Poland

Poland is the 69th largest country in the world and the 9th largest in Europe. With a population of over 38.5 million people (2007), Poland is the 34th most populous country in the world and the sixth most populous member of the European Union.

Poland's high-income economy is considered to be one of the healthiest of the post-Communist countries and is currently one of the fastest growing within the EU. In 2009 Poland had the highest GDP growth in the EU. According to a Credit Suisse report, Poles are the second wealthiest (after Czechs) of the Central European peoples.

Poland's capital, Warsaw, the 9th largest city in the EU, went through Old Town reconstruction after its wartime destruction and it offers a variety of attractions which are included on the UNESCO World Heritage List of 1980. Krakow was the former capital and a relic of Poland's Golden Age of Renaissance. It was named the European Capital of Culture by the European Union for the year 2000.

South of Krakow, there is the historic site of the Auschwitz, German's largest Extermination camp built during World War II where 1.1 million people were murdered, 90% of them were Jews.

Tourism in Poland contributes to the country's overall economy and makes up a relatively large proportion of the country's service market. It is the 17th most visited country in the world by foreign tourists (2012).

See more tourist information on Poland.