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Home , Polans (eastern), Polans (western), Poles

CultureGramsTM Republic of World Edition 2020

In the late 14th century, Polish life and culture flourished BACKGROUND under King Kazimierz the Great. Poland combined with in the late to form a mighty empire, Land and Climate which was a major power in . The name Polska (Poland) means “land of fields.” The name Poland's 1791 , the second in the world, was also refers to a Slavic called the , who inhabited patterned after the U.S. Constitution and gave protection Poland in the 700s. The northern and central landscape is to the serfs. Political infighting among the ruling nobles and dominated by the North European Plain, a flat expanse that other factors weakened the monarchy, and in 1795, Poland extends from across Poland to and . was invaded and partitioned by , , and . Impressive mountains run along the southern border: the For the next 125 years of foreign occupation, the Roman Tatry (in the Carpathians) and Sudety ranges are and Polish exiles preserved Polish identity home to skiing and resort areas. Forests (both deciduous and and culture. coniferous) cover nearly one-third of the land. Over one-third II and the Soviet Era of the total land area is suitable for cultivation. Poland became a again in 1918, at the end of World Poland's location and flat terrain have made it vulnerable War I. However, the country had little chance to stabilize, as to territory-seeking armies throughout history, and its borders the German army invaded in 1939. Within days of the have changed several times. Its total land area today is about German invasion to the west, the Soviets invaded from the the size of Côte d'Ivoire or the U.S. state of New . east, and Poland was again partitioned. More than six million The climate is temperate, with mild summers; however, it died during World War II, including three million is susceptible to extreme temperature variations within short Polish who died in . periods of time. Winters are generally cold, and precipitation When Germany was defeated, the Soviets were given is common throughout the year. The Poles say one must administrative control over the regions liberated from German always carry an umbrella because the weather can change occupation. Questionable elections brought a Soviet-backed instantly. Air and water pollution, as well as deforestation, communist government to power in 1947. The country's threaten the country's natural beauty. political system came to be patterned after that of the , with some exceptions (such as allowing some private History ownership of land and allowing the practice of religion). Slavic Settlements and Foreign Occupation The Solidarity Labor Union The Poles are descendants of a Slavic people who settled In 1981, following a series of crippling strikes and the between the and rivers before the time of Christ. formation and activity of the Solidarity labor union the King adopted the Roman Catholic faith in AD 966. previous year, General Wojciech Jaruzelski declared martial

1 TM CultureGrams Poland law and jailed many Solidarity leaders. The government taken on greater control of Poland's courts. The ruling outlawed Solidarity. Martial law was lifted in 1983, and Lech government claims they are overhauling a corrupt system, but Wałęsa, the leader of the still-outlawed Solidarity union, critics argue that the right-wing government is becoming received the in recognition of his efforts to authoritarian. Despite widespread protests and EU warnings, win freedom and a better standard of living for the Polish many government changes have taken hold. people. •Assassination: In January 2019, Gdansk mayor Paweł In April 1989, the government legalized Solidarity and Adamowicz was fatally stabbed at a charity event by a man implemented government changes. In June, many Solidarity who shouted slogans against the Civic Platform party, of members won parliamentary seats, and Solidarity official which Adamowicz was once a member. The assassination, Tadeusz Mazowiecki became prime minister. The new which was caught on live television, triggered national democratic government began moving toward a market outrage and prompted discussions about the role of divisive economy. A bold economic program, referred to as “shock rhetoric in the nation's political discourse. In recent years, therapy,” was instituted in 1990. It caused prices to rise Poland has been torn by sharp political divisions between the sharply and led to high unemployment. ruling right-wing Law and Justice party and the opposition Political Transitions and the center-right Civic Platform party. Jaruzelski resigned to speed political reform, and voters elected Wałęsa president in late 1990. After nearly a year in power, Wałęsa came under increasing criticism for THE PEOPLE unemployment and economic recession. He eventually lost parliamentary support for his