural Service branches in the US Embassy in Warsaw. This service allows US representatives to examine and collaborate with agricultural producers in Poland and the surrounding European nations in order to optimize produce exportation opportunities, consequently improving the stability and longevity of agriculture in and around Warsaw. The Polish Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development is headquartered in Warsaw and oversees the maintenance and improvement of agricultural affairs and trade within Poland.

WWII Reparations
Within the past year, Polish politicians have reignited their efforts to claim billions of dollars in reparations from Germany, specifically for damages to Warsaw by the Nazis in WWII. Government attorneys in Germany assert that this claim is invalid and that a treaty that was established during Germany's reunification, roughly three decades ago, resolved any outstanding debts related to WWII. The Poles refer to the devastation that occurred in Warsaw during the war, such as significant property damage and 200,000 people killed during the Warsaw Uprising in 1944, as outstanding injustices that need to be settled. The annual day of remembrance in Warsaw exemplifies the importance and relevance of these WWII tragedies, and how people in Warsaw and elsewhere in Poland are not ready to forget the horrors that their predecessors faced. To put this financial conflict in perspective, if Poland were to receive the money that it is requesting, it could immediately triple the current Polish GDP and multiply Warsaw's total GDP 8 times over. Despite strong motivation to collect the nearly $1 trillion that Warsaw and Poland claim entitlement to, political and legal disputes with Germany have no end in sight, and it is not certain that Warsaw will reap the economic surge that would come with a favorable outcome. Regardless of the result, the dispute may damage the economic relationships between the nations, as Germany is currently the largest economic trading partner of Poland.

Economic Development
In recent years, Poland has displayed significant economic growth and is projected to maintain this trend, led by the economic nucleus that is Warsaw. The economic development has been so significant that it has attracted the attention of its American allies. US President Trump visited Warsaw early in 2017 to ensure the maintenance of positive relations with this nation. Due to its centralized location in Europe, expansive availability of office space, and diversity of culture and language relative to other capitals in the EU, Warsaw has remained a highly attractive destination for foreign businesses in the past decade. This has consequently led to the significant and maintained growth rate of Poland's GDP, which was 4.6% in 2017. In fact, Poland was the only nation to experience economic growth during the financial crisis of 2008-2009, thanks to successful commercial activity centralized in Warsaw. In the past few years, Warsaw has benefited significantly as a result of the Brexit referendum, such that Polish leaders have lured financial powerhouses like JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs to relocate to the city. It is expected that this influx of major financial and business corporations will continue, if not grow, as the Brexit process unfolds further.