The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Poland:

The location of Poland
Map of the Republic of Poland

The Republic of Poland is a sovereign country located in Central Europe.[1] 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 Russian exclave, to the north. The total area of Poland is 312,679 km2 (120,728 sq mi),[2] making it the 69th largest country in the world and 9th in Europe. Poland has a population of over 38.5 million people, which makes it the 33rd most populous country in the world.[3]

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 a kingdom in 1025, and in 1569 it cemented a long association with the Grand Duchy of Lithuania by uniting to form the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. The Commonwealth collapsed in 1795, and its territory was partitioned among Prussia, Russia, and Austria. Poland 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 socialist republic within the Eastern Bloc under strong Soviet influence. In 1989 communist rule was overthrown and Poland became what is constitutionally known as the "Third Polish Republic". Poland is a unitary state made up of sixteen voivodeships (Polish: województwo). Poland is also a member of the European Union, NATO and OECD.

General reference edit

 
Relief map of Poland

Geography of Poland edit

 
Topographic map of Poland

Geography of Poland

  Czech Republic 796 km
  Slovakia 541 km
  Ukraine 535 km
  Germany 467 km
  Belarus 418 km
  Russia 210 km
  Lithuania 104 km

Environment of Poland edit

 
An enlargeable satellite image of Poland

Main: Environment of Poland

Natural geographic features of Poland edit

Regions of Poland edit

Regions of Poland

Ecoregions of Poland edit

List of ecoregions in Poland

Administrative divisions of Poland edit

 
Division of Poland into voivodeships and powiats

Administrative divisions of Poland

Provinces of Poland edit

Provinces of Poland

Municipalities of Poland edit

Municipalities of Poland

Demography of Poland edit

Demographics of Poland

Government and politics of Poland edit

Branches of the government of Poland edit

Government of Poland

Executive branch of the government of Poland edit

Legislative branch of the government of Poland edit

Judicial branch of the government of Poland edit

Court system of Poland

Foreign relations of Poland edit

Foreign relations of Poland

International organization membership edit

The Republic of Poland is a member of:[1]

Law and order in Poland edit

Law of Poland

Military of Poland edit

Military of Poland

Local government in Poland edit

Local government in Poland

Other edit

History of Poland edit

History of Poland

Culture of Poland edit

Culture of Poland

Art in Poland edit

Sports in Poland edit

Sports in Poland

Economy and infrastructure of Poland edit

Economy of Poland

Transportation in Poland edit

Transport in Poland

Education in Poland edit

Education in Poland

Health in Poland edit

Health in Poland

See also edit

  Poland

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Poland". The World Factbook. United States Central Intelligence Agency. July 2, 2009. Retrieved July 23, 2009.
  2. ^ "Warunki Naturalne i Ochrona Środowiska (Environment and Environmental Protection)". Mały Rocznik Statystyczny Polski 2013 [Concise Statistical Yearbook of Poland 2013] (in Polish and English). Główny Urząd Statystyczny. 2013. p. 26. ISSN 1640-3630. {{cite book}}: |journal= ignored (help)
  3. ^ NationMaster.com 2003-2007, Poland, Facts and figures

External links edit

  Wikimedia Atlas of Poland

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