Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe extending from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south. It shares borders with Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukraine to the east, Slovakia and the Czech Republic to the south, and Germany to the west. The territory features a varied landscape with diverse ecosystems and a temperate climate. Administratively, Poland is composed of sixteen voivodeships, serving as the fifth most populous member state of the European Union and the fifth largest EU country by land area.

Prehistoric human activity on Polish soil dates to the Lower Paleolithic, with continuous settlement since the end of the Last Glacial Period. The region became inhabited by the West Slavic tribal Polans, who gave Poland its name, leading to the conversion of their ruler to Christianity in 966. The Kingdom of Poland emerged in 1025, later forming the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, which adopted Europe's first modern constitution in 1791. After partitions and World War II, Poland re-established itself as a liberal democracy in 1989.

The capital and largest city is Warsaw, with other major cities including Kraków, Wrocław, Łódź, Poznań, and Gdańsk. The country boasts 18 UNESCO World Heritage Sites and over 100 Historic Monuments. Notable sites include the perfectly preserved Gothic old town of Toruń, Hanseatic heritage in Gdańsk, and evidence of the 19th-century industrial boom in Łódź. The landscape ranges from lush primeval forests home to bison in Białowieża to beautiful lakes in Warmińsko-Mazurskie and rolling hills across the plains.

Poland offers a strong basis for tourism through its countryside, vibrant urbanity, and culture connected to its thousand-year history. Heritage is reflected in architecture, museums, galleries, and monuments across its varied regions. Creative and enterprising locals continually organize events and festivals, with new buildings and institutions springing up frequently. Visitors can explore the largest European medieval marketplace in Kraków or the longest walking street in Europe, Piotrkowska Street, in Łódź, discovering new cultural experiences with every visit.

Poland has a population of 37,563,071 as of 2024. It is a developed country with a high-income economy, ranking as the 20th largest by nominal GDP globally and sixth in the EU. The nation maintains a high standard of living, safety, and economic freedom, alongside free university education and universal health care. Poland is a founding member of the United Nations and a member of NATO, the OECD, and the European Union, including the Schengen Area.