A voivodeship is the area administered by a voivode (Governor) in several countries of central and eastern Europe. Voivodeships have existed since medieval times and the area of extent of voivodeship resembles that of a

duchy A duchy, also called a dukedom, is a Middle Ages, medieval country, territory, fiefdom, fief, or domain ruled by a duke or duchess, a ruler hierarchically second to the king or Queen regnant, queen in Western European tradition. There once exis ...

in western medieval states, much as the title of voivode was equivalent to that of a duke. Other roughly equivalent titles and areas in medieval Eastern Europe included ban (bojan, vojin or bayan) and

banate Ban () was a noble title used in several states in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe between the 7th century and the 20th century. The most common examples have been found in Croatia. Sources The first known mentio ...

. In a modern context, the word normally refers to one of the provinces ''( województwa)'' of Poland. , Poland has 16 voivodeships.

Terminology

A voi(e)vod(e) (literally, "leader of warriors" or "war leader", equivalent to the Latin "''Dux Exercituum''" and the

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

"'' Herzog''") was originally a military commander who stood, in a state's structure, next to the ruler. Later the word came to denote an administrative official. Words for "voivodeship" in various languages include the uk, воєводство; the pl, województwo; the ro, voievodat; the

Bulgarian Bulgarian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Bulgaria * Bulgarians, a South Slavic ethnic group * Bulgarian language, a Slavic language * Bulgarian alphabet * A citizen of Bulgaria, see Demographics of Bulgaria * Bul ...

: ''voivoda'' (войвода); the

Serbian Serbian may refer to: * someone or something related to Serbia, a country in Southeastern Europe * someone or something related to the Serbs, a South Slavic people * Serbian language * Serbian names See also

* * * Old Serbian (disambiguat ...

: ''vojvodina'' (војводина), ''vojvodstvo'' (војводство) or ''vojvodovina'' (војводовина); the hu, vajdaság; the be, ваяводства (''vajаvodstva''); the lt, vaivadija. Some of these words, or variants of them, may also be used in English. Named for the word for "voivodeship" is the autonomous Serbian province of Vojvodina. Though the word "voivodeship" (other spellings are "voievodship" and "voivodship") appears in English dictionaries such as the OED and Webster's, it is not in common general usage, and voivodeships in Poland and elsewhere are frequently referred to as " provinces"."''Jednostki podziału administracyjnego Polski tłumaczymy tak: województwo''—province..." ("Polish administrative units are translated as follows: ''województwo''— province..."). Arkadiusz Belczy
"Tłumaczenie polskich nazw geograficznych na język angielski"
(" Translation of Polish Geographical Names into English"), 2002-2006. For examples se
New Provinces of Poland (1998)Map of PolandEnglish names of Polish provinces
Depending on context, historic voivodeships may also be referred to as "duchies", "palatinates" (the Latin word "''palatinatus''" was used for a voivodeship in Poland), "administrative districts" or "regions".

Historical voivodeships

in Southeastern Europe

In the territory of modern Romania and Moldova, the regions of Wallachia, Moldavia and Transylvania were formerly voivodeships. The region of Maramureș, now split between Romania and Ukraine, also used to be its own voivodeship, the Voivodeship of Maramureș. Historical voivodeships in the territory of modern Serbia include the Voivodeship of Salan (9th–10th centuries), Voivodeship of Sermon (11th century), and Voivodeship of Syrmia of Radoslav Čelnik (1527–1530). A voivodeship called Serbian Vojvodina was established in 1848–1849; this was transformed into the

Voivodeship of Serbia and Temes Banat , conventional_long_name = Voivodeship of Serbia and Temes Banate , common_name = Serbia and Banat , subdivision = Crownland , nation = the Austrian Empire , year_start = 1849 , date_start = 18 November , year_end = 1860 , date_end = ...

, a land within the

Austro-Hungarian Empire Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...

from 1849 to 1860. This is the origin of the name of the present-day Serbian autonomous province of Vojvodina.

In Poland and Lithuania

For more information about the divisions of Polish lands in particular periods, see Administrative divisions of Poland ("Historical"). Voivodeships in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (1569–1795): *In the Polish Crown Lands: * Poznań Voivodeship *

Kalisz Voivodeship Kalisz Voivodeship may also refer to: *Kalisz Voivodeship (1314–1793) *Kalisz Voivodeship (1816–1837) The Kalisz Voivodeship was a voivodeship of the Congress Poland, that existed from 1816 to 1837. Its capital was Kalisz. It was established o ...

Gniezno Voivodeship Gniezno Voivodeship (Polish: ''Województwo Gnieźnieńskie'', Latin: ''Palatinatus Gnesnensis'') was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland for a short time from 1768, when it was cut from the Kalisz Voivodeship, to the ...

Sieradz Voivodeship Sieradz Voivodeship () was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland in the years 1975–1998, superseded by Łódź Voivodeship. A Voivodeship is an area administered by a voivode (Governor), and the Sieradz Voivodeshi ...

* Łęczyca Voivodeship * Brześć Kujawski Voivodeship *

Inowrocław Voivodeship Inowrocław Voivodeship ( pl, województwo inowrocławskie) was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland from the 14th century to the First Partition of Poland in 1772. Together with the neighbouring Brześć Kujawski Voiv ...

* Chełmno Voivodeship * Malbork Voivodeship *

Pomeranian Voivodeship Pomeranian Voivodeship, Pomorskie Region, or Pomerania Province (Polish: ''Województwo pomorskie'' ; ( Kashubian: ''Pòmòrsczé wòjewództwò'' ), is a voivodeship, or province, in northwestern Poland. The provincial capital is Gdańsk. The ...

