Poland

Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe.

Poland has a long history as a country. The first Polish state was established in 966, within territory very similar to the present boundaries of Poland. However, in the whole 19 Century, its territories had been divided between Russia, Prussia, and Austria.

Poland regained its independence in 1918 after World War I, but lost it again in World War II, occupied by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, emerging several years later as a communist country within the Eastern Bloc under the control of the Soviet Union. In 1989, communist rule was overthrown and Poland became what is informally known as the "Third Polish Republic". It’s the 6th most populous member state of the European Union.