Poland

Warsaw. Old Town

General Information

Transportation

Address Directory

Climate

General Information

Location and Area
Poland lies in Central Europe, bordered to the north by the Baltic Sea. The geographic coordinates of Poland are latitudes from 49°00' to 54°50' N and longitudes from 14°07' to 24°08' E. The geometrical centre of Europe lies in the vicinity of Poland's capital, Warsaw. Spanning 649 km north-to-south and 689 km east-to-west, Poland is also the site of the geologic division between the eastern and western European continental blocks. The total land area of Poland is 312,685 km2, with a territorial sea of 8,700 km2 and another 1,200 km2 of the inlets of the Oder (Szczecin) Lagoon and Vistula Lagoon. In terms of area, Poland is the 63rd largest country in the world, and the 9th largest in Europe. The total length of Poland's borders is 3,582 km, whereof (clockwise from north): 528 km is the coastline, 210 km borders on the Russian Federation, 103 km - Lithuania, 416 km - Belarus, 529 km - Ukraine, 539 km - Slovakia, 790 km - the Czech Republic and 467 km - Germany
Poland is in the Central European Time Zone (GMT+1), along with a number of European countries, including Spain, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary. From March to October Poland observes Daylight Saving Time (GMT+2).

Topography and Landscape
Poland lies in the eastern part of the geomorphological region of the Northern European Lowlands and thus over 90% of Poland's area is of a lowland nature. The average altitude is 173 m, with the highest elevation being the Rysy peak (2,499 m) of the Tatra Mountains and the lowest depression lying in the northern region of Żuławy Wiślane (1.8 m below sea level). There are three key mountain chains in Poland - the Carpathian, the Sudeten, and the Świętokrzyskie (sometimes referred to as the Holy Cross Mountains). At 1,037 km, Vistula is Poland's longest river. There are over 9,000 lakes exceeding 1 hectare in size, of which the deepest are Hańcza (108.5 m), Drawsko, Wielki Staw Polski, Czarny Staw and Wigry.
The Polish landscape is rather diversified, with a layered structure of geographical regions. The coastline is fairly smooth, whereas the coast itself usually flat, with occasional sand reefs, water inlets, sand dunes, sandy beaches and also some precipitous cliffs. Northern Poland abounds in lakes, with the Vistula river separating them into two regions - Pojezierze Mazurskie (the plentiful region often called "The Land of the Great Mazurian Lakes") in the east and Pojezierze Pomorskie in the west. The central part of Poland is dominated by the Central Lowlands, with three distinct regions - Nizina Południowowielkopolska in the southwest, the Silesian Lowland (Nizina Śląska) in the south and the central Mazovia Lowlands (Nizina Mazowiecka). The southern part of Poland is highly diverse in terms of geology and landscape, consisting of highlands and mountainous areas. This southern band consists of the Sudeten mountains (Sudety) and the according highland (Pogórze Sudeckie), the Silesian highland (Wyżyna Śląska), the highlands surrounding Krakow (Wyżyna Krakowsko-Częstochowska), the wide hollow of the so-called Nida Trough (Niecka Nidziańska) and the Holy Cross (Świętokrzyskie) mountains. At the end of this highland belt are the Carpathian mountains, consisting of the following ranges (roughly west to east): Beskid Śląski, Beskid Mały, Beskid Makowski, Beskid Wyspowy, Beskid Żywiecki, Beskid Sądecki, Gorce, Pieniny, the Tatra mountains (Tatry), Beskid Niski, and Bieszczady.

One of the greatest assets of Poland's nature is its unique authenticity. The exceptional wild forest landscapes of the Białowieża Primeval Forest (Puszcza Białowieska), and various forest reserves in eastern Poland, as well as the lowland deciduous forests can no longer be found anywhere else in Europe. Also quite unique are Poland's semi-natural landscapes - such as the valley of the river Biebrza (Kotlina Biebrzańska) or the Narew (Dolina Narwii) as well as other locations, where elements of Poland's traditional agriculture can still be found today. Białowieża is the only remaining part of the primeval forest that covered all of Europe's lowland areas up until 1,000 years ago. Today this region is protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve.
The diversity of Poland's flora and fauna is also unique on the European scale. Poland has over 2,300 species of wild plants, over 600 species of moss, 1,600 species of lichens and about 4,000 species of fungi. Poland's wildlife also consists of approximately 33,000 species of animals. In addition, there are over 1,500 nature preserves, 125 protected parks and 23 national parks in Poland, all serving the purpose of protecting endangered species of plants and animals.

