Poland
The Region Poland
[Rzeczpospolita Polska]
Poland, Pol. Polska, officially Republic of Poland, republic (1995 est. pop. 38,792,000), 120, 725 sq mi (312, 677 sq km), central Europe. It borders on Germany in the west, on the Baltic Sea and the Kaliningrad region of Russia in the north, on Lithuania, Belarus, and Ukraine in the east, and on the Czech Republic and Slovakia in the south. Warsaw is the capital and largest city.
Geography
Poland, a country the size of New Mexico, is in north-central Europe. Most of the country is a plain with no natural boundaries except the Carpathian Mountains in the south and the Oder and Neisse Rivers in the west. Other major rivers, which are important to commerce, are the Vistula, Warta, and Bug.
Cultural Artifact of Poland
Stroje Ludowe vary by region. They are not worn in daily life but at folk festivals, folk weddings, religious holidays, harvest festivals and other special occasions. The costumes may reflect region and sometimes social or marital status.
Regional Fun Fact
Mushrooming is a popular family activity in Poland. Going to the forest to pick wild mushrooms at the end of the summer is a popular activity for many people in Poland. Kids are taught how to distinguish an edible mushroom from a poisonous one early on.
Kissing a woman's hand is still in fashion in Poland. Polish men generally still tend to observe "the chivalry protocol". Don't be surprised if you see this, upon the first introduction between total strangers.