POLAND
The Republic of Poland, as Poland is officially called, is located in central Europe and is the largest country in the area. In the north of the country lies the Baltic Sea and in the south lie the Caspian Mountains. The countries with which Poland shares frontiers include Russia, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Germany.
The national flag of Poland is one of the simplest ones, being divided into two halves, with the upper half being white in color and the lower one red. The country has a population of 38 million and Polish is the official language and is spoken by the majority of the people, though English, German, Russian and French are also spoken there.
The country derives its name from the tribe called Polaine, the people of which managed to unite most tribes dwelling in the area and established the state reigned by the Piast dynasty. The Piast dynasty ruled Poland for three centuries.
Since the country has no natural defensible borders, it has been overrun from time to time by the surrounding countries. So much so that it disappeared from the map and did not exist as a political entity in 1796! It only re-appeared at the end of WW1 in 1918.
GEOGRAPHY
Situated in the middle of the European continent, Poland lies between two rivers- Vistula and Odra. Poland stretches to cover an area of 312,843 sq. km. It is mostly a flat country with some mountainous border regions in its southern and southeastern parts.
Poland has all kinds of coastal landscapes, ranging from high and steep cliffs to 1-kilometer-wide sandy beaches and there are the very unique natural wonders- “walking dunes” at the peninsula near Leba. The country has so many lakes that it is called the Land of Thousand Lakes and these lakes resemble large water bowls, small ponds and long troughs. The southern part of the country is mostly mountainous and the oldest of the mountain ranges here are Sudety and Swietokrzyskie Mountians.
CLIMATE
The climate throughout the country is mostly temperate. The summers in the country are comfortably warm, with temperatures between 20 and 27 degrees C. However, the winters are quite cold with the temperatures ranging from 3 degrees C in the north to -8 degrees C in the northeastern regions.
It rains almost the year round though the winters are dries than the summers. Lesser Poland is the warmest region of the country, where the temperatures can sometimes rise to 38 degree C.
PEOPLE CULTURE AND LANGUAGES
Almost 98% of the people of Poland are Polish and the rest are mainly German in origin. The 38 million population of the country has a 99% literacy rate, 95% of them are Roman Catholics and about 60% of them live in urban areas.
The Poles have throughout history had to recognize such problems as racism and unfair prejudice based upon faith and ethnicity. They have also been conquered several times, seen several changes in government, and political upheavals. As a result of this the Poles have had to constantly change their ideological practices, if not change their beliefs and sometimes they have had to embrace ideas and systems thankfully and gladly. Despite this the country has created a healthy economy, stable social structure, and viable government, even though it started out as an average European nation. This is proof enough of the resilience and hard work of its inhabitants and a strong belief in their abilities.
The poles have a special fondness for English, though they themselves speak a Slavic language, which is the official language of the country.
The Polish culture is basically a synthesis of Latin and Byzantine influences and was further influenced by the numerous European occupations, throughout its history; it is a colorful cohabitation of the vibrant Eastern ornamental style and the somber Islamic influence.
The Christmas and Easter home decorations consist of paper cut outs which are renowned throughout the world for their artistic ingenuity. The warmth in the Polish character is displayed in the Polish cuisine and dining table etiquette; a meal with one's family in Poland, is a celebration it is not just the consumption of food. .
The Poles have a keen interest in the arts and are avid readers. The cultural scene in Poland is very lively with around 280 arts festivals taking place across the country covering all types of music, film, video, theatre and the visual arts.
CURRENCY AND ECONOMY
Zloty is Poland’s monetary unit.
Out of the post-communist countries, Poland is considered to have one of the healthiest economies. Poland has persistently followed a policy of liberalizing the economy, since the fall of its communist regime, and today presents a successful example of the transition from a centrally planned economy to a primarily capitalistic market economy.
Today the country has an aggressive private sector, as a result of the privatization of small and medium state-owned companies by the government and a liberal law on establishing new firms.
In its agricultural sector, Poland has a large number of private farms and has the potential to become a leading producer of food in the European Union.
Electronics, cars (including the luxurious Leopard car), buses, helicopters, transport equipment, locomotives, planes, ships, military engineering, medicines, food, clothes, glass, pottery, chemical products, are some of the other commodities produced in Poland.
CAPITAL AND MAJOR CITIES
The city of Warsaw is the picturesque capital of Poland. Warsaw is an old town hosting scores of palaces, churches, and architectural complexes. The city is known to be the lively cultural capital of Poland.
Poland is divided into regions called Voivodships and there are 16 of them in all. Each of the voivodships has at least one city in it. In each of Poland’s cities you can see centuries of history, with very interesting medieval architecture and old towns besides the modern texture of Poland, even though most of them were destroyed during the WW2.
Along with Warsaw the major cities of Poland are- Kracow, Poznan, Wroclaw, Gdansk and Sopot.
POPULAR SPOTS IN POLAND
The 30th floor observation deck of the Palace of Culture and Science at Warsaw is its best known architectural icons, which was gifted to Poland in 1953 from Stalin as a symbol of 'Polish-Soviet friendship'.
Frederick Chopin who was born in a manor house in Zelazowa Wola, 53km west of Warsaw makes for a great day trip.
Visit the Auschwitz-concentration camp 70km from Krakow, which is a sobering experience.
Krakow's charming medieval atmosphere is one of UNESCO's 12 most significant historical sites.
The miraculous painting of Our Lady or the Icon of the Black Madonna can be seen in the huge Jasna Góra monastery complex at Czestochowa.
ACTIVITIES
Poland experiences all four seasons and is a country with a large variety of landscapes, giving one many opportunities for adventure and different activities, whether you enjoy the mountains or the beaches.
Hiking, mushroom picking, sleigh rides, angling, boating, canoeing, cycling and visiting the remarkable national parks and reserves are some of the things that will make your holiday in Poland really worthwhile.
ACCOMMODATION
Poland has all the international hotel chains and in addition to that International Student Hotels offer better facilities than youth hostels and are inexpensive, comfortable and pleasant. Camping, caravanning, rural farm stay and youth hostels are some of the other accommodation facilities that are spread throughout the country.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT FACILITIES
The LOT Polish Airlines operates domestic flights and has a comprehensive network linking all major cities.
The Polish State Railways operates cheap and efficient inter-city trains, which link all parts of the country in a network radiating from Warsaw.
The Polish Motor communications operates comfortable and inexpensive regional bus and coach services. Alternatively cars are available for hire at the airport or through various car-hire offices in town centers.
Click to Hide