Poland
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2008-07-15T16:01:49Z
Bjweeks
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Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/Pink!Teen|Pink!Teen]] ([[User talk:Pink!Teen|talk]]) to last version by Signsolid
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{{otheruses1|the country in Europe}}
{{Infobox Country
|native_name = Rzeczpospolita Polska
|conventional_long_name = Republic of Poland
|common_name = Poland
|flag_border = Flag of Poland corrected.svg
|image_flag = Flag_of_Poland.svg
|image_coat = Herb Polski.svg
|image_map = EUR location POL.PNG
|map_caption = {{map_caption |region=on the [[Europe|European continent]] |subregion=the [[European Union]] |legend=European location legend en.png}}
|national_anthem = ''Mazurek Dąbrowskiego''{{spaces|2}}<small>([[Polish language|Polish]])<br/>''[[Dąbrowski's Mazurek]]''{{spaces|2}}<br>("Poland Is Not Yet Lost") ([[English Language|English]]).</small>
|national_ = ''See: [[unofficial mottos of Poland]]''
|official_languages = [[Polish language|Polish]]²
|capital = [[Warsaw]]
|latd=52 |latm=13 |latNS=N |longd=21 |longm=02 |longEW=E
|largest_city = [[Warsaw]]
|demonym = [[Poles|Pole/Polish]]
|government_type = [[Parliamentary republic]]
|leader_title1 = [[President of the Republic of Poland|President]]
|leader_title2 = [[Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland|Prime Minister]]
|leader_name1 = [[Lech Kaczyński]]
|leader_name2 = [[Donald Tusk]]
|accessionEUdate = [[1 May]] [[2004]]
|EUseats = 54
|area_rank = 69th³
|area_magnitude = 1 E11
|area_km2 = 312,685
|area_sq_mi = 120,728 <!--Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]]-->
|percent_water = 3.07
|population_census = 38,115,641 <ref>http://www.stat.gov.pl/cps/rde/xbcr/gus/PUBL_ludnosc_stan_struktura_31_12_2007.pdf</ref>
|population_census_year = Dec. 2007
|population_density_km2 = 122
|population_density_sq_mi = 319.9 <!--Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]]-->
|population_density_rank = 83rd
|GDP_PPP_year = 2007 (IMF)
|GDP_PPP = $620.9 billion
|GDP_PPP_rank = 21st
|GDP_PPP_per_capita = $16,600 (2007)
|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 50th
|GDP_nominal_year = 2007 (IMF)
|GDP_nominal = $413.3 billion
|GDP_nominal_rank = 24th
|GDP_nominal_per_capita = $11,693
|GDP_nominal_per_capita_rank = 49th
|HDI_year = 2005
|HDI = {{increase}} 0.870
|HDI_rank = 37th
|HDI_category = <font color="#009900">high</font>
|sovereignty_type = Formation
|established_event1 = [[Baptism of Poland|Christianisation]]<sup>4</sup>
|established_event2 = [[Second Polish Republic|Redeclared]]
|established_date1 = [[14 April]] [[966]]
|established_date2 = [[11 November]] [[1918]]
|currency = [[Polish złoty|Złoty]]
|currency_code = PLN
|time_zone = [[Central European Time|CET]]
|utc_offset = +1
|time_zone_DST = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]]
|utc_offset_DST = +2
|cctld = [[.pl]]<sup>5</sup>
|calling_code = 48
|footnotes = <sup>1</sup> See, however, [[Unofficial mottos of Poland]].<br />² Although not [[official language]]s, [[Belarusian language|Belarusian]], [[Kashubian language|Kashubian]], [[Lithuanian language|Lithuanian]] and [[German language|German]] are used in [[Bilingual communes in Poland|20 communal offices]].<br />³ The area of Poland according to the administrative division, as given by the Central Statistical Office,<ref name="CSO">{{cite web |author=Central Statistical Office of Poland |year=2007 |url=http://www.stat.gov.pl/gus/45_737_PLK_HTML.htm |title=Mały Rocznik Statystyczny 2007 |accessdaymonth=15 August |accessyear=2007}}</ref> amounts to 312,679 km²: land area (311 888 km²) and part of internal waters<!--??--> (791 km²) cut by the coast line. The area of Poland's territory, including all internal waters and the territorial sea, is 322 575 km².<br /><sup>4</sup> The adoption of [[Christianity]] in Poland is seen by many Poles, regardless of their religious affiliation, as one of the most significant national historical events; the new religion was used to unify the tribes in the region.<!--See http://books.google.com/books?id=39SoSG4NGAoC&pg=PA77&lpg=PA77&dq=poland's+millennium&sig=uQ-qK9oxqMuHmVvZJj8lszrm1 ps--><br /><sup>5</sup> Also [[.eu]], as Poland is a member of the [[European Union]].
}}
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'''Poland''' ({{lang-pl|Polska}}), officially the '''Republic of Poland''' ({{lang-pl|[[Rzeczpospolita]] Polska}}), 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 [[Russia]]n [[Enclave and exclave|exclave]], to the north. The total [[area of Poland]] is 312,679 km² (120,728 [[Square mile|sq mi]]),<ref name="CSO"/> making it the [[List of countries and outlying territories by total area|69th largest country]] in the world and 9th in Europe. Poland has a population of over 38.5 million people, which makes it the [[List of countries by population|33rd]] most populous country in the world.<ref>NationMaster.com 2003-2007, [http://www.nationmaster.com/country/pl-poland Poland, Facts and figures]</ref>
The establishment of a Polish state is often identified with the adoption of [[Christianity]] by its ruler [[Mieszko I]] in 966 (see [[Baptism of Poland]]), when the state covered territory similar to that of present-day Poland. Poland became [[Kingdom of Poland (1025–1138)|a kingdom]] in 1025, and in 1569 it cemented a long [[Polish-Lithuanian Union|association]] with the [[Grand Duchy of Lithuania]] by [[Union of Lublin|uniting]] to form the [[Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth]]. The Commonwealth collapsed in 1795, and [[Partitions of Poland|its territory was partitioned]] among [[Prussia]], [[Russia]], and [[Austria]]. Poland [[Second Polish Republic|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 emerged several years later as a [[People's Republic of Poland|socialist republic]] within the [[Eastern bloc|Eastern Bloc]] under strong Soviet influence. In 1989 [[Communism|communist]] rule [[fall of communism|was overthrown]] and Poland became what is constitutionally known as the "Third Polish Republic". Poland is a unitary state made up of sixteen [[Voivodeships of Poland|voivodeships]] ({{lang-pl|województwo}}). Poland is also a member of the [[European Union]], [[NATO]] and [[OECD]].
==Geography==
{{main|Geography of Poland}}
[[Image:polen topo.jpg|thumb|200px|left|Poland’s [[topography]]]]
Poland’s territory extends across several geographical regions. In the northwest is the Baltic seacoast, which extends from the [[Bay of Pomerania]] to the [[Gulf of Gdansk]]. This coast is marked by several [[spit (landform)|spits]], coastal lakes (former bays that have been cut off from the sea), and dunes. The largely straight coastline is indented by the [[Szczecin Lagoon]], the [[Bay of Puck]], and the [[Vistula Lagoon]]. The center and parts of the north lie within the [[North European Plain]]. Rising gently above these lowlands is a geographical region comprising the four hilly districts of [[moraine]]s and [[moraine-dammed lake]]s formed during and after the [[Pleistocene]] [[ice age]]. These lake districts are the Pomeranian Lake District, the Greater Polish Lake District, the Kashubian Lake District, and the [[Masurian Lake District]]. The Masurian Lake District is the largest of the four and covers much of northeastern Poland. The lake districts form part of the Baltic Ridge, a series of moraine belts along the southern shore of the Baltic Sea. South of the Northern European Lowlands lie the regions of [[Silesia]] and [[Masovia]], which are marked by broad ice-age river valleys. Farther south lies the Polish mountain region, including the [[Sudetes]], the Cracow-Częstochowa Upland, the [[Świętokrzyskie Mountains]], and the [[Carpathian Mountains]], including the [[Beskids]]. The highest part of the Carpathians is the [[Tatra Mountains]], along Poland’s southern border.
