}

A Republic of Poland occurs as united states located in Central Europe, between Germany to the west, the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south, Ukraine and Belarus to a east, and the Baltic Sea, Lithuania and Russia (in the form of the Kaliningrad Oblast exclave) to the north.

A Polish state was formed over 1,000 years ago under a Piast dynasty, and reached its Golden Age near the prevent of the 16th century under the Jagiellonian dynasty, when Pol& was one of a richest and virtually all right countries within Europe. In May 3, 1791 the Sejm of the Commonwealth of Poland-Lithuania voted for the May Constitution of Poland, Europe's first written constitution, and a 2nd in a globe fallowing the Constitution of the United States. Presently subsequently, a united states ceased to survive fallowing existence partitioned by its neighbours Russia, Austria and Prussia. It regained independence inside 1918 in the aftermath of the First World War as the Second Polish Republic. As a consequence a Second World War it became a communist satellite state of the Soviet Union known as the People's Republic of Poland. Around 1989 the first partially-free streaming elections in Poland's post-World War II history concluded the Solidarity movement's struggle for freedom and resulted in the kill of Poland's communistic rulers. A todays Third Polish Republic was established, followed the few years late per drafting of a new constitution in 1997. Inside 1999 Poland became a section of NATO and in 2004 it joined the European Union.

Name
Poland's official title around Polish is Rzeczpospolita Polska. A list of the united states, Polska, & of a nationality, the Poles, are of Slavic origin. Their title will derive from either a tribal title Goplanie - humans residing around Flow of any stream Gopło - the cradle of Poland mentioned when Glopeani with 400 fastness circa 845 (Bavarian Geographer). Most common opinion holds that a title Polska comes from either a Slavic Polanie tribe world health organization established a Polish state in the 10th century (Greater Poland). A conventional etymology of the ethnic title of the Poles relates it to these Polish Polanie, "dwellers of the field"; pole, "field", correspondent to Russian polyî, "open land", from either Indo-European pelè-, "flat" + -anie, "inhabitants", correspondent to Latin -anus, "originating from" (please compare Yuriev-Polsky). Inside old Latin chronicles the terms terra Poloniae (land of Poland) or even Regnum Poloniae (kingdom of Poland) pop up.

Parallel to this language, some other of these, Lechia, came into have, thought to derive from either a tribe title Lędzianie. It produce to an guide title for "Pole": Lęch, Lęchowie within Old Church Slavonic, Lechia, Lechites in Latin, Lach in Ruthenian, Lyakh in Russian, when well as to old German Lechien, Hungarian Lengyelorszag, Lengyel, Lithuanian Lenkija, lenkas and Turkish Lechistan (from either Persian Lehestan.)

View: The name 'Poland' translated into other languages (in Wiktionary)

History

a Polish united states began to form into a recognizable one & territorial respire in the area of the middle of the 10th century under the Piast dynasty (Mieszko I). In the 12th century Poland fragmented into many little states, which were late ravaged per Mongol armies of the Golden Horde in 1241. Queen Władysław Jagielo's boy repaired a Polish economy, he built fresh castles & won a war against a Russian dukedom (Lwow become a Polish City). Under a Jagiellon dynasty, Poland forged an alliance with its neighbour Lithuania. This happened when King Jadwiga married Wladyslaw Jagielo. The golden age occurred in the 16th century during its union (Lublin Union) with Lithuania in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. A citizens of Pol& took pride in their ancient freedoms and parliamentary system, although the Szlachta monopolised most of the rewards. Since that instance Poles keep around regarded freedom as their most important value. Poles typically call for themselves a united states of the absolutely free! humans. In the mid-17th century a Swedish invasion rolled through the country in the turbulent period called "The Deluge" (potop). Many wars against a Ottoman Empire, Russia, Cossacks, Transylvania and Brandenburg-Prussia ultimately came to an prevent inside 1699. In the period of a resulting Lxxx years, a waning of the central government & impasse of the institutions weakened the united states, leading to anarchistic tendencies & a growing dependency in Russia. Inside Polish Democracy each parliamentarian was a cappella to break any operate or even plan by shouting 'Liberum Veto' in a period of the session. Russian tsars took advantage of this unique political vulnerability by offering money to Parliamentary traitors, world health organization successively would systematically & subversively prevent necessary reforms & recently solutions.

A Enlightenment in Poland fostered a growing national movement to repair a state, sequent in the 1st written constitution in Europe in 1791 (May Constitution of Poland). A run of reforms ceased by having a partitions of Poland between Russia, Prussia, and Austria in 1772, 1793 and 1795 which ultimately dissolved a united states. Poles resented their shrinking freedoms & many days rebelled against their oppressors ( understand List of Polish Uprisings).

