NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Republic of Poland

The Republic of Poland, a democratic country with a population of 38,626,349 and area of 312,685 km², is located in Central Europe, between Germany to the west, the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south, Ukraine and Belarus to the east, and the Baltic Sea, Lithuania and Russia (in the form of the Kaliningrad Oblast exclave) to the north. The Polish state is over 1,000 years old. In the 16th century, under the Jagiellonian dynasty, Poland was one of the richest and most powerful countries in Europe. On May 3, 1791 the Commonwealth of Poland-Lithuania ratified the May Constitution of Poland, being the first written constitution of Europe. Soon after Poland ceased to exist for 123 years, upon being partitioned by its neighbours Russia, Austria and Prussia. Poland regained independence in 1918, in the aftermath of the First World War, as the Second Polish Republic. After the Second World War it became a communist satellite state of the Soviet Union, known as the People's Republic of Poland. In 1989 the first partially free elections in Poland's post World War II history concluded the Solidarity movement's struggle for freedom and resulted in the defeat of Poland's communist rulers. In 1999 Poland became part of NATO and in 2004 it became a member of the European Union. Democracy is a form of government under which the power to alter the laws and structures of government lies, ultimately, with the citizenry. ... This article describes a type of political entity. ... In the most common sense of the word, a population is the collection of people—or organisms of a particular species—living in a given geographic area. ... Historical lands and provinces in Central Europe Central Europe is the region of Europe between Eastern Europe and Western Europe. ... National motto: Truth prevails (Czech: Pravda vítězí) Official language Czech Capital Praha (Prague) President Václav Klaus Prime Minister Jiří Paroubek Area - Total - % water Ranked 114th 78,866 km² 2% Population - Total (2003) - Density Ranked 76th 10. ... National motto: None Official language Slovak Capital Bratislava President Ivan Gašparovič Prime Minister Mikuláš Dzurinda Area - Total - % water Ranked 126th 49,035 km² Negligible Population - Total ( 2004) - Density Ranked 103rd 5,379,455 109/km² Independence January 1, 1993 (division of Czechoslovakia) Currency Slovak koruna Time zone - in summer CET... Ukraine (Україна, Ukrayina in Ukrainian; Украина in Russian) is a republic in eastern Europe which borders Russia to the east, Belarus to the north, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary to the west, Romania and Moldova to the southwest and the Black Sea to the south. ... Belarus (Belarusian: Белару́сь or Biełaruś, Russian: Белару́сь (formerly: Белору́ссия), Polish: Białoruś) is a landlocked nation of Eastern Europe with the capital Minsk. ... The Baltic Sea is located in Northern Europe, bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of east and central Europe, and the Danish islands. ... The Republic of Lithuania (in Lithuanian, Lietuva) is a republic in Northeastern Europe. ... map of Kaliningrad Oblast Kaliningrad Oblast (Russian: Калининградская область), informally called Yantarny kray (Russian:Янтарный Край - meaning Amber land) is an administrative division (oblast) of Russia on the Baltic coast, with no land connection to the rest of Russia: an exclave. ... D is Bs exclave, but is not an enclave. ... This article discusses states as sovereign political entities. ... (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ... The Jagiellons were a royal dynasty which reigned in some Central European countries between the 14th and 16th century. ... May 3rd Constitution (painting by Jan Matejko, 1891). ... An organizations constitution defines its form, structure, activities, character, and fundamental rules. ... The Partitions of Poland ( Polish Rozbiór or Rozbiory Polski) happened in the 18th century and ended the existence of a sovereign state of Poland (or more correctly the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth). ... The Republic of Austria (German: Republik Österreich) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. ... The coat of arms of the Kingdom of Prussia, 1701-1918 The word Prussia ( German: Preußen or Preussen, Polish: Prusy, Lithuanian: Prūsai, Latin: Borussia) has had various (often contradictory) meanings: The land of the Baltic Prussians (in what is now parts of southern Lithuania, the Kaliningrad exclave of Russia and... 1918 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ... Second Polish Republic 1921-1939 The Second Polish Republic is an unofficial name applied to the Republic of Poland between World War I and World War II. When the borders of the state were fixed in 1921, it had an area of 388. ... Communism is a term that can refer to one of several things: a social and economic system, an ideology which supports that system, or a political movement that wishes to implement that system. ... The term satellite state, by analogy to stellar objects orbiting a larger object, such as planets revolving around the sun, refers to a country that is formally sovereign but that is in fact dominated by a larger hegemonic power. ... The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) .( Russian: Сою́з Сове́тских Социалисти́ческих Респу́блик (СССР) listen?; tr. ... The Peoples Republic of Poland ( Polish: Polska Rzeczpospolita Ludowa, PRL) was the official name of Poland from 1952 to 1989, during its period of rule by the Communist party, officially called the Polish United Workers Party (Polska Zjednoczona Partia Robotnicza, or PZPR). ... Solidarity (Polish Solidarność) is a Polish trade union federation founded in September 1980, originally led by Lech Wałęsa. ... For the National Association of Theatre Owners, please see National Association of Theatre Owners. ... The European Union or EU is an intergovernmental organisation of European countries, which currently has 25 member states. ...

Name

Poland's official name in Polish is Rzeczpospolita Polska. The names of the country, Polska, and of the nationality, the Poles, are of Slavic origin. A common opinion holds that the name Polska comes from the Slavic Polanie tribe who established the Polish state in the 10th century (Greater Poland). Their name may derive from the Slavic word pole (field), or it may come from the tribal name Goplanie - people living around Lake Gopło - the cradle of Poland mentioned as Goplanie having 400 strongholds circa 845 (Bavarian Geographer). Conventional etymology of the ethnic name of the Poles relates it more widely to the Polish Polanie, "dwellers of the field"; pol, "field", analogous to Russian polyî, "open land", from Indo-European pelè-, "flat" + -anie, "inhabitants", analogous to Latin -anus, "originating from". In old Latin chronicles the terms terra Poloniae (land of Poland) or Regnum Poloniae (kingdom of Poland) appear. Polish (polski, język polski) is the official language of Poland. ... Rzeczpospolita (pronounced: , zhech-poss-POH-lee-tah) is a Polish calque translation of the Latin expression res publica (public affair). It has been used in Poland since at least 16th century, originally to denote any democratic state. ... The Poles are a western Slavic ethnic group primarily associated with Poland and the Polish language. ... The Slavic peoples are the most numerous ethnic and linguistic body of peoples in Europe. ... Greater Poland (also Great Poland; Polish: Wielkopolska, German: Grosspolen, Latin: Polonia Maior) is one of the historical regions of Poland. ... Gopło Lake, view from the Mouse Tower of Kruszewica Gopło is a lake in Poland near the city of Gniezno in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodship. ... The Bavarian Geographer is anonymous medieval document prepared in ca. ... In the Early Middle Ages there were two separate Slavic tribes bearing the name of Polans: Polans, an Eastern Slavic tribe living in the area of Dnieper river Polans, an Western Slavic tribe living in the area of Warta. ... Latin - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ...

Parallel to this terminology, another one, Lechia, came into use, thought to derive from the tribe name Lędzianie. It gave rise to an alternative name for "Pole": Lęch, Lęchowie in Old Church Slavonic, Lechia, Lechites in Latin, Lach in Ruthenian, Lyakh in Russian, as well as to old German Lechien, Hungarian Lengyelorszag, Lengyel, Lithuanian Lenkija, lenkas and Turkish Lechistan Lechia is the historical name of Poland, still present in several European languages: Lenkija in Lithuanian, Lengyelorszag in Hungarian, Lehistan in Turkish. ... Old Church Slavonic (also called Old Church Slavic or Old Bulgarian, incorrectly Old Slavic ) is the first literary Slavic language, developed from the Slavic dialect of Solun (Thessaloniki) by 9th century Byzantine missionaries, Saint Cyril and Saint Methodius. ... Latin - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... Ruthenian was a historic East Slavic language, spoken in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and after 1569 in the East Slavic territories of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. ... Russian (русский язык listen?) is the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages. ... German (called Deutsch in German; in German the term germanisch is equivalent to English Germanic), is a member of the western group of Germanic languages and is one of the worlds major languages. ... The Hungarian language is a Finno-Ugric language spoken in Hungary and in adjacent areas of Romania, Slovakia, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Austria, Slovenia (all territories lost after World War I). ... Lithuanian is the official language of Lithuania, spoken by about 4 million native Lithuanians. ...

