Misplaced Pages

Poland: Difference between revisions

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
Browse history interactively← Previous editNext edit →Content deleted Content addedVisualWikitext
Revision as of 07:47, 11 March 2002 view source213.253.39.95 (talk) fixed degree signs to be entities← Previous edit Revision as of 16:09, 11 March 2002 view source David Parker (talk | contribs)970 editsNo edit summaryNext edit →
Line 1: Line 1:
Officially '''Republic of Poland''', in Polish ''Polska'', or ''Rzeczpospolita Polska'', a country lying at the physical centre of the ] continent, approximately between latitudes 49&deg; and 55&deg; N and longitudes 14&deg; and 24&deg; E. Except for its southern mountainous regions, the country consists almost entirely of lowlands within the North European Plain. The total area of ] is 120,728 square miles (]). Its ] is ] (<i>Warszawa</i>). Other major cities include ], ], ], ] (Danzig), ], ], ], ] and ] (sometimes Cracow in English). Officially '''Republic of Poland''', in Polish ''Polska'', or ''Rzeczpospolita Polska'', a country lying at the physical centre of the ] continent, approximately between latitudes 49&deg; and 55&deg; N and longitudes 14&deg; and 24&deg; E. Except for its southern mountainous regions, the country consists almost entirely of lowlands within the North European Plain. The total area of ] is 120,728 square miles (]). Its ] is ] (<i>Warszawa</i>). Other major cities include ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ].


Over the past millennium, the name Poland has been applied to a shifting territorial base. At one time, in the ], ] was the largest state in ]. At other times there was no Polish state at all. Poland gained its independence in the ] in ] only to be overrun by ] and the ] in ]. Its current frontiers, stretching for 2,198 miles (3,538 kilometres), were drawn in 1945; Poland became a Soviet satellite country following the war, but one that was comparatively tolerant and progressive. Over the past millennium, the name Poland has been applied to a shifting territorial base. At one time, in the ], ] was the largest state in ] after {{Russia]]. At other times there was no Polish state at all. Poland gained its independence in ] only to be overrun by ] and the ] in ]. Its current frontiers, stretching for 2,198 miles (3,538 kilometres), were drawn in 1945; Poland became a Soviet satellite country following the war, but one that was comparatively tolerant and progressive.


Labor turmoil in 1980 led to the formation of an independent trade union "]" (''Solidarnosc'') that over time became a political force and in 1989-1990 swept elections to both parliament and the presidency, displacing the communist party from government. A "shock therapy" program during the early 1990s enabled the country to transform its economy into one of the most robust in Central Europe, boosting hopes for early acceptance to the ]. Poland joined ] in 1999. Labor turmoil in 1980 led to the formation of an independent trade union "]" (''Solidarnosc'') that over time became a political force and in 1989-1990 swept elections to both parliament and the presidency, displacing the communist party from government. A "shock therapy" program during the early 1990s enabled the country to transform its economy into one of the most robust in Central Europe, boosting hopes for early admission to the ]. Poland joined ] in 1999.


Poland is bordered to the north by the ], to the northeast by ] (the ] area) and ], and to the east by ] and ]. To the south the border follows the watershed of the Beskid, Carpathian, and the ] (''Sudety'') mountains, which separate Poland from ] and the ], while to the west the border with ] is defined by the Neisse (''Nysa Luzycka'') and Oder (''Odra'') rivers. Poland is bordered to the north by the ], to the northeast by ] (the ] area) and ], and to the east by ] and ]. To the south the border follows the watershed of the Beskid, Carpathian, and the ] (''Sudety'') mountains, which separate Poland from ] and the ], while to the west the border with ] is defined by the western Neisse (''Nysa Luzycka'') and ] rivers.


Poland is divided into several geographical and historical regions: ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and the ]. Poland is divided into several geographical and historical regions: ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and the ].


http://meta.wikipedia.com/upload/poland_COA.gif<br> http://meta.wikipedia.com/upload/poland_COA.gif<br>
Line 50: Line 50:
For the ] see ]. For the ] see ].


Poland is divided into 16 regions or voivodships (Polish: ''województwo''): Poland is divided into 16 regions or ] (Polish: ''województwo''):
], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ]
---- ----
] ]

Revision as of 16:09, 11 March 2002

Officially Republic of Poland, in Polish Polska, or Rzeczpospolita Polska, a country lying at the physical centre of the European continent, approximately between latitudes 49° and 55° N and longitudes 14° and 24° E. Except for its southern mountainous regions, the country consists almost entirely of lowlands within the North European Plain. The total area of Poland is 120,728 square miles (312,685 square kilometres). Its capital is Warsaw (Warszawa). Other major cities include Wroclaw, Poznan, Lodz, Gdansk, Elblag, Gdynia, Szczecin, Katowice and Krakow.

Over the past millennium, the name Poland has been applied to a shifting territorial base. At one time, in the 16th century, Poland was the largest state in Europe after {{Russia]]. At other times there was no Polish state at all. Poland gained its independence in 1918 only to be overrun by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union in World War II. Its current frontiers, stretching for 2,198 miles (3,538 kilometres), were drawn in 1945; Poland became a Soviet satellite country following the war, but one that was comparatively tolerant and progressive.

Labor turmoil in 1980 led to the formation of an independent trade union "Solidarity" (Solidarnosc) that over time became a political force and in 1989-1990 swept elections to both parliament and the presidency, displacing the communist party from government. A "shock therapy" program during the early 1990s enabled the country to transform its economy into one of the most robust in Central Europe, boosting hopes for early admission to the EU. Poland joined NATO in 1999.

Poland is bordered to the north by the Baltic Sea, to the northeast by Russia (the Kaliningrad area) and Lithuania, and to the east by Belarus and Ukraine. To the south the border follows the watershed of the Beskid, Carpathian, and the Sudeten (Sudety) mountains, which separate Poland from Slovakia and the Czech Republic, while to the west the border with Germany is defined by the western Neisse (Nysa Luzycka) and Odra rivers.

Poland is divided into several geographical and historical regions: Greater Poland, Lesser Poland, Upper Silesia, Lower Silesia, Mazowvia, Warmia, Mazuria, Kujavia, Pomerania, Pomerelia, ] and the Tatra Mountains.

http://meta.wikipedia.com/upload/poland_COA.gif
Fig. 1 - Polish coat of arms

Population: 38.6m: mainly Poles, with about 150,000 Germans, 120,000 Ukrainians, 30,000 Jews, Lithuanians, Russians, Lemkas and others.

Form of Government: unitary multiparty republic with two legislative houses (Sejm ; Senat )

Monetary Unit: Zloty(PLN)=100 groszy; 1 USD=4.2 PLN (26/07/2001)
Country code: PL
TLD: .pl
International calling code: 48

Language spoken: Polish (see Polish language).

For the national anthem see Mazurek Dabrowskiego.

Poland is divided into 16 regions or voivodships (Polish: województwo): Dolnoslaskie, Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Lubelskie, Lubuskie, Lódzkie, Malopolskie, Mazowieckie, Opolskie, Podkarpackie, Podlaskie, Pomorskie, Slaskie, Swietokrzyskie, Warminsko-Mazurskie, Wielkopolskie, Zachodniopomorskie

Talk