Poland

Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It stretches from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south. Poland shares borders with Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukraine to the east, Slovakia and the Czech Republic to the south, and Germany to the west. The country has a varied landscape and a temperate climate.

Poland is made up of sixteen voivodeships and is the fifth most populous member state of the European Union, with over 38 million people. It is also the fifth largest EU country by land area. The capital and largest city is Warsaw, with other major cities including Kraków, Wrocław, Łódź, Poznań, and Gdańsk.

Historically, Poland has a rich past. The region has been home to humans since ancient times, and the West Slavic Polans tribe gave the country its name. Poland became a kingdom in 1025 and later formed a union with Lithuania, creating a large and powerful state. After facing difficult times, including partitions and World War II, Poland regained its independence in 1918. In 1989, it transitioned to a liberal democracy.

Today, Poland is a parliamentary republic and a middle power in Europe. It has a strong economy, high standard of living, and offers free university education and universal health care. Poland is also known for its historic sites, with many World Heritage Sites and national parks. It is a member of important international organizations such as the United Nations, NATO, and the European Union.

Etymology

Main article: Names of Poland

The name Poland, called Polska in its own language, comes from an old group of people called the Polans. They lived near the Warta River in a place called Greater Poland long ago. Their name likely came from an old word meaning “field,” showing that the land was flat.

Another old name for the country is Lechia, which is still used in some languages like Hungarian, Lithuanian, and Persian. This name might have come from a legendary leader named Lech or from another group of people called the Lendians. Both names were used to describe Poland in old times.

History

Main article: History of Poland

Prehistory and protohistory

The first early humans settled in what is now Poland about 500,000 years ago, but the harsh climate made it hard for them to stay long. Later, when the climate improved, more people arrived. During the Stone Age, people began to farm and make tools. One of the earliest examples of cheese-making was found in Poland, dating back to 5500 BC. There were also important discoveries like a very old drawing of a wheeled vehicle.

Kingdom of Poland

Main articles: History of Poland during the Piast dynasty, Baptism of Poland, and Kingdom of Poland

Poland started to become a country around the middle of the 10th century under a family called the Piasts. In 966, Poland’s leader, Mieszko I, chose to follow the Christian faith, which helped Poland connect with other Christian countries. Over time, Poland grew by taking land from nearby areas. There were some difficult times, like when leaders argued or when new rulers took over, but Poland kept growing.

The Golden Age

Main articles: History of Poland during the Jagiellonian dynasty and Polish Golden Age

In 1386, Poland joined with Lithuania, creating a large and strong country. This partnership helped both countries become more powerful and prosperous. Poland also fought important battles and made many cultural advances during this time. Leaders built beautiful buildings, supported artists, and made sure everyone could live together peacefully, even if they had different beliefs.

Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth

Main articles: History of Poland in the Early Modern era (1569–1795), Crown of the Kingdom of Poland, and Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth

In 1569, Poland and Lithuania formed a union that made them one country with a leader chosen by the people. This was a time of great wealth and culture for Poland. However, over time, problems grew, and the country began to weaken because of constant wars and internal conflicts.

Partitions

Main articles: History of Poland (1795–1918) and Partitions of Poland

In the late 1700s, Poland was divided and controlled by nearby countries. This was very hard for the Polish people, who tried many times to fight back and win their freedom. Even though they faced many challenges, their spirit never gave up.

Era of insurrections

Main articles: Austrian Partition, Prussian Partition, and Russian Partition

After Poland lost its independence, its people kept trying to reclaim it. There were many uprisings and battles led by brave leaders who wanted to bring back their country. Even though these efforts were not always successful, they showed the strong will of the Polish people to be free.

Second Polish Republic

Main articles: History of Poland (1918–1939), Battle of Warsaw (1920), and Second Polish Republic

After World War I, Poland became independent again. The country faced many challenges, including wars and political changes, but it worked hard to build a new government and society. Leaders worked to make sure Poland was strong and stable.

World War II

Main articles: History of Poland (1939–1945), Invasion of Poland, Military history of Poland during World War II, and War crimes in occupied Poland during World War II

World War II started when Germany invaded Poland in 1939. Poland was fought over by Germany and the Soviet Union, and many people suffered during this time. Despite the hardships, Polish people fought back through resistance movements and contributed greatly to the Allied forces. The war caused huge losses in Poland, with many lives lost and the country heavily damaged.