History

Main articles: History of Poland, History of Poland (1989-present) The people of Poland took pride in their long history, filled with the struggle to get, keep, and regain freedom—the main value for Poles. ... In the 1970s and 1980s the whole system in Poland was deeper and deeper in the crisis and was beginning to crumble as was the whole Eastern bloc with the USSR as the fading superpower. ...

The Polish nation started to form into a recognisable unitary territorial entity around the middle of the 10th century under the Piast dynasty. In 12th century Poland was fragmented into several smaller states, which were later ravaged by the Mongol armies of Golden Horde in 1241. Under the Jagiellon dynasty Poland forged an alliance with its neighbor Lithuania. A golden age occurred in the 16th century during its union (Lublin Union) with Lithuania in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The citizens of Poland took pride in their ancient freedoms and parliamentary system, though the Szlachta monopolised the benefits thereof. Since that time Poles have regarded freedom as their most important value. Poles often call themselves the Nation of the free people. ( 9th century - 10th century - 11th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 10th century was that century which lasted from 901 to 1000. ... The Piast dynasty is a line of Kings and dukes that ruled Poland from its beginnings as an independent state up to 1370. ... (11th century - 12th century - 13th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 12th century was that century which lasted from 1101 to 1200. ... Honorary guard of Mongolia. ... This article refers to the Mongol state in what is now Russia. ... Events April 5 - Mongols of Golden Horde under the command of Subotai defeat feudal polish nobility, including Knights Templar, in the battle of Liegnitz April 27 - Mongols defeat Bela IV of Hungary in the battle of Sajo. ... The Jagiellons were a royal dynasty which reigned in some Central European countries between the 14th and 16th century. ... The Republic of Lithuania (in Lithuanian, Lietuva) is a republic in Northeastern Europe. ... Polish Golden Age reffers to the times from 15th century Jagiellon Poland to mid-17th century, when in 1648 the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was ravaged by the Chmielnicki Uprising and The Deluge and the Golden Age ended. ... (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ... The Union of Lublin, painted by Jan Matejko The Union of Lublin (Belarusian: Лю́блінская ву́нія; Polish: Unia lubelska) - signed July 1, 1569 in Lublin, united the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania into a single state, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth with official name: Rzeczpospolita Obojga Narodów (The... This article is about the lower chamber of Polish parliament. ... Szlachta ( pronounced: [ʃlaxta]) was the noble class in Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania ( Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth). ... Statue of Liberty - Liberty is one meaning of freedom. Definition Freedom refers in a very general sense to the state of being free (unrestricted, unconfined or unfettered). ...

In mid-17th century a rebellion of Cossacks led by Bohdan Chmielnicki ushered in the turbulent time of The Deluge (potop). Numerous wars against Ottoman Empire, Russia, Sweden, Transylvania and Brandenburg-Prussia ultimately came to an end in 1699. During the following 80 years, the waning of the central government and deadlock of the institutions weakened the nation, leading to dependency on Russia. The Enlightenment in Poland fostered a growing national movement to repair the state, resulting in the first written constitution in Europe, in 1791 (May Constitution of Poland). The process of reforms ceased with the partitions of Poland between Russia, Prussia, and Austria in 1772, 1793 and 1795; these ultimately completely dissolved Poland. Poles resented their shrinking freedoms and several times rebelled against their oppressors ( see List of Polish Uprisings). After the Napoleonic wars a reconstituted Polish state, the Duchy of Warsaw, ruled by the Russian tsar as a Congress Kingdom, possessed a liberal constitution. However, the Russian tsars soon reduced Polish freedoms and Russia eventually de facto annexed the country. Later in the 19th century, Austrian-ruled Galicia became the oasis of Polish freedom. During World War I all the Allies agreed on the restitution of Poland that United States President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed in point 13 of his Fourteen Points. Shortly after the surrender of Germany in November 1918, Poland regained its independence as the Second Polish Republic. A new threat, Soviet aggression, arose in the 1919 (Polish-Soviet War), but Poland succeeded in defending its independence. Download high resolution version (2000x1568, 304 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (2000x1568, 304 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ... Chmielnicki Uprising or Chmielnicki Rebellion is the name of a civil war in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the years 1648–1654. ... This article needs cleanup. ... Bohdan Zynovii Mykhailovych Khmelnytskyi (Богдан Зиновій Михайлович Хмельницький in Polish as Bohdan Zenobi Chmielnicki; in Russian as Bogdan Khmelnitsky) ( 1595 – August 6, 1657) was a Ruthenian (arguably) noble, leader of the Zaporozhian Cossack Hetmanate, hetman of Ukraine, noted for his revolt against Poland (1648 – 1654) and the Treaty... This article is about the history of Poland. ... The Ottoman Empire at the height of its power Imperial motto El Muzaffer Daima The Ever Victorious (as written in tugra) Official language Ottoman Turkish Capital İstanbul ( Constantinople/Asitane/Konstantiniyye ) Sovereigns Sultans of the Osmanli Dynasty Population ca 40 million Area 12+ million km² Establishment 1299 Dissolution October 29, 1923... Transylvania ( Romanian: Transilvania or Ardeal, Hungarian: Erdély, German: Siebenbürgen, Serbian: Transilvanija, Turkish: Erdel, Slovak: Sedmohradsko or Transylvania, Polish: Siedmiogród) is a historic region that forms the western and the central parts of Romania. ... The Brandenburg-Prussian state was formed in 1618 when the Duchy of Prussia came under the control of the Elector of Brandenburg (part of the Holy Roman Empire of German Nation). ... Events January 26 - Treaty of Karlowitz signed March 30 - the tenth Sikh Master, Guru Gobind Singh created the Khalsa. ... The Age of Enlightenment (or The Enlightenment for short) was an intellectual movement in 18th-century Europe. ... An organizations constitution defines its form, structure, activities, character, and fundamental rules. ... Events January 25 - The British Parliament passes the Constitutional Act of 1791, splitting the old province of Quebec into Upper and Lower Canada March 3 - The U.S. Congress passes a resolution calling for the establishment of the United States Mint (U.S. Mint not created until next year). ... May 3rd Constitution (painting by Jan Matejko, 1891). ... The Partitions of Poland ( Polish Rozbiór or Rozbiory Polski) happened in the 18th century and ended the existence of a sovereign state of Poland (or more correctly the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth). ... The coat of arms of the Kingdom of Prussia, 1701-1918 The word Prussia ( German: Preußen or Preussen, Polish: Prusy, Lithuanian: Prūsai, Latin: Borussia) has had various (often contradictory) meanings: The land of the Baltic Prussians (in what is now parts of southern Lithuania, the Kaliningrad exclave of Russia and... The Republic of Austria (German: Republik Österreich) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. ... Events February 17 - First partition of Russia and Prussia, later including Austria May - Watauga Association formed in East Tennessee as the first independent Anglo-American government. ... 1793 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Events January 16 - French occupy Utrecht, Netherlands. ... This is a list of Polish uprisings. ... The Napoleonic Wars lasted from 1804 until 1815. ... Location Official languages Polish Established church Roman Catholic Capital Warsaw Largest City Warsaw Head of state Duke of Warsaw Area about 158,000 km² Population about 3 million Existed 1807 - 1814 The Duchy of Warsaw (Polish: Księstwo Warszawskie, Latin: Ducatus Varsoviae, French: Duche de Varsovie) was a Polish state established... Poland was ruled by dukes (c. ... Tsar ( Bulgarian цар, Russian царь, listen?; often spelled Czar or Tzar and sometimes Csar or Zar in English), was the title used for the autocratic rulers of the First and Second Bulgarian Empires since 913, in Serbia in the middle of the 14th century, and in Russia from 1547 to... The term Congress Poland is an unofficial name of the Kingdom of Poland, a political entity that was created out of the Duchy of Warsaw at the Congress of Vienna in 1815, when European powers reorganised Europe following the Napoleonic wars. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria, or simply Galicia, was the largest and northernmost province of Austria from 1772 until 1918, with Lemberg (Lwów, Lviv) as its capital city. ... Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ... In general, allies are people or groups that have joined an alliance and are working together to achieve some common purpose. ... Dr. Thomas Woodrow Wilson ( December 28, 1856 – February 3, 1924) was the 45th state Governor of New Jersey ( 1911- 1913) and later the 28th President of the United States ( 1913- 1921). ... The USAs President Woodrow Wilson delivered a speech to Congress on January 8, 1918, outlining Fourteen Points for reconstructing a new Europe following World War I. While many of the points were specific, others were more general, including freedom of the seas, abolishing secret treaties, disarmament, restored sovereignty of... 1918 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Second Polish Republic 1921-1939 The Second Polish Republic is an unofficial name applied to the Republic of Poland between World War I and World War II. When the borders of the state were fixed in 1921, it had an area of 388. ... The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) .( Russian: Сою́з Сове́тских Социалисти́ческих Респу́блик (СССР) listen?; tr. ... Polish-Bolshevik War Conflict Polish-Bolshevik War Date 1919– 1921 Place Central and Eastern Europe Result Polish victory The Polish-Soviet War was the war (February 1919 – March 1921) that determined the borders between the Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic and Second Polish Republic. ...

