Editing Poland (section)

== Geography ==
{{Main|Geography of Poland}}
[[File:Poland topo.jpg|thumb|right|[[Topography|Topographic]] map of Poland]]

Poland covers an administrative area of {{convert|312722|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on}}, and is the [[List of European countries by area|ninth-largest country in Europe]]. Approximately {{convert|311895|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on}} of the country's territory consists of land, {{convert|2041|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on}} is internal waters and {{convert|8783|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on}} is territorial sea.<ref name="Rocznik 2019">{{Cite journal |last=Polish Ministry of Education and Science |date=2019 |title=Statistical Yearbook of the Republic of Poland |url=https://stat.gov.pl/download/gfx/portalinformacyjny/pl/defaultaktualnosci/5515/2/19/1/rocznik_statystyczny_rzeczypospolitej_polskiej_2019.pdf |journal=Rocznik Statystyczny Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej |publisher=Statistics Poland (Główny Urząd Statystyczny GUS) |publication-place=Warsaw |pages=80–81, 84–85, 111 |issn=1506-0632 |oclc=907771825 |access-date=2 April 2022 |archive-date=3 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220303153527/https://stat.gov.pl/download/gfx/portalinformacyjny/pl/defaultaktualnosci/5515/2/19/1/rocznik_statystyczny_rzeczypospolitej_polskiej_2019.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> Topographically, the landscape of Poland is characterised by diverse [[landform]]s, [[Hydrology|water bodies]] and [[ecosystem]]s.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cechy krajobrazów Polski – Notatki geografia |url=https://geografia.gozych.edu.pl/cechy-krajobrazow-polski/ |access-date=4 December 2020 |archive-date=29 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201029163433/https://geografia.gozych.edu.pl/cechy-krajobrazow-polski/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The central and northern region bordering the [[Baltic Sea]] lie within the flat [[Northern European Plain|Central European Plain]], but its south is hilly and mountainous.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Grochowski |first=Mirosław |year=1997 |title=Poland Under Transition and Its New Geography |journal=[[Canadian Slavonic Papers]] |publisher=[[Taylor & Francis]] |volume=39 |pages=1–26 |doi=10.1080/00085006.1997.11092140 |jstor=40869887 |number=1/2}}</ref> The average [[Height above sea level|elevation above the sea level]] is estimated at 173 metres.<ref name="Rocznik 2019" />

The country has a coastline spanning {{convert|comma=5|770|km|mi|abbr=on}}; extending from the shores of the Baltic Sea, along the [[Bay of Pomerania]] in the west to the [[Gdańsk Bay|Gulf of Gdańsk]] in the east.<ref name="Rocznik 2019" /> The beach coastline is abundant in [[sand dunes|sand dune fields]] or [[Beach ridge|coastal ridges]] and is indented by [[Spit (landform)|spits]] and lagoons, notably the [[Hel Peninsula]] and the [[Vistula Lagoon]], which is shared with Russia.<ref>{{Cite book |last=BACC Editorial Team |title=Second Assessment of Climate Change for the Baltic Sea Basin |date=2015 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-3-319-16005-4 |location=Cham |page=385}}</ref> The largest Polish island on the Baltic Sea is [[Wolin]], located within [[Wolin National Park]].<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Tymon Zielinski |title=Interdisciplinary approaches for sustainable development goals |last2=Iwona Sagan |last3=Waldemar Surosz |date=2017 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-3-319-71788-3 |location=Cham |page=79}}</ref> Poland also shares the [[Szczecin Lagoon]] and the [[Usedom]] island with Germany.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Shell |first=Marc |title=Islandology: Geography, Rhetoric, Politics |date=2014 |publisher=University Press |isbn=978-0-8047-8926-4 |location=Stanford |page=89}}</ref>