economic reforms. Former Population communists gained control of parliament in 1993 and slowed Urbanization is relatively high in Poland. Over 1.7 million the course of economic reform. people live in , the country's capital. The country is In November 1995, former communist official Aleksander homogeneous: almost 97 percent of residents are of Polish Kwaśniewski narrowly defeated Wałęsa in runoff presidential origin. Other minority groups include , , and elections, promising to work toward European Union (EU) . Until the Holocaust, Jews were a significant and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Poland; most large cities had Jewish membership. In March 1999, Poland, , and the Czech communities. Today, it is not uncommon for Poles to Republic formally joined NATO. An uncompetitive emigrate to other countries in search of better-paying jobs. agricultural system, high unemployment, and corruption were obstacles to EU membership, but the country was Language incorporated in May 2004. Polish is the official language. Smaller ethnic groups may In April 2010, President Lech Kaczyński and 96 others, also speak their own languages. Though a Slavic tongue, including many government and military leaders, were killed Polish uses a modified alphabet; a few unique in a plane crash en route to an event in Russia marking the characters look like Latin letters with accent markings but are anniversary of a World War II massacre. Bronisław distinct letters. Written Polish emerged in the 12th century but Komorowski, speaker of parliament, took over as acting did not flourish until the 16th century, when it began to president. Political controversy continues as many in Poland overtake Latin, used by the ruling class. question what caused the disaster; many believe that the real Although Polish was banned during partition periods, cause of the crash has been covered up. Poles around the world preserved it as a matter of patriotism. In early 2012, a Polish court found the 1981 anti-Solidarity Until 1989, Russian was taught, but it fell out of favor due to martial-law ruling by communist leaders to be a criminal act. anti-Russian sentiment; after briefly gaining traction as a The trial lasted for about four years, and several of the former language of business communication, it became less popular communists on trial were too old to attend court or serve their after Russia’s annexation of Crimea in Ukraine in 2014. sentences. Like several other former Soviet , Poland English and German are popular second languages, an did not seek accountability from former communist leaders indication of the influence of Western culture and Germany's for past crimes until over a decade after the fall of the USSR. proximity to many Polish centers of commerce. Recent Events and Trends •Parliamentary elections: In October 2015, the conservative Religion Law and Justice party won more than 37 percent of the vote, The majority of Poles (about 86 percent) belong to the Roman allowing it to take control of the government from the ruling Catholic Church, which has had great influence in the country center-right Civic Platform party. The victory, which came since Poland was Christianized in the 10th century. Most months after Law and Justice candidate Andrzej Duda won Poles consider themselves practicing Catholics, although not the presidency, marked a continued shift to the political right. all Catholics regularly attend Mass or abide by the church's The Law and Justice party campaigned for higher wages and precepts. a return to more traditional values. Catholic ceremonies (baptism, First Communion, •Judicial overhaul: In September 2018, President Duda weddings, and funerals) are marked with elaborate family appointed a new batch of Supreme Court judges after forcing gatherings. Because the Catholic Church is a strong and about a third of the Supreme Court's judges into retirement. unified entity, it has played an important nationalistic and Since coming to power, the ruling Law and Justice party has patriotic role in the past, championing the causes of the

2 TM CultureGrams Poland people. Former Catholic John Paul II was a native Pole. shake hands. Close friends greet by kissing the right, left, and Catholicism's influence in Poland is being debated. Some then right cheeks. At social and business gatherings, Poles Poles prefer that laws and social customs remain secular, greet each guest personally, women first. Middle-aged and while others would like them to more fully reflect Catholic older men sometimes greet a woman by kissing her hand. values. When introducing a man, one uses Pan(Mr.) before the Other churches represented in Poland include the last name; for a woman, the term isPani (Mrs.). One Orthodox faith (mainly the Polish Autocephalous Orthodox addresses a professional person by title and last name. The Church), various Protestant faiths, and the Uniate faith (a title is used alone