At a Glance

Official Name: Republic of Poland

Continent: Europe

Area: 117,571 square miles (304,510 sq km)

Population: 38,608,929

Capital City: Warsaw

Largest City: Warsaw (1,642,700)

Unit of Money: Zloty

Major Languages: Polish

Natural Resources: Coal, sulfur, copper

The Place

Poland is a large country in central Europe with a northern coastline on the Baltic Sea. Poland's coastal lowlands, along the Baltic coast in the northwest, have smooth, sandy beaches. The Baltic Lakes region in the north is a hilly area with thousands of small lakes, forests, and peat bogs—swamps made of decayed plants. The central plains are south of the Baltic Lakes and make up the country's main agricultural area. The uplands are south of the plains and consist of hills, low mountains, and plateaus. Poland's richest farmlands and coalfields are there. The fertile and heavily populated Carpathian forelands lie further south. The forest covered Sudeten Mountains border southwestern Poland. The country's highest spot—Rysy Peak at 8,199 feet (2,499 m)—is in the Western Carpathian Mountains. Bears and wildcats are found there. Poland's major rivers are the Vistula, Bug, Oder, and Warta.

Poland's climate varies by area. Coastal areas are milder than inland sections and mountainous regions are cool. Temperatures average 73°F (23°C) in July and 26°F (23°C) in January. About 24 inches (61 cm) of precipitation falls a year.

The People

Most people in Poland are Poles—descendants of Slavic tribes. The country's largest minority groups are Byelorussians, Germans, and Ukrainians. Most people speak Polish, which is related to Czech, Slovak, and other Slavic languages.

Poland has a population density of 320 people per square mile (123 people per sq km) and an annual population increase of 0.01%. Life expectancy is 73 years.

Polish families in the cities live in 2-or 3-room apartments. Families in rural areas live in small brick or wooden cottages.

About 30% of the country's labor force works in industry and construction, 26% in agriculture, and 44% in services. Poland has an unemployment rate of 12%.

Most of the people in Poland are Roman Catholic. The country has thousands of Roman Catholic churches and religious instruction centers. Other religious groups in Poland include Protestants, Muslims, and Jews.

Education

Polish children ages 7 to 15 must go to school. Most attend public schools, however, some students go to private schools. After finishing elementary school, students can continue on to a vocational school or a 4-year secondary school. Secondary students can then move on to college, but must pass an entrance exam to be admitted.

Poland has 12 universities and many specialized schools. The University of Krakow, also called Jagiellonian University, was founded in 1364 and was Poland's first university.

One of Poland's most famous scholars was Nicolaus Copernicus, a medieval astronomer who determined that the sun—not Earth—was the center of the solar system.

Popular Culture/Daily Life

Music and dancing are popular in Poland. Classical Polish composers Frederic Chopin and Ignace Jan Paderewski are known throughout the world. Popular dances include the mazurka and polonaise.

Polish people enjoy reading plays, novels, and poetry. Many of the country's writers, such as Henryk Sienkiewicz, Wladyslaw Reymont, Czeslaw Milosz, and Wislawa Szymborska, have won Nobel Prizes. Movies are a favorite form of entertainment as well. Poles also enjoy camping, hiking and playing soccer.