===Rivers===
The longest rivers are the [[Vistula]] ({{lang-pl|Wisła}}), 1,047 km (678 miles) long; the [[Oder River|Oder]] ({{lang-pl|Odra}}) – which forms part of Poland’s western border – 854 km (531 miles) long; its tributary, the [[Warta River|Warta]], 808 km (502 miles) long; and the [[Western Bug|Bug]] – a tributary of the Vistula – 772 km (480 miles) long. The Vistula and the Oder flow into the [[Baltic Sea]], as do numerous smaller rivers in Pomerania. The [[Łyna]] and the [[Angrapa River|Angrapa]] flow by way of the [[Pregolya]] to the Baltic, and the [[Czarna Hańcza]] flows into the Baltic through the [[Neman River|Neman]]. While the great majority of Poland’s rivers drain into the Baltic Sea, Poland’s Beskids are the source of some of the upper tributaries of the [[Orava River|Orava]], which flows via the [[Váh]] and the [[Danube]] to the [[Black Sea]]. The eastern Beskids are also the source of some streams that drain through the [[Dniester]] to the Black Sea.
Poland’s rivers have been used since early times for navigation. The [[Viking]]s, for example, traveled up the Vistula and the Oder in their [[longship]]s. In the [[Middle Ages]] and in early modern times, when [[Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth|Poland-Lithuania]] was the breadbasket of Europe, the shipment of grain and other agricultural products down the Vistula toward [[Gdańsk]] and onward to eastern Europe took on great importance. For an overview of Polish rivers, see [[:Category:Rivers of Poland]].
===Geology===
[[Image:Tatry Panorama01xxx.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Granite crags of the [[High Tatras]]]]
The geological structure of Poland has been shaped by the [[continental collision]] of Europe and Africa over the past 60 million years, on the one hand, and the [[Quaternary]] [[glaciation]]s of northern Europe, on the other. Both processes shaped the [[Sudetes]] and the [[Carpathians]]. The [[moraine]] landscape of northern Poland contains soils made up mostly of [[sand]] or [[loam]], while the [[ice-age]] river valleys of the south often contain [[loess]]. The [[Cracow-Częstochowa Upland]], the [[Pieniny]], and the [[Western Tatras]] consist of [[limestone]], while the [[High Tatras]], the [[Beskids]], and the [[Karkonosze]] are made up mainly of [[granite]] and [[basalt]]s. The [[Kraków-Częstochowa Upland]] is one of the oldest mountain ranges on earth.
===Mountains and topography===
[[Image:Westkarpaten Pieniny Kroscienko.jpg|thumb|200px|left|The [[Pieniny]] in the Carpathians]]
Poland has 21 mountains over 2,000 metres (6,561 ft) in elevation, all in the [[High Tatras]]. The Polish Tatras, which consist of the High Tatras and the [[Western Tatras]], is the highest mountain group of Poland and of the entire [[Carpathian Mountains|Carpathian range]]. In the High Tatras lies Poland’s highest point, the northwestern peak of [[Rysy]], 2,499 metres (8,199 ft) in elevation. At its foot lies the mountain lake, the [[Morskie Oko]]. The second-highest mountain group in Poland is the [[Beskids]], whose highest peak is [[Babia Góra]], at 1,725 metres (5,659 ft). The next highest mountain group is the [[Karkonosze]], whose highest point is [[Śnieżka]], at 1,602 metres (5,256 ft). Among the most beautiful mountains of Poland are the [[Bieszczady Mountains]] in the far southeast of Poland, whose highest point in Poland is [[Tarnica]], with an elevation of 1,346 metres (4,416 ft). Tourists also frequent the Gorce Mountains in [[Gorce National Park]], with elevations around 1,300 metres (4,300 ft), and the [[Pieniny]] in [[Pieniny National Park]], with elevations around 1,000 metres (3,300 ft). The lowest point in Poland—at 2 metres (7 ft) below sea level—is at Raczki Elbląskie, near [[Elbląg]] in the Vistula Delta. For a list of the most important mountain ranges of Poland, see the [[:Category:Mountain ranges of Poland]].
===Lakes===
[[Image:Roznowskie polnoc.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Rożnowskie Lake, near Rożnów in southeastern Poland]]
With almost ten thousand closed bodies of water covering more than one hectare (2.47 acres) each, Poland has one of the highest numbers of lakes in the world. In Europe, only [[Finland]] has a greater density of lakes. The largest lakes, covering more than 100 square kilometers (38.6 square miles), are [[Śniardwy|Lake Śniardwy]] and [[Lake Mamry]] in [[Masuria]], as well as [[Łebsko Lake|Lake Łebsko]] and [[Drawsko|Lake Drawsko]] in [[Pomerania]]. In addition to the lake districts in the north (in Masuria, Pomerania, [[Kashubia]], Lubuskie, and [[Greater Poland]]), there is also a large number of mountain lakes in the Tatras, of which the Morskie Oko is the largest in area. The lake with the greatest depth—of more than 100 metres (328 ft) —is [[Hańcza|Lake Hańcza]] in the Wigry Lake District, east of Masuria in [[Podlaskie Voivodship]].
Among the first lakes whose shores were settled are those in the Greater Polish Lake District. The [[stilt house]] settlement of [[Biskupin]], occupied by more than one thousand residents, was founded before the seventh century BC by people of the [[Lusatian culture]]. The ancestors of today’s Poles, the [[Polanie]], built their first fortresses on islands in these lakes. The legendary Prince [[Popiel]] is supposed to have ruled from [[Kruszwica]] on [[Gopło|Lake Gopło]]. The first historically documented ruler of Poland, Duke [[Mieszko I of Poland|Mieszko I]], had his palace on an island in the Warta River in [[Poznań]].
For the most important lakes of Poland, see the [[:Category:Lakes of Poland]].
===The coast===
[[Image:Slowinski National Park.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Dunes in [[Słowiński National Park]]]]
The Polish Baltic coast is approximately 528 kilometres (328 miles) long and extends from [[Świnoujście]] on the islands of [[Usedom]] and [[Wolin]] in the west to [[Krynica Morska]] on the [[Vistula Spit]] in the east. For the most part, Poland has a smooth coastline, which has been shaped by the continual movement of sand by currents and winds from west to east. This continual [[erosion]] and [[deposition (geology)|deposition]] has formed cliffs, dunes, and spits, many of which have migrated landwards to close off former [[lagoon]]s, such as Łebsko Lake in Słowiński National Park. The largest spits are [[Hel Peninsula]] and the Vistula Spit. The largest Polish Baltic island is Wolin. The largest port cities are [[Gdynia]], [[Gdańsk]], [[Szczecin]], and Świnoujście. The main coastal resorts are [[Sopot]], [[Międzyzdroje]], [[Kołobrzeg]], [[Łeba]], [[Władysławowo]], and the Hel Peninsula.
