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Poland

geography Maturity 11-13 Vital Level 3 Next article →

Poland is a large country located in Central Europe.

EU-Poland
EU-Poland

It stretches from the Baltic Sea in the north down to the mountains in the south. These southern mountains are called the Sudetes and the Carpathian Mountains.

Morskie Oko o poranku
Morskie Oko o poranku

Many different lands border Poland. To the west lies Germany, while the Czech Republic and Slovakia are to the south. In the east, you will find Belarus and Ukraine. To the northeast, Poland meets Lithuania and Russia. The land has many different types of nature and weather. It can be green and wet or dry and bare depending on where you go.

Many people live in this part of the world. Over 38 million people call Poland home. This makes it the fifth most populous country in the European Union.

It is also the fifth largest country in the union by land area. The country covers 312,696 square kilometers.

EU-Poland (orthographic projection)
EU-Poland (orthographic projection)

Warsaw is the capital city and the largest place to live. You can also find many people in major cities like Kraków, Wrocław, Łódź, Poznań, and Gdańsk.

Calle Dlugie Pobrzeze, Gdansk, Polonia, 2013-05-20, DD 05
Calle Dlugie Pobrzeze, Gdansk, Polonia, 2013-05-20, DD 05

These cities are important centers for life and work.

History in this land goes back a very long time. Early humans lived on this soil about 500,000 years ago.

Biskupin brama od zewnatrz
Biskupin brama od zewnatrz

Later, a West Slavic tribe called the Polans lived in the Warta River area. Their name comes from a word meaning field. This is because they lived in a flat area of land. In the year 966, a ruler named Mieszko I accepted Christianity. This was a big step for the new nation. By 1025, the Kingdom of Poland had officially emerged.

Poland has seen many changes through the years. In 1569, it joined with Lithuania to form a great power. This group was known as the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. It even had its own modern constitution in 1791. However, the country later lost its independence during the 18th century. It became independent again in 1918 after World War I.

Malbork zamek wysoki i sredni (dron)
Malbork zamek wysoki i sredni (dron)

Later, World War II brought much hardship to the people. After the Cold War ended, Poland became a liberal democracy in 1989. This was a major change for the whole region.

Today, Poland is a modern and developed place to live. It is a parliamentary republic with a government made of two houses. These houses are called the Sejm and the Senate.

The economy is strong and is the 20th largest in the world. People enjoy a high standard of living and safety. There is also free university education and healthcare for all. Poland protects many beautiful things, like 23 national parks and 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Jagiellonian University Collegium Maius, courtyard, 15 Jagiellońska Street, Old Town, Kraków, Poland
Jagiellonian University Collegium Maius, courtyard, 15 Jagiellońska Street, Old Town, Kraków, Poland

It is a key member of groups like the United Nations and NATO.

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🖼️ Images & Media (46)
File:Herb Polski.svg
Herb Polski.svg
File:EU-Poland.svg
EU-Poland.svg
File:EU-Poland (orthographic projection).svg
EU-Poland (orthographic projection).svg
File:Flag of Ukraine.svg
Flag of Ukraine.svg
File:Flag of Lithuania.svg
Flag of Lithuania.svg
File:Flag of Europe.svg
Flag of Europe.svg
File:European Union main map.svg
European Union main map.svg
File:Agreement on the European Economic Area.svg
Agreement on the European Economic Area.svg
File:Increase Neutral.svg
Increase Neutral.svg
File:Decrease Positive.svg
Decrease Positive.svg
File:Internet-web-browser.svg
Internet-web-browser.svg
File:Celebración de Todos los Santos, cementerio de la Santa Cruz, Gniezno, Polonia, 2017-11-01, DD 10-12 HDR.jpg
Celebración de Todos los Santos,...

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