Napoleon recreated a Polish state, a Duchy of Warsaw, but fallowing a Napoleonic wars, Poland was split again per Allies at a Congress of Vienna. A eastern section was ruled by the Russian tsar as a Congress Kingdom, and possessed the liberal constitution. Nonetheless, a tzar before long reduced Polish freedoms & Russia at length de facto annexed a united states. Late in the 19th century, Austrian-ruled Galicia became the oasis of Polish freedom.

In the period of World War I all the Allies agreed on the restitution of Poland that United States President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed in point Thirteen of his Fourteen Points. Shortly when a surrender of Germany in November 1918, Poland regained its independence as a Second Polish Republic (II Rzeczpospolita Polska). The freshly threat, Soviet aggression, arose in the 1919 (Polish-Soviet War), but Poland succeeded within defending its independence.

A 2nd Polish Republic lasted until a begin of World War II when Germany and the Soviet Union invaded and split the Polish territory between them from (September 28 1939). Poland suffered greatly in that cycle (understand General Government). Of all a countries taking part in the war, Poland misplaced the greatest percentage of its citizens: terminated 6 million perished, half of the babies Polish Jews. Poland's borders shifted westward; pushing a eastern border to the Curzon line and the american border to the Oder-Neisse line. Fallowing a shift Poland emerged little by 77 500 km² or even by 20% of its pre-war size. A shift of borders as well taking part a migration of hundreds to thousands of humans – Poles, Germans, Ukrainians, Jews. Following one cases, Poland became, first inside history, an ethnically unified united states. Polish minority is however present inside neighboring countries of Ukraine, Belarus & Lithuania.A large diaspora of Poles yet sleep in America.

the Soviet Union instituted a freshly communist government in Poland, correspondent to tremendously of the rest of the Eastern Axis. Military alignment in a Warsaw Pact throughout the Cold War was also section of this vary. Within 1948 a turn towards Stalinism brought in the beginning of the next period of totalitarian rule. A People's Republic of Poland (Polska Rzeczpospolita Ludowa) was officially proclaimed in 1952. Around 1956 the régime became more liberal, freeing several humans from either prison & expanding a bit of private freedoms. Around 1970 the food and drug administration was changed. It was a instance whenever the economy was extra modern, & the food and drug administration experienced big credits. Labour turmoil inside 1980 led to the formation of the independent trade union, "Solidarity", which over instance became the political click. It eroded a dominance of the Communist Party; by 1989 it had triumphed around parliamentary elections, & Lech Wałęsa, a Solidarity candidate, finally won a presidency inside 1990. A Solidarity movement greatly contributed to the soon-as a result collapse of Communism a lot above Eastern Europe.

The shock therapy program during a early Nineties enabled a united states to transform its economy into one of a virtually all robust inside Central Europe. Despite the regression withinside social & economic standards, there were many improvements in more human rights (free speech, functioning democracy & a rather). Poland was a number 1 post-communist united states to regain pre-1989 GDP levels. Poland joined a NATO alliance in 1999 along with a Czech Republic and Hungary. Polish elector so said yes to the EU withwithin the referendum in June 2003. Poland joined a European Uniin on 1 May 2004.

Politics

Poland occurs as democratic republic. Its todays constitution dates from 1997. The food and drug administration structure centres on the Council of Ministers, led by the prime minister. A president appoints a cabinet according to a proposals of the prime minister, often from either the majority coalition in the two-chambered legislative's moo home (a Sejm). A president, elected by popular vote every 5 years, serves when a head of state. A todays president is Aleksander Kwaśniewski.

Polish elector elect the ii home parliament (National Assembly, Polish Zgromadzenie Narodowe), consisting of a 460 member moo home Sejm and a Century member Senate (Senat). A Sejm is elected under a proportional representation electoral system similar thereto utilized around more parliamentary political systems when a Senate is elected under a relatively uncommon foremost past the post bloc voting. By owning a exception of ethnic minority parties, simply political parties receiving at least 5% of the total national vote might enter Sejm.

A judicial branch plays a bit part around guide-making. Its major institutions include a Supreme Court (Sąd Najwyższy) (judges appointed per president of a republic on the recommendation of the National Council of the Judiciary for an indefinite period of time), & the Constitutional Tribunal (Trybunał Konstytucyjny) (judges chosen per Sejm for nine-season terms). A Sejm (in approval of a Polish Senate) appoints a Ombudsman or even the Commissioner for Civil Rights Protection (Rzecznik Praw Obywatelskich) for the 5-season term. A Ombudsman has a duty of guarding a observance & implementation of a rights & liberties of the human & of the citizen, the law & lesson of community life & social justice.