in formal conversation or in business. combination of Russian Orthodox practices and loyalty to Between adults, first names are used only by mutual consent. papal authority). Small numbers of Jews and live in Friends greet each other with Cześć, a way of saying “Hi.” Poland. Foreign missionaries are also present. Other informal greetings includeHej (both “Hello” and “Good-bye”) andNa razie (See you later). Common greetings General Attitudes includeDzień dobry (Good day),Dobry wieczór (Good Polish people value individualism, practicality, and evening), andDo widzenia (Good-bye).Dziękuję (Thank you) self-reliance (exercised on an extended-family level). They often precedes an answer about how one is doing. place great emphasis on the family, tradition, and education. Poles are generally outspoken, especially in private circles. Gestures They are straightforward and realistic, sometimes cynical. Poles often use gestures while conversing, either to People value generosity and do not highly regard those who emphasize a point or express . Poles hold both are not willing to share their time, resources, or power. thumbs in closed fists to wish others good luck. Winking one Poles are proud of their cultural heritage and their ability eye indicates that the words just spoken are not quite true or to survive war, territory losses, and subordination to other may be a joke. nations. During periods of foreign domination, the Poles Personal space tends to be close. Young females who are looked to their heritage as proof that they were not a close friends often hold hands while walking. Passengers conquered or subordinate people. Prior to World War II, the usually help the elderly and mothers with baby carriages get Polish noble class considered itself better than the occupying on and off buses or trams. Discourteous people are called forces, which gave Poles the desire to maintain their culture primatywny (primitive). and language. Poland's new democracy and transition to a free market Visiting have tarnished some hopes. Many Poles express concern that Unannounced visits are common among friends and relatives, they did not expect freedom to be so painful. Still, despite particularly in rural areas where telephones are less common. many of the poor having been better off under communism, Unarranged visits generally do not last more than a few hours. only a minority expresses a desire to return to the old system. More formal, longer visits are arranged in advance. Poles Most recognize the potential of a free-market economy. often invite friends over for dinner, cake and tea, or alcoholic drinks like beer. They also like to have formal parties on Personal Appearance special occasions. Sunday or weekend family gatherings Men and women, especially those in urban areas, like to be occur regularly. Weekend visits may last until 6 a.m. in areas well dressed in public. Many Polish women pay careful where buses do not run between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. attention to their appearance. Polish men generally dress People remove their shoes when entering a home. For even conservatively, while younger women follow European a brief arranged visit, guests customarily give hosts a bottle of styles. Businesspeople tend to wear conservative suits or wine or vodka or an odd number of flowers (an even number dresses, although some companies have a more casual dress is for sad occasions). They unwrap flowers before giving code that allows jeans and tennis shoes. them to the hostess. Red roses express romantic feelings. Denim jeans are especially common among young people White chrysanthemums are reserved for wakes or funerals. and in academic and artistic circles. Jackets and caps with Guests are nearly always offered tea or coffee; it is U.S. college or sports-team emblems are popular. Older rural common to politely refuse at first and then accept when the women continue to wear scarves around their heads, full hosts insist. Guests may be entertained at akawiarnia (café), skirts, and thick stockings. Clothing is expensive, so some which offers pastries, coffee, and its own specialties. Such Poles make their own clothes; secondhand stores are also visits often last several hours. However, people more popular. Children are expected to be clean and well-groomed commonly entertain in the home because going out is in school. expensive.

Eating CUSTOMS AND COURTESIES Although schedules are changing with society, Poles generally eat breakfast between 6:30 and 8 a.m. Many people Greetings eat a second breakfast (e.g., a sandwich) around 10 a.m. Some Adult males and teenagers usually greet each other with a families expect to gather for the main meal at 3 p.m. and handshake. Women usually kiss or hug when greeting friends; enjoy the lighter evening meal (coffee or tea and sweet rolls when meeting another woman for the first time, they usually or sandwiches) between 6 and 8:30 p.m.