Post-war communism

Main articles: History of Poland (1945–1989), Polish People's Republic, History of Solidarity, and Polish Round Table Agreement

After World War II, Poland came under the control of a communist government supported by the Soviet Union. Life was difficult for many people, but there were times when small freedoms returned. In the 1980s, a movement called Solidarity fought for workers’ rights and eventually helped end communist rule in Poland.

Third Polish Republic

Main article: History of Poland (1989–present)

In the early 1990s, Poland changed from a communist country to a democracy with a free market economy. The country joined important organizations like NATO and the European Union, which helped it grow stronger and more connected to the rest of Europe. Poland continues to face new challenges and opportunities in the modern world.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Poland

Poland is a country in Central Europe. It has an area of 312,722 km² (120,743 sq mi), making it the ninth-largest country in Europe. Most of the land is flat in the north and central areas, but it becomes hilly and mountainous in the south.

The country has a long coastline along the Baltic Sea, with many sandy beaches and special natural areas. In the south, Poland has two major mountain ranges: the Sudetes in the west and the Carpathians in the east. The highest point in Poland is Rysy in the Tatra Mountains, which stands at 2,500 metres (8,202 ft). The lowest point is Marzęcino, which is 2.2 metres (7.2 ft) below sea level.

Poland has many rivers, with the Vistula being the longest. The country also has many lakes, especially in the northeastern region.

Main article: Geography of Poland § Climate

Poland has a temperate climate, meaning it has warm summers and cold winters. Summers are usually warm with temperatures around 20 °C (68 °F), while winters can be quite cold, averaging around −1.2 °C (29.8 °F). Some mountainous areas can get very cold in winter, dropping below −30 °C (−22 °F). Rain is more common in the summer, especially between June and September.

Main article: Geography of Poland § Biodiversity

Poland is home to many different plants and animals. Forests cover about 31% of the land, with common trees like oak, maple, beech, pine, spruce, and fir. Poland is known for its wildlife, including animals like the European bison, white stork, white-tailed eagle, Eurasian beaver, lynx, gray wolf, and Tatra chamois. The country has many protected areas, including 23 national parks, two of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Białowieża and Bieszczady.

Government and politics

Main article: Politics of Poland

Poland is a country where the people choose their leaders through voting. The president, who is chosen by popular vote, is the head of state. The prime minister, chosen by the president, is the head of government and leads the group of leaders called the Council of Ministers.

Poland’s parliament has two parts: the Sejm with 460 members and the Senate with 100 members. Members of the Sejm are chosen through a voting system where parties need to get at least 5% of the votes to have members in the Sejm. Senators are chosen one from each area of Poland. Both groups serve for four years and have rules to protect them from being punished for their work.

Main article: Administrative divisions of Poland

Poland is divided into 16 large areas called voivodeships. These areas are split into smaller parts called counties, and then into even smaller parts called municipalities. Big cities often are both a municipality and a county.

Main article: Law of Poland

Poland’s most important law is the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech, religion, and the right to gather. It also says people have the right to form groups and go on strikes. Poland’s courts include the Supreme Court and other special courts. Judges are chosen by a group called the National Council of the Judiciary and are appointed for life by the president.

Main articles: Foreign relations of Poland and List of diplomatic missions of Poland

Poland works closely with many countries. It is part of the European Union, NATO, and the United Nations. Poland has strong ties with the United States, Hungary, and France.

Main article: Polish Armed Forces

Poland’s military includes land, sea, air, special forces, and territorial defence groups. The president is the commander-in-chief during peacetime. Poland spends a lot on its military and is modernizing its forces. The country also helps keep peace around the world and has troops from the United States stationed there.

Main articles: Law enforcement in Poland, Emergency medical services in Poland, and State Fire Service

Poland has several groups that keep people safe, like the State Police and the Municipal City Guard. There are also emergency medical services and fire services to help during accidents or disasters. Poland does not often have natural disasters like earthquakes or hurricanes, but sometimes has floods. There are also special groups that work to stop crime and keep information safe.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Poland

Poland has a social market economy and is a strong economic power in East-Central Europe. As of 2025^[update], the country's economy is the sixth largest in the European Union by nominal standards, the fifth largest by purchasing power parity, and ranks 20th globally. It is one of the fastest growing economies in the Union and became a developed market in 2018. The unemployment rate was 2.8% in 2023, which was the second-lowest in the EU. About 62% of workers are in the service sector, 29% in manufacturing, and 8% in farming.

