Ainsley, Dominic J. European countries today

A country in Central Europe, with a coastline on the Baltic Sea in the north, Poland is bounded to the west by Germany, to the south by the Czech and Slovak Republics, to the east by Ukraine and Belarus, and by Lithuania and the Russian oblast of Kaliningrad to the north. For the most part undulating, Poland is part of the great Northern European Plain, though it rises toward the south through hills that culminate in the Sudeten and Carpathian mountains that form the southern frontier. It has thousands of lakes, mostly in the northeast of the country. Before World War II, Poland was predominantly an agricultural economy, but industry was greatly expanded under Communism. Since its return to democracy, Poland's economy has greatly improved and is now reaping the benefits of European Union subsidies. Many of Poland's young people now work in other EU countries, attracted by the higher wages and standard of living. Natural resources are coal, lignite, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber, and arable land. Poland is famous for its scientific research. The European Countries Today series provides information on 15 of the most important countries in Europe. Each book in the series describes the history, geography, economy, culture, and relationship each country has with its neighbors. There is also a separate title, European Union Facts & Figures, which provides statistical and factual information about the European Union. Each title in this series includes color photos throughout, and back matter including: an index and further reading lists for books and internet resources. Key Icons appear throughout the books in this series in an effort to encourage library readers to build knowledge, gain awareness, explore possibilities and expand their viewpoints through our content rich non-fiction books. Key Icons in this series are as follows: Words to Understand are shown at the front of each chapter with definitions. These words are set in boldfaced type in that chapter, so that readers are able to reference back to the definitions--building their vocabulary and enhancing their reading comprehension. Sidebars are highlighted graphics with content rich material within that allows readers to build knowledge and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. Text-Dependent Questions are placed at the end of each chapter. They challenge the reader's comprehension of the chapter they have just read, while sending the reader back to the text for more careful attention to the evidence presented there. Research Projects are provided at the end of each chapter as well and provide readers with suggestions for projects that encourage deeper research and analysis. And a Glossary of Key Terms is included in the back matter containing terminology used throughout the book. Words found here broaden the reader's knowledge and understanding of terms used in this field

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