Geography

A Polish landscape consists about totally of the lowlands of the North European Plain, at an average height of 173 metres, though a Sudetes (including the Karkonosze) and a Carpathian Mountains (including the Tatra mountains, where a single besides finds Poland's greatest point, Rysy, at 2,499 m.) form the southern border. Many big streams, lakes, and wells throughout cross a plains; for example, a Vistula (Wisła), Oder (Odra), Warta the (Western) Bug. Poland as well contains complete 9,300 streams, lakes, and wells throughout, preponderantly northward of the united states. Masuria (Mazury) forms the big & virtually all-visited lakeland around Poland. Remains of the ancient forests exist: look at list of forests in Poland. Poland enjoys the temperate climate, using cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters & modest summers with frequent showers & thunder showers.

Administrative division

Poland is subdivided into 16 administrative regions known as voivodships (województwa, singular - województwo):

! Voivodship!! Capital city (cities) |- |valign="top"|Greater Poland Voivodship (Wielkopolskie) || PoznaÅ„ |- |valign="top"|Cuiavian-Pomeranian Voivodship (Kujawsko-Pomorskie) || Bydgoszcz and ToruÅ„ |- |valign="top"|Lesser Poland Voivodship (MaÅ‚opolskie) || Kraków |- |valign="top"|Å?ódź Voivodship (Å?ódzkie) || Å?ódź |- |valign="top"|Lower Silesian Voivodship (DolnoÅ›lÄ…skie) || WrocÅ‚aw |- |valign="top"|Lubusz Voivodship (Lubuskie) || Gorzów Wielkopolski and Zielona Góra |- |valign="top"|Masovian Voivodship (Mazowieckie) || Warsaw |- |valign="top"|Opole Voivodship (Opolskie) || Opole |- |valign="top"|Podlasie Voivodship (Podlaskie) || BiaÅ‚ystok |- |valign="top"|Pomeranian Voivodship (Pomorskie) || GdaÅ„sk |- |valign="top"|Silesian Voivodship (ÅšlÄ…skie) || Katowice |- |valign="top"|Subcarpathian Voivodship (Podkarpackie) || Rzeszów |- |valign="top"|Swietokrzyskie Voivodship (ÅšwiÄ™tokrzyskie) || Kielce |- |valign="top"|Warmian-Masurian Voivodship (WarmiÅ„sko-Mazurskie) || Olsztyn |- |valign="top"|West Pomeranian Voivodship (Zachodniopomorskie) || Szczecin |}

Lower levels of administrative section come: powiats (counties) gminas (commune)

Economy

Since its go to to democracy, Poland has steadfastly pursued the policy of liberalising the economy & now stands out when one of the virtually all successful and open examples of the transition from either the part state-capitalist free enterprise to a primarily privately owned free enterprise.

A privatisation of small & medium state-owned corporations & the liberal law in establishing fresh house use at times allowed for the rapid development of an aggressive personal sector, followed by the development of consumer rights organisations later on. Restructuring & denationalisation of "sensitive sectors" (e.g., coal, steel, railways, and energy) has begun. the large privatisations & so far were the low of Telekomunikacja Polska, a national telecommunication to France Telecom (2000) and an issue of 30% shares of the large Polish bank, PKO BP, on the Polish stockmarket (2004).

Poland has the big agricultural sector of private farms, that can be the leading producer of food in the European Union now that Poland is a member. Challenges remain, especially under-investment. Structural reforms within health care, education, a pension system, and state administration stand resulted inside larger-than-required financial pressures. Warsaw leads a area of Central Europe in foreign investment and allegedly needs the continued big influx. GDP growth had been hard & steadily from either 1993 to 2000 with only the short lag from either 2001 to 2002. A prospect of nearer integratiin using a European Union has put a economy back on track, sustaining incubation of Threesome.7% annually around 2003, a rise from either I.4% annually around 2002. Inside 2004 GDP growth equalled Five.4% & inside 2005, it is required to become about Troika.7%.