Poland is a leader in foreign direct investment in Europe and has many big companies in the region. The country's biggest firms are part of the WIG20 and WIG30 stock market indexes on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. Poland also has a large banking sector and was the only European country to avoid the recession of 2008. Since 2019, workers under 26 do not pay income tax.

Poland is the 19th largest exporter of goods and services in the world. Its main exports include cars, machinery, electronics, electric batteries, home appliances, furniture, cosmetics, and materials like silver, copper, steel, coal, zinc, tar, and coke. In 2023, Poland produced 1300 tonnes of silver, making it the 5th largest producer globally. As of 2025, Poland has the world's 12th largest gold reserve, estimated at 509 tonnes.

Tourism

Main article: Tourism in Poland

In 2020, tourism in Poland was worth 104.3 billion PLN, about 4.5% of the country's economy. Tourism helps a lot and supports many jobs. In 2021, Poland was the 12th most visited country in the world.

Poland has many places to visit, from mountains in the south to beaches on the Baltic Sea in the north. Famous spots include Old Towns in Kraków, Warsaw, Wrocław, Gdańsk, Poznań, Lublin, Toruń and Zamość. There are also museums, zoos, theme parks, and the Wieliczka Salt Mine with its tunnels, underground lake, and chapels made from rock salt. Poland has over 100 castles, including the huge one in Malbork. Nature lovers can visit places like the Masurian Lake District, Białowieża Forest, Karkonosze, the Table Mountains, the Pieniny, and the Tatra Mountains.

Transport

Main article: Transport in Poland

Poland has many ways to travel, including trains, roads, marine shipping, and air travel. It is an important place for transport because of its location in Central Europe. Poland has a good network of highways with express roads and motorways. As of August 2023, Poland has the world's 21st-largest road network, with over 5,000 km of highways. In cities, public transport like buses and trams is very popular. Poland makes many buses and trams and has big tram and light rail transit systems.

Poland has 19,393 kilometres of railway tracks, the third longest in the European Union. The Polish State Railways (PKP) runs most trains. Poland has many airports, with the biggest being Warsaw Chopin Airport. It is the main hub for LOT Polish Airlines, the country's flag carrier.

There are seaports along Poland's Baltic coast. Big ports include Świnoujście, Police, Szczecin, Kołobrzeg, Gdynia, Gdańsk and Elbląg. The Port of Gdańsk can handle big ocean ships. Polferries and Unity Line are big ferry companies.

Energy

Main article: Energy in Poland

Poland gets most of its electricity from coal. Coal mining is important for jobs and for making energy, but it also causes greenhouse gas emissions. Poland exports a lot of coal. The three biggest coal companies take out about 100 million tonnes of coal each year.

Poland plans to use less coal and lignite for energy by 2030. The plan includes building new nuclear plants, making energy use more efficient, and cleaning up the transport system. In March 2026, an application was made to build a nuclear power plant.

Science and technology

Main articles: Timeline of Polish science and technology and List of Polish Nobel laureates

Poland has a long history of important discoveries in science and technology. Maria Skłodowska-Curie was the first person to win two Nobel Prizes. Nicolaus Copernicus changed how we think about the Solar System by showing that the Sun, not the Earth, is at the centre.

Polish scientists have made big contributions to mathematics, with groups like the Lwów School of Mathematics and the Warsaw School of Mathematics. Poland was 39th in the Global Innovation Index in 2025. Many Polish scientists worked in other countries, such as Maria Skłodowska-Curie in France.

Demographics

Main articles: Demographics of Poland, List of cities and towns in Poland, Metropolitan areas in Poland, Polish people, and Polish diaspora

Poland has about 38.2 million people, making it the ninth-most populous country in Europe and the fifth-largest in the European Union. The country has a population density of 122 people per square kilometre. The average woman has about 1.2 children, which is among the lowest in the world. Poland’s population is getting older, with the average age being 42.2 years.

