Poland
Updated: Sep 19, 2022
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Country Name
Poland, or officially the Republic of Poland.
Location
Poland is a country located in Central Europe. Poland is bordered by the Baltic Sea, Lithuania, and Russia to the north, Belarus, and Ukraine to the east, Slovakia and the Czech Republic to the south, and Germany to the west.
Capital
Warsaw.
Reason for Naming
The word "Poland" comes from the West Slavic tribe of Polans (Polanie), who lived in the Warta river basin of today's Greater Poland region beginning in the mid-6th century.
The name Polanie comes 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 (Ldzianie or Lachy), who lived between the 7th and 11th centuries on the southeasternmost edge of present-day Lesser Poland, in the Cherven Grods — lands that were part of the Polans' territorial domain. Their surname is derived from the Old Polish word lda (open land or plain).
Flag
The flag of Poland was adopted on August 1, 1919. The current flag was adopted on 31 January 1980. The flag has a basic design, featuring just two horizontal strips, each of equal width, with white and red colors.
These colors were taken from the coats of arms of the nations of the
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. These colors were taken from the coats of arms of the nations of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
The white color represents peace and hope for all citizens while
the red color represents the many struggles for freedom over the centuries.
*Flag facts:
- Poland flag is similar to The flag of Monaco & Indonesia flags. although its stripes are reversed, white over red.
Language
Polish is the official and majority spoken language in Poland, although it is widely spoken by the Polish minority in other countries and is one of the European Union's official languages.
Minority languages in Poland include Kashubian, German, Belarusian, Ukrainian, Romany, Russian, Lithuanian, Armenian, Hungarian, Slovak, Czech, Yiddish, Hebrew, Karaim, and Tartar.
Karaim, Lemko-Rusyn, Tatar, and two Romani languages, Polska Roma and Bergitka Roma, have the status of the ethnic minority language.
Religion
Poland is a deeply religious country that has established the right to religious freedom. Roman Catholicism is the most popular religion in Poland, followed by various Christian denominations and a growing trend of Agnosticism and Atheism.
The majority of Poles are Roman Catholics. Christianity first appeared in Poland around 966 AD, under the reign of Mieszko I. In Poland, about 90% of the population is Catholic.
Protestants, including Lutherans in the Evangelical-Augsburg Church, Pentecostals in the Pentecostal Church in Poland, Adventists in the Seventh-day Adventist Church and other smaller Evangelical varieties, Jehovah's Witnesses, Eastern Catholics, Mariavites, Jews, Muslims, and neopagans, some of whom are members of the Native Polish Church, are among the contemporary religious minorities.
Currency
Polish złoty (PLN).
Time Zone
+02:00 GMT. (Summer Time)
+01:00 GMT.
Government Regime
Unitary semi-presidential constitutional republic.
Climate
Poland has a continental climate, with severely cold winters, typically below freezing (0 °C or 32 °F), and pleasant summers. The climate is warmer near the northern shore, which overlooks the Baltic Water, and becomes more continental as one travels south, where the distance from the sea increases.
Winter in Poland lasts from December through February. The average temperatures in January are around freezing along the Baltic coast, and progressively decrease towards the south and the east: it ranges from about 0 °C (32 °F) in the north-western area to -3 °C (26.5 °F) in the easternmost area, on the border with Belarus and Lithuania, while it's around -2 °C (28.5 °F) in the southern area.
The weather in winter can vary: normally, the sky is gloomy, the temperature is about freezing or a few degrees below, and there is light snowfall; nevertheless, when cold air masses from Russia arrive, the temperature lowers by many degrees and goes below -20 °C (-4 °F).
The coldest records in the interior, and therefore throughout much of Poland, are around -25/-30 °C (-13/-22 °F), whereas they are about -18/-20 °C (0/-4 °F) at the northern shore.
Summer is moderate or pleasantly warm, with average daily temperatures of about 17/19 °C (63/66 °F) from June through August. The Baltic coast, which was the mildest zone during the winter, becomes the coldest zone in summer: highs in July and August are about 20/21 °C (68/70 °F), while they progressively climb towards the south, reaching 23/24 °C (73/75 °F) in the country's center and south. Summer is the wettest season in Poland. This is because Atlantic disturbances can come at any time of year, and thunderstorms in the afternoon are more common in inland places.
The best time to visit Poland is summer is during the summer, from June to August, but you may also go during the warm season, from mid-May to mid-September. Temperatures are typically cold at night and mild to pleasantly warm during the day; nevertheless, cool and rainy days can coexist with hot and sunny days.
International Phone Code
+48
Internet Code
.pl