Rural settlement
Until the mid-20th century, the pattern of rural settlement differed widely from one part of Poland to another. In the centre and east of the country, many villages were small and irregular in shape, reflecting their origin as self-sufficient clusters of cultivators and pastoralists set in forest clearings. In the mountains, villages stretched along the valleys, in some cases for several miles. In Lower Silesia they were larger and more orderly, associated with the planned settlement of the area by Teutonic people in medieval times. In the north, rural settlement was dominated by large landed estates, which had belonged to the Prussian Junkers. Many houses in the centre, east, and south were wooden. Since the 1950s, however, there have been marked changes. Some attempt has been made to retain traditional building styles in the mountains, but many older single-story houses in all parts of the country have been replaced with two- to three-story cinder-block structures. In addition, many villages have expanded, especially those close to larger cities and in regions popular with tourists.
Articles from Britannica encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.
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Poland - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
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The Republic of Poland is a country in eastern Europe. The outline of Poland often changed during its history. At times it did not exist at all when foreign powers took control of the land. In the late 20th century Poland led the fight against Communism, a strict form of government, in eastern Europe. Poland’s capital is Warsaw.
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Poland - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)
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One of the largest of the countries of eastern Europe, Poland was the first of these countries to liberate its government from the Communist domination endured for 45 years. It was the relegalization of the trade union Solidarity and the agreement to hold partially free parliamentary elections that appeared to have opened the floodgates of radical reforms that spilled over into other countries of the Soviet bloc. In 1989 government after government collapsed in eastern Europe and politically transformed not only Poland but also East Germany, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Romania, and the Soviet Union itself. An economic austerity program instituted the following year sped Poland’s transition to a market economy. Poland formally joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1999 and the European Union (EU) in 2004. Area 120,726 square miles (312,679 square kilometers). Population (2013 est.) 38,542,000.
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