About 60% of people live in cities, while 40% live in the countryside. In 2020, half of Poles lived in houses and almost 44% lived in apartments. The biggest city is Warsaw, with about 1.8 million people in the city and around 2–3 million in the surrounding area. The Katowice area is the largest urban region, with between 2.7 million and 5.3 million people.

In the 2011 census, most people identified as Polish, with smaller groups like Silesian, Kashubian, and German. Some people did not specify their identity. Over 1.7 million Ukrainian citizens worked legally in Poland in 2017, and the number of foreign workers is growing.

According to the 2021 census, about 98.84% of people in Poland are ethnically Polish. The Holy Cross Voivodeship has the highest percentage of ethnic Poles, while the Silesian Voivodeship has the lowest.

Languages

Main articles: Polish language, Languages of Poland, and Bilingual communes in Poland

Polish is the official language of Poland and one of the official languages of the European Union. Almost 97% of people in Poland speak Polish as their first language. There are 15 minority languages, including Kashubian, which is spoken by about 100,000 people in northern regions. Some places in Poland have signs and names in two languages.

Religion

Main article: Religion in Poland

In 2021, about 71.3% of people in Poland identified as Catholic. Around 6.9% said they had no religion, and 20.6% did not answer this question.

Poland is known for its strong Catholic traditions, influenced by Pope John Paul II. However, fewer people are attending church services now compared to the past. The government allows people to practice any religion freely.

Health

Main article: Health in Poland

Poland has a healthcare system that provides medical care to everyone through insurance. Both public and private healthcare options are available. The average life expectancy is about 79 years, and the country has a low number of deaths among babies. The most common cause of death is heart disease.

Education

Main articles: Education in Poland and Universities in Poland

Poland’s first university, the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, was founded in 1364. The country has a strong education system, with primary school starting at age seven and lasting eight grades. Students can then choose between different types of secondary schools. Poland has many universities, including well-known ones in Warsaw, Wrocław, Poznań, and Gdańsk.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Poland

The culture of Poland is deeply tied to its rich 1,000-year history and plays an important role in Western civilisation. Poles are very proud of their national identity, often linked to the colors white and red. National symbols, especially the crowned white-tailed eagle, appear on clothing, signs, and emblems. Important architectural landmarks are protected by the National Heritage Board of Poland. Over 100 of the country's most important sites are listed on the Historic Monuments Register, with 17 recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites.

Holidays and traditions

See also: Christmas in Poland

Poland has 14 government-approved public holidays each year, including New Year on January 1, Three Kings' Day on January 6, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday, Labour Day on May 1, Constitution Day on May 3, Pentecost, Corpus Christi, Feast of the Assumption on August 15, All Saints' Day on November 1, Independence Day on November 11, and Christmastide from December 24 to 26.

Polish traditions and customs are unique compared to the rest of Europe. Although Christmas Eve (Wigilia) only became an official public holiday in 2025, it is the most important day of the year. On December 24, people decorate trees, place hay under the tablecloth to remember Jesus' manger, share Christmas wafers (opłatek), and enjoy a special meatless supper when the first star appears. An empty plate and seat are left for an unexpected guest. Sometimes, carolers go around smaller towns with a folk Turoń creature until Lent begins.

A popular treat on Fat Thursday, 52 days before Easter, is doughnuts and sweet pastries. On Easter Saturday, eggs are painted and placed in decorated baskets that are blessed in churches. Easter Monday features water fights as part of pagan dyngus traditions. Families visit cemeteries and graves on All Saints' Day to clean tombstones and light candles in respect.

Music and dance

Main article: Music of Poland

Frédéric Chopin was a famous classical composer and pianist.

Artur Rubinstein was one of the greatest concert pianists of the 20th century.

Polish classical music includes medieval and early-modern liturgical tradition, regional folk tunes, and a famous piano heritage. Leading classical artists include Frédéric Chopin, Artur Rubinstein, Ignacy Jan Paderewski, Krzysztof Penderecki, Henryk Wieniawski, Karol Szymanowski, Witold Lutosławski, and Stanisław Moniuszko. Poland has a lively music scene with genres like sung poetry and disco polo. Jazz and metal are also popular, and the country hosts major music festivals such as the Pol'and'Rock Festival, Open'er Festival, Opole Festival, and Sopot Festival.