The Second Polish Republic lasted until the start of World War II when Germany and the Soviet Union invaded and split the Polish territory between them from (September 28, 1939). Poland was completely unprepared for the swiftness and ferocity of the attacks because of a failure to modernize her military. Poland suffered greatly in this period (see General Government). Of all the countries involved in the war, Poland lost the highest percentage of its citizens: over 6 million perished, half of them Polish Jews. Poland's borders shifted westwards; pushing the eastern border to the Curzon line and the western border to the Oder-Neisse line. After the shift Poland emerged smaller by 76 000 km² or by 20% of its pre-war size. The shifting of borders also involved the migration of millions of people – Poles, Germans, Ukrainians, Jews. Eventually, Poland became, for the first time in history, an ethnically unified country. The Soviet Union occupation brought a new communist government to Poland, analogously to much of the rest of the Eastern Bloc. In 1948 a turn towards Stalinism brought in the beginning of the next period of totalitarian rule. The People's Republic of Poland was officially proclaimed in 1952. In 1956 the régime became more liberal, freeing many people from prison and expanding some personal freedoms. Labour turmoil in 1980 led to the formation of the independent trade union, "Solidarity", which over time became a political force. It eroded the dominance of the Communist Party; by 1989 it had triumphed in parliamentary elections, and Lech Wałęsa a Solidarity candidate eventually won the presidency. A shock therapy program during the early 1990s enabled the country to transform its economy into one of the most robust in Central Europe. Despite the regression in levels of social and economic human rights standards, numerous improvements in other human rights standards occurred (free speech, functioning democracy and the like). Poland was the first among post-communist countries to regain pre-1989 GDP levels. Poland joined the NATO alliance in 1999. Following a massive advertising campaign by the government in favour of joining the European Union, Polish voters voted yes to the EU in a referendum in June 2003. Poland joined the European Union on 1 May 2004. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) .( Russian: Сою́з Сове́тских Социалисти́ческих Респу́блик (СССР) listen?; tr. ... Polish Defence War of 1939 Conflict World War II Date 1 September - 6 October 1939 Place Poland Result Decisive German and Soviet victory The Polish September Campaign (alternatively refered to as the German plan Fall Weiss) refers to the conquest of Poland by the armies of Nazi Germany and the... September 28 is the 271st day of the year (272nd in leap years). ... The General Government (in full General government for the occupied Polish areas, in German Generalgouvernement für die besetzten polnischen Gebiete) was the name given by Germany to the governing authority in Poland after its occupation by the Wehrmacht in September and October 1939. ... The word Jew ( Hebrew: יהודי) is used in a wide number of ways, but generally refers to a follower of the Jewish faith, a child of a Jewish mother, or someone of Jewish descent with a connection to Jewish culture or ethnicity and often a combination of these attributes. ... The Curzon line was a boundary line proposed in 1919 by the British Foreign Secretary, Lord Curzon of Kedleston, as a border between Poland, to the west, and Lithuania, Russia and Ukraine, to the east. ... The Oder-Neisse line (German: Oder-Neiße-Grenze; Polish: Granica na Odrze i Nysie Łużyckiej) is the border between Germany and Poland. ... Communism is a term that can refer to one of several things: a social and economic system, an ideology which supports that system, or a political movement that wishes to implement that system. ... Stalinism is a brand of political theory, and the political and economic system implemented by Joseph Stalin in the Soviet Union. ... The Peoples Republic of Poland ( Polish: Polska Rzeczpospolita Ludowa, PRL) was the official name of Poland from 1952 to 1989, during its period of rule by the Communist party, officially called the Polish United Workers Party (Polska Zjednoczona Partia Robotnicza, or PZPR). ... 1956 is a leap year starting on Sunday. ... A union (labor union in American English; trade union, sometimes trades union, in British English; either labour union or trade union in Canadian English) is a legal entity consisting of employees or workers having a common interest, such as all the assembly workers for one employer, or all the workers... Solidarity (Polish Solidarność) is a Polish trade union federation founded in September 1980, originally led by Lech Wałęsa. ... The Polish United Workers Party (PUWP; in Polish, Polska Zjednoczona Partia Robotnicza, PZPR), was the governing political party in communist_ruled Poland from its creation (through a fusion of the communist Polish Workers Party and the left wing of the Polish Socialist Party) in December 1948 until the regimes electoral... The title given to this article is incorrect due to technical limitations. ... In economics, shock therapy refers to the sudden release of price and currency controls, withdrawal of state subsidies, and immediate trade liberalization within a country. ... Human rights are rights which some hold to be inalienable and belonging to all humans. ... Human rights are rights which some hold to be inalienable and belonging to all humans. ... In economics, the gross domestic product (GDP) is a measure of the amount of the economic production of a particular territory in financial capital terms during a specific time period. ... For the National Association of Theatre Owners, please see National Association of Theatre Owners. ... The European Union or EU is an intergovernmental organisation of European countries, which currently has 25 member states. ... May 1 is the 121st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (122nd in leap years). ...

Politics

Main articles: Politics of Poland, Foreign relations of Poland, Military of Poland The current government structure consists of a council of ministers led by a Prime Minister, typically chosen from a majority coalition in the bicameral legislatures lower house. ... Poland became a full member of NATO in March 1999, and of the European Union in May 2004. ... Polish Army (Polish Wojsko Polskie) is the name applied to the military forces of Poland. ...

