Poland - practical information
The Republic of Poland is situated in central Europe. It borders the Baltic Sea and Russia (Kaliningrad district) in the north, Lithuania and Belarus in the north-east and Ukraine in the south-east. The Sudety Mountains form a natural border with the Czech Republic in the south-west. Further east along the border with Slovak Republic stretch the Carpathians. The Tatra Mountains with Rysy (2,449 meters above sea level), the highest peak in the country, are situated in the southern part of the Carpathians. The Vistula is the longest river in Poland. It flows from the Beskidy Mountains across the whole country to the Baltic Sea. The River Odra, which has its spring in the Czech Republic, is the second largest river in Poland. It forms a natural border with Germany. The largest lakes are in the Mazury District in the north-east of Poland. The eastern part of the country is covered with forests, the most famous of which is Puszcza Białowieska, a refuge for European bison.
Main historical towns and cities such as Warsaw, Cracow, Sandomierz, Kazimierz Dolny, Płock, Toruń and Gdańsk were founded along the banks of the Vistula. Modern architecture coexists there with historical buildings dating back even eight hundred years, e.g. the Old City in Warsaw, Gdańsk and Cracow; the market square in Kazimierz Dolny or Sandomierz.
Scientists: Mikołaj Kopernik ,Maria Skłodowska-Curie.
Greatest Polish composer: Fryderyk Chopin, Krzysztof Penderecki, Karol Szymanowski
Nobel prize-winning writers: Henryk Sienkiewicz, Władysław Reymont, Czesław Miłosz, Wisława Szymborska
First Polish Pope: John Paul II
Film directors: Krzysztof Kieślowski, Roman Polański, Andrzej Wajda, Agnieszka Holland