Polish music dates back to 13th-century polyphonic compositions linked to the Notre Dame School. Famous anthems like Bogurodzica and God Is Born may also come from this time, though the first well-known composer, Nicholas of Radom, lived in the 15th century. In the 16th century, Venceslaus Samotulinus and Mikołaj Gomółka gained fame, and Diomedes Cato, an Italian lutenist at the court of Sigismund III, brought musical styles from southern Europe. By the late 18th century, Polish classical music developed into national forms, and Wojciech Bogusławski created the first Polish national opera in 1794. Halka and The Haunted Manor are classics of 19th-century Polish opera. The period between 1918 and 1939 saw the rise of jazz, foxtrot, Polish tango, and a strong cabaret culture.

Polish dance includes five national folk dances: the polonaise, mazurka, krakowiak (cracovienne), kujawiak, and oberek, along with various types of polkas. These dances are performed in traditional costumes for cultural events and accompanied by instruments such as the fiddle, bass, clarinet, and accordion across Poland, and by highlander bagpipes in the southern mountains. Since 2023, the polonaise has been added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List. Polish dances have also spread to the Nordic countries and evolved into the polska family of music and dance.

Art

Main articles: Art in Poland and Young Poland

Jan Matejko, a leading Polish history painter whose works show Poland's heritage and important historical moments

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Lady with an Ermine (1490) by Leonardo da Vinci is displayed in the Czartoryski Museum in Kraków.

Art in Poland has always followed European trends, with Polish painting focusing on folklore, Catholic themes, historicism, and realism, as well as Impressionism and romanticism. An important art movement was Young Poland, which began in the late 19th century to promote decadence, symbolism, and Art Nouveau. Since the 20th century, Polish documentary art and photography have gained worldwide recognition, especially the Polish School of Posters. One of Poland's most famous paintings is Lady with an Ermine (1490) by Leonardo da Vinci.

Well-known Polish artists include Jan Matejko (historicism), Jacek Malczewski (symbolism), Stanisław Wyspiański (art nouveau), Henryk Siemiradzki (Roman academic art), Tamara de Lempicka (art deco), and Zdzisław Beksiński (dystopian surrealism). Several Polish artists and sculptors were also important parts of avant-garde, constructivist, minimalist, and contemporary art movements, including Katarzyna Kobro, Władysław Strzemiński, Magdalena Abakanowicz, Alina Szapocznikow, Igor Mitoraj, and Wilhelm Sasnal.

Notable art schools in Poland include the Kraków Academy of Fine Arts, Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, Art Academy of Szczecin, University of Fine Arts in Poznań, and the Geppert Academy of Fine Arts in Wrocław. Contemporary works are shown at Zachęta, Ujazdów, and MOCAK art galleries.

Architecture

Main article: Architecture of Poland

St. Mary's Basilica on the Main Market Square in Kraków is an example of Brick Gothic architecture.

The 16th-century City Hall of Poznań shows the Renaissance style.

The architecture of Poland reflects European architectural styles, with strong historical influences from Italy, Germany, and the Low Countries. Towns founded under Magdeburg Law grew around central marketplaces (plac, rynek), surrounded by a grid or concentric network of streets forming an old town (stare miasto). Poland's traditional landscape includes ornate churches, city tenements, and town halls. Cloth hall markets (sukiennice) were once common in Polish cities. The southern mountains are known for the Zakopane chalet style, which started in Poland.

The earliest architectural style was Romanesque (around the 11th century), though its remains, like circular rotundas, are rare. The arrival of brick Gothic (around the 13th century) became Poland's most recognizable medieval style, seen in castles like Malbork, Lidzbark, Gniew, and Kwidzyn, as well as cathedrals in Gniezno, Gdańsk, Wrocław, Frombork, and Kraków. The Renaissance (16th century) brought Italian-style courtyards, defensive palazzos, and mausoleums. Decorative attics with pinnacles and arcade loggias are features of Polish Mannerism, found in Poznań, Lublin, and Zamość. Foreign craftsmen often worked for kings or nobles, building palaces in the Baroque, Neoclassical, and Revivalist styles (17th–19th century).

