Country Information on Poland 

Terrain

Poland's extensive northern part is diverse and gently undulating, forested and covered by several thousand postglacial lakes. The flat central belt is the main agricultural area, and watered by Poland's longest river, the Vistula, which, like all of Poland's rivers, runs towards the north, draining into the Baltic Sea. Moving south, the terrain rises, culminating in the west with the Sudeten Mountains and to the east with the Carpathian Mountains which run along the southern frontier. The highest peak is Mount Rysy (2499 m) in the Carpathian's Tatra Mountains, Poland's alpine range.

Climate

Poland has a temperate climate characterized by relatively cold winters and warm summers (influenced by continental climate from the east and maritime climate from the west). Winters become increasingly severe inland from the Baltic coast, with January temperatures averaging -1°C in the north and going as low as - 5°C in the south-east. July temperatures range from 16.5°C near the coast to 19°C in the south. Rainfall varies with altitude, ranging from less than 51 cm a year to as much as 127 cm in the southern mountains. Summer is usually warm, but plenty of sunshine is interspersed with heavy rains.

Fauna/Flora

Forests cover just over a quarter of Poland's territory, and are populated by hares, deer and wild boars. Some brown bears and wildcats live in the mountain forests and elks can be found in the woods of the far north-east. Several hundred European bison, brought to the brink of extinction early this century, live in the Bialowieza National Park. Storks, which build their nests on the roofs and chimneys of the houses in the countryside, are much loved. Poland's national parks are scattered rather evenly throughout the country, with a concentration in the mountainous regions of the south-east.

History/Politics

Under Duke Mieszko I (reigned 960-92) of the Piast dynasty began (966) the conversion of Poland to Christianity. The Piasts expanded their domains in wars against the German emperors, Hungary, Bohemia, Pomerania, Denmark, and Kiev, and in 1024, Boleslaus I took the title of king. At the death (1138) of Boleslaus III, the kingdom was broken up; its reunification was begun by Ladislaus I, who was king from 1320 to 1333. During the period of disunity, the Teutonic Knights gained a foothold in Northern Poland. Their power was only broken by their defeat at the hands of Polish-Lithuanian forces at Tannenberg (1410); by the second treaty of Torun (1466) they became vassals of the Polish kings.

The main line of the Piast dynasty ended with the death (1370) of Casimir III, whose enlightened economic, administrative, and social policies included the protection of the Jews. Casimir III the Great (1333-70) was a monarch of some renown, bestowing one of Europe's first universities on Kraków, and an extensive network of castles and fortifications on the country at large. He also completed the reunification of the kingdom. After Casimir, the crown passed to his nephew, Louis I of Hungary (reigned 1370-82) and then to Louis' daughter, Jadwiga (reigned 1384-99).

Internal stability faltered in the 17th century. By the late 19th century, Poland was in disarray. Russia, Prussia and Austria were experimenting with various ways of splitting Poland. With Poland's three occupying powers at war in World War I, a lot of fighting took place on territories inhabited by Poles. In the confusion following the war and Russia's preoccupation with the October Revolution, Poland was able to consolidate its affairs. In World War II, Germany, and then the Soviet Union, gobbled up Poland.

At the Yalta Conference in February 1945, Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin decided to leave Poland under Soviet control. By 1980, the Communist government's position was weakened when Poland's workers' delegations convened under the Solidarity trade union banner, led by Lech Walesa.. Semi-free elections to the upper house of parliament were held in 1989, and Solidarity succeeded in getting an overwhelming majority, Walesa became president in 1990. Former communists Kwasniewski and Cimoszewicz followed in late 1995, holding office until late 1997, when Jerzy Buzek's Solidarity-led coalition took the reins. The new Poland is garnering international credibility as it capitalises on its material strengths, and it became a full NATO member in 1999. Buzek has also pledged to work towards inclusion in the EU.

Economy

Poland today stands out as one of the most successful and open transition economies. The privatisation of small and medium state-owned companies and a liberal law on establishing new firms marked the rapid development of a private sector now responsible for 70% of economic activity. Consumer price index was 10.7% in 2000, while gross domestic product growth amounted to 6% in the first quarter of 2000 - unemployment rate was 13.9%. In 1999, services accounted for 59.7% of gross domestic product, industry for 36.5%, and agriculture for 3.8%.

Culture

Polish writers have gained international acclaim for their outstanding contributions (Ryszard Kapuscinski), Frederic Chopin is the country's most famous composer. Andrzej Wajda, Roman Polanski and Krzysztof Kieslowski are among the international elite of film directors. Poland fosters traditions of folk culture and arts and crafts, especially pottery, weaving, embroidery, sculpture, graphic arts and painting. The country is a famous hot-spot for Jazz-music lovers, with numerous music festivals taking place throughout the year, like e.g. Warsaw's Summer Jazz Days, the "Jazz Jamboree" International Jazz Festival (Warsaw), and the "Solo Duo Trio" International Small Jazz Forms Festival in Krakow.