Poland Key Facts

Central Europe.

GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).

312,685 sq km (120,728 sq miles).

38.5 million (2008 estimate).

122 per sq km.

Warsaw. Population: 1.7 million (2009).

Poland shares borders to the east with the Russian Federation, Belarus, Ukraine, Lithuania and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, to the south with the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic and to the west with Germany. To the north lies the Baltic Sea. The Baltic coast provides over 500km (300 miles) of sandy beaches, bays, steep cliffs and dunes.

Northern Poland is dominated by lakes, islands and wooded hills joined by many rivers and canals. The Malsurian Lake District to the northeast is a patchwork of lakes and forests with Lake Hancza, the deepest lake in Poland, located here. The River Vistula (Wisla) has cut a wide valley from Gdansk on the Baltic coast to Warsaw in the heart of the country.

The rest of the country rises slowly to the Sudety Mountains, which run along the border with the Czech Republic, and the Tatra mountains, which separate Poland from the Slovak Republic. To the west, the River Oder, with Szczecin at its mouth, forms the northwest border with Germany.

Member since 2004.

Republic since 1918 (democracy since 1989).

President Lech Kaczynski since 2005.

Donald Tusk since 2007.

After a year of right wing rule when identical twin brothers Lech and Jaroslaw Kaczynski of the Law and Justice Party held the Polish presidency and premiership respectively, Polish voters moved decisively back to the centre again in a snap 2007 election in which Donald Tusk's centre-right Civic Platform Party won a landslide victory. While Lech Kaczynski remains as Poland's President (a role with relatively few powers), Prime Minister Donald Tusk has since smoothed the feathers of neighbours Germany and Russia after they were ruffled by his predecessor, who also managed to alienate many other EU countries through his nationalist rhetoric and conservative agenda.

With new bridges being built across the European Union and with Russia, Poland has recovered from its political isolation, but is beginning to feel the effects of the economic downturn on its already under-performing economy. Surviving the financial crisis is now Poland's priority, and this is a challenge that will likely be made harder by the return of many native Poles who have spent the past few years working in temporary jobs in Western Europe.

Since the change of administration in Washington, Poland is now unlikely to be the site of US missiles as part of a defence shield, much to the relief of Moscow and to a large section of the Polish population that had opposed the plan.

Polish is the official language. There are a few small German-speaking communities primarily in the southwest. English and Russian are also spoken.

More than 95% Roman Catholic; other religions include Polish Autocephalous Orthodox, Russian and Greek Orthodox, Protestant, Jewish and Muslim.

220 volts AC, 50Hz; continental sockets.

Poles are friendly, industrious people and foreigners are usually made very welcome. There are vast contrasts between urban and rural life and the Polish peasantry is very religious and conservative, maintaining a traditional lifestyle. Roman Catholicism plays an important role in daily life and criticism or jokes about religion are not appreciated, despite the general good humour of the people.

Shaking hands is the normal form of greeting. Normal courtesies are observed when visiting private homes and it is customary to bring flowers, preferably in odd numbers. Fairly conservative casual wear is the most suitable attire, but dress should be formal when specified for entertaining in the evening or in a smart restaurant. Smoking is restricted in some public buildings.

Photography: Military installations including border points should not be photographed.