PolandliesattheheartofEurope.ThislandoflowplainshaslongprovidedaroutebetweeneasternEuropeandwesternEurope,andbetweennorthernEuropeandsouthernEurope.Asaresult,Polandhasbeeninvadedmanytimes.FactsAboutPolandOfficialnameRepublicofPolandCapitalWarsawOfficiallanguagePolishPopulation38,500,000peopleRankamongcountriesinpopulation32ndMajorcitiesWarsaw,Lodz,KrakowArea121,000squaremiles313,000squarekilometersRankamongcountriesinarea68thHighestpointMountRysy8,199feet/2,499metersCurrencyZlotyPOLAND’SSTORMYSTORYPoland’shistorygoesback1,000years.Duringthattime,thecountry’ssizeandshapechangedmanytimesasaresultofwars.Polandhasevenbeenchoppedupandgivenawaytoothercountries.Formorethan100years,from1797to1918,therewasnoPoland.Germany,Austria,andRussiaeachhadpartofthecountry.Polandbecameacountryagainin1918,butnotforlong.In1939,GermantanksrolledintoPoland.Germany’sinvasionofPolandstartedWorldWarII(1939-1945).GermanyandtheSovietUnion(Russia)soondividedPolandbetweenthem.AfterWorldWarIIendedin1945,Polandregaineditsindependence.ButtheSovietUnioncontrolledwhatPolanddid.ItmadesurePolandhadacommunistgovernment.Polandfinallybecameanindependentdemocracyintheearly1990s.POLAND’SCOUNTRYSIDEMuchofPolandconsistsoflow,rollingplains.Poland’snamecomesfromitsfirstsettlers,thePolanieor“plainsdwellers.”Forestsofspruceandpinetreescoveraboutaquarteroftheland.MountainsriseinsouthernPoland.Thecountrysidehasmanyfarms.TheBalticSeabordersPolandtothenorth.ResortsandbeautifulbeacheslinetheBalticcoast.Thousandsoflakesdotthelandnearthecoast.Thecoastandthelakesarepopularvacationplaces.ShipscomeandgofromportsontheBalticSea.ManyofPoland’stownsandcitiesdatebacktoearlytimes.IfyouvisitPoland,you’llseeamixtureofoldandnew.Thetownsandcitieshavepicturesquehistoricbuildingsaswellasmodernskyscrapersandfactories.WARSAW,POLAND’SCAPITALWarsawisthecapitalofPolandanditslargestcity.WarsawsitsnearthemiddleofPoland,onthebanksoftheWislaRiver.Thecityhasacastleandmanypalacesandmuseums.Polandwasakingdomformanyyears,anditskingandqueenlivedattheroyalcastle.PolishcomposerFrederickChopinwasbornnearWarsawin1810andstudiedmusicinthecity.ScientistMarieCuriewasborninWarsawin1867.ChopinandCuriewerebothPolishpatriots,buttheymovedtoFrance.TherewasnoPolandwhentheyleft.TheyandotherPolishpatriotshopedthattheFrencharmywouldhelpwinbackPoland.Thisdidnothappen.WarsawwasabeautifulcitybeforeWorldWarII.Duringthewar,mostofWarsawwasdestroyed.ThePolishpeoplerebuiltthecityafterthewar.TheOldTownsection,inthecenterofWarsaw,looksmuchlikeitdidbeforethewar.Therestofthecityhasmodernbuildings.KRAKOW,CENTEROFLEARNINGKrakowisoneofthePoland’soldestcities.Itcontainsmanyhistoricbuildings.Themostfamousisacathedralbuiltinthe1350s.ThekingsofPolandwerecrownedthere.Krakowhaslongbeenacenteroflearning.AstronomerNicolausCopernicusstudiedinKrakow.Thecity’smostfamouscitizenisprobablyPopeJohnPaulII.ThepopeheadstheRomanCatholicChurch.Beforebecomingpope,JohnPaulhadbeenarchbishopofKrakow.In1978,hebecamethefirstPolishpopeever.GDANSKANDSOLIDARITYGdanskisaportcityontheBalticSea.Muchofthecitylooksasitdidhundredsofyearsago.Narrowstreetswindpastoldhouseswithcarvedstonebalconies.GdanskisalsoimportantbecauseamovementtoendcommunistcontrolofPolandbeganhere.Duringthe1970s,PolishworkersinGdanskbegantoprotestagainstthegovernment.TheyjoinedtogetherinagroupcalledSolidarity.ItwasledbyLechWalesa,ashipyardworker.Afteralongstruggle,SolidarityforcedPoland’sgovernmenttoholdelections.In1990,WalesawaselectedpresidentofPoland.Polandgotanewconstitutionin1997.ItguaranteedfreedomsforthePolishpeople.