3 TM CultureGrams Poland Poles eat in the continental style, with the fork in the left education, start their own businesses, and run for government hand and the knife in the right. They keep both hands (but not offices. the elbows) above the table during the meal. Conversation during and after the meal is normal, and it is considered Housing impolite to leave the table before all have finished dining. It is Urban customary to leave a small amount of food on the plate to Many Poles still live in Soviet-era apartment blocks made of indicate that one's hunger has been satisfied. grey concrete with ten or more storeys. Soviet-era apartments In restaurants, one requests the bill from the waiter and tend be smaller than new apartment buildings. In major cities, pays at the table. Tips are not generally expected, but if given, the trend is toward Western-style apartment buildings, which they should be included with payment of the bill. The host have larger living units, are made from brick rather than may toast a guest with vodka or wine, served between concrete, and are typically shorter (four to five storeys tall). courses. It is appropriate for the guest to return the gesture Families usually own the apartments they live in and pass later in the meal. them down to subsequent generations. Apartment owners generally pay their building's housing association, which manages the building and handles shared utilities (such as LIFESTYLE garbage disposal). Most apartments have a balcony. Small flower beds can be Family found immediately outside an apartment block, and apartment Structure dwellers usually have access to town gardens for more The family is Poland's most important social unit. Poles have extensive gardening. a strong sense of loyalty to their families, especially regarding In recent years, a rise in construction has strained cities' older family members. The average family has one child, infrastructures as roads, sewers, and heating systems struggle although rural families often have three or four. Less than 10 to keep up with demands. As housing prices rise, many percent of Polish children grow up in single-parent families. people are choosing to live outside the bigger cities. Although single parents may face some religious stigma for Rural divorcing or having a child out of wedlock, they are generally Free-standing houses, more prevalent in rural and suburban accepted in society. areas, are almost exclusively made of brick. A detached house While in the past the extended family provided an is a symbol of high status, indicating wealth and prestige. It important support network, these relationships have changed can take years to build a house, because the owners must in recent years as families are more spread out and the nuclear either do everything themselves or hire individual people to family becomes the primary focus. Although these bonds do each task (install plumbing, wire for electricity, etc.). have in many ways loosened, extended families remain close Interiors and often gather to celebrate holidays. Because apartments are typically small (one to two Parents and Children bedrooms), parents often sleep in the living room on a bed Polish parents generally demand obedience yet want their that is converted to a couch by day, while children share a children ultimately to be independent and self-disciplined. bedroom. Furnishings are generally basic and traditional. Children are given considerable responsibility from an early Most homes have modern appliances such as refrigerators and age. Because both parents usually work outside the home, microwaves. Washing machines are usually located in the children often fix their own breakfasts and go to school by bathroom because most models hook up to the tap before themselves. Older children often care for younger siblings, running. Walls are often wallpapered, and many people clean, and sometimes cook. decorate with paintings. Children often live at home until they marry or start a family, though many prefer to move out once they finish Dating and Marriage secondary school, often to attend a university in another city. Dating and Courtship Parents usually expect to support their children until they are Young people meet at school, sports activities, and clubs and financially independent, and parents may continue to help through mutual friends. It is common for young people to financially by paying expenses such as fees for their date multiple people before settling down with one partner. grandchildren's extracurricular activities. Most couples date for at least a year before becoming serious. Some elderly people struggle to support themselves solely Engagement on their pensions. Grown children may help support them if Traditionally, when a couple wished to become engaged, the possible. The elderly often live with their adult children and man asked the woman's parents for permission to marry her; provide child care for grandchildren. Rest homes are however, this practice is becoming much less common. Now relatively rare in Poland. the man usually purchases an engagement ring to give to the Gender Roles woman. Breaking off an engagement is seen as a serious The father was traditionally a dominant authority figure and decision. Long engagements are common, and some couples the main breadwinner. Today, nearly half of all women work reserve a venue for the wedding reception years in advance. outside the home, and most couples make family decisions Marriage in Society together. However, women are still responsible for most of Some young people who start working after the minimum the homemaking. A growing number of women pursue higher required schooling might marry early, usually between ages

