Characteristics of Poland - Case Study Example

The republic of Poland is a country located at the physical center of the European continent. The country is located approximately 490 and 550 latitudes and 140 and 240 longitudes. The country consists of lowlands though there are some mountainous regions on the southern part of the country. Poland borders a number of countries among them Germany, Czech, Belarus, Lithuania, Russia and Ukraine. History The Polish history can be traced back to 966 AD. This is the time that the Slavs alleged to have arrived into the Polish Lands. The arrival of the Slavs was marked by the rise in permanent development and there was significant development on the Polish lands. In 966 AD the Slavs adopted Christianity as their religion. At the same time the mediaeval Monarchy was established in the region. The next event that can be noted was the Jagiellonian Dynasty period. This led to the start of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1569. This was due to the close ties between the Polish people and the Lithuanians. The decline of the state was experienced from the 17th century and this was attributed to the rampant wars and the unsettled government. The independent Polish state was abolished from 1795 up to 1918 (Biskupsiki 2000, pp. 45-54) From 1918 the Polish state was recovering and setting its place in the new world. However it was destroyed again by the Nazi Germans and the Soviet Union from 1939. This was the initial stages of the World War II which left the state in ruins (Berend 1998, pp. 82). The country started recovering in the 1980s with its solidarity theme helping to keep the citizens close and united. Today Poland has regained its status and it is has its place among the countries with the best economies in the world. Geography Poland has an area of 312 679 square Kilometers. The whole region has a temperate climate. It consists of a stretching plain from the Baltic Sea located in the North to the South where one finds the Carpathian Mountains. The Baltic Coasts which runs along the Baltic Sea has two natural Harbors. One of the harbors is found at Gdansk-Gdynia and the other one which is second in terms of size is located near Szczecin. Szczecin is located in the far Northwest. There are more than 2000 lakes in the Masuria Lake District which is found in the Northwest region of the country. The region is densely wooded and few people live there. However, the plains extend to the other part all the way to the Czech and Slovak border. This is the region where many people live. Most of the land in Poland swirls into the Baltic Sea. The Vistula and the Oder rivers are the main rivers though there are other tributaries which feed them as they drain into the lake. Facts and Statistics The largest city in Poland is Warsaw which is also the capital city. There are many ethnic groups found in the country. However majority of them speak Polish. The Polish speakers constitute about 94% of the population. Others which make the small population include Silesian, Belarusian, German, Ukrainian, Kashubian and few others. Poland is led by a president and a Prime Minister both having distinct roles and mandates to run the state. The President is Bronislaw Komorowski and the Prime Minister is Donald Tusk. The Legislature is responsible for making laws of the land and it is made up of the upper house or the senate and the lower house. The country has an area of 312 679 square kilometers. The population density is 120 people per square kilometer as per the 2012 census. The population of the country was 38.5 Million following the results of the 2012 census. In 2013 it had a Gross Domestic Income (Purchasing Power Parity) of $813. 988 Billion. The Currency used in the Country is the Zloty (PLN). It lies between time zones, GMT +1 and GMT +2. Its calling code is 48. Climate The Climate of Poland is temperate. It has relatively cold winters and the summers are warm. This climate is greatly affected by the oceanic air currents which come from the west. When the winter comes, the polar continental fronts are the ones which rule and this is shown by the cold and frosty weather with the temperatures running below the zero mark. Heavy snowfall is also one of the significant features of the winter climate in Poland. The dry subtropical continental air mass brings warmer days during the summer and the autumn. The mean air temperatures for a typical year are 60C-8.50C. Poland experiences a rainfall of 500-700 mm. 5-15 % of the rainfall comes in form of snow. The vegetation of Poland is highly affected by these conditions. The primary grain crops are wheat oats and barley. Rye is also grown in many parts of the country. Potatoes, fodder crops, tobacco and fruits are also among the food crops grown in Poland. The wild vegetation mainly consists of dense forest s especially in the area with the 2000 lakes due to the conditions. Foods Poland is one country where you find a wide range of foods which range from main courses to soups. Among the popular main courses include;- Baranina, Bigos, Golabki, Gulasz, Kasza, Kaczka, Klopsiki, Kotlet mielony, pierogi, Pyzy and Zrazy. The soups include;- Flaki, Grochowka, Kapusniak, Krupnik, Kwasnica, Zupa, Zur and Zurek. There are a number of side dishes which include;-kartofle Gotowane, Kasza gryczana, Tluczone Ziemaki among others. The main beverage in Poland is Vodka. Population and Education The population of the country was 38.5 Million following the results of the 2012 census. The country has a population density of 120 people per square kilometer. The plains are more densely populated compared to the forested regions. There was a drastic reform in the education system in the country in 1999 and since that time compulsory education starts when a child is six years. The law governing education requires the child to cover one year of formal education before he/she I enrolled in the first class. The children do a national examination at the end of their sixth grade which determines which high school one will join. From this level one joins the university to do a specialized course. The university has numeric grades 2-5. With a two one is classified to have failed. There are two semesters per year and the grading is done at the end of each. Failing in an examination leads to repeat of the unit that one failed. Seaports Poland has a number of sea ports which enhance water transport. They include;- Police, Koszalin, Darlowo, Ustka, Gdynia, Gdansk and Poznan. This has really helped in water transport and thereby boosting the economy of the country. Economy In 2013 it had a Gross Domestic Income (Purchasing Power Parity) of $813. 988 Billion. The Currency used in the Country is the Zloty (PLN). It has a population of 38.5 million people. In the last five years it has recorded a 3.4% growth in its economy. Unemployment rate is at 10.3% which is quite low. Inflation stands at 3.7% and the FDI flow is $3.4 billion. The Polish are diverse in choosing their careers and taking a random sample from the population one can get representatives from barely all the careers that there are in a population. Culture and Religion The Polish culture is defined by the friendly and interactive people found in the country. They have been known to be among the friendliest people in the world and a visitor would not struggle to find his place among them. They usually use courteous prefixes such as Mr. and Ms when addressing each other. The Polish People also have a soft spot for art and literature and the two have played a major role in defining the nation’s history. Poland is known to have a keen interest in Jazz music and there are many arts festivals taking place in the country at any given time of the year. About 87 % of the Polish are Christians by faith. They belong to the Roman Catholic which is well established in the country. The German Holocaust is one of the memorable religious threats that will remain in people’s memories and books forever (Marcus 1983, pp. 40-49). Cited Works Biskupsiki, Mieczyslaw. The History of Poland. Warsaw: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2000. Print. Marcus, J. Social and Political History of the Jews in Poland. NY: Walter de Gruyter, 1983. Print. Berend. Decades of Crisis: Central and Eastern Europe Before World War II. 1998. No Publisher. Read More