Area: 312 685 sq. km Loction: Central Europe. Poland borders on Germany, the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, and Russia. Its northern border – 440 km long – runs along the Baltic Sea coast. Capital city: Warsaw (1,7 million) Major cities: Gdańsk, Cracow, ŁódĽ, Poznań, Szczecin, Wrocław Population: 38,5 million Flag: White and red Official language: Polish Political system: Parliamentary republic Since May 2004 member State of the European Union
Poland is a relatively low-lying country. 91.3 percent of its territory lies below 300 m above sea level. Although predominantly lowland, Poland has a varied landscape, from the coastal plain along the Baltic Sea, and the lake districts in the North, through the lowlands in Central Poland, to the uplands and mountains in the South. Two main mountain ranges are situated in southern Poland: the Carpathians with the highest mountain chain – the Tatra, and the Sudety Mountains. The longest rivers are the Vistula (1047 km), Oder (854 km), Warta, and Bug. Poland has some 9,300 lakes with surface areas over 1 ha.
Poland lies in the central part of the European continent, the geometrical centre of which is near Warsaw. This is where the lines from Nordkyn in Norway to Matapan Cape in Greece, and from Cabo da Roca in Portugal to the central Urals intersect. The country is divided into 16 voivodships (provinces, województwa), subdivided into districts (powiaty) and local government communes (primary level units, gminy).
Polish sites on the UNESCO World’s Cultural Heritage List:
Poland has a moderate climate with both maritime and continental elements. Generally, in northern and western Poland the climate is predominantly maritime, while the eastern part of the country has a distinctly continental climate with harsh winters and hotter, drier summers. The long-awaited summer, with temperatures above 20 Celsius degrees, begins in May and is about four months long. The hottest month is July with the average temperature standing at 16-19 oC. The hottest area is central and south-west Poland. Hot days, when the temperature exceeds 25 oC, occur from May to September. In autumn, the average temperature drops to between 5 and 15 Celsius degrees. The coldest month in Poland is January. Sub-zero temperatures are recorded between November and March.
Pomerelia is the region in northern Poland. It lays at the coasts of the Baltic Sea in the picturesque of Vistula river. It was created in 1999 when the 49 Polish provinces formed in 1975 were consolidated into 16 provinces.
Pomerelia is a low-lying region, with a varied relief structure that features more than 1,500 lakes. The Kashubian Lakeland is in the central part of the province. The province’s main rivers are the Vistula (Wisła), Łeba, Reda, and Słupia. One-third of the province is forested, mainly with conifers. Two-thirds of the province’s population is urban. The largest cities are Gdańsk, Gdynia, and Sopot, which together make up the Trójmiasto (“Tri-city”) conurbation.
The Kashubs, a Slavic group that lives southwest of Gdańsk, are one of the province’s distinct Ethnic groups. They retain a number of their culture’s customs, and older members still speak a dialect probably derived from the ancient Pomeranian language.
The seaports and shipyards in Gdynia and Gdańsk are quite active. Fishing and fish processing are major industries. Other important industries include petroleum refining, hydroelectric-power generation, food and beverage processing, papermaking, and pharmaceutical manufacturing. An international airport operates in Gdańsk-Rębiechowo. The province is popular with tourists who visit Szwajcaria Kaszubska (“Kashubian Switzerland”), the hilly homeland of the Kashubs. Seaside resorts include Ustka, Łeba, Hel, Sopot, and Krynica Morska.
Kashubian regional dress www.wikipedia.org/wiki