Poland 2009

FILM PRODUCTION GUIDE POLAND 2009
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and the central Mazovia Lowlands (Nizina Mazowiecka). The
southern part of Poland is highly diverse in terms of geology
and landscape, consisting of highlands and mountainous
areas. This southern band consists of the Sudeten mountains
(Sudety) and the according highland (Pogórze Sudeckie), the
Silesian highland (Wyżyna Śląska), the highlands
surrounding Krakow (Wyżyna Krakowsko-Częstochowska), the
wide hollow of the so-called Nida Trough (Niecka Nidziańska)
and the Holy Cross (Świętokrzyskie) mountains. At the end of
this highland belt are the Carpathian mountains, consisting
of the following ranges (roughly west to east): Beskid Śląski,
Beskid Mały, Beskid Makowski, Beskid Wyspowy, Beskid
Żywiecki, Beskid Sądecki, Gorce, Pieniny, the Tatra mountains
(Tatry), Beskid Niski, and Bieszczady.
One of the greatest assets of Poland’s nature is its
unique authenticity. The exceptional wild forest landscapes
of the Białowieża Primeval Forest (Puszcza Białowieska), and
various forest reserves in eastern Poland, as well as the
lowland deciduous forests can no longer be found anywhere
else in Europe. Also quite unique are Poland’s semi-natural
landscapes – such as the valley of the river Biebrza (Kotlina
Biebrzańska) or the Narew (Dolina Narwii) as well as other
ZACHODNIO-
POMORSKIE
LUBUSKIE
DOLNOŚLĄSKIE
POMORSKIE
WIELKOPOLSKIE
OPOLSKIE
voIvodSHIPS oF PoLand
KUJAWSKO
-POMORSKIE
ŁÓDZKIE
ŚLĄSKIE
WARMIŃSKO
-MAZURSKIE
MAZOWIECKIE
ŚWIĘTOKRZYSKIE
MAŁOPOLSKIE
PODLASKIE
LUBELSKIE
PODKARPACKIE
locations, where elements of Poland’s traditional agriculture
can still be found today. Białowieża is the only remaining
part of the primeval forest that covered all of Europe’s
lowland areas up until 1,000 years ago. Today this region is
protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere
Reserve.
The diversity of Poland’s flora and fauna is also unique
on the European scale. Poland has over 2,300 species of wild
plants, over 600 species of moss, 1,600 species of lichens and
about 4,000 species of fungi. Poland’s wildlife also consists of
approximately 33,000 species of animals. In addition, there
are over 1,500 nature preserves, 125 protected parks and 23
national parks in Poland, all serving the purpose of
protecting endangered species of plants and animals.
government and administration
Poland is a parliamentary representative democratic
republic with a pluriform multi-party system and a bicameral
parliament elected for a four-year term by proportional
representation. Internal and foreign affairs are run by the
government, known as the Council of Ministers and led by
the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister and his cabinet are
appointed by the President. The president is elected for a
five-year term by general election.
As of 1999, Poland is subdivided into sixteen
administrative regions called voivodships (Polish:
województwo). The lower levels of administrative division are
379 counties (powiat) and 2,478 communes (gmina). The
government administration on a regional level is represented
by the voivode (wojewoda).
Poland is an active member of a number of
international organizations, including the United Nations,
the International Monetary Fund, UNESCO, the World Trade
Organization, OECD, the Council of Baltic Sea States, the
Council of Europe, the Central European Initiative (CEI) and
NATO.
In 2004 Poland joined the European Union and thus
Polish law is gradually being adapted to comply with
requirements set in EU directives. The supreme act of law in
Poland is the Constitution of the Republic of Poland. Since
2007 Poland is also a member of the Schengen Agreement.
The official language is Polish.