Warsaw is the capital of Poland, provincial city, the largest city in the region described. It is located in the Warsaw Basin and on the plains: Warszawska and Wołomińska, on the Vistula River dividing the city into the left-bank and right-bank parts. It occupies an area 495 km2 and counts 1626 000 residents (1997 r.). In administrative terms, it is a union 11 municipalities. The largest of the Warsaw-Centrum communes is the only one divided into 7 districts.

Warsaw is a large political center, administrative, information, scientific, cultural, communication and economic. The highest offices and state authorities have their seats here: Sejm, senate, President of the Republic of Poland and the Council of Ministers. Warsaw is home to many political parties and national organizations, there are numerous diplomatic missions and foreign trade representations.

Religious organizations have their main centers in Warsaw: Roman Catholic Church, Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church, Evangelical Reformed Church, Evangelical-co-Augsburg Church, Polish Catholic Church, Evangelical Church–Methodist, Seventh-day Adventist Church, Union of Jewish Religious Communities and others.

Warsaw is a large economic center. The main banks operating in Poland have their headquarters here, insurance companies, the stock exchange operates. Trade fairs and exhibitions are organized (mainly in the Palace of Culture and Science, Mokotów and Torwar Exhibition Center). Warsaw is one of the largest Polish industrial centers. Among other things,: machine industry, metal, electronic, precision instruments and apparatuses, pharmaceutical and food. The largest industrial plants include Daewoo FSO Motorcorporation, Lucchini-Warsaw steelworks, Zakłady Przemysłu Tractorowego "Ursus" and Fabryka Wyrobów Precyzyjnych "VIS".

Warsaw is a significant research center. The headquarters of the Polish Academy of Sciences is located here, 27 colleges (m.in.: University of Warsaw, Warsaw University of Technology, Warsaw School of Economics, Warsaw University of Life Sciences – Agricultural academy, Medical academy, Academy of Fine Arts, Academy of Physical Education, Academy of Catholic Theology, music Academy, Military Technical Academy, Main School of Fire Service), 350 secondary schools, 330 primary schools and numerous scientific institutions. The city has two botanical gardens and a zoo. There are several dozen libraries in Warsaw, including the National Library, University of Warsaw Library, Public Library of the Capital City of. of Warsaw, numerous specialist libraries, np. in the field of economics (at the Warsaw School of Economics), art, medicine, techniques etc..

Several dozen museums have their headquarters in Warsaw, of which are the most important: National Museum, Royal Castle, Royal bathroom, Wilanów, Polish Army museum, Historical Museum of the Capital City of. of Warsaw, Museum of Literature, Ethnographic Museum and Technical Museum.