From Europe’s oldest restaurant to the world’s largest castle by land area, these are the most interesting facts about Poland.
Fast facts
Official name: Republic of Poland
Population: 38 million
Area: 312,685 sq km
Capital city: Warsaw
Major languages: Polish, Silesian
Major religions: Christianity
Time zone: UTC+1 (Central European Time)
Interesting facts about Poland
1. Poland is a country in Central Europe that borders Belarus, the Czech Republic, Germany, Lithuania, Slovakia, and Ukraine.
2. Poland gets its name from the Polanians, a Slavic tribe that united the tribes in the region during the 9th and 10th centuries AD. The tribe’s name probably comes from the Slavic word pole, meaning field or plain, in relation to the flat nature of the country.
3. Poland can trace its roots back over 1,000 years to 966, when Duke Mieszko I founded the Polish state.
4. During the Second World War, Poland suffered enormous losses after it was invaded by both Germany and Russia. Estimates suggest as many as six million Poles died during the war – 18% of the population. This included up to three million Polish Jews murdered by the Germans in the Holocaust.
5. Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland was the largest German Nazi concentration camp and extermination center. Over 1.1 million people were killed there between 1940 and 1945.
6. Poland has a simple flag made up of equal red and white stripes. It is very similar to the flags of Indonesia and Monaco, which are identical, only the red is at the top.
7. During the 16th century, Poland was the largest state in Europe and one of the continent’s most powerful nations.
8. From 1945 to 1989, Poland was known as the Polish People’s Republic when it was part of the Soviet-run Warsaw Pact military alliance.
9. The world’s largest castle by land area is in Poland. Malbork Castle was built in the 13th century and is 52 acres (0.2 sq km).
10. Poland is home to Europe’s oldest restaurant. Located in Wroclaw’s Main Square, the Piwnica Świdnicka inn has been operating since 1273.
11. Poland has the world’s 14th-highest minimum wage at $8.17 per hour ($17,048.88 per year).
12. The world’s first upside-down house was built in Poland. The usual attraction was built in 2007 with 1970s-inspired decor to reflect how life in Communist Poland turned the world upside down.
13. Poland has a copy of the original Gutenberg Bibles. Only 180 copies were printed, and only 48 still exist today.
14. Vodka was invented in Poland (maybe). It is claimed that during the eighth century, Polish peasants made vodka by freezing wine. However, numerous other countries also make similar claims.
15. Warsaw, Poland’s capital city, was almost completely destroyed during the Second World War. German dictator Adolf Hitler ordered the destruction of the city, leaving 850,000 civilians dead and 85% of the city in ruins.
16. Nicolaus Copernicus, known as the father of modern astronomy, was from Poland. In 1543, he became the first European scientist to suggest that the Earth and other planets revolve around the sun.
17. Poland had Europe’s first constitution. The adoption of the Constitution of 3 May 1791 by the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth is widely believed to be Europe’s first and the world’s second (after the USA in 1788).
18. There is a desert in Poland. The Błędowska Desert is central Europe’s largest buildup of loose sand in an inland area. The sand was brought by a glacier thousands of years ago, but aggressive logging and mining in the area has made it almost impossible for plants to grow.
19. Poland has had 18 Nobel Prize winners, including Marie Curie, who won it twice: for Physics in 1903 and Chemistry in 1911. The latest was Olga Tokarczuk who won the 2018 Nobel Prize for Literature.
20. Latex condoms were invented by Pole Julius Fromm. After moving to Germany, Fromm patented the invention in 1916 and started producing it on a large scale after the First World War.
21. One of the world’s oldest operating salt mines is in Poland. The UNESCO-listed Wieliczka Salt Mine was first excavated in the 13th century and was continuously producing salt until 1996. Today, it is a tourist attraction visited by over two million people a year.
22. the Polish are the 17th biggest drinkers in the world, consuming an average of 11.71 litres of alcohol per person per year.
23. Poland is home to the largest population of European Bison – Europe’s largest and heaviest land mammal. Approximately 900 reside in the Białowieża Forest, representing almost 25% of the world’s total population.
24. Poland had the world’s tallest structure from 1974 to 1991. The Warsaw Radio Mast was 646.38m (2,120ft) high and the world’s tallest structure until its collapse in 1991 during maintenance.
25. Today, Poland is home to the European Union’s tallest building. The Varso Tower in Warsaw is 310m (1,017ft) high.
26. Poland’s population has declined in recent years, and it had the world’s lowest recorded net migration at 910,475 in 2023. The negative number indicates that 910,475 more people left Poland than those who moved into the country.
27. Foreign movies and television series in Poland are not subtitled but dubbed, usually by just one man – known as a lektor – reading parts of everyone, including women and children.
Every effort has been made to verify these facts about Poland using primary sources. However, if you find an error or have any questions, please contact us.
Caitriona Maria is an education writer and owner of The Facts Institute. A teacher for seven years, she has been committed to providing students with the best learning opportunities possible, both domestically and abroad. Dedicated to unlocking students' potential, Caitriona has taught English in several countries and continues to explore new cultures through her travels.