Poland is a democratic republic. Its current constitution dates from 1997. The government structure centres on the Council of Ministers, led by a prime minister. The president appoints the cabinet according to the proposals of the prime minister, typically from the majority coalition in the bicameral legislature's lower house (the Sejm). The president, elected by popular vote every 5 years, serves as the head of state. The current president is Aleksander Kwasniewski. In a broad definition a republic is a state or country that is led by people that dont found their power status on any principle beyond the control of the people living in that state or country. ... The Constitution of the Republic of Poland of 2 April 1997 was Polands first post-communist constitution. ... This is a list of Prime Ministers of Poland. ... Alternate meanings in cabinet (disambiguation) A Cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of government, typically representing the executive branch. ... This article is about the lower chamber of Polish parliament. ... Following are the successive heads of state of Poland. ... A head of state or chief of state is the chief public representative of a nation-state, federation or commonwealth, whose role generally includes personifying the continuity and legitimacy of the state and exercising the political powers, functions and duties granted to the head of state in the countrys... Term of Office from December 23, 1995 until acting Profession Journalist Political Party SLD First Lady Jolanta Kwaśniewska Date of Birth November 15, 1954 Place of Birth Białogard, Poland Date of Death Place of Death Aleksander Kwaśniewski (pronounce: [alεksandεr kʋaɕɲefskʲi]) is a Polish politician and currently the President of...

Poland voters elect a two house parliament (National Assembly, Polish Zgromadzenie Narodowe), consisting of a 460 member lower house Sejm and a 100 member Senate (Senat). Sejm is elected under a proportional representation electoral system similar to that used in other parliamentary political systems while the Senate is elected under a comparatively rare first past the post bloc voting. With the exception of ethnic minority parties, only political parties receiving at least 5% of the total national vote can enter Sejm. Alternative meanings: Parliamentary system, Parliament (band), Parliament (cigarette). ... Polish (polski, język polski) is the official language of Poland. ... This article is about the lower chamber of Polish parliament. ... The Senate (Senat) is the upper house of the Polish parliament. ... This article is about the lower chamber of Polish parliament. ... Proportional Representation (PR) describes various multi-winner electoral systems which try to ensure that the proportional support gained by different groups is accurately reflected in the election result. ... Bloc voting (or block voting) (also called Plurality-at-large) refers to a class of voting systems which can be used to elect several representatives from a single constituency. ... Political parties in Poland lists political parties in Poland. ...

The judicial branch plays a minor role in decision-making. Its major institutions include the Supreme Court (Sąd Najwyższy) (judges appointed by the president of the republic on the recommendation of the National Council of the Judiciary for an indefinite period), and the Constitutional Tribunal (Trybunał Konstytucyjny) (judges chosen by the Sejm for nine-year terms). The Sejm (on approval of the Polish Senate) appoints the Ombudsman or the Commissioner for Civil Rights Protection (Rzecznik Praw Obywatelskich) for a five-year term. The Ombudsman has the duty of guarding the observance and implementation of the rights and liberties of the human being and of the citizen, the law and principles of community life and social justice. The judiciary, also referred to as the judicature, consists of justices, judges and magistrates among other types of adjudicators. ...

Voivodships

Main article: Voivodships of Poland Administrative map of Poland. ... Administrative map of Poland. ... A voivodship (in Polish województwo) has been a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland since the 14th century. ...

Poland is sub-divided for administrative purposes into 16 administrative regions known as voivodships (województwa, singular - województwo):

Geography

Main article: Geography of Poland Greater Poland Voivodship (in Polish województwo wielkopolskie) is an administrative region or voivodship of western-central Poland It was created on 1 January 1999 out of the former Poznan, Kalisz, Konin, Pila and Leszno voivodships as a result of Local Government Reorganization Act of 1998. ... Kujavian-Pomeranian voivodship since 1999 The Kujavian-Pomeranian Voivodship (in Polish województwo kujawsko-pomorskie) is an administrative region or voivodship in central-northern Poland. ... The Lesser Poland Voivodship or Little Poland Voivodship (in Polish województwo małopolskie) is an administrative region or voivodship in the south of Poland that contains core areas of the historical and geographical region of Lesser Poland (Malopolska). ... Łódź voivodship since 1999 Coat of Arms of Łódź Voivodship Łódź Voivodship (1) ( Polish województwo łódzkie) is an administrative and local government region in central Poland created on January 1, 1999 out of the former Łódź (2), Sieradz, Piotrkow Trybunalski, Skierniewice and partly Plock voivodships as a result of Local... Lower Silesian voivodship since 1999 Lower Silesia (Polish Dolny Śląsk, German Niederschlesien, Latin Silesia Inferior) is the north-western part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia in Poland, located along the middle Oder River and organized into Lower Silesian Voivodship, (Polish: województwo dolnośląskie) with capital Wrocław It was... Lublin voivodship since 1999 Lublin Voivodship (in Polish województwo lubelskie) is an administrative and local government region or voivodship in the eastern part of Poland. ... Lubusz voivodship since 1999 The Lubusz Voivodship (in Polish województwo lubuskie) is an administrative and local government region or voivodship in the western part of Poland. ... Masovian voivodship since 1999 The Masovian Voivodship (in Polish województwo mazowieckie) is the largest and most populous of the sixteen Polish administrative regions or voivodships created in 1999. ... Opole voivodship since 1999 1) Opole Voivodship (since 1999) or Opole Silesia ( Polish: województwo opolskie, Śląsk Opolski) is an administrative and local government region created on 1 January 1999 out of the former Opole (2) and parts of Czestochowa voivodships as a result of the Local Government Reorganization Act of... The Podlasie Voivodship (in Polish województwo podlaskie) is an administrative and local government region or voivodship of north-eastern Poland. ... The Pomeranian Voivodship (in Polish województwo pomorskie) is an administrative region or voivodship in northern Poland within the historic region of Eastern Pomerania. ... Silesian voivodship since 1999 Silesia or Silesian Voivodship(1) is an administrative region and local government unit in Poland, established in 1999 out of Katowice, Czętochowa and Bielsko-Biała voivodships as a result of Local Government Reorganisation Act of 1998 (effective 1 January 1999). ... Subcarpathian voivodship since 1999 The Subcarpathian Voivodship (in Polish województwo podkarpackie) is an administrative and local government region or voivodship of south-eastern Poland. ... Swietokrzyskie voivodship since 1999 Holy Cross Voivodship or Swietokrzyskie Voivodship ( Polish Województwo świętokrzyskie) is an administrative region or voivodship in central Poland. ... Warmińsko-Mazurskie voivodship since 1999 Coat of Arms of Warmia-Masuria Warmia i Mazury (officially, the Warmińsko-Mazurskie Voivodship) is an administrative region or voivodship of north-eastern Poland. ... West Pomeranian voivodship since 1999 West Pomerania (Polish: Pomorze Zachodnie, German: West Pommern; Latin Pomerania Occidentalis) or West Pomeranian Voivodship (Polish: województwo zachodniopomorskie) is an administrative region or voivodship in the northwestern part of Poland. ... Location: Central Europe, east of Germany Geographic coordinates: 52 00 N, 20 00 E Map references: Europe (eastern) Area: total: 312,685 km² land: 304,465 km² water: 8,220 km² Area - comparative: slightly smaller than New Mexico Land boundaries: total: 2,888 km border countries: Belarus 605 km, Czech...