===The desert===
[[Image:Pustynia.bledowska23.jpg|thumb|left|[[Błędów Desert]], the only desert in Poland]]
[[Błędów Desert]] is a desert located in Southern Poland in the [[Silesian Voivodeship]] and stretches over the [[Zagłębie Dąbrowskie]] region. It has a total area of 32 km². It is the only desert located in Poland. It is one of only five natural deserts in [[Europe]]. It is the warmest desert that appears at this [[latitude]]. It was created thousands of years ago by a melting glacier. The specific geological structure has been of big importance - the average thickness of the sand layer is about 40 meters (maximum 70 m), which made the fast and deep drainage very easy. In recent years the desert has started to shrink. The phenomenon of [[mirage]]s has been known to exist there.
===Land use===
[[Image:Gora Cisowa 03.jpg|thumb|200px|right|The patchwork landscape of [[Masuria]]]]
[[:Category:Forests of Poland|Forests]] cover 28% of Poland’s land area. More than half of the land is devoted to agriculture. While the total area under cultivation is declining, the remaining farmland is more intensively cultivated.
More than 1% of Poland’s territory — 3,145 square kilometres (1,214 square miles) — is protected within 23 [[List of National Parks of Poland|national parks]]. In this respect, Poland ranks first in Europe. Three more national parks are projected for [[Masuria]], the [[Cracow-Częstochowa Upland]], and the eastern [[Beskids]]. Most Polish [[national parks]] are located in the southern part of the country. In addition, [[wetlands]] along lakes and rivers in central Poland are legally protected, as are coastal areas in the north. There are also over 120 areas designated as [[Landscape Park (Poland)|landscape parks]], and numerous [[nature reserve]]s and other [[Protected areas of Poland|protected areas]].
===Flora and fauna===
[[Image:Wisent.jpg|thumb|left|A [[wisent]] in the [[Białowieża Forest]]]]
[[Phytogeography|Phytogeographically]], Poland belongs to the Central European province of the [[Circumboreal Region]] within the [[Boreal Kingdom]]. According to the [[World Wide Fund for Nature|WWF]], the territory of Poland can be subdivided into three [[ecoregion]]s: the [[Baltic mixed forests]], [[Central European mixed forests]] and [[Carpathian montane conifer forests]].
Many animals that have since died out in other parts of Europe still survive in Poland, such as the [[wisent]] in the [[ancient woodland]] of the [[Białowieża Forest]] and in [[Podlachia]]. Other such species include the [[brown bear]] in Białowieża, in the Tatras, and in the Beskids, the [[gray wolf]] and the [[Eurasian lynx]] in various forests, the [[moose]] in northern Poland, and the [[beaver]] in Masuria, Pomerania, and Podlachia. In the forests, one also encounters game animals, such as [[red deer]], [[roe deer]], and [[boar]]s. In eastern Poland there are a number of ancient woodlands, like Białowieża, that have never been cleared by people. There are also large forested areas in the mountains, Masuria, Pomerania, and [[Lower Silesia]].
[[Image:WhiteStorkFamily.jpg|thumb|Family of [[White stork]], a national bird in Poland<ref>http://storks.poland.pl/about_stork/index.htm</ref>]]
Poland is the most important breeding ground for European migratory birds. Out of all of the migratory birds who come to Europe for the summer, one quarter breed in Poland, particularly in the lake districts and the wetlands along the [[Biebrza]], the [[Narew]], and the [[Warta]], which are part of nature reserves or national parks. In Masuria, there are villages in which storks outnumber people.
===Climate===
The climate is mostly [[temperate]] throughout the country. The climate is [[Oceanic climate|oceanic]] in the north and west and becomes gradually warmer and [[Continental climate|continental]] as one moves south and east. Summers are generally warm, with average temperatures between 20 °C (68 °F) and 27 °C (80,6 °F). Winters are cold, with average temperatures around 3 °C (37,4 °F) in the northwest and –8 °C (17,6 °F) in the northeast. [[Precipitation]] falls throughout the year, although, especially in the east; winter is drier than summer. The warmest region in Poland is [[Lesser Poland Voivodeship|Lesser Poland]] located in Southern Poland where temperatures in the summer average between 23 °C (73,4 °F) and 30 °C (86 °F) but can go as high as 32 °C (89,6 °F) to 38 °C (100,4 °F) on some days in the warmest month of the year July. The warmest city in Poland is [[Tarnów]]. The city is located in [[Lesser Poland]]; it is the hottest place in Poland all year round. The average temperatures being 30 °C (86 °F) in the summer and 4 °C (39,2 °F) in the winter. Tarnów also has the longest summer in Poland spreading from mid May to mid September. Also it has the shortest winter in Poland which often lasts from January to March, less than the regular three-month winter. The coldest region of Poland is in the Northeast in the [[Podlaskie Voivodeship]] near the border of [[Belarus]]. The climate is efficient due to cold fronts which come from [[Scandinavia]] and [[Siberia]]. The average temperature in the winter in Podlachian ranges from -15 °C (5 °F) to -4 °C ( 24,8 °F).
==Demographics==
{{seesubarticle|Demographics of Poland}}
[[Image:Pomnik Czynu Polakow 2 (Piotr Kuczynski).jpg|thumb|190px|left|Three generations in [[West Pomerania]] after [[World War II]]: Pomnik Czynu Polaków, [[Szczecin]]]]
Poland, with 38.5 million inhabitants, has the eighth-largest population in Europe and the sixth-largest in the [[European Union]]. It has a population density of 122 inhabitants per square kilometer (328 per square mile).
Poland historically contained [[Historical demographics of Poland|many languages, cultures and religions]] on its soil. The country had a particularly [[History of Polish Jews|large Jewish population]] prior to the [[Second World War]], when the [[Nazi]] [[Holocaust]] caused Poland's [[Jewish]] population, estimated at 3 million before the war, to drop to just 300,000. The outcome of the war, particularly the [[Territorial changes of Poland after World War II|westward shift of Poland's borders]] to the area between the [[Curzon line]] and the [[Oder-Neisse line]], coupled with post-war [[World War II evacuation and expulsion|expulsion of minorities]], gave Poland an appearance of homogeneity.
As of 2002, 36,983,700 people, or 96.74% of the population consider themselves [[Poles|Polish]] ([[Polish census of 2002|Census 2002]]), while 471,500 (1.23%) declared another nationality. 774,900 people (2.03%) did not declare any nationality. The largest nationalities and ethnic groups in Poland are [[Silesians]], [[German minority in Poland|Germans]] (most in the former [[Opole Voivodeship]]), [[Ukrainians]], [[Lithuanians]], [[Russians]], [[Jew]]s and [[Belarusians]]. The [[Polish language]], a member of the [[West Slavs|West Slavic]] branch of the [[Slavic languages]], functions as the [[official language]] of Poland. English and German are the most common second languages studied and spoken.
In recent years, Poland's population has decreased because of an increase in emigration and a sharp drop in the birth rate. In 2006, the census office estimated the total population of Poland at 38,536,869, a slight rise on the 2002 figure of 38,230,080. Since Poland's accession to the [[European Union]], a significant number of Poles have emigrated to Western European countries such as the [[United Kingdom]], [[Germany]] and [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]] in search of work. Some organizations have stated that Polish emigration is primarily due to Poland's high [[unemployment rate]] (10.5%), with Poles searching for better work opportunities abroad. In April 2007, the Polish population of the [[United Kingdom]] had risen to approximately 300,000 and estimates place the Polish population in [[Ireland]] at 65,000.
