1. POLAND By Courtney Tharp

2. Flag:  The colors of the flag stand for… Upper-white is the color of the eagle which means peace and honesty. Lower-red is the color of the crest which means hardiness and strength.

3. Map:  Capital is Warsaw

4. Population:  Poland’s population is roughly 38,187,488  It is ranked 33 rd compared to other countries.

5. Life expectancy:  You are expected to live close to 75.7 years living in Poland.  It’s life expectancy is ranked 28 th compared to others.

6. Religion:  Most people in Poland are Roman Catholic.  The basic religious beliefs of Roman Catholics are those shared by other Christians as derived from the New Testament. The central belief is that God entered the world through the Incarnation of his Son, the Christ or Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth.The founding of the church is traced to the life and teachings of Jesus, whose death is followed by resurrection from the dead after which he sends the Holy Spirit to assist believers. This triple mission within the Godhead is described doctrinally as the divine Trinity, God one in nature but consisting in three divine persons.

7. Language:  The most spoken language is polish. English phrasePolishPronunciation Thanks DziekujeDsjencooyah Please ProszeProsheh To Your Health! Na Zdrowie!Na strovia Hi, Hello, Bye CzescChesht How are you? Jak sie masz?Yac shye mash?

8. Holiday:  November 11 th is polish independence day.  It is celebrate to recognize the day Poland earned independence. Major celebrations, attended by Polish State authorities, are held in Warsaw at Piłsudski Square. Sharply at noon, a ceremonious change of guards takes place before the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Patriotic gatherings and parades are held all over Poland. Churches celebrate masses with the intentions of the Homeland. Since 1989 every year several thousands of volunteers have taken part in the Race of Independence to commemorate the day.

9. Polish Recipe:  BIGOS (Hunter's Stew)  The secret of Bigos is that it gets better as it's reheated. The more it heated the better it gets. Serve with good bread. More about Bigos.Bigos  4 lbs sauerkraut 1 cup apple juice 1 lb smoked pork 1 lb spareribs 1/4 lb bacon 1 can tomatoes (large) 2 cups water 2 bay leaves black pepper salt 4 lbs cabbage 1 lb pork loin chop or pork ribs 1 lb smoked kielbasa (sausage) 1/2 cup onions (chopped) 10 ounces mushrooms (fresh) 6 ounce mushrooms (dried) 2 tablespoons flour  1. Brown pork and spareribs in a large heavy pot. 2. Add smoked pork with 1 cup of water and simmer until 1 hour. 3. Add the sauerkraut and one cup apple juice. 4. Chop the cabbage fine and add to sauerkraut. 5. Add lots of pepper and salt cover and simmer 1 hour. 6. Remove lid and keep pot on a very low simmer. 7. In a pan, fry bacon until crisp, then crumble into sauerkraut mixture. 8. Remove most of the bacon fat and fry onions and mushrooms and flour until they just brown. 9. Mix into sauerkraut mixture. 10. Cut kielbasa into slices add to sauerkraut mixture with the tomatoes. 11. Bring to a boil, simmer 30 minutes and serve hot.

10. Places to see:  Góry Stołowe - The Stołowe Mountains, part of Middle Sudety Mountains  This is the only mountains of its kind in Poland. Abundant in different kind of habitats - scientists counted 16 of them in total and claim it valuable for European nature.  If interested in doing something in Poland, go dancing. Polish people dance all the time and it’s a fun and exciting activity.

11. Works cited:  http://www.polish-flag.com/ http://www.polish-flag.com/  https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the- world-factbook/geos/pl.html https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the- world-factbook/geos/pl.html  http://www.food.com/recipes/polish http://www.food.com/recipes/polish  http://poland-holiday.blogspot.com/2009/06/top- 10-places-worth-to-see-in-poland.html http://poland-holiday.blogspot.com/2009/06/top- 10-places-worth-to-see-in-poland.html  http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2875.htm http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2875.htm