Polish nature

High mountains, sea, thick forests, green plains, crystal-clear lakes, rich flora and wildlife can all be found in Poland.

Surrounded by Carpathian Mountains and Sudetes in the South and the Baltic Sea in the North, Poland is located in the very centre of Europe. It lies in the temperate climate zone, which enables a large variety of the natural environment to coexist within its boarders.

Poland is also a haven for storks and eagles, and the mountain area is a home to many wolves and lynxes.

Water is one of Poland’s greatest treasures, with over 9,000 lakes and the Vistula River, the last of the great European rivers not to have been completely regulated.

Forests account for around 30% of Poland’s territory. In order to protect this natural wealth, Poland has 23 natural parks and over a hundred national heritage sites.

The oldest national park in Poland is also the last primeval forest of Europe untouched by humans, dating back 10 000 years. This unique virgin land provides a habitat for the largest bison herd and many other wild animals. It is also known for its record-breaking trees, in terms of both age and size.

In the North of Poland, the most unusual sands, can be found: monumental shifting dunes which move with the speed of 10 metres per year.

INTERESTING FACT

THE ONLY DESERT-LIKE AREA ON THE CONTINENT MAY ALSO BE FOUND IN POLAND. BŁĘDOWSKA DESERT, ALSO CALLED “POLISH SAHARA”, HAS BEEN FOR YEARS A RESEARCH SITE FOR GEOLOGISTS AND OTHER SCIENTISTS. NOWADAYS IT IS MAINLY USED AS A SITE FOR MILITARY TRAININGS, SPORTS AND CULTURAL EVENTS.