Masurian Lake District is an area in northeastern Poland of forests, rolling hills and meadows, and more than 2,000 lakes. In Polish, the district is called Pojezierze Mazurskie. The district lies south of Poland’s narrow coastal lowlands and stretches nearly 180 miles (290 kilometers) east from the Vistula River to the border of Lithuania. Lake Sniardwy and Lake Mamry, Poland’s largest lakes, lie at the center of the district. A series of rivers and canals connects many of the Masurian lakes. Large pine and spruce forests dominate parts of the district. The forests include Napiwodzko-Ramucka Forest and Piska Forest. The Masurian Landscape Park is one of the region’s many parks and nature preserves. Birds living in the district’s wetlands and forests include cranes, ducks, eagles, harriers, herons, mute swans, osprey, and storks.
Few people live within the Masurian Lake District, but area farmers produce wheat, sugar beets, potatoes, and rye. The main towns include Olsztyn and Elk. Resort towns include Gizycko and Mikolajki. The Masurian lakes are a popular destination for boating, fishing, hiking, and biking. Several million tourists visit the district each year. In the early years of World War I (1914-1918), German and Russian troops clashed in three huge battles around the Masurian Lakes.
