Poland
Poland
POLAND - TRAVEL AND TOURISM
Nature lovers will certainly enjoy the golden beaches of the Baltic Sea coast in the north and the rocky peaks of the Tatra Mountains in the south.
POLAND - COMMUNICATION
Greetings
Polish people enjoy greeting each other. If you find the word "cześć" (Hi!) too difficult to pronounce, you can use "Hello" instead and you’ll certainly be understood. When arriving at a meeting, Polish people shake hands. When the company is larger it’s right to shake hands with all those present. As a rule the first few minutes of any gathering are taken up with everyone greeting everyone else. This breaks the ice and makes life easier for the shy. Don’t be surprised if some people exchange embraces or even a kiss during a greeting.
POLAND - CULTURE
Religion in Poland has changed throughout centuries, however Christian Faith, particularly Roman Catholicism has dominated polish cociety (see also historical demography of Poland).
POLAND - POLITICS
Poland is a democracy, with a President as a Head of State, whose current constitution dates from 1997.
POLAND - HISTORY
Great (north) Poland was founded in 966 by Mieszko I, who belonged to the Piast dynasty. The tribes of southern Poland then formed Little Poland. In 1047, both Great Poland and Little Poland united under the rule of Casimir I the Restorer. Poland merged with Lithuania by royal marriage in 1386. The Polish-Lithuanian state reached the peak of ATS pober between the 14th and 16th centurie, scoring milibary successes against the (Germanic) Knights of the Teutonic Order, the Russians, and the Ottoman Turks.
POLAND - ECONOMY
| Annual data | 2007(a) | Historical averages (%) | 2003-07 |
| Population (m) | 38.1 | Population growth | -0.1 |
| GDP (US$ bn; market exchange rate) | 421.9 | Real GDP growth | 5.1 |
| GDP (US$ bn; purchasing power parity) | 621.0 | Real domestic demand growth | 5.6 |
POLAND - BASIC FACTS
Poland (Polish: Polska), officially the Republic of Poland (Polish: Rzeczpospolita Polska), is a country in Central Europe.