Government and Administration
Poland is a parliamentary representative democratic republic with a pluriform multi-party system and a bicameral parliament elected for a four-year term by proportional representation. Internal and foreign affairs are run by the government, known as the Council of Ministers and led by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister and his cabinet are appointed by the President. The president is elected for a five-year term by general election.
As of 1999, Poland is subdivided into sixteen administrative regions called voivodships (Polish: województwo). The lower levels of administrative division are 379 counties (powiat) and 2,478 communes (gmina). The government administration on a regional level is represented by the voivode (wojewoda).
Poland is an active member of a number of international organizations, including the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, UNESCO, the World Trade Organization, OECD, the Council of Baltic Sea States, the Council of Europe, the Central European Initiative (CEI) and NATO.
In 2004 Poland joined the European Union and thus Polish law is gradually being adapted to comply with requirements set in EU directives. The supreme act of law in Poland is the Constitution of the Republic of Poland. Since 2007 Poland is also a member of the Schengen Agreement.
The official language is Polish.

Population and Cities
Poland has a population of approximately 38.5 million. In terms of ethnicity, 95.6% of the population is Polish; ethnic minorities include Ukrainian, Belarusian, Czech, Lithuanian, German, Armenian, Russian, Slovakian, Jewish, Karaite, Lemko, Roma and Tartar. 95% of Poland's inhabitants are Roman Catholic, 1.5% Orthodox, 1% Protestant (mostly Lutheran). 61% of the population lives in urban areas.
There are 891 cities and towns in Poland, including 17 with a population of over 200,000. Poland's largest cities are Warsaw, Lodz, Krakow, Wrocław, Poznań, Gdańsk, Szczecin, Bydgoszcz, Lublin and Katowice. The capital city and main political, cultural, educational, financial and industrial centre of Poland is Warsaw (population: over 1.7 million) - a city with several centuries of history. The oldest cities in Poland are Kalisz (9th century A.D.), Sandomierz and Poznań, but stunning historical sites are also to be found elsewhere. The UNESCO World Heritage List includes a number locations in Poland, these being the Historic Centre of Krakow, the Historic Centre of Warsaw, the Medieval Town of Toruń, the Old City of Zamość, the Castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork, the Mannerist Architectural and Park Landscape Complex in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, the Wieliczka Salt Mine, the Wooden Churches of Southern Poland, the Churches of Peace in Jawor and Swidnica, the Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp and the Centennial Hall in Wrocław. The city of Krakow was also chosen to be one of European Capitals of Culture in the year 2000.
Along Poland's frontiers, a number of euroregions have been established. These are areas of transnational cooperation based on agreements between local authorities and meant for encouraging regional economic and cultural bonds, mostly through cultural cooperation and education.

Transportation

By Road
Poland has over 381,000 km of public roads, including 5,512 km of international roads and over 4,880 km of Trans-European Networks. Highways are connected with Polish expressways and denoted with a white S followed by a number against a red background. Expressways are identified numerically and preceded by the letter A and set against a red background. Traveling on some expressways requires a toll to be paid. Fuel is priced at approx. 1 EUR per litre for petrol and diesel, and about 0.5 EUR per litre for liquified petroleum gas.
Poland observes right-hand traffic. All EU Member States national driving licenses are recognized and valid until their stated expiry date. Anyone driving in Poland must carry the required vehicle registration and insurance documentation. The vehicle must be labeled with a graphic sign stating the country in which it is registered. Seatbelts are required at all times for all passengers. The use of dipped headlights during daytime is compulsory all year round. The use of mobile electronic devices (except hands-free) while operating a motor vehicle is prohibited, as is the use of radar detectors. The blood alcohol content limit is 0.02 percent. Speed limits are as follows:

• in residential areas (5 am to 11 pm) - 50 kph
• in residential areas (11 pm to 5 am) - 60 kph
• outside urban areas - 90 kph
• single carriageways - 110 kph
• dual carriageways - 120 kph
• expressways - 130 kph
• for cars towing caravans or trailers - 70 kph, on expressways - 80 kph.

