Voivodships of Poland Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description

A voivodship (in Polish województwo) is a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland since the 14th century. As a result of Local Government Reorganization Act of 1998, 16 new voivodships were created (effective January 1 1999) and replaced the 49 voivodships which had existed since 1 July 1975.

Today's provinces are largely based on the country's historical regions, whereas those of 1975-1998 were centered on and named for individual cities. The new units range in area from under 10,000 km² (Opole Voivodship) to over 35,000 km² (Masovian Voivodship), and in population from one million (Lubusz Voivodship) to over five million (Masovian Voivodship).

Table of contents

1 Poland's present voivodships (since 1999) 2 Polish voivodships 1975-1998 (49) 3 Polish voivodships 1945-1975 (14+2/17+5) 4 Polish voivodships 1921-1939 (16+1) 5 Polish voivodships 1569-1795 5.1 Province of Greater Poland 5.2 Province of Lesser Poland 5.3 Grand Duchy of Lithuania 5.4 Livonia 6 External links

Poland's present voivodships (since 1999)

Polish voivodships since 1999
code	car plates	Voivodship	Capital	Area km²	Population (Dec. 31, 2003)
02	D	Lower Silesian	Wrocław;	19 947,76	2 898 313
04	C	Kuyavian-Pomeranian	Bydgoszcz¹ Toruń²	17 969,72	2 068 142
06	L	Lublin	Lublin	25 114,48	2 191 172
08	F	Lubusz	Gorzów Wielkopolski¹ Zielona Góra²	13 984,44	1 008 786
10	E	Łódź	Łódź	18 219,11	2 597 094
12	K	Lesser Poland	Kraków	15 144,10	3 252 949
14	W	Masovian	Warszawa	35 597,80	5 135 732
16	O	Opole	Opole	9 412,47	1 055 667
18	R	Subcarpathian	Rzeszów	17 926,28	2 097 248
20	B	Podlasie	Białystok;	20 179,58	1 205 117
22	G	Pomeranian	Gdańsk;	18 292,88	2 188 918
24	S	Silesian	Katowice	12 294,04	4 714 982
26	T	Świętokrzyskie;	Kielce	11 672,34	1 291 598
28	N	Warmian-Masurian	Olsztyn	24 202,95	1 428 885
30	P	Greater Poland	Poznań	29 825,59	3 359 932
32	Z	Western Pomeranian	Szczecin	22 901,48	1 696 073
(¹) - seat of voivod, (²) - seat of self-government

Voivodships are combined into bigger regions, that are used for statistical reports.

• REGION I: 7.7 million inhabitants, GDP per capita 50.5% EU avarage
  • Masovian Voivodship (Mazowieckie, MA)
  • Lodz Voivodship (Lodzkie, LD)

• REGION II: 8.0 million inhabitants, GDP per capita 39.5% EU avarage
  • Silesian Voivodship (Slaskie, SL)
  • Lesser Poland Voivodship (Malopolskie, MP)

• REGION III: 6.8 million inhabitants, GDP per capita 28.1% EU avarage
  • Swietokrzyskie Voivodship (Swietokrzyskie, SW)
  • Subcarpathian Voivodship (Podkarpackie, PK)
  • Podlasie Voivodship (Podlaskie, PD)
  • Lublin Voivodship (Lubelskie, LU)

• REGION IV: 6.1 million inhabitants, GDP per capita 39.5% EU avarage
  • Greater Poland Voivodship (Wielkopolskie, WP)
  • Lubusz Voivodship (Lubuskie, LB)
  • West Pomeranian Voivodship (Zachodniopomorskie, ZP)

• REGION V: 4.0 million inhabitants, GDP per capita 38.3% EU avarage
  • Lower Silesian Voivodship (Dolnoslaskie, DS)
  • Opole Voivodship (Opolskie, OP)

• REGION VI: 5.7 million inhabitants, GDP per capita 35.0% EU avarage
  • Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodship (Kujawsko-Pomorskie, KP)
  • Pomeranian Voivodship (Pomorskie, PM)
  • Warmian-Masurian Voivodship (Warminsko-Mazurskie, WM)

See also:

• Map of Polish Regions
• List of counties in Poland by voivodships
• List of capitals of subnational entities

Polish voivodships 1975-1998 (49)

since 1989 Third Polish Republic

This reorganisation of administrative division of Poland was mainly a result of local government reform acts of 1973-1975. In place of three level administrative division (voivodship, county, commune), new two-level administrative division was introduced (49 small voidships and communes). The three smallest voivodships: Warsaw, Cracow and Lodz had a special status of municipal voivodship; the city president (mayor) was also province governor.

