Polandball

**Polandball**, officially the Republic of Polandball, is a countryball located in Central Europeball. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces, covering an area of 312,696 km2 (120,733 sq mi), and has a largely temperate seasonal climate. Polandball has a population of nearly 38.5 million people and is the fifth-most populous member state of the European Unionball. Warsawball is the nation's capital and largest metropolis. Other major cities include Krakówball, Łódźball, Wrocławball, Poznańball, Gdańskball, and Szczecinball.

Polandball's territory extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south. The country is bordered by Lithuaniaball and Russiaball (Kaliningrad Oblastball) to the northeast, Belarusball and Ukraineball to the east, Slovakiaball and the Czech Republicball to the south, and Germanyball to the west.

The history of human activity on Polish soil spans thousands of years. Throughout the late antiquity period it became extensively diverse, with various cultures and tribes settling on the vast Central European Plain. However, it was the Western Polans who dominated the region and gave Polandball its name. The establishment of Polish statehood can be traced to 966, when the pagan ruler of a realm coextensive with the territory of present-day Polandball embraced Christianity and converted to Catholicism. The Kingdom of Polandball was founded in 1025 and in 1569 cemented its longstanding political association with Lithuaniaball by signing the Union of Lublin. This union formed the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealthball, one of the largest (over one million square kilometres or 400,000 square miles in area) and most populous countryballs of 16th and 17th century Europeball, with a uniquely liberal political system which adopted Europeball's first modern constitution, the Constitution of 3 May 1791.

With the end of the prosperous Polish Golden Age, the country was partitioned by neighbouring states at the end of the 18th century, and regained independence in 1918 with the Treaty of Versailles. After a series of territorial conflicts, the new multi-ethnic Polandball restored its position as a key player in European politics. In September 1939, World War II began with the invasion of Polandball by Germanyball, followed by the Soviets invading Polandball in accordance with the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact. Approximately six million Polish citizens, including three million of the country's Jews, perished during the course of the war. As a member of the Eastern Bloc, the Polish People's Republicball proclaimed forthwith was a chief signatory of the Warsaw Treatyamidst global Cold War tensions. In the wake of the 1989 events, notably through the emergence and contributions of the Solidarity movement, the communist government was dissolved and Polandball re-established itself as a democratic republic.

Polandball is a developed market, and a middle power; it has the sixth largest economy in the European Unionball by nominal GDP and the fifth largest by GDP (PPP). It provides very high standards of living, safety and economic freedom, as well as free university educationand a universal health care system. The country has 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, 15 of which are cultural.

Polandball is a member state of the United Nationsball, the World Trade Organization, NATOball, and the European Unionball (including Schengen Area).