The mountainous belt in the extreme south of Poland is divided into two major [[mountain ranges]]; the [[Sudetes]] in the west and the [[Carpathian Mountains|Carpathians]] in the east. The highest part of the Carpathian massif are the [[Tatra Mountains]], extending along Poland's southern border.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Najwyższe szczyty w Tatrach Polskich i Słowackich |url=https://www.polskie-gory.pl/najwyzsze-szczyty-tatr.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211212223121/https://www.polskie-gory.pl/najwyzsze-szczyty-tatr.php |archive-date=12 December 2021 |access-date=4 December 2020 |website=www.polskie-gory.pl |url-status=dead }}</ref> Poland's highest point is [[Mount Rysy]] at {{convert|2501|m|ft|0}} in elevation, located in the Tatras.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Siwicki |first=Michał |date=2020 |title=Nowe ustalenia dotyczące wysokości szczytów w Tatrach |url=https://geoforum.pl/news/29549/nowe-ustalenia-dotyczace-wysokosci-szczytow-w-tatrach%20Nowe%20ustalenia%20dotycz%C4%85ce%20wysoko%C5%9Bci%20szczyt%C3%B3w%20w%20Tatrach |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211009034150/https://geoforum.pl/news/29549/nowe-ustalenia-dotyczace-wysokosci-szczytow-w-tatrach%20Nowe%20ustalenia%20dotycz%C4%85ce%20wysoko%C5%9Bci%20szczyt%C3%B3w%20w%20Tatrach |archive-date=9 October 2021 |access-date=9 October 2021 |website=geoforum.pl |language=pl |url-status=dead }}</ref> The highest summit of the Sudetes massif is [[Śnieżka|Mount Śnieżka]] at {{convert|1603.3|m|ft|0}}, shared with the Czech Republic.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Czetwertynski-Sytnik |first1=Lesław |last2=Kozioł |first2=Edward |last3=R. Mazurski |first3=Krzysztof |year=2000 |title=Settlement and sustainability in the Polish Sudetes |journal=[[GeoJournal]] |publisher=[[Springer Science+Business Media|Springer]] |volume=50 |pages=273–284 |doi=10.1023/A:1007165901891 |jstor=41147476 |s2cid=150809158 |number=2/3|bibcode=2000GeoJo..50..273C }}</ref> The lowest point in Poland is situated at [[Raczki Elbląskie]] in the [[Vistula#Delta|Vistula Delta]], which is {{convert|1.8|m|ft|1}} below sea level.<ref name="Rocznik 2019" />

[[File:Morskie Oko o poranku.jpg|thumb|left|[[Morskie Oko]] alpine lake in the [[Tatra Mountains]]. Poland has one of the highest densities of lakes in the world.]]

Poland's [[Rivers of Poland|longest rivers]] are the [[Vistula River|Vistula]], the [[Oder River|Oder]], the [[Warta]], and the [[Bug River|Bug]].<ref name="Rocznik 2019" /> The country also possesses one of the highest densities of lakes in the world, numbering around ten thousand and mostly concentrated in the north-eastern region of [[Masuria]], within the [[Masurian Lake District]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Christine Zuchora-Walske |title=Poland |publisher=ABDO Publishing |year=2013 |isbn=978-1-61480-877-0 |page=28 |chapter=The Lakes Region |quote=''Insert:'' Poland is home to 9,300 lakes. Finland is the only European nation with a higher density of lakes than Poland. |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9dx2AgAAQBAJ&q=%2522a%2Bhigher%2Bdensity%2Bof%2Blakes%2Bthan%2BPoland%2522 |access-date=24 July 2023 |archive-date=24 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230724235914/https://books.google.com/books?id=9dx2AgAAQBAJ&q=%2522a%2Bhigher%2Bdensity%2Bof%2Blakes%2Bthan%2BPoland%2522 |url-status=live }}</ref> The largest lakes, covering more than {{convert|100|km2|sqmi|0}}, are [[Śniardwy]] and [[Lake Mamry|Mamry]], and the deepest is [[Hańcza|Lake Hańcza]] at {{convert|108.5|m|ft|0}} in depth.<ref name="Rocznik 2019" />

=== Climate ===
{{main|Geography of Poland#Climate}}
[[File:Poland Köppen.svg|thumb|[[Köppen climate classification|Köppen-Geiger climate classification]] map of Poland]]
The climate of Poland is [[temperateness|temperate transitional]], and varies from [[oceanic climate|oceanic]] in the north-west to [[continental climate|continental]] in the south-east.<ref name="Korzeniewska 2020">{{Cite book |last1=Korzeniewska |first1=Ewa |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KGydDwAAQBAJ&dq=%22%2522poland%2522%2Boceanic%2Bcontinental%2Btemperate%2Bclimate%22&pg=PA4 |title=Polish River Basins and Lakes |last2=Harnisz |first2=Monika |date=2020 |publisher=Springer International Publishing |isbn=978-3-030-12123-5 |volume=I |location=Cham |pages=4–5 |access-date=24 July 2023 |archive-date=2 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231002180457/https://books.google.com/books?id=KGydDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA4&dq=%22%22poland%22+oceanic+continental+temperate+climate%22 |url-status=live }}</ref> The mountainous southern fringes are situated within an [[alpine climate]].<ref name="Korzeniewska 2020" /> Poland is characterised by warm summers, with a mean temperature of around {{convert|20|°C|°F|1}} in July, and moderately cold winters averaging {{convert|-1|°C|°F|1}} in December.<ref name="Azad 2021">{{Cite book |last1=Azad |first1=Abdul Kalam |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9OgGEAAAQBAJ&dq=%22annual%2Bseasonal%2Bmean%2Btemperature%2Bpoland%22&pg=PA6 |title=Bioenergy Resources and Technologies |last2=Khan |first2=Mohammad Masud Kamal |date=2021 |publisher=Elsevier |isbn=978-0-12-822526-4 |location=London |page=6 |access-date=24 July 2023 |archive-date=2 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231002180501/https://books.google.com/books?id=9OgGEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA6&dq=%22annual+seasonal+mean+temperature+poland%22 |url-status=live }}</ref> The warmest and sunniest part of Poland is [[Lower Silesia]] in the southwest and the coldest region is the northeast corner, around [[Suwałki]] in [[Podlaskie Voivodeship|Podlaskie province]], where the climate is affected by [[cold front]]s from [[Scandinavia]] and [[Siberia]].<ref name="Anna Chodubska 2020">{{Cite report |url=https://www.imgw.pl/sites/default/files/2021-04/imgw-pib-klimat-polski-2020-opracowanie-final-eng-rozkladowki-min.pdf |title=Climate of Poland |last1=Zbigniew Ustrunul |last2=Agnieszka Wypych |date=2020 |publisher=Institute of Meteorology and Water Management – National Research Institute (IMGW) |page=7 |last3=Ewa Jakusik |last4=Dawid Biernacik |last5=Danuta Czekierda |last6=Anna Chodubska |access-date=3 April 2022 |archive-date=28 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220628044637/https://www.imgw.pl/sites/default/files/2021-04/imgw-pib-klimat-polski-2020-opracowanie-final-eng-rozkladowki-min.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Precipitation (meteorology)|Precipitation]] is more frequent during the summer months, with highest rainfall recorded from June to September.<ref name="Azad 2021" />

