120+ Incredibly Interesting Facts About Poland You Have To Know
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Poland is sometimes overlooked when we talk about countries in Europe.
But not learning about Poland means missing out on a country with an impressive history. If you want to know more about famous Polish things then this list of facts about Poland for kids is going to be the best place to start.
We've got all the things to know about Poland, including facts about Warsaw, Krakow facts, and lots of food facts about this crazy country. Whether you want fun facts about Poland or important things you should know about this country then we have got the goods right here.
Basic Fun Facts About Poland
Start off your Poland knowledge with these Poland facts and information that will help you win any Poland trivia quiz.
1. Poland is a country in Central Europe.
2. The capital of Poland is the city of Warsaw.
3. The size of the country is 120,726 square miles.
4. The language that is officially spoken in Poland is Polish.
5. 97% of people who live in Poland speak Polish as their first language.
6. The country's name comes from the name of an old Slavic tribe, the Polanie.
7. The population of Poland is 38 million.
8. The main cities in Poland are Krakow, Warsaw, Lodz, and Gdansk.
9. Poland borders seven other countries.
10. The countries that border Poland are Russia, Germany, Ukraine, Lithuania, Slovakia, Belarus, and the Czech Republic.
11. The sea that you can visit in Poland is the Baltic Sea.
12. The currency of Poland is the Polish zloty.
13. The alphabet in the Polish language has 32 letters in it.
Polish Culture Facts
If you want to know some interesting facts about Poland and its culture, then we have got you covered. We can paint a picture of what life is like in Poland with these cultural facts about Poland so you can imagine living there.
14. There are a lot of music festivals held in Poland.
15. The main industries in Poland are chemicals, food processing, shipbuilding, coal mining, glass, textiles, and drinks.
16. Poland holds an international film festival and street art festival every year in Warsaw.
17. On Independence Day, Poland celebrates with fireworks, roller coasters, food, and music in the city of Warsaw.
18. There is a medieval festival that is held every year in the city of Wroclaw.
19. Poland is known for having lots of beautiful castles to visit.
20. Burek is the most popular dogs name in Poland. It means "brownish grey."
21. Polish folk are lovingly known for being big complainers, if you ask someone Polish how they are you will get an honest answer.
22. The main religion in Poland is Roman Catholicism.
23. 90% of people from Poland are Roman Catholic.
24. Wages are usually low in Poland, and unemployment has historically been quite high.
25. Since joining the European Union in 2004, unemployment in Poland is a lot lower.
26. The Polish are known for being very hospitable, if you go to someone's house in Poland you will be treated like a royal!
27. Poland has lots of successful sports people because they are a super competitive nation. Adam Małysz and Kamil Stoch are two of the best Polish ski jumpers in Europe.
Facts About Food In Poland
Food isn't the main thing that Poland is famous for, but the Polish have lots of traditional dishes that are really tasty. These facts will help you get an idea of modern Polish culture and food.
28. The main foods that are grown in Poland are potatoes, wheat, eggs, pork, dairy, chicken, fruits, and vegetables.
29. Polish food is quite simple. The staples of a Polish diet are meat, potatoes, and bread.
30. Polish people also use a lot of sour cream, cheese, milk, and butter in their cooking.
31. The most popular vegetables in Poland are cabbage, beets, carrots, and peas.
32. It is estimated that 100 million Polish donuts are eaten every year in one day in Poland: the Thursday that comes before Ash Wednesday.
33. For dinner in Poland it is common to have a bowl of soup.
34. Pancakes and rice baked with apples are popular Polish desserts.
35. The traditional Polish alcohol is vodka, which is served at every birthday party, wedding, and anniversary in the country.
36. Poland now produces over 260 million liters of vodka every year and exports it to lots of countries in Europe and around the world from Poland.
37. Polish vodka is known for its high quality.
38. Vodka is often gifted in Polish culture, it is seen as a symbol of sympathy.
39. The food that Poland is known for is the pierogi, which is a type of dumpling that is full of cheese and meat, or blueberries and strawberries. Pierogi are eaten all over the world.
