Polska" redirects here. For the dance, see Polska (dance).

"Rzeczpospolita Polska" redirects here. For other uses, see Rzeczpospolita Polska

(disambiguation).
For other uses, see Poland (disambiguation).

Coordinates:  52°N 20°E

Republic of Poland

Rzeczpospolita Polska  (Polish)

Flag

Coat of arms

Anthem: "Mazurek Dąbrowskiego"
(English: "Poland Is Not Yet Lost")

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Location of Poland (dark green)
 – in Europe (green & dark grey)
– in the European Union (green)  –  [Legend]

Capital Warsaw
and largest city 52°13′N 21°02′E

Official languages Polish[1]

Recognised Kashubian
regional language

Ethnic groups  98% Polish[note 1]
(2011[2][3][4]) 2% others or not stated

Religion  92.9% Roman Catholic

(2015[5]) 1.3% Other faiths
3.1% Irreligious
2.7% Unanswered

Demonym(s) Polish
Pole

Government Unitary semi-presidential
constitutional republic

• President Andrzej Duda

• Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki

Legislature National Assembly

• Upper house Senate

• Lower house Sejm

Formation
• Christianization of 14 April 966
Poland[a]
• Kingdom of Poland 18 April 1025
• Polish-Lithuanian 1 July 1569
Commonwealth
• Third Partition 24 October 1795
• Duchy of Warsaw 22 July 1807
• Congress Poland 9 June 1815
• Second Republic 11 November 1918
• Government-in-exile 17 September 1939
• People's Republic 19 February 1947
• Third Republic 13 September 1989

Area
• Total 312,696[7] km2 (120,733 sq mi)[b] (69th)
• Water (%) 3.07
 Population
• 30 June 2019  38,386,000[9] (37th)
estimate
• Density 123/km2 (318.6/sq mi) (83rd)

GDP (PPP) 2020 estimate
• Total  $1.353 trillion[10] (22nd)

• Per capita  $35,651[10] (43rd)

GDP (nominal) 2020 estimate
• Total  $607 billion[10] (20th)

• Per capita  $15,988[10] (54th)

Gini (2019)  28.5[11]
low

HDI (2018)  0.872[12]
very high · 32nd

Currency Polish złoty (PLN)

Time zone UTC+1 (CET)

• Summer (DST) UTC+2 (CEST)

Driving side right

Calling code +48

ISO 3166 code PL

Internet TLD .pl

Website
poland.pl

Poland (Polish: Polska [ˈpɔlska] ( listen)), officially the Republic of

Poland (Polish: Rzeczpospolita Polska[c] [ʐɛt͡ʂpɔˈspɔlita ˈpɔlska] ( listen)), is a country located
in Central Europe.[13] It is divided into 16 administrative subdivisions, covering an area of 312,696
square kilometres (120,733 sq mi), and has a largely temperate seasonal climate.[8] With a
population of nearly 38.5 million people, Poland is the fifth most populous member state of the
European Union.[8] Poland's capital and largest metropolis is Warsaw. Other major cities
include Kraków, Łódź, Wrocław, Poznań, Gdańsk, and Szczecin.
Poland is bordered by the Baltic Sea, Lithuania, and Russia's Kaliningrad Oblast to the north,
Belarus and Ukraine to the east, Slovakia and the Czech Republic to the south, and Germany to
the west.
The history of human activity on Polish soil spans almost 500,000 years. Throughout late
antiquity it became extensively diverse, with various cultures and tribes settling on the
vast Central European Plain. However, it was the Western Polans who dominated the region and
gave Poland its name. The establishment of Polish statehood can be traced to 966, when the
pagan ruler of a realm coextensive with the territory of present-day Poland
embraced Christianity and converted to Catholicism.[14] The Kingdom of Poland was founded in
1025, and in 1569 it cemented its longstanding political association with Lithuania by signing
 the Union of Lublin. This union formed the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, one of the largest
(over 1,000,000 square kilometres – 400,000 square miles) and most populous nations of 16th
and 17th century Europe, with a uniquely liberal political system which adopted Europe's first
written national constitution, the Constitution of 3 May 1791.[15][16]
With the passing of prominence and prosperity, the country was partitioned by neighbouring
states at the end of the 18th century, and regained independence in 1918 with the Treaty of
Versailles. After a series of territorial conflicts, the new multi-ethnic Poland restored its position
as a key player in European politics. In September 1939, World War II began with the invasion of
Poland by Nazi Germany, followed by the Soviet Union invading Poland in accordance with
the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact. Approximately six million Polish citizens, including three million of
the country's Jews, perished during the course of the war.[17][18] As member of the Eastern Bloc,
the Polish People's Republic proclaimed forthwith was a chief signatory of the Warsaw
Treaty amidst global Cold War tensions. In the wake of the 1989 events, notably through the
emergence and contributions of the Solidarity movement, the communist
government was dissolved and Poland reestablished itself as a presidential democratic republic.
Poland has a developed market and is a regional power in Central Europe, with the largest stock
exchange in the East-Central European zone.[19] It has the sixth largest economy by GDP
(nominal) in the European Union[20] and the tenth largest in all of Europe. It's one of the most
dynamic economies in the world,[21] simultaneously achieving a very high rank on the Human
Development Index.[22] Poland is a developed country,[23][24] which maintains a high-income
economy[25] along with very high standards of living, life quality,[26] safety, education, and economic
freedom.[27][28] Alongside a developed educational system, the state also provides free university
education, social security, and a universal health care system.[29][30] The country has
16 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, 15 of which are cultural.[31]
Poland is a member state of the Schengen Area, the United Nations, NATO, the OECD,
the Three Seas Initiative, the Visegrád Group, and guested at the G20.

