Overview of and topical guide to Poland
The location of Poland
Map of Poland
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Poland:
Poland is a sovereign country located in Central Europe .[ 1] It is bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine , Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast , a Russian exclave , to the north. The total area of Poland is 312,679 km2 (120,728 sq mi),[ 2] making it the 69th largest country in the world and 9th in Europe. Poland has a population of over 38.5 million people, which makes it the 33rd most populous country in the world.[ 3]
The establishment of a Polish state is often identified with the adoption of Christianity by its ruler Mieszko I in 966 (see Baptism of Poland ), when the state covered territory similar to that of present-day Poland. Poland became a kingdom in 1025, and in 1569 it cemented a long association with the Grand Duchy of Lithuania by uniting to form the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth . The Commonwealth collapsed in 1795, and its territory was partitioned among Prussia , Russia, and Austria. Poland regained its independence in 1918 after World War I but lost it again in World War II, occupied by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. Poland lost over six million citizens in World War II, and emerged several years later as a socialist republic within the Eastern Bloc under strong Soviet influence. In 1989 communist rule was overthrown and Poland became what is constitutionally known as the "Third Polish Republic". Poland is a unitary state made up of sixteen voivodeships (Polish : województwo ). Poland is also a member of the European Union , NATO and OECD .
General reference
Relief map of Poland
Geography of Poland
Topographic map of Poland
Geography of Poland
Czech Republic 796 km
Slovakia 541 km
Ukraine 535 km
Germany 467 km
Belarus 418 km
Russia 210 km
Lithuania 104 km
Environment of Poland
An enlargeable satellite image of Poland
Main: Environment of Poland
Natural geographic features of Poland
Regions of Poland
Regions of Poland
Ecoregions of Poland
List of ecoregions in Poland
Administrative divisions of Poland
Division of Poland into voivodeships and powiats
Administrative divisions of Poland
Provinces of Poland
Provinces of Poland
Municipalities of Poland
Municipalities of Poland
Demography of Poland
Demographics of Poland
Government and politics of Poland
Branches of the government of Poland
Government of Poland
Executive branch of the government of Poland
Legislative branch of the government of Poland
Judicial branch of the government of Poland
Court system of Poland
Foreign relations of Poland
Foreign relations of Poland
International organization membership
The Republic of Poland is a member of:[ 1]
Law and order in Poland
Law of Poland
Military of Poland
Military of Poland
Local government in Poland
Local government in Poland
Other
History of Poland
History of Poland
Culture of Poland
Culture of Poland
Art in Poland
Sports in Poland
Sports in Poland
Economy and infrastructure of Poland
Economy of Poland
Transportation in Poland
Transport in Poland
Education in Poland
Education in Poland
Health in Poland
Health in Poland
See also
Poland
References
External links
Wikimedia Atlas of Poland
General
Travel
Photos