The state is in the Central Europe. It borders on Russia (the Kaliningrad area) in the north, in the east — on Lithuania, Byelorussia and Ukraine, in the south-on the Czech Republic and Slovakia, in the West -on Germany. In the north it is washed by the Baltic Sea. Though Poland is basically the flat country without special difference of heights (average height above sea level about 175 ì), the mountain Rysy in High Tatra in the south rises on height of 2499 m. Poland is subdivided into some physico-geographical regions, located from the east to the west.
The first Polish state was formed about 840 years at legendary king Pjaste, the founder of dynasty Pjastes. In X century king Meshko has accepted Christianity, and at his son Boleslav the Christian church already had strong positions in the country. In 1025 Boleslav has recognized as king by the Holy Father. In the middle of XIII century on the north of modern Poland there came the Teutonic knights who are carrying out severe colonization of the Baltic grounds. The second dynasty of the Polish kings was based by grand duke of the Great Princedom Lithuanian (GPL) Yagello. In 1386 it married queen of Poland Yagello and has been crowned as Vladislav II Yagello. In 1410 the incorporated armies of Poland and GPL have broken Teutonic knights in historical fight at Grunvalde (Tanenberge). During board of dynasty Yagellos Poland has reached the greatest blossoming.
Three disunions of Poland as a result of which the most part of the state appeared under authority of Russian empire have taken place in XVIII century. In XIX century Poland by revolts of 1830–1831 tried to reach independence, however only after 1917 has received real chance of revival of statehood.
In November, 1918 the independent Polish state has been proclaimed. In 20 years, on September, 1, 1939, Poland has been occupied by German armies and released in the beginning of 1945. After 35 years of communistic board independent trade union «Solidarity " has demanded carrying out of free elections. The government has entered the martial law, and at the head of the country there was General Vojtseh Jaruzelsky. On the 5th of April, 1989 between the government and opposition the agreement on carrying out of free elections which have passed on June, 4 has been achieved. Communists have been actually discharged of authority, by the president of the country the leader of trade union «Solidarity» Leh Valensa has been elected.
As a result of elections of 1995 to authority in Poland there came the left forces which have not refused, however, from reforms of the predecessors. Poland is a member of the United Nations, ÃÀÒÒ, ÂÎÇ, the Council of Europe, an associative member of EU.
State system:
The head of the state — the President.
The legislature is carried out by two-chamber Parliament (National assembly), consisting of a seym and the senate.
Executive authority the President and Council of Ministers carries out |