By Rail
Poland has one of the most extensive railway networks in the world, with a total of over 19,000 km. All major cities and most small towns are connected by rail. The leading operator of rail infrastructure in Poland is the state-run PKP Group, which offers services in passenger and cargo transportation.
According to the 2009 timetable, there are 30 international train connections offered by the following services: EuroNight, Eurocity and regular international connections (daytime and nighttime). The following services are available:

• trains to Berlin, Hannover, Cologne, Munich, Nurnberg, Innsbruck and Frankfurt am Main departing from Warsaw and Poznań (EN and EC);
• trains to Hamburg departing from Kraków, Katowice and Wrocław (EC);
• trains to Prague and Vienna departing from Warsaw and Kraków (EC) and from Katowice (international train);
• trains to Bratislava and Budapest departing from Warsaw and Kraków;
• trains to Kiev departing from Kraków and Warsaw (nighttime international train);
• trains to Moscow departing from Warsaw;
• Intercity bus to Vilnius departing from Warsaw

By Air
There are eleven civilian airports in Poland catering for domestic and international passenger flights. The largest and most important of these is the Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport (formerly known as Okęcie International Airport). The other airports are located in Krakow, Gdańsk, Katowice, Poznań, Wrocław, Szczecin, Łódź, Bydgoszcz, Zielona Góra and Rzeszów.
The Warsaw airport has over 80 regular connections to major cities in Poland and abroad. In 2007 three national and 39 foreign air carriers had regular flights to and from Warsaw, including British Airways, Lufthansa, SAS, Air France, Alitalia and KLM. However, the largest air carrier in Poland is LOT Polish Airlines.
Polish air transport is one of the fastest developing markets in the world. The growth rate was greatly increased after Poland's entry into the EU and the introduction of low-cost airline carriers, such as Centralwings, Wizz Air, Sky Europe, easyJet and Ryanair. Poland's central location in Europe is also a key factor - any major city in Europe is a maximum 2-3 hour flight from Warsaw, Krakow or Gdańsk.

Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport
www.lotnisko-chopina.pl

Gdańsk-Rębiechowo Airport
www.airport.gdansk.pl

Poznań-Ławica Airport
www.airport-poznan.com.pl

Wrocław Airport
www.airport.wroclaw.pl

Szczecin-Goleniów Airport
www.airport.com.pl

International Airport Katowice in Pyrzowice
www.gtl.com.pl

International Airport Bydgoszcz-Szwederowo
www.plb.pl

Łódż-Lublinek Airport
www.airport.lodz.pl

International Airport Kraków-Balice
www.lotnisko-balice.pl

Rzeszów-Jasionka Airport
www.lotnisko-rzeszow.pl

Zielona Góra-Babimost Airport
www.lotnisko.zielonagora.pl

Crossing the Border
Poland's accession to the European Union and, more recently, to the Schengen Agreement, resulted in new entry conditions for foreigners. When crossing the Polish border, citizens of the EU, EEA and Schengen Agreement member states should hold a valid ID stating their identity and citizenship. Citizens of the Russian Federation, Belarus and Ukraine are required to hold ID documents as well as visas issued by Polish consular offices. The Category C uniform visa (Schengen visa) allows travel throughout all Schengen area countries. It is valid for 3 months within 6 months from the date of issue. Category D are national visas, which entitle the holder to enter only the Schengen state which issued the visa. All visas are subject to fees and charges. Only a few categories of persons are exempt from the visa requirement when crossing the border. Entry into the Schengen area also requires the final destination to be stated.
At the request of immigration officers, a foreigner entering Poland should present means of covering the costs of entering and leaving the country, as well as the entire duration of one's stay at an approximate cost of 27 EUR (100 PLN) per day. This can be presented in the form of cash (Polish zloty or convertible currencies), valid credit cards or traveler's cheques.
When crossing the border, EU citizens are entitled to carry goods intended for personal use without additional taxes or excise duties. If a traveler can't present a sensible reason for possessing large amounts of goods, and customs officers have reason to believe that the merchandise is intended for sale, it is possible that the goods will be confiscated, along with the vehicle carrying them. The following indicative quantities are generally recognized as intended for personal use: 800 cigarettes, 200 cigars, 1 kg of tobacco, 10 litres of spirits, 20 litres of apéritifs or intermediate products (e.g. sherry, port wine), or 110 litres of beer. Travelers under 17 years of age are not allowed to carry alcohol or tobacco products.
When the duration of one's stay in Poland is to exceed 90 days, it is necessary to obtain a temporary residence permit. This requirement does not apply to persons working in Poland who have permanent residence in another EU country where they return at least once a week.

