Warsaw was almost completely destroyed during World War II and has been extensively rebuilt over the last 60 years. The reconstructed Old Town is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. The city is divided into 11 districts with the major commercial districts concentrated on the west bank of the Vistula River. The east bank is largely devoted to residential districts.

Economy:
Since the collapse of the Eastern Bloc Warsaw has been the focus of Poland's economic restructuring with most major Polish firms and international investors choosing to locate there. Some of the largest international companies to establish themselves in Warsaw include Coca-Cola Amatil, General Motors, Nestlé and Procter & Gamble.

According to figures published by the city's government, Warsaw's economy is largely based on the service sector, which employs more than 70 per cent of the workforce. One of the biggest developments in this sector has been in banking and finance. The city is home to both the National Bank of Poland and Warsaw Stock Exchange, which reopened in 1991 after being closed down some 50 years earlier. In addition, hundreds of Poland's largest banks and dozens of major foreign banks operate in the city.

The manufacturing industry in Warsaw has undergone a number of changes since Poland embraced a market economy. The size of the workforce employed in this sector has reduced quite considerably, as has the number of state owned enterprises, while the number of foreign companies is increasing all the time. There has also been a shift towards the high technology industries.

Local Infrastructure:
Warsaw Okecie International Airport is Poland's principle airport and one of the most modern and well equipped in Eastern and Central Europe. It is situated just 10 kilometres (6 miles) south of the city centre and caters for direct flights to and from numerous cities on all continents.

Warsaw has several international railway stations including Warszawa Centralna (Warsaw Central), Warszawa Wschodnia (Warsaw East), Warszawa Zachodnia (Warsaw West) and Warszawa Gdanska. These offer links to destinations throughout Europe including Berlin, Moscow, Prague and Vienna. Travel time to Berlin is just over 6 hours, while Prague can be reached in just under 9 hours.

Within Warsaw, the bus and tram networks, which run between 0500 and 2300, connect all parts of the city, while the one line metro system links the city to the suburbs in the south.

Local Workforce:
Warsaw has the lowest unemployment rate in Poland and companies operating in the city benefit from a well educated workforce that is attracted there from all over the country.

The city has numerous higher education institutions, a large number of which are private colleges specialising mainly in finance, banking, marketing and management. Some of Warsaw's most renowned institutions include Warsaw University, Warsaw University of Technology, and the Main School of Farming and Central School of Commerce. The student population of the city is comprised of nearly a quarter of a million people and one fifth of the total population have graduated from university.

Standard of Living:
Warsaw offers its inhabitants a wealth of entertainment oppurtunities. It has a thriving nightlife, numerous bars and restaurants and more than 30 professional theatres. It is also home to dozens of museums and galleries as well as the National Philharmonic Orchestra. Throughout the year the city also plays host to a variety of international festivals including the Frederic Chopin International Piano Competition, the International Modern Music Festival 'Warsaw Autumn' and the International Jazz Festival 'Jazz Jamboree'.

As part of the 2002 Quality of Life Survey, published by Mercer Human Resource Consulting, Warsaw received a score of 103 for its environmental rating, which takes into account the level of air pollution in the city together with the efficiency of its waste disposal and sewage systems. This score is above those of several other East European cities, including Belgrade, Moscow and Bucharest, and only just below those of cities such as London and Rome.

Business Costs:
Office costs in Warsaw are not expensive but tend to be higher than in other comparable East European cities. For example, in a report published in July 2002 by Richard Ellis Global Research & Consulting, office occupancy costs in Warsaw were $38.40 per square foot per annum. This compares to costs of $28.77 in Prague and $24.85 in Budapest.