Poland is one of the largest countries in Central and Eastern Europe. With an area of 312,680 km² it ranks as the ninth largest country in Europe, making up almost 3% of the continent’s total area (and equating almost 10% of the area of the EU). It has almost 39 million inhabitants. 

Poland borders Russia, Lithuania, Belarus and the Ukraine in the north and east, the Slovak and Czech Republic in the south, and Germany in the west. Its capital is Warsaw, inhabited by almost 2 million people. Other main cities are Cracow (historic capital and main cultural centre), Gdansk (largest port), Lodz (textile centre), Poznan, Katowice and Wrocław.

The country is divided into 16 provinces (voivodships) with significant self-governing powers. These are in turn divided into 308 counties (poviats) and 2,489 communes (gminas).

• Climate: The climate in Poland can change abruptly during the different seasons from year to year, as we speak of a continental climate. The average temperatures are between the -5ºC in January to 20ºC in July, with the minimum and maximum temperatures varying from - 20ºC to 35ºC.
• Time zone: Middle European time, (GMT + 1, summer time GMT + 2)
• Language: Polish; business languages in addition to Polish: English, German.
• Telephone calls: international dialling code - 0048
• Working hours: offices and banks mostly 8.00 - 19.00

shops and post offices until 19.00 ( in the Centrum 24 hours)

on Saturdays, shops and some post offices 8.00 - 14.00

on Sundays and holidays, only a few shops are open

• Payments:      banks and hotels accept all convertible currencies, traveller’s checks and major credit cards
• Currency:       1 Polish złoty ( PLN) = 100 groszy                 1 EURO  = 3,99 PLN
• Speed limit:   motorways (autobahns) 130 km/h, other roads 90 km/h, urban areas 50 km/h