Across Poland [antikvár]

BRIEFLY ABOUT POLAND Poland, located in the middle of Central Europe, has for centuries constituted an importárat brfndge betweein Western Europe and the East, as well as between the Scandinavdian and the Danubian oountries. Tihis sdtuation was to Poland's advantage. However, it alsó brought upon the country invaders ravaging the land and wars wihicih have plagued the Poilish territories many a time slrace the middle of the 17th cerutury. The emlblem of Poiland siince the beginning of the 13th century has been a white eagle wiith its head turnéd to the right, with gold beak and talons, on a red baokground in the shape of a shield. The national colours are two parallel horizoratal strips of eqiual width and length - the Ujpfpeir íwhite, the lower red (vermillion). The national anthem is the song Jeszcze Polska nie zginqla, kiedy my zyjemy... (Poland has not yet perished, while we are alive...), dating from the end of the 18th century and based on a mazurka tune. Poland's area is 312,677 square kilómetres which makes her the seventh biggest coiuintry in Euirojpe. Poland extends 690 kiilometres from west to east, and 650 kidometres from north to south. Poland's borders are for the most ipart matural: the southern boirder with Czechoslovakia, 1,310 kilomötres long, runs along the ridge of the Carpathian and Sudeten mountains; the eastern bordér witih the USSR, 1,244 kilometres long, runs along the Bug River and ,aoross the Bialowieza For est; the western bordér with the Germán Demooratic Republic, 460 Ikilometres long, 'is förmed by the Lusatian Nysa