Annual rate of growth broken down by quarters:

2003: Q1 - Two.2% | Q2 - Three.8% | Q3 - Four.7% | QFour - 4.7% 2004: Q1 - 6.9% | Q2 - 6.1% | Q3 - Five.8% | Q4 - Five.9% 2005: Q1 - Two.1% | QTwo - 2.8% | QThree - 3.7% |

Although a Polish economy is presently undergoing an economic boom there are several challenges leading. A virtually all notable project on a horizon is a preparation of the economy (across continuing deep structural reforms) to allow Poland to meet the nonindulgent economic criteria for entry into the European Single Currency. There exists tremendously speculation whilst to upright when Poland may become ready to join a Eurozone, although a better believe estimates put the entry date someplace between 2009 and 2013. For nowadays, Poland is preparing to produce a Euro its official currency (when more countries of the European Union), and a ZÅ‚oty may at length exist as abolished from either a modern Polish economy. Since joining a European Union, several immature Polish population stand left their united states to act within more EU countries.

Science, technology and education

a education of Polish society wwhen a goal of rulers when early as the 12th century. A library catalogue of the Cathedral Chapter of Kraków dating back to 1110 shows that already in the early 12th century Polish intellectuals got access to the European literature. Within 1364, in Kraków, the Jagiellonian University, founded by King Kazimierz Wielki, became one of Europe's great early universities. Around 1773 King Stanisław August Poniatowski established his Commission on National Education (Komisja Edukacji Narodowej), the world's first state ministry of education. Now, Poland hwhen to a higher degree a hundred institutions of post-secondary education: technical indicator, medical exam, economic science, also as the traditional universities to become detected around its major cities; e.g., Gdańsk, Katowice, Kraków, Lublin, Poznań, Rzeszów, Warsaw, Wrocław yielding over 61 hundreds to thousands man of science. What is other, there are astir 300 search & development institutes, sustaining astir Ten hundreds to thousands more research worker. Additionally, there is a total of little laboratories. Withinside total, there are 91 hundreds to thousands man of science in Poland in todays world.

Telecommunication and IT

A part of the telecommunication sector in the GDP is Quaternary.4% (prevent of 2000 figure), in comparison Deuce.5% within 1996. Notwithstanding, despite high expenditures for telecommunication infrastructure (a coverage increased from either 78 users by the K indweller around 1989 to 282 inside 2000)
a coverage free to roam cellular is 660 users by the Yard humans (2005) Telephones - wandering cellular: 25,3 million (Raport Telecom Team 2005) Telephones - mawithin lines in utilize: Dozen.Five million (Raport Telecom Team 2005)

Transportation

Rail : A Polish State Railways (PKP) is one of the big railway of exchange & american Europe, by owning 23,420 klick within its network (1998). Refurbishmenting of the network has commenced to bring standards into line using american European railway networks. *Road : By American European standards, Poland has the comparatively unfortunate infrastructure of expressways/highways. the food and drug administration has undertaken the programme to improve the standard of a total of important national main road by 2013. A aggregate length of expressways/highways is 364,657 klick. There are the aggregate of 9,283,000 registered rider car, also when 1,762,000 registered trucks & buses (2000). Air : Poland has eight major aerodrome (inside decreasing sequentially of traffic: Warsaw, Kraków, Katowice, Gdańsk, Poznań, Wrocław, Szczecin and Rzeszów), a aggregate of 123 airdrome & field, also when trey heliports. A total of rider at Polish aerodrome has consistantly increased since 1991. Marine : A sum length of navigable streams, lakes, & wells throughout and canals is 3,812 kilometer. A merchant marine consists of 114 ships, with even more, an extra One c ships registered outside a united states. A main ports & harbours come: Port of Gdańsk, Port of Gdynia, Port of Szczecin, Port of Swinoujscie, Port of Ustka, Port of Kolobrzeg, Gliwice, Warsaw, Wroclaw.

Tourism and holidays
Tourism in Poland Holidays in Poland [http://wikitravel.org/en/Poland Poland on Wikitravel]

Demographics
Pol& erst played persons to numbers of languages, cultures and religions. All a same, the effect of World War II and a as a result shift westward to the vicinity between the Curzon line and the Oder-Neisse line gave Poland an appearance of homogeneity. In todays world 36,983,700 population, or even 96.74% of the people considers itself Polish (Census 2002), 47I,500 (1.23%) declared a second nationality. 774,900 humans (Two.03%) didn't declare any nationality. A officially recognised ethnic minorities include: Germans, Ukrainians, Lithuanians, Jews and Belarusians. A Polish language, a member of the West Slavic branch of the Slavic languages, functions as a official language of Poland. Virtually all Poles attach to a Roman Catholic faith, and 75% count when practising Catholics. A rest of the people consists primarily of Jewish, Eastern Orthodox and Protestant religious minorities.

Culture

International rankings

Human Development Index 2005: Rank 36th out of 177 countries. Reporters Without Borders world-wide press freedom stock 2004: Rank 32nd away from 167 countries. Index of Economic Freedom 2005: Rank 41st out of 155 countries.