Main building materials like timber and red brick were widely used in Polish folk architecture, and fortified churches were common. Rural buildings such as dworek manor houses, farmsteads, granaries, mills, and country inns still exist in some areas or in open-air museums (skansen). However, traditional building methods declined in the early to mid-20th century with urbanization and the rise of functionalist housing estates and residential areas.

Literature

Main articles: Polish literature and History of philosophy in Poland

Adam Mickiewicz, whose national epic poem Pan Tadeusz (1834) is considered a masterpiece of Polish literature

Joseph Conrad, author of popular books such as Heart of Darkness (1899) and Nostromo (1904)

Poland's literary works often focus on themes like patriotism, spirituality, social allegories, and moral stories. The earliest Polish writings, in Latin, date back to the 12th century. The first Polish phrase Day ut ia pobrusa, a ti poziwai (meaning "Let me, I shall grind, and you take a rest") was recorded in the Book of Henryków and described the use of a quern-stone. It is now part of UNESCO's Memory of the World Register. The oldest surviving manuscripts in Old Polish are the Holy Cross Sermons and the Bible of Queen Sophia, while Calendarium cracoviense (1474) is Poland's oldest printed book.

Poets Jan Kochanowski and Nicholas Rey were the first Renaissance writers to use Polish. Key writers of that time included Dantiscus, Modrevius, Goslicius, Sarbievius, and theologian John Laski. In the Baroque period, Jesuit philosophy and local culture shaped the writing of Jan Andrzej Morsztyn (Marinism) and Jan Chryzostom Pasek (sarmatian memoirs). During the Enlightenment, playwright Ignacy Krasicki wrote the first Polish-language novel. Poland's top 19th-century romantic poets were the Three Bards: Juliusz Słowacki, Zygmunt Krasiński, and Adam Mickiewicz, whose epic Pan Tadeusz (1834) is a national treasure. In the 20th century, the English impressionist and early modernist writings of Joseph Conrad made him one of the greatest novelists ever.

Today's Polish literature is rich and varied, with the fantasy genre receiving much praise. The philosophical sci-fi novel Solaris by Stanisław Lem and The Witcher series by Andrzej Sapkowski are beloved worldwide. Poland has six Nobel-Prize winning authors: Henryk Sienkiewicz (Quo Vadis; 1905), Władysław Reymont (The Peasants; 1924), Isaac Bashevis Singer (1978), Czesław Miłosz (1980), Wisława Szymborska (1996), and Olga Tokarczuk (2018).

Cuisine

Main article: Polish cuisine

Poland's cuisine is diverse, with many regional styles, though it shares similarities with nearby countries. Popular dishes include pierogi (filled dumplings), kielbasa (sausage), bigos (hunter's stew), kotlet schabowy (breaded cutlet), gołąbki (cabbage rolls), barszcz (borscht), żurek (soured rye soup), oscypek (smoked cheese), and tomato soup. Bagels, a type of bread roll, began in Poland.

Traditional meals are hearty, often including pork, potatoes, eggs, cream, mushrooms, local herbs, and sauces. Polish food features many kinds of kluski (soft dumplings), soups, grains, and various breads and open sandwiches. Salads such as mizeria (cucumber salad), coleslaw, sauerkraut, carrot, and seared beets are common. Desserts like sernik (cheesecake), makowiec (poppy seed roll), and napoleonka (mille-feuille) cream pie are popular.

Traditional drinks include honey mead, available since the 13th century, beer, wine, and vodka. The first written record of vodka comes from Poland. Today, beer and wine are more popular than vodka. Grodziskie, known as "Polish Champagne," is a historic beer style from Poland. Tea has been common since the 19th century, and coffee since the 18th century.

Fashion and design

Further information: Category:Polish fashion

Polish designers and creators have made important contributions to beauty products and cosmetics. Helena Rubinstein and Maksymilian Faktorowicz started a cosmetics company in California called Max Factor, and Faktorowicz introduced the term "make-up." As of 2020, Poland had the sixth-largest cosmetics market in Europe. Inglot Cosmetics is the country's biggest beauty products company, and Reserved is its most successful clothing store chain.

Historically, fashion has been important to Poland's national identity, starting with poulaine pointed shoes in the 14th century and developing a unique style called Sarmatism in the late 17th century. Polish fashion and manners influenced the French court at Versailles, with French dresses inspired by Polish clothing like the robe à la polonaise and the witzchoura. This influence also included furniture, such as rococo Polish beds with canopies, which became popular in palaces. Sarmatism faded by the 18th century.