The Polish landscape consists almost entirely of the lowlands of the North European Plain, at an average height of 173 metres, though the Sudetes (including the Karkonosze) and the Carpathian Mountains (including the Tatra mountains, where one also finds Poland's highest point, Rysy, at 2,499 m.) form the southern border. Several large rivers cross the plains, for instance the Vistula (Wisła), Oder (Odra), Warta the (Western) Bug. Poland also contains over 9,300 lakes, predominantly in the north of the country. Masuria (Mazury) forms the largest and most-visited lake district in Poland. Remains of the ancient forests survive: see list of forests in Poland. Poland enjoys a temperate climate, with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with frequent slopdropping and mild summers with frequent showers and thunder showers. Geographically, Europe is a part of the larger landmass known as Eurasia. ... Karkonosze The Sudetes, also called Sudeten (German; SAMPA: [sudeIt@n]) or Sudety ([sudetI] in Czech, [sudetI] in Polish), is a mountain range in Central Europe. ... Aerial view over Karkonosze Karkonosze (Polish name, pronounced kár-ko-no-she; Krkonoše in Czech; Riesengebirge in German) or Giant Mountains are part of the Sudetes Mountains in central Europe. ... This is about the terrestrial mountain range. ... Tatras Tatra or Tatras (in Polish and Slovak Tatry, which is a word in plural) is a mountain range on the border of Poland and Slovakia, the highest part of the Carpathian Mountains. ... Rysy is the highest peak of the Polish segment of the Tatra mountains. ... Vistula river basin Vistula ( Polish Wisła, German Weichsel) is the longest river in Poland. ... The Oder (or Odra) River (German: Oder, Polish/Czech: Odra, Ancient Latin: Viadua, Viadrus, Medieval Latin: Odera, Oddera) is a river in Central Europe (mostly in Poland). ... Warta (Latin: Varta, German: Warthe) is a river in western-central Poland, a tributary of the Oder river. ... Bug at Wlodawa One of the two rivers called Bug (pronounced Boog), the Western Bug, or Buh (Belarusian: Захо́дні Буг; Russian: За́падный Буг; Ukrainian: Західний Буг, Zakhidnyi Buh), flows from central Ukraine to the west, forming part of the boundary between that nation and Poland, passes along the Polish-Belarusian... This article is about geographic region of Masuria (Mazury), Poland. ... Tuchola forests Bialowieza forests Lowersilesian forests Kampinos forests Oliwa forests Categories: Stub | Forests of Poland ... In geography, temperate latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. ... Map of the climate of the Earth The climate (ancient Greek: κλίμα) is the weather averaged over a long period of time. ...

Economy

Main article: Economy of Poland Economy - overview Poland has steadfastly pursued a policy of economic liberalization throughout the 1990s and today stands out as the greatest success story among the former communist states. ...

The privatisation of small and medium state-owned companies and a liberal law on establishing new firms have allowed for the rapid development of an aggressive private sector, but without any development of consumer rights organisations. Restructuring and privatisation of "sensitive sectors" (e.g., coal, steel, railroads, and energy) has begun. The biggest privatisations so far were a sale of Telekomunikacja Polska, a national telecom to France Telecom (2000) and an issue of 30% shares of the biggest Polish bank, PKO BP, on the Polish stockmarket (2004). This article deals with democracy in its modern sense. ... The term neoliberalism is used to describe a political-economic philosophy that had major implications for government policies beginning in the 1970s – and increasingly prominent since 1980 – that de-emphasizes or rejects positive government intervention in the economy, focusing instead on achieving progress and even social justice by encouraging free... http://www. ... http://www. ... The title given to this article is incorrect due to technical limitations. ... Privatization (sometimes privatisation, denationalization, or — especially in India — disinvestment) is the process of transferring property, from public ownership to private ownership. ... Consumer protection is government regulation to protect the interests of consumers, for example by requiring businesses to disclose detailed information about products, particularly in areas where safety or public health is an issue, such as food. ... Coal Coal is a fossil fuel extracted from the ground either by underground mining, open-pit mining or strip mining. ... Steel framework Steel is a metal alloy whose major component is iron, with carbon being the primary alloying material. ... This is the top-level page of WikiProject trains Rail tracks Rail transport refers to the land transport of passengers and goods along railways or railroads. ...

Poland has a large agricultural sector of private farms, that can be leading producer of food in the European Union. Challenges remain, especially under-investment. Structural reforms in health care, education, the pension system, and state administration have resulted in larger-than-expected fiscal pressures. Warsaw leads the region of Central Europe in foreign investment and allegedly needs a continued large inflow. GDP growth had been strong and steady from 1993 to 2000 with only a short slowdown from 2001 to 2002. The prospect of closer integration with the European Union has put the economy back on track, with growth of 3.7% annually (as of 2003), a rise from 1.4% annually in 2002. In 2004 GDP growth is expected to exceed 5% (Q1, 2004 - 6.9%). Farming, ploughing rice paddy, in Indonesia Agriculture is the process of producing food, feed, fiber and other desired products by cultivation of certain plants and the raising of domesticated animals ( livestock). ... The European Union or EU is an intergovernmental organisation of European countries, which currently has 25 member states. ... A pension (also known as superannuation) is a retirement plan intended to provide a person with a secure income for life. ... Historical lands and provinces in Central Europe Central Europe is the region of Europe between Eastern Europe and Western Europe. ... In economics, the gross domestic product (GDP) is a measure of the amount of the economic production of a particular territory in financial capital terms during a specific time period. ... 2003 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar, and also: The International Year of Freshwater The European Disability Year Events January events January 1 Luíz Inácio Lula Da Silva becomes the 37th President of Brazil. ...

Although the Polish economy is currently undergoing an economic boom there are many challenges ahead. The most notable task on the horizon is the preparation of the economy (through continuing deep structural reforms) to allow the Poland to meet the strict economic criteria for entry into the European Single Currency. There is much speculation as to just when Poland might be ready to join the Eurozone, although the best guess estimates put the entry date somewhere between 2009 and 2013. Euro (disambiguation). ... The Eurozone (also called Euro-area or Euroland) is the subset of European Union member states which have adopted the Euro (€) currency, creating a currency union. ... 2009 is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2013 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Transportation

Main articles: Roads and Expressways in Poland, Transportation in Poland, Communications in Poland Express road bypass of Białobrzegi Poland has a poorly developed infrastructure of roads and expressways by Western European standards. ... Railways: Operated by PKP (Polskie Koleje Państwowe), a state-run company. ... Telephones - main lines in use: 11 million (2003) Telephones - mobile cellular: 20 million (2004) Telephone system: From the communist era Poland inherited an underdeveloped and outmoded system of telephones, with some areas (e. ...

By Western European standards, Poland has a relatively poorly developed infrastructure of roads, expressways, highways, waterways, and railroads. Total length of Railways in Poland is 23,420 km. The total length of Highways/Expressways in Poland is 364,657 km. There are a total of 9,283,000 registered passenger automobiles in Poland, as well as 1,762,000 registered trucks and busses (2000).

Poland has 8 major airports, a total of 122 airports and airfields, as well as 3 heliports. The total length of navigable rivers and canals is 3,812 km. The merchant marine of Poland consists of 114 ships, with additional 100 ships being registered outside the country. Poland's principal ports and harbours are Gdańsk, Gdynia, Kołobrzeg, Szczecin, Świnoujście, Ustka, Warsaw, and Wrocław. In most seafaring countries, the merchant marine (or merchant navy) is a fleet of ships used for commerce that sometimes complements the navy. ... The title given to this article lacks diacritics because of certain technical limitations. ... Gdynia (pronounce: [:gdiɲia], Kashubian Gdiniô; German Gdingen) is a city in the Pomeranian Voivodship of Poland and an important seaport at Gdansk Bay on the south coast of the Baltic Sea. ... Kołobrzeg (pronounce: [kɔwɔbʒεg], German Kolberg) is a city in Middle Pomerania in north-western Poland with some 50,000 inhabitants (2000). ... Motto: none Voivodship West Pomeranian Municipal government Rada miasta Szczecina Mayor Marian Jurczyk Area 301,3 km² Population - city - urban - density 413 600 1372/km² Founded City rights 8th century 1243 Latitude Longitude 14°34E 53°26N Area code +48 91 Car plates ZS Twin towns Berlin-Kreuzberg... Świnoujście (pronounce: [,ɕvinɔujɕtɕȋe], German Swinemünde) is a town in Pomerania, north-western Poland, situated on the islands of Uznam and Wolin with about 41,000 inhabitants (2004). ... Ustka (Polish: Ustka; German: Stolpmuende), is a town in Middle Pomerania region, north-western Poland with 17,100 inhabitants (2001). ... Warsaw ( Polish: Warszawa, see also other names, in full The Capital City of Warsaw, Polish: Miasto Stołeczne Warszawa) is the capital of Poland and its largest city. ... Wrocław (formerly Breslau) (in Polish pronounced: [:vrɔʦwaf], Czech Vratislav, German Breslau, Latin: Wratislavia; many Polish documents in English use the name Wroclaw) is a city in Silesia in southwestern Poland, situated on the Oder River. ...