However lately it has been reported that large numbers of Polish citizens who had previously emigrated to other parts of the EU for better prospects are in fact returning due to the dramatic increase in standards of living for Poles in their own country as well as sharp increases in wages. The Central Statistical Office of the Polish government recently published figures which gave evidence that there is now a net inflow of people into the country.{{Fact|date=April 2008}}
Polish minorities are still present in the neighboring countries of [[Ukraine]], [[Belarus]], and [[Lithuania]], as well as in other countries (see [[Poles]] for population numbers). Altogether, the number of ethnic Poles living abroad is estimated to be around 20 million. The largest number of [[Polonia|Poles outside of Poland]] can be found in the [[United States]].
===Urban Areas===
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Gdańsk Długi Targ.JPG|thumb|200px|right|Gdańsk, Długi Targ]] -->
The largest [[metropolitan area]]s in Poland are the [[Upper Silesian Coal Basin]] centred on [[Katowice]] (3.5 million inhabitants); the capital, [[Warsaw]] (3 million); [[Kraków]] (1.3 million) [[Łódź]] (1.3 million); the [[Tricity]] of [[Gdańsk]]-[[Sopot]]-[[Gdynia]] in the Vistula delta (1.1 million); [[Poznań]] (0.9 million); [[Wrocław]] (0.9 million); and [[Szczecin]] (0.7 million). For an overview of Polish cities, see [[List of cities in Poland]].
===Ethnicity and religion===
{{Main|Religion in Poland}}
In terms of ethnicity, Poland has been a [[homogeneous]] state since the end of [[World War II]]. This is a major departure from much of Polish history. Due to the [[Holocaust]] and the [[Flight and expulsion of Germans during and after WWII|flight and expulsion of German]] and [[Operation Wisła|Ukrainian]] populations, Poland has become almost uniformly [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic]]. About 88% of the population belongs to the Roman Catholic Church, with 58% as practising Catholics according to 2005 survey by the [[Centre for Public Opinion Research (Poland)|Centre for Public Opinion Research]].<ref>{{pl icon}} Centrum Badania Opinii Społecznej (''[[Centre for Public Opinion Research (Poland)]]'' CBOS). Komunikat z badań; Warszawa, Marzec 2005. [http://www.cbos.pl/SPISKOM.POL/2005/K_049_05.PDF Co łączy Polaków z parafią?] Preface. Accessed 2007-12-14.</ref> Though rates of religious observance are currently lower than they have been in the past, Poland remains one of the most devoutly religious countries in Europe. Religious minorities include [[Polish Orthodox Church|Polish Orthodox]] (1.3% or about 506,000), [[Jehovah’s Witnesses]] (0.6% or about 220,000), various [[Protestant]]s (0.4% or about 159,000), [[Eastern Catholic Churches|Eastern Catholics]] (0.2%), and smaller minorities of [[Mariavite Church|Mariavites]], [[Polish National Catholic Church|Polish Catholics]], [[Polish Jews|Jews]], [[Islam in Poland|Muslims]] (including the [[Tatars]] of [[Białystok]]). Protestant churches include about 0.2% or 76,000 in the largest [[Evangelical-Augsburg Church in Poland|Evangelical-Augsburg Church]], plus about as many in smaller [[Pentecostalism|Pentecostal]] and [[Evangelicalism|Evangelical]] churches. Resulting from the socio-political emancipation of the county, freedom of religion has become guaranteed by the 1989 statute of the Polish constitution,<ref>{{pl icon}} Dr Zbigniew Pasek, [[Jagiellonian University]], {{cite web|url=http://www.religioznawstwo.uj.edu.pl/syllabusy/pasek-wrwp.rtf |title=Wyznania religijne |accessdate=2007-09-15}} Further reading: Ustawa o gwarancjach wolności sumienia i wyznania z dnia 17 V 1989 z najnowszymi nowelizacjami z 1997 roku.</ref> allowing for the emergence of additional denominations.<ref>{{pl icon}} Michał Tymiński, {{cite web|url=http://www.kz.pl/index.php?p=13&id=3&i=8 |title=Kościół Zielonoświątkowy |accessdate=2007-09-14}}</ref> However, due to pressure from the Polish [[Episcopate]], exposition of [[doctrine]] has entered public education system as well, drawing criticism from the popular media, as unconstitutional.<ref name=Borecki>{{pl icon}} Dr. Paweł Borecki, {{cite web|url=http://www.racjonalista.pl/kk.php/s,5534|publisher=Kateda Prawa Wyznaniowego Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego |title=Opinia prawna dotycząca religii w szkole |accessdate=2007-09-14}}</ref><ref>{{pl icon}} Wirtualna Polska, Wiadomości. {{cite web|url=http://wiadomosci.wp.pl/kat,9911,wid,9125933,wiadomosc.html?ticaid=1478d |title=Polacy przeciwni wliczaniu ocen z religii do średniej |accessdate=2007-09-14}}</ref> According to 2007 survey, 72% of respondents were not against the fostering of [[catechism]] in public schools; nevertheless, the alternative courses in ethics have become available only in one percent of the entire public educational system.<ref>{{pl icon}} Olga Szpunar, {{cite web|url=http://miasta.gazeta.pl/krakow/1,35798,4360977.html |publisher=Gazeta Wyborcza Kraków |title=„Dorośli chcą religii w szkole” |accessdate=2007-09-15}}</ref>
[[Poles]] (including [[Silesians]] and [[Kashubians]]) make up an overwhelming 99.3% majority of the Polish population. According to the 2002 census, the remainder of the population is made up of small minorities of [[German minority in Poland|Germans]] (152,897), [[Belarusians]] (c. 49,000), and [[Ukrainians]] (c. 30,000), as well as [[Tatars]], [[Lithuanians]], [[Romani people|Roma]], [[Lemkos]], [[Russians]], [[Karaite Judaism|Karaites]], [[Slovaks]], and [[Czechs]]. Among foreign citizens, the [[Vietnamese people|Vietnamese]] are the largest ethnic group, followed by [[Greeks]] and [[Armenians]].
==History==
{{History of Poland}}
{{main|History of Poland}}
===Prehistory===
{{main|Prehistory of Poland (until 966)}}
Historians have postulated that throughout [[Late Antiquity]], many distinct ethnic groups populated the regions of what is now known as Poland. The exact [[ethnic]]ity and [[linguistic]] affiliation of these groups has been hotly debated; in particular the time and route of the original settlement of [[Slavic peoples]] in these regions has been the subject of much controversy.
The most famous archeological find from [[prehistory of Poland|Poland's prehistory]] is the [[Biskupin]] fortified settlement (now reconstructed as a museum), dating from the [[Lusatian culture]] of the early [[Iron Age]], around 700 BC.
===Piast dynasty===
{{main|History of Poland (966-1385)}}
[[Image:Poland1020.png|thumb|left|Poland around 1020]]
Poland began to form into a recognizable unitary and territorial entity around the middle of the tenth century under the [[Piast dynasty]]. [[Rulers of Poland|Poland's first historically documented ruler]], [[Mieszko I of Poland|Mieszko I]], [[Baptism of Poland|was baptized]] in 966, adopting [[Catholicism|Catholic Christianity]] as the nation's new [[official religion]], to which the bulk of the population converted in the course of the next centuries. In the twelfth century, Poland [[Fragmentation of Poland|fragmented into several smaller states]]. In 1320, [[Władysław I the Elbow-high|Władysław I]] became the King of [[Kingdom of Poland (1320–1385)|a reunified Poland]]. His son, [[Casimir III of Poland|Kazimierz III]], is remembered as one of the greatest [[Polish kings]].