 

Polish voivodships and separate cities 1975-1998
Abbreviation	Voivodship	Capital	Area km² (1998)	Population (1980)	No. of cities	No. of communes
bp	bialskopodlaskie	Biała Podlaska;	5348	286 400	6	35
bk	białostockie;	Białystok;	10 055	641 100	17	49
bb	bielskie	Bielsko-Biała;	3 704	829 900	18	47
by	bydgoskie	Bydgoszcz	10 349	1 036 000	27	55
ch	chełmskie;	Chełm;	3 865	230 900	4	25
ci	ciechanowskie	Ciechanów	6 362	405 400	9	45
cz	częstochowskie;	Częstochowa;	6 182	747 900	17	49
el	elbląskie;	Elbląg;	6 103	441 500	15	37
gd	gdańskie;	Gdańsk;	7 394	1 333 800	19	43
go	gorzowskie	Gorzów Wielkopolski	8 484	455 400	21	38
jg	jeleniogórskie	Jelenia Góra	4 378	492 600	24	28
kl	kaliskie	Kalisz	6 512	668 000	20	53
ka	katowickie	Katowice	6 650	3 733 900	43	46
ki	kieleckie	Kielce	9 211	1 068 700	17	69
kn	konińskie;	Konin	5 139	441 200	18	43
ko	koszalińskie;	Koszalin	8 470	462 200	17	35
kr	krakowskie	Kraków	3 254	1 167 500	10	38
ks	krośnieńskie;	Krosno	5 702	448 200	12	37
lg	legnickie	Legnica	4 037	458 900	11	31
le	leszczyńskie;	Leszno	4 254	357 600	19	28
lu	lubelskie	Lublin	6 793	935 200	16	62
lo	łomżyńskie;	Łomża;	6 684	325 800	12	39
ld	łódzkie;	Łódź	1523	1 127 800	8	11
ns	nowosądeckie;	Nowy Sącz;	5 576	628 800	14	41
ol	olsztyńskie;	Olsztyn	12 327	681 400	21	48
op	opolskie	Opole	8 535	975 000	29	61
os	ostrołęckie;	Ostrołęka;	6 498	371 400	9	38
pi	pilskie	Piła;	8 205	437 100	24	35
pt	piotrkowskie	Piotrków Trybunalski	6 266	604 200	10	51
pl	płockie;	Płock;	5 117	496 100	9	44
po	poznańskie;	Poznań	8 151	1 237 800	33	57
pr	przemyskie	Przemyśl;	4 437	380 000	9	35
rs	radomskie	Radom	7 295	702 300	15	61
rz	rzeszowskie	Rzeszów	4 397	648 900	13	41
se	siedleckie	Siedlce	8 499	616 300	12	66
si	sieradzkie	Sieradz	4 869	392 300	9	40
sk	skierniewickie	Skierniewice	3 959	396 900	8	36
sl	słupskie;	Słupsk;	7 453	369 800	11	31
su	suwalskie	Suwałki;	10 490	422 600	14	42
sz	szczecińskie;	Szczecin	9 981	897 900	29	50
tg	tarnobrzeskie	Tarnobrzeg	6 283	556 300	14	46
ta	tarnowskie	Tarnów	4 151	607 000	9	41
to	toruńskie;	Toruń	5 348	610 800	13	41
wb	wałbrzyskie;	Wałbrzych;	4 168	716 100	31	30
wa	warszawskie	Warsaw	3 788	2 319 100	27	32
wl	włocławskie;	Włocławek;	4 402	413 400	14	30
wr	wrocławskie;	Wrocław;	6 287	1 076 200	16	33
za	zamojskie	Zamość	6 980	472 100	5	47
zg	zielonogórskie	Zielona Góra	8 868	609 200	26	50

Polish voivodships 1945-1975 (14+2/17+5)

''People's Republic of Poland

After the World War II the new administrative division was based on pre-war one. The areas in the East that were not annexed by the Soviet Union had their borders left almost unchanged. Newly acquired territories in the west and north were organised into the voivodships of Szczecin, Wrocław;, Olsztyn and partially joined to Gdańsk;, Katowice and Poznań voivodships. Two cities were granted voivodship status: Warsaw and Łódź.

In 1950 new voivodships were created: Koszalin - previously part of Szczecin, Opole - previously part of Katowice, and Zielona Góra - previously part of Poznań, Wrocław; and Szczecin voivodships. In addition, three other cities were granted the voivodship status: Wrocław;, Kraków and Poznań.

 

Polish administrative division 1945-1975
Car plates (since 1956)	Voivodship	Capital	Area km² (1965)	Population (1965)
A	białostockie;	Białystok;	23 136	1 160 400
B	bydgoskie	Bydgoszcz	20 794	1 837 100
G	gdańskie;	Gdańsk;	10 984	1 352 800
S	katowickie	Katowice	9 518	3 524 300
C	kieleckie	Kielce	19 498	1 899 100
E	koszalińskie; ¹	Koszalin	17 974	755 100
K	krakowskie	Kraków	15 350	2 127 600
F	łódzkie;	Łódź	17 064	1 665 200
L	lubelskie	Lublin	24 829	1 900 500
O	olsztyńskie;	Olsztyn	20 994	956 600
H	opolskie ¹	Opole	9 506	1 009 200
P	poznańskie;	Poznań	26 723	2 126 300
R	rzeszowskie	Rzeszów	18 658	1 692 800
M	szczecińskie;	Szczecin	12 677	847 600
T	warszawskie	Warsaw	29 369	2 453 000
X	wrocławskie;	Wrocław;	18 827	1 967 000
Z	zielonogórskie ¹	Zielona Góra	14 514	847 200
car plates since 1956)	Separate city		Area km² (1965)	Population (1965)
I	Łódź		214	744 100
W	Warsaw		446	1 252 600
?	Kraków ²		230	520 100
?	Poznań ²		220	438 200
?	Wrocław; ²		225	474 200
¹ - new voivodships created in 1950; ² - cities separated in 1957

