Poland formally called as the Republic of Poland, is a nation in the eastern part of Europe. The county is surrounded by Germany in the west, in the south by the Czech Republic & Slovakia, in the east by Ukraine, Lithuania and Belarus and in the north by Kaliningrad Oblast, exclave of Russia. Poland is spread on a total area of 120,726 sq mi (312,679 square kilometers), thereby making it as Europe’s 9 biggest countries and the 69th largest nation on the universe.

Poland is a unitary nation comprising of 16 voivodeships. It is a constituent of the NATO, G6, UN, OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development), International Atomic Energy Agency, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Council of Europe, European, WTO, Economic Area, and International Energy Agency.

The Poland kingdom was created in the year 1025 and by signing of the Union of Lublin, a long rapport was paved with the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, thereby leading to the creation of Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. However in the year 1795, the commonwealth came to an end, with the division of the land into the Russian Empire, Kingdom of Prussia, and Austria. In 1918, Poland recovered back its independence, as the Second polish Republic. Twenty years later, in the month of Septemebr in 1939 the worldwarII broke with Poland being invaded by the Soviet Union and the Nazi Germany. During the Second World War as many as 6 million polish people were killed. Many years later, Poland resurrected as People’s Republic with soviet influence. In 1989, the communist regime was defeated; thereby putting an end to 45 year long rule, and the rule of Democracy was again established, forming the basement of contemporary Poland, which is refereed constitutionally as the “Third Polish republic”.

Capital: Warsaw

People‘s Republic: Dec 31, 1944

Third Republic of Poland: Jan 30, 1990

Language: Polish (official), other languages spoken English, German etc.

Religion: Roman Catholic (88.4%), other religions are Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mariavites, and Jews Muslims.

Time zone Central European Standard Time = GMT+1, Central European Summer Time = GMT+2

History

As per the Historian Late Antiquity periodization, several peculiar ethnic groups have dominated the present day Poland. The fortified settlement of Biskupin (currently rebuild as museum) is considered the most renowned archeological findings from Poland’s prehistory and protohistory. The Biskupin settlement dates about 700 BC, from the premature Iron Age Lustin Culture. Prior to the acceptance of Christianity the Polish people had faith in Svetovid, which is considered as a deity for fertility, war and abundance.

Piast Dynasty

Under the Piast Dynasty, Poland was identified as a territorial and unitary body In 996, Mieszko I, the first Poland ruler to be documented historically, adopted Catholic Christianity as the new formal religion of the country.

The rulers of Silesian branch belonging to the Piast dynasty (the bearded Henry I and the Pious Henry II) were almost was successful in unifying the Poland in the mid of 13 century, when an unexpected Mongolian Invasion destroyed Poland. In the Battle of Legnica, the Mongolians killed Henryt II. Several attempts by the local rulers to unite the dukedoms of Poland turned futile, not until, Władysław I, who was strengthening his power and successful in uniting Poland and become the first ruler of reunified Poland.

World War II

In the year 1939, Poland was invaded by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, due to the violation of Soviet–Polish Non-Aggression Pact. According to the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, Poland was divided into two regions; the Nazi Germany occupied one zone, while the provinces in the eastern side were occupied by Soviet Union. By the year of 1941, a several Poles were either shifted in thousand to labour camps spread across the Soviet Union. NKVD, the Secret police of the Soviet Union killed thousands of POW (Prisoners of War).

In the Second World War, the Poles are identified as biggest group of people to save the lives of several Jews during the Holocaust. Till date the Israeli has honored as many 6, 135 polish people the “Righteous among the Nations” title to honor the selfless and benevolent service they rendered for the cause of the Jews.