Poland is a republic located in Central Europe. It has a population of over 38 million people and its capital and largest city is Warsaw. Poland joined the European Union in 2004 and has a long history as a powerful country dating back over 1000 years. Some famous Poles include astronomer Copernicus, composer Chopin, scientist Marie Curie, and Pope John Paul II.

3. Year of EU entry: 2004 Political system: Republic Capital city: Warsaw Total area: 312 679 km² Population: 38.1 million Currency: Zloty

4. Poland in numbers [1] Area 312 685 km 2 Population 38.7 Mil. Density/sq km 124 (km 2 ) Capital Warszawa (Warsaw) 1.65 Mil. Administrative division 16 provinces (wojewodztwa) President Lech Kaczynski Prime Minister Donald Tusk Parliament the Sejm 460 deputies, the Senate 100 deputies (four-year term) Currency 1 Zloty (PLN) = 100 Groszy (1 EUR = aprox. 3.4 PLN) Time GMT+1h Religion Catholics 90.7 %, Orthodox 1.4%, others 7.9% Nationalities Poles 98.5 %, Ukrainians 0.6%, Germans 0.5, others 0.4% GDP 16 310 USD per capita, PPP - dollar Urbanization 65% Literacy 99%

5. Poland in numbers [2] Tourism 14 million tourists visit Poland every year, Poland ranks 14th in the world as a tourist destination Border countries Germany (467 km), Czech Republic (790 km), Slovakia (538 km), Ukraine (529 km), Belarus (416 km), Russia (210 km), Lithuania (103 km), Baltic coastline (788 km) Surface Poland consists mostly of lowlands, the lowest point - the village of Racki Elblaskie 1.8 meters below the sea level Mountains On the Southern border, High Tatra (highest peak Rysy 2,499 m), Bieszczady, Beskid, Karkonosze, Gory Stolowe Rivers the Vistula (Wisla) 1,047 km, the Odra, the Bug, the Warta Lakes Sniardwy (Mazury)113,8 km 2

6. History – Information

8. King Jan III Sobieski of Poland

11. Culture

12. Fryderyk Franciszek Szopen

15. Animals in Pol and

16. Science

17. Mikołaj Kopernik 1473-1543

19. Mari a Skłodowska- Curie

20. Personalities

21. Pope, John Paul II (1920 – 2005 )

22. Sports

24. Poland-Greece (Football Game)

25. KAZIMIER Z GORSKI

26. Jacek Gmoch

27. Krzysztof Warzycha

29. http://europa.eu/abc/european_countries/eu_members/poland/index_en.htm http://www.staypoland.com/information-poland.htm http://www.nyc24.org/2002/issue01/story02/page03.asp