There is a considerable fluctuation in day-to-day weather and the arrival of a particular season can differ each year.<ref name="Korzeniewska 2020" /> [[Climate change]] and other factors have further contributed to interannual [[Temperature anomaly|thermal anomalies]] and increased temperatures; the average annual air temperature between 2011 and 2020 was {{convert|9.33|°C|°F|1}}, around 1.11&nbsp;°C higher than in the 2001–2010 period.<ref name="Anna Chodubska 2020" /> Winters are also becoming increasingly drier, with less [[Rain and snow mixed|sleet]] and snowfall.<ref name="Korzeniewska 2020" />

=== Biodiversity ===
{{main|Geography of Poland#Biodiversity}}
[[File:2020 żubry 03.jpg|thumb|The [[European bison]] ({{lang|pl|żubr}}), one of [[National symbols of Poland|Poland's national animals]], is commonly found at the ancient and [[List of World Heritage Sites in Poland|UNESCO]]-protected [[Białowieża Forest]].]]

[[Phytogeography|Phytogeographically]], Poland belongs to the Central European province of the [[Circumboreal Region]] within the [[Boreal Kingdom]]. The country has four [[Palearctic realm|Palearctic ecoregions]] – Central, Northern, Western European [[temperate broadleaf and mixed forest]], and the [[Carpathian montane conifer forests|Carpathian montane conifer]]. Forests occupy 31% of Poland's land area, the largest of which is the [[Lower Silesian Wilderness]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Forest area (% of land area) – Poland |url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/AG.LND.FRST.ZS?locations=PL |access-date=1 April 2021 |website=[[World Bank]] |archive-date=30 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220530193553/https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/AG.LND.FRST.ZS?locations=PL |url-status=live }}</ref> The most common [[deciduous trees]] found across the country are [[oak]], [[maple]], and [[beech]]; the most common conifers are [[pine]], [[spruce]], and [[fir]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Milewski |first=Wawrzyniec |url=https://www.lasy.gov.pl/pl/informacje/publikacje/in-english/forests-in-poland/lasy-w-polsce-2017-en.pdf |title=Forests in Poland 2017 |date=2017 |publisher=State Forests Information Centre |isbn=978-83-65659-23-1 |location=Warsaw (Warszawa) |page=8 |access-date=3 April 2022 |archive-date=31 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220531075659/https://www.lasy.gov.pl/pl/informacje/publikacje/in-english/forests-in-poland/lasy-w-polsce-2017-en.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> An estimated 69% of all forests are [[coniferous]].<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Frouz |first1=Jan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9UpUEAAAQBAJ&dq=%22most%2Bcommon%2Btrees%2B%2Boak%2Bbeech%2Bpine%2B%2B%2522poland%2522%22&pg=PA245 |title=Applied Ecology: How agriculture, forestry and fisheries shape our planet |last2=Frouzova |first2=Jaroslava |date=2022 |publisher=Springer International Publishing |isbn=978-3-030-83225-4 |location=Cham |page=245 |access-date=24 July 2023 |archive-date=2 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231002180500/https://books.google.com/books?id=9UpUEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA245&dq=%22most+common+trees++oak+beech+pine++%22poland%22%22 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The [[flora]] and [[Fauna of Poland|fauna]] in Poland is that of [[Continental Europe]], with the [[European bison|wisent]], [[white stork]] and [[white-tailed eagle]] designated as national animals, and the [[Papaver rhoeas|red common poppy]] being the unofficial floral emblem.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Aniskiewicz |first=Alena |date=2016 |title=That's Polish: Exploring the History of Poland's National Emblems |url=https://culture.pl/en/article/thats-polish-exploring-the-history-of-polands-national-emblems |access-date=3 April 2022 |website=culture.pl |publisher=Adam Mickiewicz Institute |quote="A white eagle [...], the profile of a shaggy bison in a field of grass. These are emblems of Poland". "Nation's (somewhat disputed) national flower – the corn poppy". |archive-date=3 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220403012530/https://culture.pl/en/article/thats-polish-exploring-the-history-of-polands-national-emblems |url-status=live }}</ref> Among the most protected species is the [[European bison]], Europe's heaviest land animal, as well as the [[Eurasian beaver]], the [[Eurasian lynx|lynx]], the [[gray wolf]] and the [[Tatra chamois]].