Currency and Prices
The official currency in Poland is the Polish zloty (PLN) divided into 100 groszy. The currency comes in banknotes of 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 PLN and coins of 1, 2 and 5 PLN as well as 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 groszy.
Since the times of political transition in Poland, the exchange rates have become stable. There are however some natural fluctuations in exchange rates. The values presented below should therefore be treated as approximates.
The most secure way of exchanging currency are banks, although they offer slightly lower exchange rates and some charge a 2-3% commission. Banks in Poland are open Monday to Friday, usually from 9 am to 5 pm, some also on Saturdays until 1 pm.
Every bank in Poland has a network of its own ATMs, although access to these may be limited in rural areas. All major debit and credit cards are accepted in Poland -Access/MasterCard, American Express, Diners Club, Eurocard, JCB and Visa. Most banks in Poland allow cash withdrawals from credit cards.
Poland is a relatively inexpensive country - food, public transportation, admission tickets, even accommodation are considerably cheaper than in Western European countries. Naturally, prices in major cities are higher than in rural areas. It is safe to assume some average prices for Poland: a large pizza will cost about 5 euros; a three-course middle-class restaurant dinner will be about 15-20 euros; a cross-country train ticket - about 35 euros; a room in a 5-star hotel - 250 euros.

Address Directory
 
Embassy of the Republic of Austria
www.ambasadaaustrii.pl

Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria
office@bgemb.com.pl, polityka@bgemb.com.pl

Embassy of the Czech Republic
warsaw@embassy.mzv.cz, www.mfa.cz/warsaw

Embassy of the Republic of Finland
sanomat.var@formin.fi, www.finland.pl
 
Embassy of the Republic of Belarus
poland@belembassy.org, www.belembassy.org/poland

Embassy of Canada
wsaw@international.gc.ca, www.canada.pl
 
Embassy of the Kingdom of Denmark
wawamb@um.dk, www.danishembassy.pl
 
Embassy of the Republic of France
presse@ambafrance-pl, www.ambafrance-pl.org
 
Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium
warsaw@diplobel.org, www.diplomatie.be/warsaw

Embassy of the Republic of Croatia
croemb.warszawa@mvpei.hr

Embassy of the Republic of Estonia
embassy@estemb.pl, www.estemb.pl

Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany
zreg@wars.auswaertiges-amt.de, www.ambasadaniemiec.pl
 
Embassy of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
ukinpoland.fco.gov.uk

Embassy of the Republic of Latvia
embassy.poland@mfa.gov.lv, www.mfa.gov.lv

Embassy of the Russian Federation
korfwaw@mail.ru

Embassy of the Kingdom of Sweden
ambassaden.warszawa@foreign.ministry.se, www.swedish-embassy.pl
 
Embassy of the Republic of Greece
gremb.war@mfa.gr, www.greece.pl
 
Embassy of the Republic of Hungary
varsnk@2a.pl

Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania
ambasada@lietuva.pl, www.poland.ambasada.lt
 
Embassy of the Kingdom of Norway
emb.warsaw@mfa.no, www.amb-norwegia.pl

Embassy of the Repubic of Slovakia
emb.warsaw@mzv.sk, www.ambasada-slowacji.pl

Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia
vvr@gov.si

Embassy of the Confederation of Switzerland
vertretung@var.rep.adm.ch, www.eda.admin.ch/warsaw
 
Embassy of Ukraine
emb_pl@mfa.gov.ua, www.ukraine-emb.pl
 
Embassy of Ireland
warsawembassy@dfa.ie, www.irlandia.pl

Embassy of the People's Republic of China
www.chinaembassy.org.pl

Embassy of the Kingdom of Spain
emb.esppl@mail.mae.es

Emabassy of the United States of America
http://poland.usembassy.gov
 
Embassy of the Repubic of Italy
ambasciata.varsavia@esteri.it, www.ambvarsavia.esteri.it

