Poland lies between Germany on the west, the Czech Republic and Slovakia on the south, Ukraine Belarus and Lithuania on the east and Kaliningrad (a small detached bit of Russia) to the north.  Most of Poland's northern border is on the Baltic Sea. Poland was occupied by Germany and the U.S.S.R. (Russia) during World War II.  After having been under Soviet domination behind the Iron Curtain for several decades Poland is now a member of the European Union and NATO.