Poland

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With the breakdown of the "Iron Curtain" additional interesting nature- and culturalareas became more accessable for people in the "westernblock" of the world. Poland has an old and fascinating history, partly cruel and tragical, which makes it interesting to visit. Many of the old towns or villages have a medieval athmosphere.

So far I have visited Poland only once. I made my trip by car why I got good opportunities to explore the polish countryside and some interesting major cities.

I drove from Swinoujscie via Szczein, Torun, Lomza and Bilaystok to the the National Park Bialowieza, at the Belorussian border.

We spent several days in the Park and were able to meet the impressing vicents, the european buffalo, in the old untouched forrests. Once this biotop could be found all over Europe but to day it remains in very few places. Very much depending on that the forrest was used as huntingground for the russian tsars. Here you also can find wild boar, wolf, deer etc We were surprised of the many different spices of birds staying here.
In the Park you find breeding farms trying to preserve the vicents and restoring the heritage of the Tarpan horse, the old polish wild horse.

The houses in the villages that were located in the Park were very old, many of them in russian style, but beautiful. On the fields you could see the white storks looking for frogs and other eatable things.

In Warsaw we were impressed of the restoration of the Old Town, which was almost totally destroyed during the second world war, and built up to the origin stone by stone again.

People who are interested in birdwatching will find a fantastic environment around the Mazurian Lakes. Here you find a lot of different species, among them the black stork.
Around the lakes you can also find some beautiful and impressing churches and monasterys.

On the way back home we made a stop at the ruins after Hitlers warcenter, "The Wolfs Cave" which can be found north of the city Ketrzyn. From here the war against Russia was controlled during a long time.

A city not to be missed, in the northern part of Poland, is Gdansk with its old fantastic houses from the Hansa- period. In the city the struggle for independcence started by the union Solidarice.

A visit to Poland gives you many possibilities to experience biotopes that only can be found in few european countries. Here you also can find old, interesting architecture.

Old houses.
Bialowieza

At the border to
White Russia

Old forest in
Bialowieza

The Church.
Swietka Lipa

Bialowieza

Russian market. Hajnowka

The Old Town.
Warsaw

Visents, the european bison.
Bialowieza

Basic facts:

Conventional longform:
Rzeczpospolita Polska

Area, total: 312 683 sq km
Coastline: 440 km
Population: 38 483 000
Population/sq km: 122
Capital/Population:
Warsaw / 1 700 000

Lowest point: Raczki Elblaskie -2 m
Highest point: Rysy 2 499 m
Largest rivers: Wisla, Odra
Largest lakes: Sniardwy, Mamry

Pop. growth rate: -0.05 %
Infant mortility rate: 7
(deaths / 1 000 live births)
Life expectancy at birth (years):
Male / Female 72 / 80

Ethnic groups:
Polish 96.7 %, Germans 0.4 %, Ukranian 0.1 %, Belarussian 0.1 %
Religions:
Roman Catholic 89.8 %, Eastern Orthodox, Protestant and other 10.2 %
Languages: Polish
Literacy; % pop. over 15 years:
Male / Female 99 / 99

Independence:
November 11, 1918
National holiday:
May 3 Constitution Day,
November 11, Independence Day

GNP/capita: USD 11 089
Population below poverty line: 2.0 %
(% of population)
Currency: Zloty (PLN)
Tourists (annually): 15 200 000

Mobile telephones: 44 004 000
Internetusers: 18 679 000
Railways: 22 314 km
Mainroads: 423 997 km

Source: CIA World Factbook 2010/02

Map over Poland

When Poland became independent in 1919 the red and white flag was introduced as the official flag.
The colour combination can be traced back to the 13th century. The people of Poland has used the flag since 1831.

The white eagle has been connected with Poland since the 13th century.
The crest was reintroduced in 1989 in connection with the brakedown of the communism. The crowned eagle is the symbol for Polands sovereignity and unification.

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For more information about Poland click one of the links
Lonely Planet or World Factbook

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This page is updated 2010-08-02
www.stalvik.com

1 026 visitos since 100111
(15 188 visitors 021029 - 100110)

Poland

Click on one of the thumbnails for larger picture. Return to the page with the backarrow.

Basic facts:

Top of page

This page is updated 2010-08-02 www.stalvik.com

Click on one of the thumbnails for larger picture.
Return to the page with the backarrow.

This page is updated 2010-08-02
www.stalvik.com