Poland
Introduction
Pic. 1. Poland (“Poland Geography”).
The official name of the country is Republic of Poland. Poland is located in the Eastern Europe and occupies the territory of 312,679 square kilometers. It ranks as the seventh biggest country on the European continent. The population of Poland accounts for more than 38.5 million people. Warsaw is the capital of the country. It is also the biggest and the most populated city in the country (around 2 million people). Krakow is Poland borders with Germany on the west, Lithuania, Belarus and Ukraine on the east, Russia on the north and Slovakia and the Check Republic on the south (“General Information about Poland”). The country’s coastline of the Baltic Sea measures 770 km. Poland has a rich history and long list of issues that challenged its territorial integrity and led to border changes.
Climate
The climate of Poland is described as temperate with cold winters and warm summers. The geographic location of the country contributed to such clear characteristics of the seasons. The climate is greatly influenced by the air masses from the ocean that move from the west as well as by the cold polar air that reaches Poland from the north (Russia and Scandinavia). Some warm air masses from the south also have an impact on the climate of the country.
Winters are cold and frosty because polar-continental fronts dominate on the territory of Poland at that time. Heavy snowfalls sometimes happen across the entire country. The summer and the beginning of autumn can be characterized as warm and dry due to the effect of sub-tropical continental air. The warmest place during the summer is the Baltic Sea coast, whilst the coldest one is in the Carpathian Mountains. It is reported that “the average air temperatures amount to 6-8.5 C for a year, the annual rainfall is 500-700 mm, of which snows consist only 5-20%” (“Poland”).
Food
Traditional Polish cuisine is rich in meat and it is usually very hearty. In order to understand the Polish soul, one should taste its most famous dishes. Among the examples one may mention “bigos, kotlet schabowy, piegogi and golabki” (“Food”). It is easy to notice that there are only two products that are two basic products such as bread and sausages that serve as an important ingredient to every dish. Poles often add some herbs and spices in order to discover the taste of meat in full. Mushrooms are also common for the Polish.
Polish cuisine also has a wide variety of different desserts, among which cakes and pastries stays as the most popular. A shot of vodka is an important element of any celebration and serves as an appropriate addition to any meal. The Polish people believe it also helps digestion. It is worth mentioning that Polish cuisine integrated lots of elements from the cuisines of its neighbors, with the majority of dishes having Jewish origin. The traditional Polish menu is still under influence, incorporating sometimes very exotic tastes.
Land Forms
Poland has a wide variety of landforms that change each other along the territory of the country. Close to the Baltic Sea, one may see sandy beaches with dunes that blend into lowland plains. From these lowlands, Poland’s land starts to rise into three hilly areas. There are lots of hills, especially in the northern region that host flat fertile farmlands located in the Central Lowlands. In the south, the surface changes to hilly uplands that form the front of the Sudetic and Carpathian ranges. The highest point in the Polish territory is called Rysy and rises 2,499m above the sea level. Poland has one of the five natural deserts that are located on the European continent. It is called the Bledow Desert and has a total area of 32 square km.
The Vistula, Warta and Oder are the major rivers in Poland. The longest river is the Vistula, whose length is 1,047 km. The order is the second and it forms the western border of the country. Lots of lakes are dispersed across the country, but the majority of them are located in the northern part. Poland is the second in Europe regarding the density of rivers, following Finland (“Poland Geography”).
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Pic. 1. Polish Landforms (“Poland Geography”).
Government
Poland is a parliamentary republic, which is governed by the Constitution of 1997. The President is elected by the citizens for the term of 5 years and acts as a head of state. He is eligible to be reelected for the second term. Prime Minister is appointed by the President as well as its cabinet. However, this appointment requires approval by the Sejm. Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers, which report to him are the leading governmental institutions. The Parliament of the country, also known as the National Assembly, is bicameral. It includes Sejm of 460 members and a 100-member Senat. Deputies of every house are elected for a four-year period. The proportional representation method is used for electing members of Sejm. There is a threshold of 5% for each entering party. Senat is elected under plurality voting and every constituency has a right to be represented by 2-4 members. Such parties as Civic Platform (moderate right-wing), Law and Justice (right-wing) Polish People’s Party (centrist), and left and Democrats (social democratic) are the major in the Polish Parliament (“General Information about Poland”).
Poland is divided into 16 provinces with each having its local authorities and budget.
Language
The Polish language is one of Slavic languages in which word order is not that stable as in English, for example. It represents an Indo-European group of languages. It is spoken by 50 million people. There are other languages (around 17) that can be heard in Poland that are mostly spoken by former immigrants or some other nations’ representatives. However, the principal official language in Poland is Polish and it is taught in schools and universities. State and radio broadcasting is performed using Polish. There are a few dialects that may differ from the initial Polish language in pronunciation or vocabulary changes. Such language as Kashubian is considered to be a separate language spoken close to Gdansk and the Baltic Sea is becoming extinct. Poland pays lots of efforts to save it (“Slavic Languages and Polish”).
Economics
As soon as Poland received independence, it immediately came through a shock therapy, which was launched in 1989 by Leszek Balcerowicz. The method led to dramatic social consequences. It put the country on the survival. However, Poland was the first country among the Eastern Bloc, which managed to recover its GDP level. Moreover, it has started experiencing rapid economic growth that continues for more than 15 years. The average rate is 5% a year that is very high taking into account current situation in Europe. The macroeconomic indicators, such as inflation and wages, demonstrate that the country is stable and develops gradually. The level of unemployment is the lowest in Europe. The government tries to ensure normal standards of living for everyone as well as to lead Poland to the top countries on the European continent. The country is already an attractive setting for working for people from neighboring countries (“General Information about Poland”).
Conclusion
Poland is a stable and growing country which is located in Eastern Europe. It has a long history that influenced its governmental system and borders. However, today Poland is one of the most developing countries in Europe that makes it interesting in terms of working. The climate and landforms facilitate agriculture and recreation.
Works Cited
“Food.” StayPoland, n.d. http://www.staypoland.com/poland-food.htm
“General Information about Poland.” Study in Poland, n.d. http://www.studyinpoland.pl/en/index.php/about-poland/2-general-information-about-poland
“Poland.” Weather Online, n.d. http://www.weatheronline.co.uk/reports/climate/Poland.htm
“Poland Geography.” Worldatlas, n.d. http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/europe/poland/plland.htm
“Slavic languages and Polish.” StayPoland, n.d. http://www.staypoland.com/polish.htm
