Warsaw

Warsaw, Poland

Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, in east-central Poland, roughly 260 kilometres (160 mi) from the Baltic Sea and 300 kilometres (190 mi) from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population is estimated at 1.740 million residents within a greater metropolitan area of 2.666 million residents, which makes Warsaw the 9th most populous capital city in the European Union. The city limits cover 516.9 square kilometres (199.6 sq mi), while the metropolitan area covers 6,100.43 square kilometres (2,355.39 sq mi). 

In 2012, Warsaw was ranked as the 32nd most liveable city in the world by the Economist Intelligence Unit. It was also ranked as one of the most liveable cities in Central and Eastern Europe. Today Warsaw is considered an Alpha– global city, a major international tourist destination and a significant cultural, political and economic hub. Warsaw's economy, by a wide variety of industries, is characterised by FMCG manufacturing, metal processing, steel and electronic manufacturing and food processing. The city is a significant centre of research and development, BPO, ITO, as well as Polish media industry. TheWarsaw Stock Exchange is one of the largest and most important in Central Europe. Frontex, the European Union agency for external border security, is headquartered in Warsaw. Unusually for a European city, Warsaw has a prominent skyline with many skyscrapers and high-rise buildings in the city center. Warsaw is one of only a few cities in the European Union that have such a skyline, together with Frankfurt, London and Paris.