Contents

 1Etymology
 2History
o 2.1Prehistory and protohistory
o 2.2Piast dynasty
o 2.3Jagiellon dynasty
o 2.4Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
o 2.5Partitions
o 2.6Era of insurrections
o 2.7Second Polish Republic
o 2.8World War II
o 2.9Post-war communism
o 2.101990s to present
 3Geography
o 3.1Geology
o 3.2Waters
o 3.3Land use
o 3.4Biodiversity
o 3.5Climate
 4Government and politics
o 4.1Law
o 4.2Foreign relations
o 4.3Administrative divisions
 o 4.4Military
o 4.5Law enforcement and emergency services
 5Economy
o 5.1Corporations
o 5.2Tourism
o 5.3Energy
o 5.4Transport
o 5.5Science and technology
o 5.6Communications
 6Demographics
o 6.1Urbanization
o 6.2Languages
o 6.3Ethnicity
o 6.4Religion
o 6.5Health
o 6.6Education
 7Culture
o 7.1Music
o 7.2Art
o 7.3Architecture
o 7.4Literature
o 7.5Cinema
o 7.6Media
o 7.7Cuisine
o 7.8Sports
o 7.9Fashion and design
 8See also
 9Notes
 10References
 11External links

Etymology
Main article: Name of Poland
The origin of the name "Poland" derives from the Lechitic tribe of Polans (Polanie), who inhabited
the Warta river basin of present-day Greater Poland region starting in the mid-6th century. The
origin of the name Polanie itself derives from the Proto-Slavic word pole (field). In some
languages, such as Hungarian, Lithuanian, Persian and Turkish, the country's name is derived
from the Lendians (Lędzianie or Lachy),[32] who dwelled on the southeasternmost edge of
present-day Lesser Poland, in the Cherven Grods between the 7th and 11th centuries — lands
which were part of the territorial domain ruled over by the Polans. Their name derives from
the Old Polish word lęda (open land or plain).[33]

History
Main article: History of Poland

Prehistory and protohistory

Main articles: Bronze- and Iron-Age Poland, Poland in Antiquity, Lechites, West Slavs,
and Poland in the Early Middle Ages
Reconstruction of a Bronze Age, Lusatian culture settlement in Biskupin, c. 700 BC

The early Bronze Age in Poland began around 2400 BC, while the Iron Age commenced in
approximately 700 BC.[34] During this time, the Lusatian culture, spanning both the Bronze and
Iron Ages, became particularly prominent. The most famous archaeological find from the
prehistory and protohistory of Poland is the Biskupin fortified settlement (now reconstructed as
an open-air museum), dating from the Lusatian culture of the late Bronze Age, around 748 BC.[35]
[36]