Telecommunication and IT

Sub-articles: Software development in Poland Software companies in Poland: Computer Associates ComputerLand SA Logotec Engineering SA The Polished Group Softbank Prokom Software Infoservice Optimus MKS_Vir Young Digital Poland Vulcan Media SuperMemo World Nahlik Soft Jacek Skalmierski Creamsoft Comarch e-Pro See also List of software companies Categories: Companies of Poland ...

In Poland, the share of telecom sector in GDP generation is 4.4% (end of 2000 figure), when compared to 2.5% in 1996. Nevertheless, despite high expenditures for telecom infrastructure (the coverage increased from 78 users per 1000 inhabitants in 1989 to 282 in 2000) the infrastructure is still underdeveloped. Density of stationary network in Poland vary from region to region, with rural areas lagging behind.

Tourism and holidays

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Poland Tourism > Tourism in Poland Poland is interesting for everyone who wants to visit old cities, pubs, culture and a picturesque landscape varying from sea shores to mountains for an affordable price. ... Holidays in Poland are regulated by the Non-working Days Act of 18 January 1951 (Ustawa z dnia 18 stycznia 1951 o dniach wolnych od pracy) — Journal of Laws, No. ... History Historical demographics of Poland Nationalities 96. ...

Poland formerly played host to many languages, cultures and religions. However, the outcome of World War II and the following shift westwards to the area between the Curzon line and the Oder-Neisse line gave Poland an appearance of homogeneity. 36,983,700 people, or 96.74% of today's population considers itself Polish (Census 2002), 471,500 (1.23%) declared another nationality. 774,900 people (2.03%) didn't declare any nationality. The officially recognized ethnic minorities include: Germans, Ukrainians, Lithuanians, Jews and Belarusians. The Polish language, a member of the West Slavic branch of the Slavic languages, functions as the official language of Poland. Most Poles adhere to the Roman Catholic faith, though only 75% count as practising Catholics. The rest of the population consists mainly of Eastern Orthodox and Protestant religious minorities. The Curzon line was a boundary line proposed in 1919 by the British Foreign Secretary, Lord Curzon of Kedleston, as a border between Poland, to the west, and Lithuania, Russia and Ukraine, to the east. ... The Oder-Neisse line (German: Oder-Neiße-Grenze; Polish: Granica na Odrze i Nysie Łużyckiej) is the border between Germany and Poland. ... Ethnic Germans (usually simply called Germans, in German Volksdeutsche) are those who are considered, by themselves or others, to be ethnically German rather than anything else but who do not live within the Federal Republic of Germany nor hold its citizenship. ... The Ukrainians are a Slavic people of central-eastern Europe. ... The earliest evidence of inhabitants in present-day Lithuania dates back to 10,000 BC. Between 3,000-2,000 BC, the cord-ware culture people spread over a vast region of eastern Europe, between the Baltic Sea and the Oder and Vistula rivers in the West and the Moscow... The word Jew ( Hebrew: יהודי) is used in a wide number of ways, but generally refers to a follower of the Jewish faith, a child of a Jewish mother, or someone of Jewish descent with a connection to Jewish culture or ethnicity and often a combination of these attributes. ... Belarusians, also spelt Belarusans, Belarussians, Byelorussians and Belorussians are a distinct ethnic group of East Slavs who are the major population of Belarus, also being minorities in the neighboring Poland (especially Bialystok province), Russia, Lithuania and Ukraine. ... Polish (polski, język polski) is the official language of Poland. ... The Slavic languages (also called Slavonic languages) comprise the languages of the Slavic peoples. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Eastern Orthodoxy (also called Greek Orthodoxy and Russian Orthodoxy) is a Christian tradition which represents the majority of Eastern Christianity. ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ...

Culture

Main article: Culture of Poland The Culture of Poland is closely connected to its intricate 1000 years of history. ...

International rankings

See also

External links

Governmental websites

English-language websites on Poland

The most popular Polish web-portals

Reporters Without Borders, or RWB ( French: Reporters sans frontières, or RSF) is an international non-governmental organization devoted to freedom of the press. ... Poland does not have an official state motto i. ... This is a list of the extreme points of Poland, the points that are farther north, south, east or west than any other location. ... This page includes a list of cities in Poland and a table of major Polish cities. ... This page aims to list articles on Wikipedia that are related to Poland. ... File links The following pages link to this file: Abu Dhabi Abraham Lincoln Australia Adolf Hitler Animation Andorra Alaska Anatomy Asia Albert Einstein Asterales Automobile Aircraft Alexander Graham Bell Apple Computer American Civil War Ancient Egypt Asteraceae Alps Arches National Park Aarhus Almond Caesar Augustus Acacia Acropolis Acupuncture Amaranth Alexander... The Wikimedia Commons (also called Commons or Wikicommons) is a repository of free images, sound and other multimedia files. ...

European Union (EU)

