Do you know that Poland...?
Vodka, pierogi and Pope - most of you would use only those three words to describe Poland. That's a pity because Poland has much more to offer! Yes, I can share some facts: Poland is a country situated in the centre of Europe and shares borders with 7 countries. In the north it has the Baltic Sea and in the south the Tatra Mountains. But what are the really interesting and surprising facts about Poland and Poles? Well, let me enumarate just a few of them:
- Geographically, Poland is not in the Eastern Europe. It is in the very centre of Europe.
- Poland is the 9th largest country in Europe.
- 90% of Poles completed at least secondary education.
- "Poland" originates from the tribe "Polanie" (people living in the fields).
- Poles eat pizza with ketchup.
- Poles marry the youngest in Europe.
- Poland boasted 17 Nobel prize winners (including 4 Peace Prizes and 5 Literature Prizes).
- Nicolaus Copernicus was the first person to propose that Earth was not the centre of the Universe.
- Jan Heweliusz published the earliest exact maps of the Moon.
- Nearly 35% of the 60 mln Poles live abroad.
- Polish constitution was first in Europe and second in the world.
- Poland has been invaded or has fought for freedom in insurrections for 43 times (1600-1945).
- Watching "Home Alone" is for many Poles a Christmas tradition.
- Polish alphabet consists of 32 letters.
- One man reads all the parts, even of women and children, when a foreign movies are dubbed for Polish TV. The viewers the original English soundtrack in the background.
- Max Factor was founded by a Pole Maksymilian Faktorowicz.
- Polish students invented The Modern Drug Test, an app for smartphones which detects presence of drugs in human body.
- "Fashion TV" was founded by a Pole Michel Adam Lisowski.
- The Ottoman Empire was the only major country which did not recognize the Partition of Poland.
- Poland is wolrd's biggest amber importer.
- Poland boasts the most winners of the "World's Strongest Man" title.
- Poland is the few countries in the world, where courteous hand-kissing is still a common practice.
- Poles are the biggest number of people to rescue Jews (around 450000) from deaths during Holocaust.
- Poland was the only European country which never officially collaborated with Nazis at any level and Poland never officially surrendered to Germany.
- Beer is often served with raspberry or blackcurrant juice and drunk using a straw.
- "Name Day" is considered more important than one's birthday.
- One third of Poland is covered with forests.
- The biggest section of grocery stores in Poland is the candy section.
- Krakow Jagellonian University is the oldest in Poland and second oldest in Europe.
- Poland’s capitals have been Gniezno, Poznan, Krakow and finally – Warsaw.
Can't wait to visit Poland, right? :)
Beata Jaranowska