Poland was also a centre of migration of peoples and the [[Jewish]] community began to settle and flourish in Poland during this era (see [[History of the Jews in Poland]]). The [[Black Death]] which affected most parts of Europe from 1347 to 1351 did not reach Poland.<ref name="REF03">Teeple, J. B. (2002). ''Timelines of World History''. Publisher: DK Adult.</ref>
===Jagiellon dynasty===
{{main|History of Poland (1385-1569)}}
Under the [[Jagiellon dynasty]] Poland forged [[Polish-Lithuanian Union|an alliance]] with its neighbour, the [[Grand Duchy of Lithuania]]. In 1410, a Polish-Lithuanian army inflicted a decisive defeat on the [[Teutonic Knights]], both countries' main adversary, in the [[battle of Grunwald]]. After the [[Thirteen Years War]], the Knight's state became a Polish vassal. Polish culture and economy flourished under the Jagiellons, and the country produced such figures as astronomer [[Nicolaus Copernicus]] and poet [[Jan Kochanowski]]. Compared to other European nations, Poland was exceptional in its tolerance of religious dissent, allowing the country to avoid the religious turmoil that spread over Western Europe in that time.
===Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth===
{{main|History of Poland (1569-1795)}}
[[Image:Rzeczpospolita.png|thumb|right|200px|The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth at its greatest extent]]
A [[Polish Golden Age|golden age]] ensued during the sixteenth century after the [[Union of Lublin]] which gave birth to the [[Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth]]. The [[szlachta]] (nobility) of Poland, far more numerous than in [[Western Europe]]an countries, took pride in [[Golden Liberty|their freedoms]] and [[Sejm|parliamentary system]]. During the Golden Age period, Poland expanded its borders to become the largest country in Europe.
In the mid-seventeenth century, a [[Sweden|Swedish]] invasion ([[The Deluge (Polish history)|"The Deluge"]]) and [[Cossack]]'s [[Chmielnicki Uprising]] which ravaged the country marked the end of the golden age. [[Polish-Russian War|Numerous wars against Russia]] coupled with government inefficiency caused by the [[Liberum Veto]], a right which had allowed any member of the parliament to dissolve it and to veto any legislation it had passed, marked the steady deterioration of the Commonwealth from a European power into a near-[[anarchy]] controlled by its neighbours. The reforms, particularly those of the [[Great Sejm]], which passed the [[Constitution of May 3, 1791]], the world's second modern constitution, were thwarted with the three [[partitions of Poland]] (1772, 1793, and 1795) which ended with Poland's being erased from the map and its territories being divided between [[Russia]], [[Prussia]], and [[Austria]].
===Partitions of Poland===
{{main|History of Poland (1795-1918)}}
Poles would resent their fate and [[List of Polish uprisings|would several times rebel against the partitioners]], particularly in the nineteenth century. In 1807 [[Napoleon]] recreated a Polish state, the [[Duchy of Warsaw]], but after the [[Napoleonic wars]], Poland was again divided in 1815 by the victorious Allies at the [[Congress of Vienna]]. The eastern portion was ruled by the Russian [[Czar]] as a [[Congress Kingdom]], and possessed [[Constitution of the Kingdom of Poland|a liberal constitution]]. However, the Czars soon reduced Polish freedoms and Russia eventually ''de facto'' annexed the country. Later in the nineteenth century, Austrian-ruled [[Galicia (Central Europe)|Galicia]], particularly the [[Free City of Kraków]], became a centre of Polish cultural life.
===Reconstitution of Poland===
{{main|History of Poland (1918-1939)}}
[[Image:Rzeczpospolita 1939.svg|thumb|left|Poland between 1922 and 1938]]
During [[World War I]], all the [[Allies]] agreed on the reconstitution of Poland that [[United States]] President [[Woodrow Wilson]] proclaimed in Point 13 of his [[Fourteen Points]]. Shortly after the surrender of [[Germany]] in November 1918, Poland regained its independence as the [[Second Polish Republic]] (''II Rzeczpospolita Polska''). It reaffirmed its independence after [[List of Polish wars|a series of military conflicts]], the most notable being the [[Polish-Soviet War]] (1919–1921) when [[battle of Warsaw (1920)|Poland inflicted a crushing defeat]] on the [[Red Army]].
The 1926 [[May Coup]] of [[Józef Piłsudski]] turned the reins of the Second Polish Republic over to the [[Sanacja]] movement.
===World War II===
{{main|History of Poland (1939-1945)}}
The [[Sanacja]] movement controlled Poland until the start of [[World War II]] in 1939, when [[Nazi Germany]] [[Invasion of Poland (1939)|invaded]] on [[September 1]] and the [[Soviet Union]] [[Soviet invasion of Poland (1939)|followed]] on [[September 17]]. [[Siege of Warsaw (1939)|Warsaw capitulated]] on [[September 28]] [[1939]]. As agreed in the [[Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact]], Poland was split into two zones, [[Polish areas annexed by Nazi Germany|one occupied by Germany]] while the eastern provinces fell under [[Polish areas annexed by the Soviet Union|the control of the Soviet Union]].
[[World War II casualties|Of all the countries involved in the war]], Poland [[Treatment of Polish citizens by occupiers|lost the highest percentage of its citizens]]: over six million perished, [[Holocaust in Poland|half of them]] [[Polish Jew]]s. Poland made the fourth-largest troop contribution to the [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] war effort, after the [[Soviet Union|Soviets]], the [[United Kingdom|British]] and the [[United States|Americans]]. The Polish expeditionary corps played an important role in the [[Italian Campaign (World War II)|Italian Campaign]], particularly at the [[Battle of Monte Cassino]]. At the war's conclusion, Poland's borders [[Territorial changes of Poland after World War II|were shifted westwards]], pushing the [[Eastern Borderlands|eastern border]] to the [[Curzon line]]. Meanwhile, the western border was moved to the [[Oder-Neisse line]]. The new Poland emerged 20% smaller by 77,500 square kilometres (29,900 [[square mile|sq mi]]). The shift [[World War II evacuation and expulsion|forced the migration of millions of people]], most of whom were [[Poles]], [[Germans]], [[Ukrainians]], and [[Jews]]. The main German [[Nazi]] death camps were in Poland. Of a pre-war population of 3,300,000 Polish [[Jews]], 3,000,000 were killed during the [[Holocaust]].
===Postwar Communist Poland===
{{main|History of Poland (1945-1989)}}
[[Image:Curzon line en.svg|thumb|right|200px|At the end of World War II, the gray territories were transferred from Poland to the Soviet Union, and the pink territories from Germany to Poland]]
The [[Soviet Union]] instituted a new [[Communist state|Communist]] government in Poland, analogous to much of the rest of the [[Eastern Bloc]]. Military alignment within the [[Warsaw Pact]] throughout the [[Cold War]] was also part of this change. The [[People's Republic of Poland]] (''[[Polska Rzeczpospolita Ludowa]]'') [[Constitution of the People's Republic of Poland|was officially proclaimed in 1952]]. In 1956, the régime of [[Władysław Gomułka]] became temporarily more liberal, freeing many people from prison and expanding some personal freedoms. Similar situation repeated itself in the 1970s under [[Edward Gierek]], but most of the time persecution of [[Anti-communist resistance in Poland|communist opposition]] persisted.
Labour turmoil in 1980 led to the formation of the independent [[trade union]] "[[Solidarity]]" ("''Solidarność''"), which over time became a political force. Despite persecution and imposition of [[Martial law in Poland|martial law]] in 1981, it eroded the dominance of the [[Polish United Workers' Party|Communist Party]] and by 1989 [[Polish parliamentary election, 1989|had triumphed in parliamentary elections]]. [[Lech Wałęsa]], a Solidarity candidate, eventually [[Polish presidential election, 1990|won the presidency in 1990]]. The Solidarity movement heralded the [[fall of communism|collapse of communism across Eastern Europe]].