4 TM CultureGrams Poland 18 and 20 for women and around age 21 for men. However, may also bring sweets to represent hope for a sweet life for most people do not marry until their late 20s, waiting until the baby. after they have completed their technical or university A child's godparents (kumor chrzestny for “godfather” and educations and have entered the job market. Despite growing kumaor chrzestna for “godmother”) are chosen from among tolerance for the LGBT community, Poland does not the parents' friends and relatives. Godparents are expected to recognize same-sex marriage. always be present in a child's life and to help and support the Living together outside of marriage is generally frowned child when needed. upon, largely due to Poland's strong Catholic tradition. Traditionally, parents affixed red ribbons to their children's However, a growing number of Poles choose to live together cribs and strollers in hopes of warding off bad fortune. before or instead of marrying. Although few people believe this today, many parents still In the past, divorce was seen in a very negative light. follow the tradition. Parents usually stick with traditionally Today, divorce is more accepted, though some stigma is still Polish names for their children; consequently, many people associated with divorced women. The divorce rate is higher in share the same names (for instance, Anna for girls and Piotr urban areas than in rural areas. or Michal for boys). Weddings Catholic babies are usually baptized when they are two to Weddings are generally held on Saturdays. Both civil and three months old, though the age varies. After the ceremony, religious wedding ceremonies are popular. A civil ceremony friends and relatives gather at the family's home to celebrate. takes place at the registry office. Couples invite family and Guests bring gifts for the baby, such as flowers or jewelry. friends, say vows, and exchange rings in the presence of a Milestones civil authority. In order to get married in a Catholic church, A Catholic child's First Communion takes place at around age the couple must have been baptized and confirmed. Couples eight. Girls usually wear white dresses and place garlands of must also register their marriage with the registry office. fresh flowers and myrtle branches in their hair. Boys often A growing number of couples choose a konkordatowy dress in a traditional suit with a white shirt. Catholic children wedding, in which the church wedding and the legal steps are confirmed at age 15. The occasion is less solemn than (visiting the registry office) are combined. Couples give their other sacraments and is usually celebrated with a meal for the legal documentation to the priest, who later submits it to the immediate family, grandparents, and godparents at the registry office. family's home. A few traditional wedding rituals continue to be practiced People are considered adults at age 18, when they can buy today. On the way to the church, young friends of the bride alcohol and enter night clubs. After 18, young people may may “block” the road in front of the couple's car, refusing to marry without their parents' consent. move until given bottles of vodka. After the wedding, guests Death throw rice and coins over the couple. It is said that whoever There are a variety of traditional customs associated with gathers up the most coins will rule the home. death. People may light candles, symbolically stop their After the wedding ceremony (whether religious or civil), a clocks at the time of death, sit with the body overnight while festive reception is held at a restaurant or reception hall. reciting the rosary, and open windows to allow the spirit of When the couple arrives at the reception, the groom carries the deceased to leave. Many of these traditions are no longer the bride over the threshold. He may also carry the bride widely practiced or are only practiced in rural areas. through the door to their new home. Guests make toasts to the When someone dies, a traditional Catholic funeral service new couple. The bride and groom's first dance was is held. The casket is then carried from the church to an traditionally a , but today most couples choose a favorite adjacent graveyard followed by a long procession of people song for this dance. The party often continues late into the singing hymns. Later, extended family members gather for a night, sometimes until dawn. dinner. The dead are remembered and honored in Polish The oczepiny takes place at midnight. Young, unmarried families. People make frequent trips to cemeteries to leave men and women dance together. Then the bride throws her flowers and candles at the graves of loved ones. This practice garter or veil to the young women, and the groom throws his is especially common during All Saints’ Day. tie to the young men. Those who catch the objects are said to marry soon. During theoczepiny , the bride is said to Diet symbolically become a married woman. For many, this is the Breakfast includes