Poland boasts a rich culture and ancient history, and over the centuries, the fates of these lands and Kievan Rus have repeatedly intertwined and diverged again. Today, Poland is a fairly typical Eastern European state, moderately wealthy and stable.
Facts about Poland
- Poland is the country with the largest number of Catholics in Central Europe. This religion, according to official data, is followed by 87% of the population (interesting facts about the countries of Europe).
- The first Polish state arose in 966, when Prince Mieszko the First converted to Christianity.
- Name «The Commonwealth», as Poland was called for a long time, is translated from an outdated version of the Polish language as a “republic”.
- Poland for over a century, from the end of the 18th century to the beginning of the 20th century, had its own statehood – its lands throughout this time were part of other countries.
- According to official data, during the second of the world wars, Poland lost about 20% of its population – about 6 million people died.
- Poland was the first country of the socialist block, which, after the collapse of the USSR, began a peaceful transition from socialism to democracy and a market economy.
- Poland is one of the most mono-ethnic states on the planet. A census conducted in the early 2000s showed that almost 97% of the country’s inhabitants identify themselves as ethnic Poles, and about 98% of the population speaks Polish at home.
- Poland spends $9.65 billion annually for the maintenance of the army and the creation of new weapons systems.
- The Polish castle of Marienburg, which in the past served as the residence of the knights of the Teutonic Order, is the largest brick castle on the planet. This fortified stronghold covers an area of more than 20 hectares.
- In the Polish Catholic monastery of Yasnaya Gora, the icon of the Mother of God is kept, according to legend, written by the Apostle Luke.
- John Paul II, the 264th Pope, was a Pole by origin, and his name was Karol Wojtyla.
- The Poles believe in the legend that the name of the Polish capital Warsaw came from the merger of the names of the fisherman Warsha and the mermaid Sava, whom he married.
- In the Polish city of Krakow, there are six squares with the name “market”.
- This country is the world leader in the export of amber.
- Poland was the first country in Europe and the second on the planet to have a constitution.
- It is still accepted here that men when they met, they kissed women’s hands.
- Poland is the largest European producer of apples.
- Most often, Poles give their dogs the nickname Burek.
- In Polish supermarkets, the largest area is occupied department with sweets.
- The first person who suggested that it was not the Sun that revolved around the Earth, but quite the opposite, was the Polish-born astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus (interesting facts about Copernicus).
- Poles enter married at a younger age than other EU countries.
- Nobel laureates 17 Poles became the committee.
- In Poland, the first floor is considered zero, so to go up to the second floor in the elevator, you must press the “1” button.