===Democratic Poland===
{{main|History of Poland (1989-present)}}
A [[Shock therapy (economics)|shock therapy]] programme of [[Leszek Balcerowicz]] during the early 1990s enabled the country to transform its economy into a [[market economy]]. As with all other post-communist countries, Poland suffered temporary slumps in social and economic standards, but became the first post-communist country to reach its pre-1989 [[Gross domestic product|GDP]] levels.{{Fact|date=November 2007}} Most visibly, there were numerous improvements in other [[human rights]], such as [[free speech]]. In 1991, Poland became a member of the [[Visegrad Group]] and joined the [[North Atlantic Treaty Organization]] (NATO) alliance in 1999 along with the [[Czech Republic]] and [[Hungary]]. Poles then voted to join the [[European Union]] in [[Polish referenda|a referendum]] in June 2003, with Poland becoming a full member on [[May 1]] [[2004]].
==Politics==
{{main|Politics of Poland|Foreign relations of Poland|Military of Poland}}
[[Image:POL Lech Kaczynski 001.jpg|thumb|right|Polish President [[Lech Kaczyński]]]]
Poland is a [[democracy]], with a President as a [[Head of State]], whose current [[Constitution of Poland|constitution]] dates from 1997. The government structure centres on the [[Council of Ministers of Poland|Council of Ministers]], led by a [[Prime Ministers of Poland|prime minister]]. The president appoints the [[Cabinet (government)|cabinet]] according to the proposals of the prime minister, typically from the majority coalition in the [[Sejm]]. The [[Presidents of Poland|president]] is elected by popular vote every five years. The current president is [[Lech Kaczyński]], the current prime minister is [[Donald Tusk]].
Polish voters elect a [[bicameral]] parliament consisting of a 460-member lower house ([[Sejm]]) and a 100-member Senate ([[Senate of Poland|Senat]]). The [[Sejm]] is elected under [[proportional representation]] according to the [[d'Hondt method]], a method similar to that used in many parliamentary political systems. The Senate, on the other hand, is elected under a rare [[plurality]] [[bloc voting]] method where several candidates with the highest support are elected from each [[constituency]]. With the exception of ethnic minority parties, only candidates of [[Political parties in Poland|political parties]] receiving at least 5% of the total national vote can enter the Sejm. When sitting in joint session, members of the Sejm and Senate form the [[National Assembly of Poland|National Assembly]] (the ''Zgromadzenie Narodowe''). The National Assembly is formed on three occasions: when a new President takes the [[oath of office]]; when an indictment against the President of the Republic is brought to the [[State Tribunal of Poland|State Tribunal]] (''Trybunał Stanu''); and when a President's permanent incapacity to exercise his duties due to the state of his health is declared. To date, only the first instance has occurred.
[[Image:Krzesiny 11RB.JPG|thumb|right|[[Polish Air Force]] [[F-16]].]]
The [[Judiciary|judicial branch]] plays an important role in decision-making. Its major institutions include the [[Supreme Court of Poland]] (''Sąd Najwyższy''); the [[Supreme Administrative Court of Poland]] (''Naczelny Sąd Administracyjny''); the [[Constitutional Tribunal of Poland]] (''Trybunał Konstytucyjny''); and the [[State Tribunal of Poland]] (''Trybunał Stanu''). On the approval of the Senate, the Sejm also appoints the [[Polish Ombudsman|Ombudsman]] or the Commissioner for Civil Rights Protection (''Rzecznik Praw Obywatelskich'') for a five-year term. The Ombudsman has the duty of guarding the observance and implementation of the rights and liberties of Polish [[Citizenship|citizens]] and [[Residency (domicile)|residents]], of the law and of principles of community life and social justice.
==Administrative divisions==
{{details|Administrative division of Poland}}
Poland's current [[Voivodeships of Poland|voivodeships]] (provinces) are largely based on the country's historic regions, whereas those of the past two decades (to 1998) had been centred on and named for individual cities. The new units range in area from less than 10,000 km² (Opole Voivodeship) to more than 35,000 km² (Masovian Voivodeship). Administrative authority at voivodeship level is shared between a government-appointed [[voivode]] (governor), an elected regional assembly ([[Voivodeship sejmik|sejmik]]) and an executive elected by that assembly.
The voivodeships are subdivided into ''[[powiat]]s'' (often referred to in English as counties), and these are further divided into ''[[gmina]]s'' (also known as communes or municipalities). Major cities normally have the status of both gmina and powiat. Poland currently has 16 voivodeships, 379 powiats (including 65 cities with powiat status), and 2,478 gminas.
[[Image:POLSKA mapa woj z powiatami.png|Map of Poland|thumb|440px|Division of Poland into voivodeships and powiats]]
{| style="width:420px; background:transparent;"
|
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-size:95%;"
!colspan="2"| [[Voivodeship]] !!rowspan="2"| Capital city or cities</tr>
!width="26%"| !!width="29%"| ''[[Polish language|in Polish]]''</tr>
| [[Greater Poland Voivodeship|Greater Poland]] || ''Wielkopolskie'' ||style="font-size:90%;"| [[Poznań]]</tr>
| [[Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship|Kuyavian-Pomeranian]] || ''Kujawsko-Pomorskie''
|style="font-size:90%;"| [[Bydgoszcz]] / [[Toruń]]</tr>
| [[Lesser Poland Voivodeship|Lesser Poland]] || ''Małopolskie'' ||style="font-size:90%;"| [[Kraków]]</tr>
| [[Łódź Voivodeship|Łódź]] || ''Łódzkie'' ||style="font-size:90%;"| [[Łódź]]</tr>
| [[Lower Silesian Voivodeship|Lower Silesian]] || ''Dolnośląskie'' ||style="font-size:90%;"| [[Wrocław]]</tr>
| [[Lublin Voivodeship|Lublin]] || ''Lubelskie'' ||style="font-size:90%;"| [[Lublin]]</tr>
| [[Lubusz Voivodeship|Lubusz]] || ''Lubuskie'' ||style="font-size:90%;"| [[Gorzów Wielkopolski]] / [[Zielona Góra]]</tr>
| [[Masovian Voivodeship|Masovian]] || ''Mazowieckie'' ||style="font-size:90%;"| [[Warsaw]]</tr>
| [[Opole Voivodeship|Opole]] || ''Opolskie'' ||style="font-size:90%;"| [[Opole]]</tr>
| [[Podlaskie Voivodeship|Podlaskie]] || ''Podlaskie'' ||style="font-size:90%;"| [[Białystok]]</tr>
| [[Pomeranian Voivodeship|Pomeranian]] || ''Pomorskie'' ||style="font-size:90%;"| [[Gdańsk]]</tr>
| [[Silesian Voivodeship|Silesian]] || ''Śląskie'' ||style="font-size:90%;"| [[Katowice]]</tr>
| [[Subcarpathian Voivodeship|Subcarpathian]] || ''Podkarpackie'' ||style="font-size:90%;"| [[Rzeszów]]</tr>
| [[Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship|Świętokrzyskie]] || ''Świętokrzyskie'' ||style="font-size:90%;"| [[Kielce]]</tr>
| [[Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship|Warmian-Masurian]] || ''Warmińsko-Mazurskie''
|style="font-size:90%;"| [[Olsztyn]]</tr>
| [[West Pomeranian Voivodeship|West Pomeranian]] || ''Zachodniopomorskie''
|style="font-size:90%;"| [[Szczecin]]</tr>
|}
|-
|
|}
==Economy==
{{seesubarticle|Economy of Poland}}
<div style="float:right; clear:right;">
[[Image:Warsaw6vb.jpg|thumb|none|Financial centre of [[Warsaw]], Poland's capital and largest city]]
</div>
Poland is considered to have one of the healthiest economies of the post-communist countries, with GDP growing by 6.1% in 2006.<ref>[http://www.forbes.com/markets/2007/09/24/poland-electrabel-vattenfall-markets-equity-cx_vr_0924markets10.html Tapping Into Polish Power - Forbes.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Since the [[fall of communism]], Poland has steadfastly pursued a policy of [[neoliberalism|liberalising]] the economy and today stands out as a successful example of the transition from a [[state-directed economy]] to a primarily [[privately owned]] [[market economy]].