many options, such as ham or highlight of the wedding. sandwiches, cold cereal or muesli (granola) with milk or Wedding costs are split between the two families. Because yogurt, hot cereal, or eggs. Rural Poles who raise their own housing is expensive and in short supply, parents of the livestock include fresh milk and meat in their meals. Poles couple may give financial assistance and allow the couple to usually drink coffee or tea, sometimes with lemon and sugar live in their home for the first few years. added. The main meal consists of soup, meat or fish, salad, and potatoes. Ice cream or pastries are eaten for a Life Cycle late-afternoon snack. Birth Bread, dairy products, and canned fish are plentiful. When a woman gives birth, friends and relatives visit the People purchase bread several times a week, sometimes even home to welcome the baby and congratulate the parents. daily. Only those who live far from a store eat bread that is Visitors often bring gifts like flowers and champagne. People more than two days old. With the switch to a market

5 TM CultureGrams Poland economy, more food is available in greater variety, but prices Holidays are high. Many families spend much of their income on food. Official holidays include New Year's Day (1 January), Easter Gardens often supply a large portion of a rural family's food. (two days), Whit Sunday (also called Pentecost, celebrated Common dishes include a variety ofpierogi (stuffed seven weeks after Easter), Labor Day (1 May), Constitution dumplings),uszka (a kind of ravioli), bigos(sausage, Day (3 May, celebrates the 1791 adoption of Poland's mushrooms, pickled cabbage), braised pork and cabbage, constitution), Corpus Christi (in May or June), Assumption of schnitzel(breaded veal cutlets) and potatoes, poppy seed the Virgin Mary (15 August), All Saints' Day (when people desserts, and cheesecake. Pork is more popular than beef, and decorate cemeteries with flowers and candles in memory of poultry is also common. family, friends, and members of the military on 1 November), Independence Day (11 November), and Christmas (25 Recreation December). Sports Easter Soccer is the most popular sport. Most towns have a soccer A variety of Catholic holidays related to Easter are celebrated. league, and people enjoy watching local teams play and The Thursday before the beginning of Lent is called Fat watching professional soccer on television. Poles also Thursday. On this day, people eat sweets, particularly participate in track-and-field events, cycling, table tennis, doughnuts, in anticipation of Lent. Shrove Tuesday is the day skiing, ski jumping, basketball, volleyball, and various before Ash Wednesday and is considered the last celebration individual sports. before Lent. In Poland, people attend dances and parties. Leisure Night clubs, restaurants, and pubs hold special Shrove Poles enjoy spending time outdoors. Many people enjoy Tuesday celebrations. riding bicycles as a form of exercise as well as for Lent lasts for 40 days, ending the week before Easter. transportation. Children spend time at playgrounds and During Lent, Catholics fast at certain times and may give up playing sports. Many people enjoy hiking in the countryside specific foods and vices. Ash Wednesday marks the first day and canoeing and kayaking in Poland's rivers. of Lent. On this day, people attend church, where the priest Bridge is a favorite card game. People also enjoy watching sprinkles ash over their heads to symbolize repentance. television shows and movies and reading. Poles spend a For Easter Saturday, people take a basket of specific foods growing amount of time on the computer and the internet. (such as ham, eggs, sausages, pieces of bread) to church to be Attending cultural events, going for walks, gardening, and blessed; then they eat the food on Sunday after Mass. Easter visiting friends are common recreational activities. Monday is known as Wet Monday and is celebrated by young In the summer, many people enjoy picking mushrooms people, who throw water on each other. and berries in the forests. Mushrooms are carefully examined Independence Day to avoid poisonous varieties. People often dry a supply of Independence Day celebrates Poland's independence gained mushrooms to last through the winter. in 1918. The holiday was banned under Soviet rule and Vacation reinstated after Poland regained its independence. The main Poles often choose to vacation within their country. Popular Independence Day celebrations take place in Kraków and destinations include the mountains, the Baltic coast, or the Warsaw and are broadcast throughout the country by radio Mazury lake region. A growing number of people travel and television. The day is celebrated with parades and abroad for vacations. speeches. Ceremonies honor Poles who died fighting for their country. Homes, businesses, and government buildings are The Arts decorated with Polish flags. Poland has a rich tradition of music, art, dancing, and Christmas literature. The fall of socialism in the 1990s brought about a Christmas is the most important holiday in Poland. On 6 significant decline in government funding for the arts. December, children receive small gifts from Saint Nicholas. Urbanization and the mass media are also transforming Then on Christmas Eve, when the first star is sighted, the Poland's cultural arts. family