Poland

 

Destination highlights

• Combination of modern life and traditions

• Country of Frederic Chopin

• Salt mines

• Auschwitz death camp

• Warsaw - MICE destination

• Krakow - pure incentive destination

• Well preserved nature with northern beaches

• Country of students, universities

• Amber/Vodka

 

Destination practical information

 

Official title

Republic of Poland (Rzeczpospolita Polska)

Neighbouring countries

Germany, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania and Russia. It has Baltic Sea coast for 500 kilometres in the north.

Area

312,000 square kilometres

Population

38,000,000

Capital 

Warsaw (1.7 million citizens)

Major cities

Gdansk, Katowice, Cracow, Lodz, Poznan, Szczecin, Wroclaw

Administration

16 administrative provinces known as voivodeships, the voivodeships are divided into powiaty (counties) and then gminy (communes).

Highest point

Rysy, at 2,499 m

Administrative language

Polish

Form of government

Republic

Religion

Roman Catholic

Currency

Polish Zloty (Zl) - PLN. 1 Zl = 100 groszy (Gr).

Poland introduced new bank notes in 1995. The five new notes (for 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 zloty) come in different sizes and are easily recognisable. The coins are as follows: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 groszy and 1, 2 and 5 zloty.

Weights and measures

Metric

Time zone

GMT + 1 in winter (GMT + 2 in summer)

International dialling code

The country telephone code for Poland is +48

Electricity

220V, Sockets take two round pins – an adaptor will be required for British hair dryers, shavers, etc. 

State and Public holidays

January 1st - New Year's Day

January 6th - Epiphany

Variable - Easter Monday

May 1st - Labour Day

May 3rd - Constitution Day

Variable - Corpus Christi (9th Thursday after Easter)

August 15th - Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

November 1st - All Saints' Day

November 11th - Independence Day

December 25th - Christmas Day

December 26th - Second Day of Christmas