The [[Privatization|privatisation]] of small and medium state-owned companies and a liberal law on establishing new firms have allowed the development of an aggressive private sector. As a consequence, [[consumer rights]] organizations have also appeared<!--such as...?-->. Restructuring and privatisation of "sensitive sectors" such as [[coal]], [[steel]], [[railway]]s, and energy has been continuing since 1990. Between 2007 and 2010, the government plans to float twenty public companies on the [[Polish stock market]], including parts of the coal industry. To date (2007), the biggest privatisations have been the sale of the national [[Telecommunication|telecoms]] firm [[Telekomunikacja Polska]] to [[France Telecom]] in 2000, and an issue of 30% of the shares in Poland's largest bank, [[PKO Bank Polski]], on the Polish stockmarket in 2004.
Poland has a large number of private farms in its [[Agriculture|agricultural]] sector, with the potential to become a leading producer of food in the European Union. Structural reforms in [[health care]], [[education]], the [[pension]] system, and [[state administration]] have resulted in larger-than-expected fiscal pressures. Warsaw leads [[Central Europe]] in foreign investment.<ref>"[http://www.warsawvoice.pl/archiwum.phtml/5473/ Poland in the Lead]", ''The Warsaw Voice'', September 2002. Retrieved on August 11, 2007.</ref> [[Gross Domestic Product|GDP]] growth had been strong and steady from 1993 to 2000 with only a short slowdown from 2001 to 2002.
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:100zl r.jpg|thumb|200px|A one hundred [[złoty]] note]] -->
[[Image:IV 2008 bezrobocie woj Barry Kent.PNG|thumb|200px|Unemployment by voivodships, Apr 2008]]
[[Image:Leopard car poland gazetapl.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Leopard (car)|Leopard]] sport-style car designed and produced in Poland]]
The prospect of closer integration with the European Union has put the economy back on track,{{Fact|date=September 2007}}<!--explain--> with growth of 3.7% annually in 2003, a rise from 1.4% annually in 2002. In 2004, GDP growth equaled 5.4%, in 2005 3.3% and in 2006 6.2%. For 2007, the government has set a target for GDP growth at 6.5 to 7.0%.{{Fact|date=February 2008}}
Although the Polish economy is currently undergoing [[economic development]], there are many challenges ahead. The most notable task on the horizon is the preparation of the economy (through continuing deep structural reforms) to allow Poland to meet the strict economic criteria for entry into the [[Euro|European Single Currency]] (Euro). According to the minister of finance Jacek Rostowski Poland is likely to join [[European Exchange Rate Mechanism|ERM]] in 2009 and adopt [[Euro]] in 2012<ref>Gazeta Wyborcza, "[http://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/Wiadomosci/1,80353,5016274.html Szejnfeld: Wejście do strefy euro korzystne dla przedsiębiorców]</ref> or 2013.<ref>Jan Cienski, "[http://www.ft.com/cms/s/fcbe4ce0-3b8a-11dc-8002-0000779fd2ac,dwp_uuid=70662e7c-3027-11da-ba9f-00000e2511c8,_i_rssPage=70662e7c-3027-11da-ba9f-00000e2511c8.html Poland Alters Stance on Euro]</ref>. Some businesses may accept the [[euro]] as payment.
Average salaries in enterprise sector in April 2008 were 3137PLN (equals to 925 euro or 1434 US dollars)<ref>[http://www.stat.gov.pl/gus/45_1786_ENG_HTML.htm OECD Economic Outlook No. 82 - Poland]</ref> and growing sharply.<ref>[http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/6/32/20213254.pdf OECD Economic Outlook No. 82 - Poland]</ref> Salaries varies between the regions: [[median]] wage in the capital city Warsaw was 4600 PLN (1200 euro or 2000 US dollars) while in Bialystok only 2400 (670 euro or 1000 US dollars).<ref>[http://praca.gazeta.pl/gazetapraca/1,74785,4988030.html Zarobki w Warszawie w 2007 roku]</ref>
Since joining the European Union, many workers have left to work in other EU countries (particularly Ireland and the UK) because of high unemployment, which was the second-highest in the EU (14.2% in May 2006).<ref>[http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/pls/portal/docs/PAGE/PGP_PRD_CAT_PREREL/PGE_CAT_PREREL_YEAR_2007/PGE_CAT_PREREL_YEAR_2007_MONTH_10/3-31102007-EN-CP.PDF Eurostat September 2007 - Euro area and EU27 unemployment down to 7.3%, 31 October, 2007]</ref> However, with the rapid growth of the salaries, booming economy, strong value of Polish currency, and quickly decreasing unemployment (8% in March 2008<ref>[http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/pls/portal/docs/PAGE/PGP_PRD_CAT_PREREL/PGE_CAT_PREREL_YEAR_2008/PGE_CAT_PREREL_YEAR_2008_MONTH_04/3-01042008-EN-AP.PDF Eurostat February 2008 - Euro area unemployment stable at 7.1%]</ref>) exodus of Polish workers seems to be over. In 2008 people who came back outnumbered thoses leaving the country.<ref>[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article3378877.ece The Times: Tide turns as Poles end great migration]</ref>
Commodities produced in Poland include: electronics, cars (including the luxurious [[Leopard (car)|Leopard car]]), buses ([[Autosan]], [[Jelcz SA]], [[Solaris Bus & Coach|Solaris]], [[Solbus]]), helicopters ([[PZL Świdnik]]), transport equipment, locomotives, planes ([[PZL Mielec]]), ships, military engineering (including [[PT-91|tanks]], [[PZA Loara|SPAAG systems]]), medicines ([[Polpharma]], [[Polfa]]), food, clothes, glass, pottery (Bolesławiec), chemical products and others.<!-- explain what is so important about those goods-->
==Science, technology and education==
{{seesubarticle2|Polish science and technology|Education in Poland}}
===Education===
The education of Polish society was a goal of rulers as early as the 12th century, and Poland soon became one of the most educated European countries. The library catalogue of the Cathedral Chapter of [[Kraków]] dating back to 1110 shows that already in the early 12th century Polish intellectuals had access to the European literature. In 1364, in [[Kraków]], the [[Jagiellonian University]], founded by King [[Casimir III of Poland|Casimir III]], became one of Europe's great early universities. In 1773 King [[Stanisław August Poniatowski]] established his [[Commission on National Education]] (''Komisja Edukacji Narodowej''), the world's first state ministry of education.
===Current situation===
Today Poland has more than a hundred [[tertiary education]] institutions; traditional [[universities]] to be found in its major cities of [[Białystok]], [[Bydgoszcz]], [[Gdańsk]], [[Katowice]], [[Kraków]], [[Lublin]], [[Łódź]], [[Olsztyn]], [[Opole]], [[Poznań]], [[Rzeszów]], [[Szczecin]], [[Toruń]], [[Warsaw]], [[Wrocław]] and [[Zielona Góra]] as well as technical, medical, economic institutions elsewhere, employing around 61,000 workers. There are also around 300 research and development institutes, with about 10,000 more researchers. In total, there are around 91,000 scientists in Poland today.