Cinema

Main article: Cinema of Poland

Poland's cinema began in 1894 when inventor Kazimierz Prószyński created the Pleograph and later the Aeroscope, the first successful handheld film camera. In 1897, Jan Szczepanik built the Telectroscope, an early prototype of a device that could send images and sounds. Both are considered pioneers of cinematography. Poland has produced famous directors, film makers, and actors, many based in Hollywood, including Roman Polański, Andrzej Wajda, Pola Negri, Samuel Goldwyn, the Warner brothers, Max Fleischer, Agnieszka Holland, Krzysztof Zanussi, and Krzysztof Kieślowski.

Polish films often explore history, drama, war, culture, and realism (film noir). In the 21st century, two Polish films won Academy Awards: The Pianist (2002) by Roman Polański and Ida (2013) by Paweł Pawlikowski. Polish cinema has also created many popular comedies, especially by Stanisław Bareja and Juliusz Machulski.

Media

Main article: Mass media in Poland

According to the Eurobarometer Report in 2015, 78 percent of Poles watch television every day. In 2020, 79 percent of people read news more than once a day, second only to Sweden. Poland has major media companies, including the public broadcaster TVP, free channels TVN and Polsat, and 24-hour news channels like TVP Info, TVN 24, and Polsat News. Public television offers special programs such as TVP Sport, TVP Historia, TVP Kultura, TVP Rozrywka, TVP Seriale, and TVP Polonia, the last dedicated to the Polish diaspora. In 2020, the most popular newspapers were tabloids and socio-political dailies.

Poland is a key place for video game creators, with successful companies like CD Projekt, Techland, The Farm 51, CI Games, and People Can Fly. Popular games from Poland include the The Witcher trilogy and Cyberpunk 2077. The city of Katowice hosts Intel Extreme Masters, one of the world's biggest esports events.

Sports

Motorcycle speedway, volleyball, and association football are very popular in Poland, with long histories in international competitions. Track and field, basketball, handball, boxing, MMA, ski jumping, cross-country skiing, ice hockey, tennis, fencing, swimming, and weightlifting are also widely enjoyed. Poland's golden age of football was in the 1970s and early 1980s, when the Polish national football team achieved its best results in FIFA World Cup competitions, finishing third in 1974 and 1982. The team won a gold medal in football at the 1972 Summer Olympics and two silver medals, in 1976 and in 1992. In 2012, Poland co-hosted the UEFA European Football Championship.

As of September 2024, the Polish men's national volleyball team is ranked first in the world. The team won a gold medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics and gold medals at the FIVB World Championship in 1974, 2014, and 2018. Mariusz Pudzianowski is a top strongman competitor who has won more World's Strongest Man titles than anyone else, winning in 2008 for the fifth time.

Poland has been strong in motorcycle speedway racing. The top Ekstraliga league has some of the highest average attendances of any sport in Poland. The national speedway team of Poland is among the best internationally. Poland has three Speedway Grand Prix World Champions, with Bartosz Zmarzlik being the most successful, winning back-to-back titles in 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, and 2024. In 2021, Poland was the runner-up in the Speedway of Nations world championship final in Manchester, England.

In recent years, tennis has grown in popularity, producing successful players such as World No. 1 Iga Świątek, winner of five Grand Slam singles titles; former World No. 2 Agnieszka Radwańska, winner of 20 WTA career singles titles including the 2015 WTA Finals; Top 10 ATP player Hubert Hurkacz; former World No. 1 doubles player Łukasz Kubot, winner of two Grand Slam doubles titles; and Jan Zieliński, winner of two Grand Slam mixed doubles titles. Poland also won the 2015 Hopman Cup with Agnieszka Radwańska and Jerzy Janowicz.

Polish athletes have achieved notable successes in mountaineering, especially in the Himalayas and in climbing the highest peaks in winter (eight-thousanders), such as Jerzy Kukuczka, Krzysztof Wielicki, and Wanda Rutkiewicz. Poland's mountains attract many visitors each year for hiking, climbing, skiing, and mountain biking. Water sports are popular in the summer, especially fishing, canoeing, kayaking, sailing, and windsurfing in the northern part of the country.