40. People in Poland don't put tomato sauce on their pizza. In a restaurant, the waiter will bring you some sauce to pour over the pizza yourself, which is sometimes ketchup.
41. Pope John Paul II's favorite food was the fondant cake kremówka, which is one of the reasons it is found in most Polish bakeries still today, and other places in Europe too.
Historical Facts About Poland
The ninth largest country in Europe has a rich history, and these incredible facts about Poland will let you in on some of the things that made Poland the country that it is today.
42. It was in the 10th century that Poland became a Christian country.
43. The earliest recorded ruler of Poland was called Mieszko.
44. Mieszko was the ruler of Poland in 963 A.D.
45. You will find lots of medieval architecture in Poland, including castles, historic buildings, and museums.
46. Poland has had settlers living there since 2000 B.C.
47. The tribes of Polish land were united in A.D. 966. This was by the Slavic chief Mieszko.
48. In the 1500s, Lithuania and Poland became a commonwealth. This means that they were both ruled by the same King.
49. In 1795 the country was conquered by Russia, Austria and Prussia.
50. After World War I, Poland became a united country again.
51. World War II started in Poland.
52. In World War II, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union of Russia attacked Poland to try to divide the country.
53. A fifth of the whole population of Poland died in World War II.
54. In 1596 King Sigismund III Vasa moved his court to Warsaw.
55. Poland was run by the Russian Soviets for more than forty years after the Second World War.
56. In the '80s, the Poles decided to protest being run by the Soviets and fought the government.
57. In 1989 the protesters won and the country became the Republic of Poland.
58. The borders of Poland have changed lots of times during the last few centuries.
59. The first capital of Poland was Gniezno, where the Polish state was established.
60. The second Polish capital was Krakow, which was the capital from the 11th century until 1795.
61. At one point, Poland had one of the biggest fortunes in the whole of Europe.
62. King Zygmunt August of Poland apparently had the most spectacular treasures in the whole of Europe, according to history buffs.
63. King Zygmunt August had a cap full of emeralds, big diamonds and rubies and sixteen caskets completely full of jewels.
64. When the Queen of Poland, Bona Sforza, died, her jewels and other valuables were taken to Italy.
Interesting Facts About Poland
Be prepared, these fun facts about Poland are definitely interesting. Many people won't know them, which makes them great to wow friends and family with.
65. The language of Polish is really difficult to learn, it is one of the hardest languages in the world to get to grips with.
66. Even some Polish people struggle to speak and write the language correctly because there is very difficult pronunciation.
67. There are also two different letters that make the same sound so it can be almost impossible to spell sometimes!
68. Once Poland disappeared from the world map. Between 1772 and 1795 it was not on the map at all.
69. Poland has the second oldest university in the whole of Europe.
70. It is called the Jagiellonian University, and was founded by King Casimir III the Great in the year 1364.
71. The most famous astronomer in the world was from Poland. He was called Nicolaus Copernicus, and was also a Renaissance mathematician.
72. Nicolaus Copernicus was born in Toruń.
73. To welcome the spring season, Polish folk like to melt a straw doll called Marzanna, which they decorate with lots of colorful ribbons.They set her on fire and throw her into the local river in a fun (and slightly crazy) celebration.
74. It is common for Polish men to kiss women on the hand to greet them. To them, this is a symbol of friendship, deep respect and sympathy.
75. To Polish people, their name day is more important to them than their birth date. When introducing themselves they would often share their name day instead of their date of birth.
76. A name day is the one day each year that celebrates your Patron Saint and your Baptismal name. This is a common celebration in the Catholic faith.
77. Until 1991 Poland was home to the world's tallest structure. The Warsaw radio mast tower was 2,120 feet tall. In 1991 it was torn down.
78. When the Old Town in Warsaw was rebuilt after the '40s, the government used the paintings of Bernardo Bellotto for inspiration, which were painted in the 14th century.
79. In Poland you get given a different last name when you are born depending on what your biological sex is.
80. Newborn baby girls will get a last name that ends in "-ski" or "-ska" and boys will get one that ends in "-cka" or "-cki."