According to Frost & Sullivan's Country Industry Forecast the country is becoming an interesting location for research and development investments.<ref>Newswire [http://www.newswiretoday.com/news/26490/ Poland Emerges as the European R&D Hub Despite Favorable Conditions in Asia Pacific]</ref> Multinational companies such as: ABB, Delphi, GlaxoSmithKline, Google, Hewlett–Packard, IBM, Intel, LG Electronics and Microsoft have set up R&D centres in Poland. Motorola in Kraków, Siemens in Wrocław and Samsung in Warszawa are one of the largest owned by those companies.<ref>Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency [http://www.paiz.gov.pl/index/?id=7b7a53e239400a13bd6be6c91c4f6c4e Poland - R&D centre]</ref> Over 40 R&D centers, and 4,500 researchers make Poland the biggest R&D hub in Central and Eastern Europe.<ref>Newswire [http://www.newswiretoday.com/news/26490/ Poland Emerges as the European R&D Hub Despite Favorable Conditions in Asia Pacific]</ref> Companies chose Poland because of the availability of highly qualified labor force, presence of universities, support of authorities, and the largest market in Central Europe.<ref>Newswire [http://www.newswiretoday.com/news/26490/ Poland Emerges as the European R&D Hub Despite Favorable Conditions in Asia Pacific]</ref>
According to KPMG report<ref>KPMG, [http://www.paiz.gov.pl/files/?id_plik=7513 Why Poland?]</ref> 80% of Poland's current investors are contented with their choice and willing to reinvest. In 2006 Intel decided to double the number of employees in its R&D centre.<ref>Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency [http://www.paiz.gov.pl/index/?id=7b7a53e239400a13bd6be6c91c4f6c4e Poland - R&D centre]</ref>
The [[Programme for International Student Assessment]], coordinated by the [[OECD]], currently ranks Poland's education as the 23rd best in the world, being neither significantly higher nor lower than the OECD average.[http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/42/8/39700724.pdf]
===Telecommunication and IT===
{{seesubarticle2|Communications in Poland|Software development in Poland}}
The share of the [[telecom]] sector in the GDP is 4.4% (end of 2000 figure), compared to 2.5% in 1996. Nevertheless, despite high expenditures for telecom infrastructure (the coverage increased from 78 users per 1000 inhabitants in 1989 to 282 in 2000).
The value of the telecommunication market is zl 38.2bn (2006), and it grew by 12.4% in 2007 PMR [http://www.itandtelecompoland.com/index.php?item=2]
the coverage mobile cellular is over 1000 users per 1000 people (2007)
*Telephones—mobile cellular: 38.7 million (Onet.pl & GUS Report, 2007)
*Telephones—main lines in use: 12.5 million (Telecom Team Report, 2005)
==Culture==
{{seesubarticle|Culture of Poland}}
[[Image:Rynekkrk.jpg|thumb|300px|left|Polish architecture: [[Main Market Square, Kraków|Main Market Square]] in [[Kraków]]. [[St. Mary's Basilica, Kraków|St Mary's Basilica]] (left), [[Sukiennice]] (centre), Town Hall Tower (right)]]
Polish culture has been influenced by both [[Eastern world|Eastern]] and [[Western world|Western]] influences. Today, these influences are evident in Polish [[architecture]], [[folklore]], and [[art]]. Poland is the birthplace of some [[List of Poles|world famous individuals]], including [[Pope John Paul II]], [[Marie Curie|Marie Skłodowska Curie]], [[Kazimierz Pułaski]], [[Nicolaus Copernicus]] and [[Frederic Chopin]].
The character of Polish art always reflected world trends. The famous Polish painter, [[Jan Matejko]] included many significant historical events in his paintings. Also a famous person in history of Polish art was [[Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz]]. He was an example of a Polish ''Renaissance Man''. [[Polish literature]] dates back to 1100s<ref name="LIT01">{{pl icon}} {{cite web |author=Koca, B. |year=2006 |url =http://www.sat.org.au/reviews/articles_pl_middle_ages.htm |title=Polish Literature - The Middle Ages (Religious writings) |accessdaymonth=10 December |accessyear=2006}}</ref> and includes many famous poets and writers such as [[Jan Kochanowski]], [[Adam Mickiewicz]], [[Bolesław Prus]], [[Juliusz Słowacki]], [[Witold Gombrowicz]], [[Stanisław Lem]] and, [[Ryszard Kapuściński]]. Writers [[Henryk Sienkiewicz]], [[Władysław Reymont]], [[Czesław Miłosz]], [[Wisława Szymborska]] have each won the [[Nobel Prize for Literature]].
Many world renowned [[Cinema of Poland|Polish movie directors]] include [[Academy Award]]s winners [[Roman Polański]], [[Andrzej Wajda]], [[Zbigniew Rybczyński]], [[Janusz Kamiński]] and, [[Krzysztof Kieślowski]]. The traditional Polish music composers include world-renowned pianist [[Frédéric Chopin|Frederic Chopin]] as well as famous composers such as [[Krzysztof Penderecki]], [[Henryk Mikołaj Górecki]], [[Karol Szymanowski]], and others.
Notable foods in [[Polish cuisine]] include [[kiełbasa|Polish sausage]], [[Borscht|red beet soup]], [[pierogi|Polish dumplings]], flaczki ([[tripe]] soup), [[gołąbki|cabbage rolls]], [[Oscypek]], [[Polish cuisine#Main course|Polish pork chops]], [[bigos|Polish traditional stew]], various [[potato]] dishes, a fast food sandwich [[zapiekanka]], and many more. Traditional Polish desserts include [[Paczki|Polish doughnuts]], [[Gingerbread|Polish gingerbread]] and others.
==Sports==
{{main|Sport in Poland}}
==International rankings==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
!width="240px"| Index
! Rank !! Countries<br />reviewed
|-
|align="left"| [[Human Development Index]] 2006
| 37th || 177
|-
|align="left"| [[OECD]] [[Working time]]
| 2nd || 27
|-
|align="left"| [[Index of Economic Freedom]] 2007
| 87th || 157
|-
|align="left"| [[Privacy International]] Yearly Privacy ranking of countries 2006
| 8th || 36
|-
|align="left"| [[Reporters Without Borders]] Press Freedom Index 2006
| 58th || 168
|-
|align="left"| Summary Innovation Index 2005{{Fact|date=March 2008}}
| 27th || 33
|-
|align="left"| [[UNICEF]] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk/6359363.stm Child Well-being league table]
| 14th || 21
|-
|align="left"| [[Networked Readiness Index]] 2006-2007
| 58th || 122
|-
|align="left"| [[OICA]] [[List of countries by automobile production|Automobile Production]]
| 20th || 53
|}
==See also==
{{portal|Poland|Flag_of_Poland_(bordered).svg}}
*[[List of Poles]]
*[[List of World Heritage Sites in Poland]]
==References==
{{sisterlinks|Poland}}
{{reflist|2}}
==External links==
*[http://www.poland.gov.pl Poland.gov.pl - Polish national portal]
*[http://www.paiz.gov.pl/index/?lang_id=1 Polish Information]
*[http://www.msz.gov.pl Ministry of Foreign Affairs]
*[https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/pl.html Poland at the World Factbook]
*[http://www.klub-beskid.com/album-pologne/index.php?lang=english Photos from Poland]
*[http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2875.htm Background Note: Poland]
*{{wikitravel}}
* [http://www.commonwealth.pl Commonwealth of Diverse Cultures: Poland's Heritage]
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