Throughout the Antiquity period, many distinct ancient ethnic groups populated the regions of
what is now Poland in an era that dates from about 400 BC to 500 AD. These groups are
identified as Celtic, Scythian, Germanic, Sarmatian, Slavic and Baltic tribes. Also, recent
archeological findings in the Kuyavia region, confirmed the presence of the Roman Legions on
the territory of Poland.[37] These were most likely expeditionary missions sent out to protect
the amber trade. The exact time and routes of the original migration and settlement of Slavic
peoples lacks written records and can only be defined as fragmented.[38] The West Slavic or
Lechitic tribes who initially inhabited Poland migrated to these areas in the second half of the 5th
century AD. Up until the creation of Mieszko's state and his subsequent conversion to
Christianity in 966 AD, the main religion of the numerous tribes that inhabited the geographical
area of present-day Poland was paganism. With the Baptism of Poland the Polish rulers
accepted Western Christianity and the religious authority of the Roman Church. However, the
transition from paganism was not a smooth and instantaneous process for the rest of the
population as evident from the pagan reaction of the 1030s.[39]

Piast dynasty
Main articles: History of Poland during the Piast dynasty, Christianization of Poland, Civitas
Schinesghe, Gesta principum Polonorum, and Kingdom of Poland (1025–1385)

Poland under the rule of Duke Mieszko I, whose acceptance of Christianity and the subsequent Baptism of
Poland marks the beginning of Polish statehood in 966

Poland began to form into a recognizable unitary and territorial entity around the middle of the
10th century under the Piast dynasty. Poland's first historically documented ruler, Mieszko I,
accepted Christianity, as the rightful religion of his realm, under the auspices of the Latin
Church with the Baptism of Poland in 966. The bulk of the population converted in the course of
the next few centuries. In 1000, Boleslaw the Brave, continuing the policy of his father Mieszko,
held a Congress of Gniezno and created the metropolis of Gniezno and
the dioceses of Kraków, Kołobrzeg, and Wrocław. However, the pagan unrest led to the transfer
of the capital to Kraków in 1038 by Casimir I the Restorer.[40]

Earliest known contemporary depiction of a Polish monarch, King Mieszko II Lambert of Poland, who ruled
between 1025 and 1031

In 1109, Prince Bolesław III Wrymouth defeated the King of Germany Henry V at the Battle of

Hundsfeld, stopping the German incursion into Poland. The clash between Bolesław III and
Henry V was documented by Gallus Anonymus in his 1118 chronicle.[41] In 1138, Poland
fragmented into several smaller duchies when Bolesław divided his lands among his sons. In
1226, Konrad I of Masovia, one of the regional Piast dukes, invited the Teutonic Knights to help
him fight the Baltic Prussian pagans; a decision that led to centuries of warfare with the Knights.
In 1264, the Statute of Kalisz or the General Charter of Jewish Liberties introduced numerous
right for the Jews in Poland, leading to a nearly autonomous "nation within a nation".[42]
In the middle of the 13th century, the Silesian branch of the Piast dynasty (Henry I the
Bearded and Henry II the Pious, ruled 1238–1241) nearly succeeded in uniting the Polish lands,
but the Mongols invaded the country from the east and defeated the combined Polish forces at
the Battle of Legnica where Duke Henry II the Pious died. In 1320, after a number of earlier
unsuccessful attempts by regional rulers at uniting the Polish dukedoms, Władysław
I consolidated his power, took the throne and became the first king of a reunified Poland. His
son, Casimir III (reigned 1333–1370), has a reputation as one of the greatest Polish kings, and
gained wide recognition for improving the country's infrastructure.[43][44] He also extended royal
protection to Jews, and encouraged their immigration to Poland.[43][45] Casimir III realized that the
nation needed a class of educated people, especially lawyers, who could codify the country's
laws and administer the courts and offices. His efforts to create an institution of higher learning in
Poland were finally rewarded when Pope Urban V granted him permission to open the University
of Kraków.
Casimir III the Great is the only Polish king to receive the title of Great. He built extensively during his reign,
and reformed the Polish army along with the country's legal code, 1333–70.

The Golden Liberty of the nobles began to develop under Casimir's rule, when in return for
their military support, the king made a series of concessions to the nobility, and establishing their
legal status as superior to that of the townsmen. When Casimir the Great died in 1370, leaving
no legitimate male heir, the Piast dynasty came to an end.
During the 13th and 14th centuries, Poland became a destination for German, Flemish and to a
lesser extent Walloon, Danish and Scottish migrants. Also, Jews and Armenians began to settle
and flourish in Poland during this era (see History of the Jews in Poland and Armenians in
Poland).
The Black Death, a plague that ravaged Europe from 1347 to 1351, did not significantly affect
Poland, and the country was spared from a major outbreak of the disease.[46][47] The reason for this
was the decision of Casimir the Great to quarantine the nation's borders.