81. Polish families now living in the United States usually only use the male version of their last names.
Facts About Polish Geography
If you want to learn some Polish facts about geography, these cool facts will give you everything you need.
82. There are lots of mountains in Poland. Some of the most famous mountain ranges are the Carpathians and the Sudetens.
83. Poland is roughly the same size as New Mexico.
84. Poland is 1.3 times larger in area than the United Kingdom.
85. The highest point in Poland is Rysy, which is 8,199 ft above sea level.
86. The lowest point in Poland is Raczki Elblaskie, which is -6 ft from sea level.
87. There are more than 2,250 different types of plant in Poland.
88. The main trees you will find in Poland are beech, spruce, fir and oak trees.
89. There are over 1,300 lakes in Poland.
90. The most famous rivers in Poland are the Oder and the Vistula.
91. The land in Poland consists of rolling hills, snowy mountains and sandy beaches.
92. Because there is a lot of different geography in Poland, there is a lot of different weather too.
93. In the forests of Poland you might find the endangered brown bear, wild horses, Eurasian lynxes and chamois goats.
94. You will also find the largest population of gray wolves in Europe.
95. In Poland in the summer and autumn it is generally rainy and warm, in winter it is snowy and in spring it is cold and then sunny.
96. There are a hundred bird sanctuaries in the country.
97. There are almost 400 different types of vertebrate animals in the country.
98. Animals you might see on a visit to Poland are deer, gophers, wildcats, wild pigs, elk, brown bears and bison.
99. Pollution and wars in Poland have damaged the habitats that lots of animals lived in, putting them in danger.
100. The Polish government is trying to build more parks and nature reserves to help their animal populations grow.
Famous People From Poland
If you're looking for fun facts about Poland, these famous Polish men and women are a great place to start.
101. The writer Joseph Conrad came from Poland.
102. Soccer players Lukas Podolski and Robert Lewandowski are both from Poland.
103. The famous scientist Marie Curie was from Warsaw in Poland. She won a Nobel Prize for her work about radioactivity.
104. Marie Curie was the first woman ever to win the Nobel Prize, and the only person ever to win the Nobel Prize twice.
105. The famous composer Frederic Chopin was born in Poland.
106. Frederic Chopin is from a small village called Zelazowa Wola near to Warsaw.
107. There have been 17 different Nobel Prize winners from Poland.
108. Four of the Nobel Prize winners won the Peace Prize.
109. Five of the Nobel Prize winners won prizes for literature.
110. The first ever Polish Pope was Cardinal Karol Wojtyla, who became John Paul II in 1978 and was head of the Catholic Church until 2005 when he died.
111. John Paul II was the first Pope to be from somewhere else other than Italy for a whopping 455 years.
112. He was also the first Pope ever to have Slavic roots.
Polish World Heritage Sites
Poland is a country in Europe that is home to many world heritage sites, which are places that are protected because of their important history or cultural meaning. We've picked some of the most important Polish heritage facts for you.
113. The Old Town in Krakow is the most popular tourist destination and has lots of medieval houses and cobbled streets.
114. Krakow's Old Town was the first World Heritage listed place in Poland.
115. 10 million tourists visit the Old Town every year.
116. Wieliczka Salt Mine is one of the oldest salt mines in the world. The salt mine has underground lakes and a cathedral that people sometimes get married in.
117. Wieliczka Salt Mine is the only mining site in the world that has continuously been functioning since the middle ages.
118. The Wieliczka Salt Mine has chambers, hatchways and corridors made of salt.
119. Białowieża Forest is Poland's oldest national park. It is one of Europe's only ancient woodlands.
120. You might spot Oak trees at Białowieża Forest that are over 500 years old.
121. The largest castle in the world is in Malbork, and was built in the 13th century by the Teutonic Knights.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our interesting facts about Poland then why not take a look at these interesting facts about Wales, or check out some cool facts about Bolivia?
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An experienced Londoner, Emily loves to discover new and exciting places in the city, especially with her two younger brothers. She has a passion for fashion and design and is also involved in art charities that facilitate workshops for children with special needs and difficult home lives. Emily is a trained life coach and enjoys writing about general wellness, mindfulness, and healthy relationships.
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