<ref name="Rocznik 2019" /> The region was also home to the extinct [[aurochs]], the last individual dying in Poland in 1627.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Rokosz, M. |year=1995 |title=History of the Aurochs (''Bos taurus primigenius'') in Poland |url=http://agtr.ilri.cgiar.org/agtrweb/Documents/Library/docs/agri16_95.pdf |journal=Animal Genetics Resources Information |volume=16 |pages=5–12 |doi=10.1017/S1014233900004582 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130114152435/http://agtr.ilri.cgiar.org/agtrweb/Documents/Library/docs/agri16_95.pdf |archive-date=14 January 2013 |accessdate=3 April 2022 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Game animals such as [[red deer]], [[roe deer]], and [[wild boar]] are found in most woodlands.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Reidar Andersen |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-ycg5PtQPugC&dq=%22boar%2Bdeer%2Bpoland%22&pg=PA225 |title=European Ungulates and Their Management in the 21st Century |last2=Marco Apollonio |last3=Rory Putman |last4=Piotr Wawrzyniak |date=2010 |publisher=University Press |isbn=978-0-521-76061-4 |location=Cambridge |pages=223–231 |access-date=24 July 2023 |archive-date=2 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231002180448/https://books.google.com/books?id=-ycg5PtQPugC&pg=PA225&dq=%22boar+deer+poland%22 |url-status=live }}</ref> Poland is also a significant breeding ground for [[migratory birds]] and hosts around one quarter of the global population of white storks.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Kevin Hillstrom |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dMexywMD_okC&q=%252240%252C000%2Bbreeding%2Bpairs%2522 |title=Europe: A Continental Overview of Environmental Issues, Volume 4 |last2=Laurie Collier Hillstrom |publisher=ABC-CLIO World geography |year=2003 |isbn=978-1-57607-686-6 |page=34 |access-date=24 July 2023 |archive-date=25 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230725000019/https://books.google.com/books?id=dMexywMD_okC&q=%252240%252C000%2Bbreeding%2Bpairs%2522 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Around {{convert|315100|ha|sqmi}}, equivalent to 1% of Poland's territory, is protected within 23 [[List of national parks of Poland|Polish national parks]], two of which – [[Białowieża Forest|Białowieża]] and [[Bieszczady National Park|Bieszczady]] – are [[List of World Heritage Sites in Poland|UNESCO World Heritage Sites]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mayer |first=Marius |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jt-GDwAAQBAJ&dq=%2223%2Bnational%2Bparks%2Bpoland%22&pg=PA115 |title=Cross-Border Tourism in Protected Areas: Potentials, Pitfalls and Perspectives |date=2019 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-3-030-05960-6 |location=Cham |page=115 |access-date=24 July 2023 |archive-date=2 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231002180454/https://books.google.com/books?id=jt-GDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA115&dq=%2223+national+parks+poland%22 |url-status=live }}</ref> There are 123 areas designated as [[Landscape Park (Poland)|landscape parks]], along with numerous [[nature reserve]]s and other [[Protected areas of Poland|protected areas]] under the [[Natura 2000]] network.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Kowalczyk |first1=Barbara |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eo6WDwAAQBAJ&dq=%22%2522123%2522%2Blandscape%2Bparks%2Bpoland%22&pg=PT202 |title=Environmental law in Poland |last2=Mikowski |first2=Rafał |last3=Mikowski |first3=Łukasz |date=2019 |publisher=Kluwer Law International |isbn=978-94-035-0950-1 |location=Alphen aan den Rijn |access-date=24 July 2023 |archive-date=2 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231002180453/https://books.google.com/books?id=eo6WDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT202&dq=%22%22123%22+landscape+parks+poland%22 |url-status=live }}</ref>