Polish voivodships 1921-1939 (16+1)

Second Polish Republic

 

Polish voivodships in the interbellum (data as per April 1, 1937)
car plates (since 1937)	Voivodship Separate city	Capital	Area in 1000 km² (1930)	Population in 1000 (1931)
00-19	City of Warsaw	Warsaw	0,14	1179,5
85-89	warszawskie	Warsaw	31,7	2460,9
20-24	białostockie;	Białystok;	26,0	1263,3
25-29	kieleckie	Kielce	22,2	2671,0
30-34	krakowskie	Kraków	17,6	2300,1
35-39	lubelskie	Lublin	26,6	2116,2
40-44	lwowskie	Lwów	28,4	3126,3
45-49	łódzkie;	Łódź	20,4	2650,1
50-54	nowogródzkie	Nowogródek	23,0	1057,2
55-59	poleskie	Brześć nad Bugiem;	36,7	1132,2
60-64	pomorskie	Toruń	25,7	1884,4
65-69	poznańskie;	Poznań	28,1	2339,6
70-74	stanisławowskie;	Stanisławów;	16,9	1480,3
75-79 ?	śląskie;	Katowice	5,1	1533,5
80-84	tarnopolskie	Tarnopol	16,5	1600,4
90-94	wileńskie;	Wilno	29,0	1276,0
95-99	wołyńskie;	Łuck;	35,7	2085,6

Polish voivodships 1569-1795

Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth

Province of Greater Poland

• Poznan Voivodship (województwo poznanskie, Poznan)
• Kalisz Voivodship (województwo kaliskie, Kalisz)
• Gniezno Voivodship (województwo gnieźnieńskie, Gniezno) from 1768
• Sieradz Voivodship (województwo sieradzkie, Sieradz)
• Leczyca Voivodship (województwo łęczyckie, Leczyca)
• Brzesc Kujawski Voivodship (województwo brzesko-kujawskie, Brzesc Kujawski)
• Inowroclaw Voivodship (województwo inoworclawskie, Inowroclaw)
• Chelmno Voivodship (województwo chełmińskie, Chelmno)
• Malbork Voivodship (województwo malborskie, Malbork)
• Pomeranian Voivodship (województwo pomorskie, Gdansk)
• Duchy of Warmia (Księstwo Warmińskie, Lidzbark Warminski)
• Duchy of Prussia (Księstwo Pruskie, Lidzbark Warminski)
• Plock Voivodship (województwo plockie, Plock)
• Rawa Voivodship (województwo rawskie, Rawa Mazowiecka)
• Mazovian Voivodship (województwo mazowieckie, Warszawa)

Province of Lesser Poland

• Kraków Voivodship (województwo krakowskie, Cracow)
• Sandomierz Voivodship (województwo sandomierskie, Sandomierz)
• Lublin Voivodship (województwo lubelskie, Lublin)
• Podlasie Voivodship (województwo podlaskie, Drohiczyn)
• Ruthenian Voivodship (województwo ruskie, Lvov)
• Belz Voivodship (województwo belzkie, Belz)
• Wolhynia Voivodship (województwo wołyńskie, Luck (Lutsk))
• Podole Voivodship (województwo podolskie, Kamieniec Podolski)
• Braclaw Voivodship (województwo braclawskie, Braclaw)
• Kyiv Voivodship (województwo kijowskie, Kyiv)

Grand Duchy of Lithuania

• Wilno Voivodship (województwo wileńskie, Wilno/Vilnius)
• Troki Voivodship (województwo trockie, Troki/Trakai)
• Nowogrodek Voivodship (województwo nowogrodzkie, Nowogrodek)
• Brest-Litovsk Voivodship (województwo brzesko-litewskie, Brest-Litovsk)
• Minsk Voivodship (województwo mińskie, Minsk)
• Chernigov Voivodship (województwo czernichowskie, Chernigov)
• Mscislaw Voivodship (województwo mścisławskie, Mscislaw)
• Smolensk Voivodship (województwo smoleńskie, Smolensk)
• Vitebsk Voivodship (województwo witebskie, Vitebsk)
• Polock Voivodship (województwo połockie, Polotsk)
• Duchy of Samogita (księstwo żmudzkie, Miedniki-Wornie)

Livonia

• Wenden Voivodship (województwo wendeńskie, Wenden) since 1598
• Dorpat Voivodship (województwo dorpackie, Dorpat) since 1598
• Parnava Voivodship (województwo parnawskie, Parnava) since 1598
• Duchy of Courland and Semigalia (księstwo Kurlanii i Semigalii, Mitawa)

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External links

• Map
• Administrative map of Poland

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