Austria | Belgium | Cyprus | Czech Republic | Denmark | Estonia | Finland | France | Germany | Greece | Hungary | Ireland | Italy | Latvia | Lithuania | Luxembourg | Malta | Netherlands | Poland | Portugal | Slovakia | Slovenia | Spain | Sweden | United Kingdom The European Union or EU is an intergovernmental organisation of European countries, which currently has 25 member states. ... Download high resolution version (1200x800, 13 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Austria Belgium Bulgaria Czech Republic Croatia Cyprus Economy of Cyprus Economy of the Czech Republic Council of Europe Economy of Denmark Drachma European Union Estonia Euro European Parliament Talk:European Union European Free Alliance... Fixed size, hues based on World Flag Database. ... The Republic of Austria (German: Republik Österreich) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. ... General info: Large flag of Belgium Dimensions: 348x302 pixels Source: Image originally derived from the public domain flags of the CIA World Factbook License: originally public domain, modifications under GFDL Most of the flags have had their colours improved and many have been resized to the proper ratios. ... The Kingdom of Belgium (Dutch: Koninkrijk België, French: Royaume de Belgique, German: Königreich Belgien) is a country in Western Europe, bordered by the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, France, and the North Sea. ... General info: Large flag of Cyprus Dimensions: 503x302 pixels Source: Image originally derived from the public domain flags of the CIA World Factbook License: Originally public domain, modifications under GFDL Most of the flags have had their colours improved and many have been resized to the proper ratios. ... Cyprus (in Greek Kypros Κύπρος and in Turkish Kıbrıs) is an island in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, 113 kilometres (70 miles) south of Turkey and around 120 km west of the Syrian coast. ... General info: Large flag of the Czech Republic Dimensions: 453x302 pixels Source: Image originally derived from the public domain License: Originally public domain, modifications under GFDL Most of the flags have had their colours improved and many have been resized to the proper ratios. ... National motto: Truth prevails (Czech: Pravda vítězí) Official language Czech Capital Praha (Prague) President Václav Klaus Prime Minister Jiří Paroubek Area - Total - % water Ranked 114th 78,866 km² 2% Population - Total (2003) - Density Ranked 76th 10. ... General info: Large civil flag of Denmark Dimensions: 399x302 pixels Source: Image originally derived from the public domain flags of the CIA World Factbook License: Originally public domain, modifications under GFDL Most of the flags have had their colours improved and many have been resized to the proper ratios. ... The Kingdom of Denmark is geographically the smallest Nordic country and is part of the European Union. ... File links The following pages link to this file: Austria Belgium Czech Republic Cyprus Economy of the Czech Republic European Union Estonia Foreign relations of Estonia European Parliament Talk:European Union European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party European Peoples Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats Finland France Germany Economy... The Republic of Estonia is a country in Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the north. ... File links The following pages link to this file: Austria AZ Alkmaar Belgium Czech Republic Cyprus Economy of the Czech Republic Charlton Athletic F.C. Chelsea F.C. European Union Estonia European Parliament Talk:European Union European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party European Peoples Party (Christian Democrats) and European... The Republic of Finland (Finnish: Suomen tasavalta, Swedish: Republiken Finland) is a Nordic country in northeastern Europe, bordered by the Baltic Sea to the southwest, the Gulf of Finland to the southeast and the Gulf of Bothnia to the west. ... Tricolore of France Created by User:Anthony S. Tsoumbris French Tricolore flag File links The following pages link to this file: Austria Arsenal F.C. Ajax Amsterdam A.S. Roma A.C. Milan Belgium Czech Republic Cyprus Economy of the Czech Republic Corsica Chelsea F.C. European Union Estonia European... 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Belgium Czech Republic Cyprus Economy of the Czech Republic Charlton Athletic F.C. Chelsea F.C. European Union Estonia European Parliament Talk:European Union European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party European Peoples Party (Christian Democrats) and... The Republic of Ireland (Irish: Poblacht na hÉireann) is the official description of an independent state which covers approximately five-sixths of the island of Ireland, off the coast of north-west Europe. ... Download high resolution version (1200x800, 1 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Austria Arsenal F.C. A.S. Roma A.C. Milan ACF Fiorentina Belgium Czech Republic Cyprus Economy of the Czech Republic Chievo Verona Chelsea F.C. European Union Estonia European Parliament Talk:European Union... The Italian Republic or Italy (Italian: Repubblica Italiana or Italia) is a country in southern Europe. ... 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Headline text File links The following pages link to this file: Austria Belgium Czech Republic Cyprus Economy of the Czech Republic European Union Estonia European Parliament Talk:European Union European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party European Peoples Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats Finland France Germany Economy of Germany... The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is a small landlocked state in the north-west of the continental European Union, bordered by France, Germany and Belgium. ... Flag of Malta. ... Official languages Maltese and English Capital Valletta Largest City Birkirkara President Edward (Eddie) Fenech Adami Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi Religion Catholicism Area - Total - % water Ranked 184th 316 km² Negligible Population - Total (2003) - Density Ranked 211th 399,867 1262/km² Independence - Date From the UK September 21, 1964 Currency lira Time... Large flag of the Netherlands. ... The Netherlands (Dutch: Nederland) is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Dutch: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden). ... Large flag of Poland Image originally derived from the public domain flags of the CIA World Factbook. ... File links The following pages link to this file: Austria A.C. Milan Belgium Czech Republic Cyprus Economy of the Czech Republic Chelsea F.C. European Union Estonia European Parliament Talk:European Union European Peoples Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats Finland France Fulham F.C. Football World Cup... File links The following pages link to this file: Austria Belgium Czech Republic Cyprus Economy of the Czech Republic European Union Estonia European Parliament Talk:European Union European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party European Peoples Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats Finland France Germany Economy of Germany Greece Hungary... National motto: None Official language Slovak Capital Bratislava President Ivan Gašparovič Prime Minister Mikuláš Dzurinda Area - Total - % water Ranked 126th 49,035 km² Negligible Population - Total ( 2004) - Density Ranked 103rd 5,379,455 109/km² Independence January 1, 1993 (division of Czechoslovakia) Currency Slovak koruna Time zone - in summer CET... Large Flag of Slovenia, originally from flags of the CIA World Factbook, 2004. ... The Republic of Slovenia ( Slovenian: Republika Slovenija) is a coastal sub-Alpine country in south central Europe bordering Italy to the west, the Adriatic Sea to the southwest, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north. ... Source: Sodipodis Clipart Gallery. ... Large flag of Sweden Image originally derived from the public domain flags of the CIA World Factbook. ... Union Flag / Union Jack: Flag of the United Kingdom For more information, see Court of the Lord Lyon, Flags. ...

North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)
Belgium \| Bulgaria \| Canada \| Czech Republic \| Denmark \| Estonia \| France \| Germany \| Greece \| Hungary \| Iceland \| Italy \| Latvia \| Lithuania \| Luxembourg \| The Netherlands \| Norway \| Poland \| Portugal \| Romania \| Slovakia \| Slovenia \| Spain \| Turkey \| United Kingdom \| United States of America

For the National Association of Theatre Owners, please see National Association of Theatre Owners. ... Image:Flag of NATO.jpg - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... The Kingdom of Belgium (Dutch: Koninkrijk België, French: Royaume de Belgique, German: Königreich Belgien) is a country in Western Europe, bordered by the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, France, and the North Sea. ... The Republic of Bulgaria is a republic in the southeast of Europe. ... Canada is a sovereign state in northern North America, the northern-most country in the world, and the second largest in total area. ... National motto: Truth prevails (Czech: Pravda vítězí) Official language Czech Capital Praha (Prague) President Václav Klaus Prime Minister Jiří Paroubek Area - Total - % water Ranked 114th 78,866 km² 2% Population - Total (2003) - Density Ranked 76th 10. ... The Kingdom of Denmark is geographically the smallest Nordic country and is part of the European Union. ... The Republic of Estonia is a country in Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the north. ... The French Republic or France (French: République française or France) is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in western Europe, and which is further made up of a collection of overseas islands and territories located in other continents. ... Greece, officaly called the Hellenic Republic (Greek: Ελληνική Δημοκρατία), is a country in the southeast of Europe on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula. ... The Republic of Hungary (Magyar Köztársaság) or Hungary (Magyarország) is a landlocked country in Central Europe, bordered by Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia. ... Iceland - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... The Italian Republic or Italy (Italian: Repubblica Italiana or Italia) is a country in southern Europe. ... The Republic of Latvia (Latvian: Latvijas Republika), or Latvia (Latvian: Latvija), is a country in Northern Europe. ... The Republic of Lithuania (in Lithuanian, Lietuva) is a republic in Northeastern Europe. ... The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is a small landlocked state in the north-west of the continental European Union, bordered by France, Germany and Belgium. ... Norway - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... Romania (formerly spelled Rumania or Roumania; Romanian: România) is a country in southeastern Europe. ... National motto: None Official language Slovak Capital Bratislava President Ivan Gašparovič Prime Minister Mikuláš Dzurinda Area - Total - % water Ranked 126th 49,035 km² Negligible Population - Total ( 2004) - Density Ranked 103rd 5,379,455 109/km² Independence January 1, 1993 (division of Czechoslovakia) Currency Slovak koruna Time zone - in summer CET... The Republic of Slovenia ( Slovenian: Republika Slovenija) is a coastal sub-Alpine country in south central Europe bordering Italy to the west, the Adriatic Sea to the southwest, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north. ...

