What is the capital of Poland?
Warsaw stands on the Vistula river in east-central Poland.
Warsaw is the capital and seat of government of Poland, a role it has held since 1596. Poland itself has an estimated population of 36,435,861 (2025).
Warsaw is also the largest city in Poland, which is the usual arrangement, though it is far from universal: see the countries where capital and largest city differ.
Warsaw at a glance
| City population | 1,862,402 (2024) |
|---|---|
| Metropolitan area | 3,269,510 (2024) |
| Country | 馃嚨馃嚤 Poland |
| Capital since | 1596 |
| Largest city in Poland | Warsaw |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| Currency | Polish z艂oty (PLN) |
About Warsaw
Warsaw has been the capital of Poland since 1596, Warsaw became Poland's capital around 1596, when King Sigismund III moved the royal court from Krak贸w.
Krak贸w was Poland's royal capital for centuries before the court moved to Warsaw around 1596.
About 85% of Warsaw was destroyed in the Second World War; the city was painstakingly rebuilt, and its reconstructed Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Warsaw is Poland's largest city and its political and economic centre.
City facts sourced from Wikipedia: Warsaw.
Frequently asked questions
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Capitals of neighbouring countries
See the full profile of Poland on its country page, or browse every capital city.
Capital and country data from open datasets; city and metropolitan populations are hand-curated per city and cited where they are shown. Populations of countries come from the World Bank (SP.POP.TOTL). Full sources and vintage on the data page. Last updated . Report a correction.