Jagiellon dynasty
Main articles: History of Poland during the Jagiellon dynasty, Kingdom of Poland (1385–1569),
and Renaissance in Poland

The Battle of Grunwald was fought against the German Order of Teutonic Knights, and resulted in a
decisive victory for the Kingdom of Poland, 15 July 1410.

The Jagiellon dynasty spanned the late Middle Ages and early Modern Era of Polish history.

Beginning with the Lithuanian Grand Duke Jogaila (Władysław II Jagiełło), the Jagiellon dynasty
(1386–1572) formed the Polish–Lithuanian union. The partnership brought vast Lithuanian-
controlled Rus' areas into Poland's sphere of influence and proved beneficial for the Poles and
Lithuanians, who coexisted and cooperated in one of the largest political entities in Europe for
the next four centuries.
In the Baltic Sea region the struggle of Poland and Lithuania with the Teutonic Knights continued
and culminated at the Battle of Grunwald in 1410, where a combined Polish-Lithuanian army
inflicted a decisive victory against them.[48] In 1466, after the Thirteen Years' War, King Casimir IV
Jagiellon gave royal consent to the Peace of Thorn, which created the future Duchy of
Prussia under Polish suzerainty. The Jagiellon dynasty at one point also established dynastic
control over the kingdoms of Bohemia (1471 onwards) and Hungary.[49][50] In the south, Poland
confronted the Ottoman Empire and the Crimean Tatars (by whom they were attacked on 75
separate occasions between 1474 and 1569),[51] and in the east helped Lithuania fight the Grand
Duchy of Moscow. Some historians estimate that Crimean Tatar slave-raiding cost Poland-
Lithuania one million of its population between the years of 1494 and 1694.[52]

Wawel Castle in Kraków, seat of Polish kings from 1038 until the capital was moved to Warsaw in 1596.
The royal residence is an example of Renaissance architecture in Poland.

Poland was developing as a feudal state, with a predominantly agricultural economy and an

increasingly powerful landed nobility. The Nihil novi act adopted by the Polish Sejm (parliament)
in 1505, transferred most of the legislative power from the monarch to the Sejm, an event which
marked the beginning of the period known as "Golden Liberty", when the state was ruled by the
"free and equal" Polish nobility. Protestant Reformation movements made deep inroads into
Polish Christianity, which resulted in the establishment of policies promoting religious tolerance,
unique in Europe at that time.[53] This tolerance allowed the country to avoid most of the religious
turmoil that spread over Europe during the 16th century.[53]
The European Renaissance evoked in late Jagiellon Poland (under kings Sigismund I the
Old and Sigismund II Augustus) a sense of urgency in the need to promote a cultural awakening,
and during this period Polish culture and the nation's economy flourished. In 1543, Nicolaus
Copernicus, an astronomer from Toruń, published his epochal work De revolutionibus orbium
coelestium (On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres), and thereby became the first
proponent of a predictive mathematical model confirming the heliocentric theory, which became
the accepted basic model for the practice of modern astronomy. Another major figure associated
with the era is the classicist poet Jan Kochanowski.[54]

Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
Main articles: History of Poland in the Early Modern era (1569–1795), Crown of the Kingdom of
Poland, Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, and Sarmatism

The Warsaw Confederation passed by the Polish national assembly (Sejm Konwokacyjny), extended

religious freedoms and tolerance in the Commonwealth, and was the first of its kind act in Europe, 28
January 1573.
The 1569 Union of Lublin established the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, a more closely
unified federal state with an elective monarchy, but which was governed largely by the nobility,
through a system of local assemblies with a central parliament. The Warsaw
Confederation (1573) guaranteed religious freedom for the Polish nobility (szlachta) and
townsfolk (mieszczanie). However, the peasants (chłopi) were still subject to severe limitations
imposed on them by the nobility.[42] The establishment of the Commonwealth coincided with a
period of stability and prosperity in Poland, with the union thereafter becoming a European power
and a major cultural entity, occupying approximately one million square kilometers of Central and
Eastern Europe, as well as an agent for the dissemination of Western
culture through Polonization into areas of modern-day Lithuania, Latvia, Ukraine, Belarus and
western Russia.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, Poland suffered from a number of dynastic crises during the
reigns of the Vasa kings Sigismund III and Władysław IV and found itself engaged in major
conflicts with Russia, Sweden and the Ottoman Empire, as well as a series of
minor Cossack uprisings.[55] In 1610, a Polish army under the command of Hetman Stanisław
Żółkiewski seized Moscow after winning the Battle of Klushino. In 1611, the Tsar of Russia paid
homage to the King