gathers for a 12-course, meatless meal that usually Romantic composer Frédéric Chopin (1810–49), the includes fresh fish, dishes featuring poppy seeds or country's best-known musician, based many of his mushrooms, a special dessert of fruit cooked in syrup, and compositions on traditional Polish . Classical other traditional foods. Christmas Day is a quiet holiday spent music of all kinds is performed in Poland. Polish groups also with the immediate family. On 26 December, Poles visit tour internationally. Poles value literature as a means of friends and relax. Nativity scenes and caroling are popular expression. Historically, Polish writers used parables and throughout the season. other symbolic forms to avoid government censure. Parables Other Holidays and fables are still popular today. Children celebrate the first spring day (or “truant day”) Carved wooden sculptures are an important Polish folk art. outside, wearing funny or odd clothing. People may burn These painted or stained sculptures made of linden wood effigies of Marzanna (the pagan goddess of winter and death) depict mythic and biblical themes as well as everyday to represent the end of winter. Other celebrations and local subjects. Ceramics, embroidery, and painting are other festivals, such as the Folk Art Fair in Kraków, are held well-known Polish folk arts. throughout the year. Patriotic holidays are important as well. Flag Day (2 May)

6 TM CultureGrams Poland celebrates the Polish flag. On Constitution Day (3 May), receive bilingual education and representation in parliament. people celebrate the adoption of Poland's constitution by Roma (Gypsies) still suffer social discrimination, however. hanging flags, going to church, and attending patriotic Women are well represented in government and business, but concerts and parades. domestic and human trafficking are still problems. Children are often named after or share a name with a The voting age is 18, and voting is always held on a Sunday. Catholic saint. They celebrate both the name day associated The average voter turnout is nearly 50 percent. with their saint and their own birthday. These celebrations differ from family to family. Some families celebrate the Economy name days only of children. Others celebrate their name day Since 1990, Poland has progressed toward a free-market throughout their lives. Some adults celebrate name days economy through liberalization, with an initial period of instead of birthdays. Some saints have multiple name days, so hardship followed by steady economic growth. Poland's gross Poles celebrate the saint’s name on the date closest to their domestic product (GDP) is lower than the European Union's birthday. Name-day celebrations are not as significant as (EU) average. However, EU membership has boosted the birthdays. People generally invite friends and family over for country's economy in general, and it has a lower a meal. unemployment rate than the EU average. The global economic crisis in 2008 caused Poland's previously strong growth to slow, although it was one of the SOCIETY few European countries not to fall into recession. Growth was particularly slow in 2012 due to ongoing eurozone Government problems. The government responded to the surrounding Structure eurozone economic crisis by carefully managing public Poland is a parliamentary republic. Poland's president is head finances without discouraging growth. A controversial of state, and the prime minister is head of government. The pension and tax reform plan has helped Poland to strengthen president is directly elected for a maximum of two five-year public finances. Current challenges to the economy include terms and serves, except in international affairs, a largely supporting growth while continuing to reduce fiscal debt. representative role. The president appoints the prime minister, Poland also suffers from deficiencies in road and rail who usually is the leader of the majority party or coalition in infrastructure, as well as a burdensome tax system and rigid parliament. labor laws. The country's bicameral legislature has an upper house Most people can afford basic needs, but the gap between (100-seat Senat) and a lower house (460-seat Sejm). Poland's rich and poor is expanding. This social problem contributes to judiciary consists of the Supreme Court, whose judges are political instability and general public distrust. In the past, nominated by judicial councils and appointed by the wealth was associated with corruption because only corrupt president, and the Constitutional Tribunal, whose judges are communist officials had wealth. Therefore, today's wealthy, appointed by theSejm . A post-communism constitution was no matter how honest, are viewed with suspicion. approved in May 1997. Poland is divided into 16 About 11 percent of the labor force is engaged in województwa (provinces). agriculture, which has always remained in private hands Political Landscape despite attempts at collectivization during the communist era. The ruling political party in Poland is the conservative Law Important products include grains, sugar beets, oilseed, and Justice party (PiS), which supports issues like raising potatoes, and pork, as well as dairy products. Natural wages and fighting corruption. The second leading party, the resources include coal, sulfur, silver, natural gas, copper, lead, Civic