Categories: European countries | Poland | European Union member states This is an alphabetical list of the sovereign states of the world, including both de jure and de facto independent states. ... World map showing location of Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is geologically and geographically a peninsula, forming the westernmost part of Eurasia. ... Albania is a Mediterranean country in southeastern Europe. ... National motto: Virtus Unita Fortior (Latin: Virtue united is stronger) Official language: Catalan. ... Armenia - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... The Republic of Austria (German: Republik Österreich) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. ... Azerbaijan (Azerbaijani: Azərbaycan) is a country in the Caucasus, in the crossroads of Europe and Southwest Asia, with an east coast on the Caspian Sea. ... Belarus (Belarusian: Белару́сь or Biełaruś, Russian: Белару́сь (formerly: Белору́ссия), Polish: Białoruś) is a landlocked nation of Eastern Europe with the capital Minsk. ... The Kingdom of Belgium (Dutch: Koninkrijk België, French: Royaume de Belgique, German: Königreich Belgien) is a country in Western Europe, bordered by the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, France, and the North Sea. ... Bosnia and Herzegovina (officially Bosna i Hercegovina, shortened to BiH, also in English variously written Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Bosnia-Hercegovina) is a mountainous country in the western Balkans. ... The Republic of Bulgaria is a republic in the southeast of Europe. ... The Republic of Croatia is a crescent-shaped country in Europe bordering the Mediterranean, Central Europe and the Balkans. ... Cyprus (in Greek Kypros Κύπρος and in Turkish Kıbrıs) is an island in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, 113 kilometres (70 miles) south of Turkey and around 120 km west of the Syrian coast. ... National motto: Truth prevails (Czech: Pravda vítězí) Official language Czech Capital Praha (Prague) President Václav Klaus Prime Minister Jiří Paroubek Area - Total - % water Ranked 114th 78,866 km² 2% Population - Total (2003) - Density Ranked 76th 10. ... The Kingdom of Denmark is geographically the smallest Nordic country and is part of the European Union. ... The Republic of Estonia is a country in Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the north. ... The Republic of Finland (Finnish: Suomen tasavalta, Swedish: Republiken Finland) is a Nordic country in northeastern Europe, bordered by the Baltic Sea to the southwest, the Gulf of Finland to the southeast and the Gulf of Bothnia to the west. ... The French Republic or France (French: République française or France) is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in western Europe, and which is further made up of a collection of overseas islands and territories located in other continents. ... Greece, officaly called the Hellenic Republic (Greek: Ελληνική Δημοκρατία), is a country in the southeast of Europe on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula. ... The Republic of Hungary (Magyar Köztársaság) or Hungary (Magyarország) is a landlocked country in Central Europe, bordered by Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia. ... Iceland - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... The Republic of Ireland (Irish: Poblacht na hÉireann) is the official description of an independent state which covers approximately five-sixths of the island of Ireland, off the coast of north-west Europe. ... The Italian Republic or Italy (Italian: Repubblica Italiana or Italia) is a country in southern Europe. ... The Republic of Latvia (Latvian: Latvijas Republika), or Latvia (Latvian: Latvija), is a country in Northern Europe. ... The Principality of Liechtenstein (German: Fürstentum Liechtenstein) is a tiny, doubly landlocked country (one of two such countries, the other being Uzbekistan) in Central Europe, bordered by Switzerland to its west and by Austria to its east. ... The Republic of Lithuania (in Lithuanian, Lietuva) is a republic in Northeastern Europe. ... The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is a small landlocked state in the north-west of the continental European Union, bordered by France, Germany and Belgium. ... National motto: None Official languages Macedonian2 Capital Skopje President Branko Crvenkovski Prime Minister Vlado Buckovski Area - Total - % water Ranked 145th 25,713 km² 1. ... Official languages Maltese and English Capital Valletta Largest City Birkirkara President Edward (Eddie) Fenech Adami Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi Religion Catholicism Area - Total - % water Ranked 184th 316 km² Negligible Population - Total (2003) - Density Ranked 211th 399,867 1262/km² Independence - Date From the UK September 21, 1964 Currency lira Time... The Republic of Moldova is a landlocked country in eastern Europe, located between Romania to the west and Ukraine to the east. ... The Principality of Monaco or Monaco (French: Principauté de Monaco or Monaco; Monegasque: Munegu or Principatu de Munegu) is a city state and the second-smallest country in the world, wedged in between the Mediterranean Sea and France along the French Riviera or Côte dAzur (The Blue Coast). ... Norway - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... Romania (formerly spelled Rumania or Roumania; Romanian: România) is a country in southeastern Europe. ... San Marino (disambiguation). ... Serbia and Montenegro ( Serbian: Србија и Црна Гора, often abbreviated as SCG) is the name of the union of Serbia and Montenegro, two former Yugoslav republics united since 2003 in a loose confederation. ... National motto: None Official language Slovak Capital Bratislava President Ivan Gašparovič Prime Minister Mikuláš Dzurinda Area - Total - % water Ranked 126th 49,035 km² Negligible Population - Total ( 2004) - Density Ranked 103rd 5,379,455 109/km² Independence January 1, 1993 (division of Czechoslovakia) Currency Slovak koruna Time zone - in summer CET... The Republic of Slovenia ( Slovenian: Republika Slovenija) is a coastal sub-Alpine country in south central Europe bordering Italy to the west, the Adriatic Sea to the southwest, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north. ... The Swiss Confederation or Switzerland is a landlocked federal state in Europe, with neighbours Germany, France, Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein. ... Ukraine (Україна, Ukrayina in Ukrainian; Украина in Russian) is a republic in eastern Europe which borders Russia to the east, Belarus to the north, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary to the west, Romania and Moldova to the southwest and the Black Sea to the south. ... The State of the Vatican City ( Latin: Status Civitatis Vaticanæ), is a landlocked enclave surrounded by the city of Rome in Italy, and the smallest independent state in the world (both in area and in population). ... The coat of arms of the Holy See The term Holy See (Latin: Sancta Sedes, lit. ... Dependency has a number of meanings: In project management, a dependency is a link amongst a projects terminal elements. ... Map of Akrotiri (Western) SBA Akrotiri (also known as the Western Sovereign Base Area or WSBA) and Dhekelia (also known as the Eastern Sovereign Base Area or ESBA) are UK Sovereign Base Areas (SBAs) in Cyprus, a former British Crown Colony. ... Motto: None Official language Faroese Capital Tórshavn Monarch Margrethe II Prime Minister Jóannes Eidesgaard Area - Total - % water World ranking: 189th 1,399 km² — Population - Total (2004) - Density World ranking: 211th 48,228 33. ... Motto: Nulli Expugnabilis Hosti (Latin: Conquered By No Enemy) Languages English (official), an English-influenced Spanish dialect called Llanito is also spoken Capital (Gibraltar) Coordinates 36°07′ N 5°21′ W Governor and Commander-in-Chief Sir Francis Richards Chief Minister Peter Caruana Area - Total - % water not ranked (192 if... The Bailiwick of Guernsey is a British crown dependency in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy. ... Jan Mayen Jan Mayen Island, a part of the Kingdom of Norway, is a 373-square-kilometer arctic volcanic island partly covered by glaciers and divided into two parts by a narrow isthmus. ... The Bailiwick of Jersey is a British crown dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. ... The Isle of Man (Ellan Vannin in Manx), a British crown dependency, lies in the Irish Sea almost equidistant from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. ... Svalbard, a part of the Kingdom of Norway, including one municipality (Longyearbyen), lies in the Arctic Ocean north of mainland Europe. ... A bicontinental country is a country whose contiguous continental territory (or in case an island state - its different islands) lie in two different continents. ... World map showing location of Asia A satellite composite image of Asia Asia is the central and eastern part of the continent of Eurasia, defined by subtracting the European peninsula from Eurasia. ... World map showing location of Asia A satellite composite image of Asia Asia is the central and eastern part of the continent of Eurasia, defined by subtracting the European peninsula from Eurasia. ... World map showing location of Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is geologically and geographically a peninsula, forming the westernmost part of Eurasia. ...

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