Borders of Poland explained

The Borders of Poland are 3511km (2,182miles)^[1] or 3582km (2,226miles) long.^[2] The neighboring countries are Germany to the west, the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south, Ukraine and Belarus to the east, and Lithuania and the Russian province of Kaliningrad Oblast to the northeast. To the north, Poland is bordered by the Baltic Sea.

Breakdown of border lengths per entity:

1. Czech Republic–Poland border: 796km (495miles)^[1] or 790km (490miles)^[2]
2. Poland–Slovakia border: 541km (336miles)^[1] or 539km (335miles)^[2]
3. Poland–Ukraine border: 535km (332miles)^[1] or 529km (329miles)^[2]
4. Germany–Poland border: 467km (290miles)^{[2] [1]}
5. Belarus–Poland border: 418km (260miles)^[1] or 416km (258miles)^[2]
6. Poland–Russia border (Kaliningrad Oblast): 210km (130miles)^{[2] [1]}
7. Lithuania–Poland border: 104km (65miles)^[1] or 103km (64miles)^[2]
8. sea (Baltic Sea): 440km (270miles)^[1] or 528km (328miles)^[2]

The Polish coastline is 770km (480miles) long.^[1]

History

The borders of modern Poland were defined in the aftermath of the Second World War and the establishment of the People's Republic of Poland. They were agreed in the field of international law by the Yalta Agreement of February 11, 1945 and the Potsdam Agreement of August 2, 1945. These agreements generally defined the course of borders, without setting them out in detail. Their specification and then demarcation in the field had to be normalized in bilateral agreements between the states concerned.

Major border crossings

After accession of Poland to the European Union in 2004, border crossings with EU states (Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Lithuania) were made redundant. Infrastructure remains in place, but its systematic use and the controls are no longer allowed by the Schengen agreement.^[3]

Former

with Germany

1. Świnoujście
2. Kołbaskowo
3. Kostrzyn nad Odrą
4. Świecko
5. Gubin
6. Olszyna
7. Zgorzelec

with the Czech Republic

1. Jakuszyce (district of Szklarska Poręba)
2. Kudowa-Słone
3. Chałupki
4. Cieszyn

with Slovakia

1. Chyżne
2. Łysa Polana
3. Jurgów
4. Barwinek

with Lithuania

1. Ogrodniki
2. Budzisko

Historically, Poland also had borders (and border crossings) with former countries, or with countries that no longer share a common border with Poland:

• former countries: Czechoslovakia, Soviet Union, East Germany
• countries which once shared a common border with Poland: Romania, Hungary, Latvia

Current

with Ukraine

1. Korczowa

with Belarus

1. Grodno

with Russia

1. Grzechotki

See also

• Border Guard (Poland)
• Curzon Line
• Extreme points of Poland
• Geography of Poland
• Kaliningrad question
• Polish rail border crossings
• Territorial changes of Poland
• Poland–Belarus barrier
• East Shield

External links

• Interactive map of pre-war and post-war Poland

Notes and References

1. Book: MAŁY ROCZNIK STATYSTYCZNY POLSKI 2013 (CONCISE STATISTICAL YEARBOOK OF POLAND 2013). WARUNKI NATURALNE I OCHRONA ŚRODOWISKA (ENVIRONMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION). Concise Statistical Yearbook of Poland = Mały Rocznik Statystyczny Polski. GŁÓWNY URZĄD STATYSTYCZNY. 26. 2013. 1640-3630. Polish, English.
2. Informacje o Polsce - informacje ogólne (archive.org). Page gives Polish PWN Encyklopedia as reference.
3. Ustawa z dnia 29 czerwca 2007 r. o zmianie ustawy o ochronie granicy państwowej oraz ustawy o zmianie ustawy o Straży Granicznej oraz niektórych innych ustaw. Dziennik Ustaw, 2007, numer 140. pozycja 982