Platform party (PO), is a center-right group that and salt. Poland has a strong industrial sector and is a major opposes abortion and same-sex marriage and supports producer of minerals and steel. Tourism is growing rapidly. religious education in schools. By law, political parties must The currency is the złoty (PLN). make sure their lists of candidates running for office in the Sejm are at least 35 percent female. Transportation and Communications Poland’s relationship to its neighbors is a major political Public transportation is efficient and inexpensive. Excellent issue. Poland has a history of supporting its NATO railroad and bus systems connect most cities as well as obligations and the (for example, in 2003, the neighboring countries. Travelers purchase tickets from kiosks Polish army participated in a multinational force with the and, on boarding, punch the tickets in machines mounted near intention of helping to stabilize Iraq). Poland joined the the door. Car ownership has continued to rise dramatically in European Union (EU) in 2004. While the Civic Platform the past few years, though many Poles do not have cars and party supports closer ties to the rest of Europe, the Law and families rarely have more than one car. City traffic is difficult, Justice party is more skeptical of the EU. Groups inside and roads are inadequate; the transportation infrastructure Poland that influence politics include trade unions and the needs improvement to meet the growing needs of individuals Catholic Church. and businesses. Warsaw has a new subway system. Airlines Government and the People service large cities. Polish citizens enjoy many freedoms, such as freedom of Poles have access to both Polish and foreign television speech, religion, and assembly. Minorities are generally free broadcasts; the country's broadcasting market is one of the from discrimination, and laws ensure that minority groups can largest in eastern and . A minority of Polish

7 TM CultureGrams Poland people read newspapers. The press is almost entirely privatized, though foreign ownership is high. The majority of Country and Development Data Poland's more than three hundred newspapers are local or regional. Virtually all Poles have telephones, and the once Capital Warsaw Population 38,420,687 (rank=37) outmoded telephone system is experiencing development Area (sq. mi.) 120,728 (rank=69) thanks to multinational corporations investing in the industry. Area (sq. km.) 312,685 Cellular phones outnumber landlines. Internet usage in Poland Human Development Index 32 of 189 countries Gender Inequality Index 30 of 162 countries is increasing. Many Poles use social media, with Facebook GDP (PPP) per capita $29,600 and YouTube among the most popular social media sites. Adult Literacy NA Infant Mortality 4 per 1,000 births Life Expectancy 74 (male); 82 (female) Education Currency Złoty Structure and Access Education is greatly valued in Poland, and most young people hope to eventually attend universities. The majority of TM students attend public schools, but private schools are available. Though education in public schools is free, students CultureGrams ProQuest must provide their textbooks and school supplies. The 789 East Eisenhower Parkway majority of public schools do not require uniforms. Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 USA Toll Free: 1.800.521.3042 Students begin primary school at age 6 or 7, and nearly all Fax: 1.800.864.0019 children attend. Secondary school starts at age 13 and is www.culturegrams.com divided into two levels: lower and higher. Lower secondary © 2020 ProQuest LLC and Brigham Young University. It is against the law school lasts from age 13 to 16. Higher secondary school lasts to copy, reprint, store, or transmit any part of this publication in any form by three years, or up to four years if the student opts for any means without strict written permission from ProQuest. vocational school. Students must attend school full-time from ages 7 to 15 and at least part-time from ages 15 to 18. Admission to higher secondary schools is based on students' national exam results. At the end of higher secondary school, students take an exam called the matura, which determines which universities they may attend. Higher Education Most bachelor's degrees take about three years to complete. Students may then go on to obtain master's and doctoral degrees. Education at public universities is paid for by the state, with the exception of extracurricular classes and courses that students retake. Students pay tuition at private universities. Vocational schools award certification in a certain vocation, based on the students' scores on exams. Many Poles complete post-graduate degrees.

Health The government provides health care to all citizens. Facilities generally are accessible but are not up to Western standards. However, care is generally adequate. Private services are often better, but one must pay for them. Recent reforms require Poles to see a general practitioner before going to a specialist.

AT A GLANCE

Contact Information Embassy of the Republic of Poland, 2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009; phone (202) 499-1700; web site www.msz.gov.pl. The Polish National Tourism Office, phone (201) 420-9910; web site www.poland.travel.

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