Embassy of Romania
embassy@roembassy.com.pl

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland
www.msz.gov.pl

Tatra Mountains. Fot. Magda P

Climate

Poland enjoys a temperate climate of transitional nature between the continental and maritime. Weather patterns are rather unstable, especially during seasonal changes and wintertime. Winters in Poland are usually of the oceanic type with high precipitation; less common are fair weather continental winters. Northern and western Poland has a mostly maritime temperate climate, with mild winters and cool summers and high precipitation. Severe winters and hot, dry summers are more common in eastern parts of the country.
Poland has a relatively high rate of changes in long-term weather patterns. There is a total of six distinct seasons - in addition to spring, summer, autumn and winter, there are the uniquely Polish seasons of early spring (przedwiośnie) and early winter (przedzimie). During the early spring period which lasts up to a month, the average daily air temperature ranges from 0°C to 5°C. Spring in Poland usually lasts about 60 days and has an average daily temperature of 5°C to 15°C. With temperatures above 20°C, summer in Poland begins in May and lasts up to four months, followed by autumn, when the average temperature once again drops to between 15°C and 5°C. With the start of the early winter period, usually lasting about six weeks, temperatures drop below 5°C. Wintertime sees a relatively long period of cold weather and frost - the early spring period does not begin until late February or early March, and even then only in the mild climate areas of northern and western Poland. Northeastern Poland is the last of the regions to see spring, usually at the end of March.

Temperatures
The average annual temperature in Poland ranges from 5-7°C to 8-l0°C. The hottest month of the year is July, with an average temperature of 16-19°C. The coolest areas in July are the mountains, where the air temperature drops as altitude increases. The uppermost parts of the Tatra and Sudeten mountains have an average July air temperature of just 9°C. July is also cooler in areas adjacent to the Baltic Sea (about 16°C.). The hottest area is central Poland, with temperatures exceeding 18°C. Hot days with temperatures exceeding 25°C occur between May and September. Their number in the south of Poland is relatively higher than in the northern regions.
The coldest month in Poland is January, with northeastern regions being the coolest part of the country. The average annual number of days with sub-zero temperatures ranges from about 25 to 65, while in the mountains it can be 132 days, and sometimes last up to 150 days. The number of days with ground frost, typically in late spring and early autumn, ranges from 90 to 130 in the lowlands, while in the mountains it exceeds 200.

Cloud Cover and Precipitation
The number of cloudy days in Poland is between 60 and 70 percent. The cloudiest period is November, and the clearest months are August and September. The average annual number of cloudy days (i.e. when the sky is 80% overcast) is 120-160, and the number of sunny days (i.e. cloudiness below 20%) is 30-50.
With predominantly westerly winds in Poland, the highest precipitation occurs on western mountain slopes. In the Carpathian and Sudeten mountains the average annual precipitation is 800-1400 mm, while in the lowland and highland regions it ranges from 400 mm to 750 mm. The lowest precipitation levels are in eastern Wielkopolska and in the Kuyavia region. The summer months are characterized by the most rainfall in a year, usually 2-3 times higher than in wintertime (and 4 times higher than in the Carpathian mountains). The average number of days with snowfall ranges from 30-40 days in western and central Poland to over 50 days in the northeast. The Karkonosze mountains have 120 days, and the Tatras have 145 days of snowfall per year. Snow also stays the longest in the mountains (up to 200 days) and in northwestern Poland (90-120 days). The least number of days with snow cover is in the western regions (40-50 days).

Winds
The winds in Poland are typically weak to moderate, with speed ranging from 2 to 10 metres per second. Strong and very strong winds usually occur at the seaside, causing sea storms, and also in the mountains, where their speed often exceeds 30 m/s. Hurricanes are uncommon in Poland, however the mountain halny wind is notorious for uprooting trees and blowing off roofs. Halny is a type of wind known to most mountainous regions of the world, usually under the general name offohn winds. It brings higher temperatures and lower air humidity. It is a nuisance for most people, as it lowers psychophysical strength and causes irritability. Another local Polish wind is the refreshing Baltic sea breeze.