Area: 312, 685 sq. Km
Population: 39 millions
Capital: Warsaw (population 2,1 million)
Other important cities: Cracow, Poznan, Wroclaw, Gdansk, Lódz
Time: GMT + 1, winter time GMT + 2
Climate: mild climate zone; seasons of the year: snowy winter, warm spring, sunny summer and dry so-called Golden Polish Autumn, cold winter. The temperatures oscillate between 17 ° C and 19°C in June (63-66 F) and between 0 ° C and 4 ° C in January (32-35 F).
Geographical features: Although vast plains are a dominant feature of Polish landscape, there are also scenic mountain ranges covered with majestic forests in the South, golden beaches of the Baltic Sea and thousands of lakes in the northern part.
Currency: the monetary unit of Poland is the new Polish Złoty.
1 złoty divides into 100 groszy. 1 EURO equals to 4,0 zł; 1 USD to 3,2 PLN.
Language: Polish which is spoken by 98% of the population.
Commonly known are English, German and Russian.
Political system: Parliamentary republic, with a classical division of powers.
The president, the head of the State is elected in democratic ballot every 5 years, the legislative power is executed by a bicameral parliament of a four-year term.
Religion: more than 90 % Polish people consider themselves Roman Catholics. Other religious affiliations include Protestant, Orthodox, Greek Catholic, Jews and Muslims.

Cuisine: Polish cuisine is a mixture of Slavic and foreign culinary traditions. It is impossible to cook the Polish style without using some of the following ingredients: sauerkraut, vegetables, fruit and fresh or dried mushrooms. The main meal in the Polish culinary tradition is obiad, which is eaten early in the afternoon. A normal obiad would consist of soup, the main course and also dessert.

Souvenirs: Shops with regional souvenirs, local handicrafts, contemporary and antique art can be found all over the Poland. The most popular souvenirs from Poland are: amber and silver jevellery, paintings on glass by folk artists, laces and tablecloths from Koniakow and Bobowa, articles made of natural colour lather, Polish contemporary paintings and graphic art, artistic furniture and pottery.

The most beautiful souvenirs can be bought in the Cloth Hall in Cracow and also at the famous St. Dominic's Fair, which takes place in Gdańsk every August. Big marquees and small stalls are set up in the centre of the city. Amongst the bric-a-brac, you can occasionally find a real treasure. You can buy anything at St. Dominic's Fair: from handicrafts - silver, gold, amber or coral jewellery, pictures and sculptures, ceramics, original clocks and clothes - through old books and records, original souvenirs and sometimes priceless antiques, to something brand new. The Fair is accompanied by performances of musician groups and street entertainers. However, apart from buying souvenirs or folk art, it's also worth to come to Poland for quite "serious" purchases. And that's what many collectors do. A number of the smaller and larger galleries either offer works by recognised contemporary Polish artists or can contact them. You must have permission to take out of the country any works of art or books dating before 1945. There aren't too many formalities to go through and usually permission is granted.