Information About Poland

Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. Poland is bordered by Germany to the west, the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north. The total area of Poland is 312,679 square kilometers making it the 69th largest country in the world and 9th in Europe. Poland has a population of over 38 million people, which makes it the 33rd most populous country in the world.

The establishment of a Polish state is often identified with the adoption of Christianity by its ruler Mieszko I in 966 (Baptism of Poland), when the state covered territory similar to that of present-day Poland. Poland became a kingdom in 1025, and in 1569 it became united with the Grand Duchy of Lithuania to form the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The Commonwealth collapsed in 1795, and its territory was divided among Prussia, Russia, and Austria. Poland regained its independence in 1918 after World War I but lost it again in World War II, occupied by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. Poland lost over six million citizens in World War II, and was established several years later as a socialist republic within the Eastern Bloc under strong Soviet influence. In 1989, communist rule was overthrown and Poland became what is constitutionally known as the "Third Polish Republic". Poland is a unitary state made up of sixteen voivodeships. Poland is also a member of the European Union, NATO and OECD.

Geography - Poland’s territory extends across several geographical regions. It has the Baltic seacoast in the northwest, rivers, 21 mountains, over 10,000 lakes, A desert, forests, agriculture areas and national parks.

Climate - The climate is mostly temperate throughout the country. The climate is oceanic in the north and west and becomes gradually warmer as one moves south and east. Summers are generally warm, with average temperatures between 20 °C and 27 °C. Winters are cold, with average temperatures around 3 °C in the northwest and −8 °C in the northeast. Precipitation falls throughout the year, although, especially in the east; winter is drier than summer.