Landscape
The natural landscape of Poland can be broadly divided into three relief groups: lowlands, highlands, and mountains.
The eastern extremes of Poland are typical for eastern Europe, while the rest of the country is more like western Europe by climate, structure and the character of its vegetation.
Poland is a relatively low-lying country. 91.3 percent of its territory lies below 300 m above sea level.
The highest point is Mt Rysy in the Tatras (2499 m), while the lowest point is located west of the village of Raczki Elbląskie (1.8 m below sea level).
There are three main mountain ranges in Poland: the Carpathians, the Sudetan Mountains, and the Góry Świętokrzyskie (Holy Cross Mountains).
The longest rivers are the Vistula (1047 km), Oder (854 km), Warta (808 km), Bug (772 km), Narew (484 km), San (443 km), Noteć (388 km), Pilica (319 km), Wieprz (303 km) and the Bóbr (272 km).
Poland has some 9,300 lakes with surface areas over 1 ha; they make up 1 percent of the country's territory. The largest is Lake Śniardwy (11,383 ha) in the Mazurian Lake District, and the deepest is Lake Hańcza (108.5 m) north of Suwałki.
The structure of the relief can be divided more specifically into a series of four distinct zones.
To the north lie the marshes and the dunes of the Baltic sea;
To the south is a belt of morainic stretch with thousands of lakes, the southernmost border of which marks the limit of the last ice sheet.
In the the center of Poland is the third zone, which includes the central lowlands. This is the site of agriculture in places where the loess was deposited above the relatively sterile soils.
The fourth zone is composed of the mountains and highlands to the south; though limited in size, it offers a most spectacular landscape. Along the southernmost border of the country are the Sudety mountains and the Carpathian ranges and their foothills.

Climate
Poland has a moderate climate with both continental and maritime elements. This is due to humid Atlantic air which collides over its territory with dry air from the Eurasian interior.
The average annual temperature ranges from 7 deg. C (44.6 F) in the hilly Pomeranian and Masurian lake districts and in the uplands to 10 deg. C (50 F) in the belt of the sub-Carpathian basins, the Silesian Lowland and the Wielkopolska Lowland. The hottest month is July with the average temperature standing at 17.5 deg. C (63.5 F). The hottest area is central Poland, with the temperatures exceeding 18 deg. C (64.5 F). Hot days, when the temperature exceeds 28 deg. C (82 F) and over, occur from May to September. The coldest month in Poland is January. Sub-zero temperatures are recorded between November and March.
The lowest temperatures ever recorded in Poland were -41 deg. C (41.8 F) in Siedlce (in 1940). The highest temperature, +40.2 deg. C (104.5 F), was recorded near Opole in 1921.

Time zone
Poland is in the Central European Time Zone. Central European Standard Time (CET) is 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+1).

Tradition
Traditions are followed in Poland perhaps more than among other nations. Although modern lifestyles draw heavily on the Western culture, many old Polish traditions are still alive and kicking.
The love of the old days is particularly strong on typical family occasions: weddings, baptisms or funerals.
Poles love to entertain guests. Although the ancient practice of entertaining guests for weeks on end has long been forgotten, the first commandment of Polish hospitality is still observed, that you should always find the means to make your guests feel welcome. Nothing is begrudged one’s guests, even if it may cause you financial grief later.
Poles also maintain certain customs which other nations regard as slightly unfashionable. One of the most peculiar social rituals, kissing a woman’s hand, is an old court custom which originated in Spain. Forgotten in Spain, still alive in Poland.
Family gatherings are still the most important events in the lives of many Poles. The traditional Polish wedding is preceded by an engagement ceremony, where the union is blessed by the couple’s parents. Today, the bride no longer has her plaited hair cut off; it is enough for her just to cast off her veil and throw her bouquet to the crowd of unmarried female guests.
Perhaps the most important occasion for demonstrating respect for traditional values is the Polish Christmas. Many customs, ceremonies and beliefs centre around Christmas Eve, a special day in Polish homes. An important element contributing to its dignified atmosphere are the Christmas decorations, notably a beautifully adorned Christmas tree.
However, Poland remains an almost universally Catholic country, watched over by Mother Mary of Czestochowa, sometimes called the Queen of Poland. Every year in early August, pilgrims set off to her Sanctuary on Jasna Gora in order to take part in the celebratory mass on August 15, the Feast of the Assumption. The pilgrims travel on foot, sometimes for hundreds of miles. They believe that the Black Madonna, who more than 350 years ago protected the Jasna Gora monastery from the invading Swedes, will be merciful to them, too.
In their majority Poles are practicing believers. In Silesia, Podhale and the Lublin region, more than half the inhabitants claim to attend mass every week. In Lodz and Warsaw, one in five people go to church.
However, Poland remains an almost universally Catholic country, watched over by Mother Mary of Czestochowa, sometimes called the Queen of Poland. Every year in early August, pilgrims set off to her Sanctuary on Jasna Gora in order to take part in the celebratory mass on August 15, the Feast of the Assumption. The pilgrims travel on foot, sometimes for hundreds of miles. They believe that the Black Madonna, who more than 350 years ago protected the Jasna Gora monastery from the invading Swedes, will be merciful to them, too.

Stereotypes
God, honour, country – this has been the motto of many generations of Poles who have fought for independence, not only their own, but also that of other friendly nations. Poles are always eager to rush to defend others, valiant and loyal.
Like all Slavic people, Poles are emotional and sentimental; they approach life with zest, but also with a certain amount of diffidence. They will do anything for the family and friends – Poles would give them the last shirt off our backs. Polish men are gallant and flamboyant - they will open doors for women and kiss their hands.
Polish women are – of course – the most beautiful in Europe. But they are also exceptionally resourceful.
Although Poles have suffered at the hands of fate, history and powerful neighbours, they are proud of being Polish, whether they live in Poland or anywhere in the world. Poles can be found in the remotest corners of the world and the Polish diaspora is believed to be about 27 million strong.

Did you know...? (famous Poles)
If it hadn’t been for the Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus and his paper “On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres”, modern Europe would have continued much longer in the belief that the Sun orbits the Earth. Today, his name is given to universities, observatories, space probes and even craters on the Moon and Mars. Here are more great Polish names which have made history.
John Paul II, Karol Wojtyla (1920-2005) was born, educated and ordained in Poland. The pontificate of JPII was characterized by openness to dialogue with the world and active spiritual work. He was the first in the history of the Church to hold prayer meetings with all religions.
Frederic Chopin – one of the greatest pianists of the 19th century – created a playing style which is still copied by musicians around the world, including those who come to Poland to perform at Chopin festivals.
Another pioneer in her field was Maria Sklodowska-Curie (Marie Curie), the first woman to become a doctor of physics and a professor at the Sorbonne. She discovered polonium and radium and did research into radioactivity and its use in cancer treatment. Twice awarded the Nobel Prize, she eventually died of leukaemia.
Other Polish Nobel prize winners include: Henryk Sienkiewicz, Wladyslaw Reymont, Czeslaw Milosz, Lech Walesa and Wislawa Szymborska.

Source: excerpts from the Polish National Tourist Office (POT) 2009