If you selected the option, when you set it up, to sync your configuration info to your gmail account then you can restore it (settings, contacts, apps via the marketplace history, positions, etc)

If not then you'll be starting from scratch.

 

Que?

 

How does one do this??

 

Menu - Settings - Privacy Settings - Back up my settings
That will get you setup with your phone settings.

Then just setup a GMail account and choose the option to sync contacts, etc, and that will take care of your contacts and the other stuff.

 

Alternatively, if you use everything Google, in the web version of Gmail, there is a place for Contacts. If your phone is already dead, or if you really wanted, you could add them all to your Gmail contacts, which I slowly did with my old phone. Turn the new one on, sync contacts, and you're done.