Płock Voivodeship Płock (pronounced ) is a city in central Poland, on the Vistula river, in the Masovian Voivodeship. According to the data provided by GUS on 31 December 2021, there were 116,962 inhabitants in the city. Its full ceremonial name, according to the ...

* Rawa Voivodeship * Masovian Voivodeship *

Kraków Voivodeship Kraków Voivodeship may also refer to: *Kraków Voivodeship (14th century – 1795) * Kraków Voivodeship (1816–1837) *Kraków Voivodeship (1919–1939) *Kraków Voivodeship (1945–1975) *Kraków Voivodeship (1975–1998) The Kraków Voivodeshi ...

* Sandomierz Voivodeship * Lublin Voivodeship *

Podlasie Voivodeship Podlaskie Voivodeship or Podlasie Province ( pl, Województwo podlaskie, ) is a voivodeship (province) in northeastern Poland. The name of the province and its territory correspond to the historic region of Podlachia. The capital and largest cit ...

Ruthenian Voivodeship The Ruthenian Voivodeship (Latin: ''Palatinatus russiae'', Polish: ''Województwo ruskie'', Ukrainian: ''Руське воєводство'', romanized: ''Ruske voievodstvo''), also called Rus’ voivodeship, was a voivodeship of the Crown of ...

* Bełz Voivodeship * Wolhynia Voivodeship * Podole Voivodeship * Bracław Voivodeship * Kijów Voivodeship *

Czernihów Voivodeship Czernihów (Chernihiv) Voivodeship ( pl, Województwo czernihowskie, links=no) was a unit of administrative division and local government in the Kingdom of Poland (part of Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth) from 1635 until Khmelnytsky Uprising in ...

*In the historical Grand Duchy of Lithuania: * Vilnius Voivodeship *

Trakai Voivodeship lt, Trakų vaivadija pl, Województwo trockie , conventional_long_name = Trakai Voivodeship , common_name = Trakai , subdivision = Voivodeship , nation = Grand Duchy of Lithuania (1413–1569) Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (1569–1795) , year_ ...

* Nowogródek Voivodeship *

Brest-Litovsk Voivodeship Brest Litovsk Voivodeship ( Belarusian: ''Берасьцейскае ваяводзтва'', Polish: ''Województwo brzeskolitewskie'') was a unit of administrative territorial division and a seat of local government (voivode) within the Grand ...

* Minsk Voivodeship *

Mścisław Voivodeship Mstislaw Voivodeship or Mścisław Voivodeship ( be, Амсьці́слаўскае ваяво́дзтва, pl, Województwo Mścisławskie, la, Palatinatus Mscislaviensis) was a unit of administrative division and local government in the Grand ...

Smolensk Voivodeship Smolensk Voivodeship ( la, Palatinatus smolencensis, be, Смале́нскае ваяво́дзтва, pl, Województwo smoleńskie, lt, Smolensko vaivadija) was a unit of administrative division and local government in the Grand Duchy of Li ...

Vitebsk Voivodeship Vitebsk Voivodeship ( be, Віцебскае ваяводзтва, pl, Województwo witebskie, la, Palatinatus Vitebsciensis) was a unit of administrative division and local government in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (from 1569 Polish–Lithu ...

* Połock Voivodeship *In the historical Duchy of Livonia: ** Wenden Voivodeship (1598–1620) **

Dorpat Voivodeship The Dorpat Voivodeship ( pl, Województwo dorpackie or ''województwo derpskie'') was a unit of administrative division and local government in the Duchy of Livonia, part of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, from 1598 until the Swedish conque ...

(1598–1620) **

Parnawa Voivodeship The Parnawa Voivodeship ( pl, Województwo parnawskie) was a unit of administrative division and local government in the Duchy of Livonia, part of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, since it was formed in 1598 until the Swedish conquest of Li ...

(1598–1620) ** Inflanty Voivodeship (from the 1620s) Voivodeships of Poland, 1921–1939: * Silesian Voivodeship (''Województwo Śląskie'') * Białystok Voivodeship (''Województwo Białostockie'') * Kielce Voivodeship (''Województwo Kieleckie'') *

(''Województwo Krakowskie'') * Łódź Voivodeship (''Województwo Łódzkie'') * Lublin Voivodeship (''Województwo Lubelskie'') * Lwów Voivodeship (''Województwo Lwowskie'') * Nowogródek Voivodeship (''Województwo Nowogrodzkie'') * Polesie Voivodeship (''Województwo Poleskie'') *

(''Województwo Pomorskie'') * Poznań Voivodeship (''Województwo Poznańskie'') * Stanisławów Voivodeship (''Województwo Stanisławowskie'') *

Tarnopol Voivodeship Tarnopol Voivodeship ( pl, Województwo tarnopolskie) was an administrative region of interwar Poland (1918–1939), created on 23 December 1920, with an area of 16,500 km² and provincial capital in Tarnopol (now ''Ternopil'', Ukraine). The voi ...

(''Województwo Tarnopolskie'') * Warsaw Voivodeship (''Województwo Warszawskie'') * Wilno Voivodeship (''Województwo Wileńskie'') * Volhynian Voivodeship (''Województwo Wołyńskie'') Voivodeships of Poland, 1945–1975: * Białystok Voivodeship *

Bydgoszcz Voivodeship Bydgoszcz Voivodeship () was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland in the years 1975–1998, superseded by Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship. Capital city: Bydgoszcz Area: Statistics (1 January 1992): Population ...

* Gdańsk Voivodeship * Katowice Voivodeship * Kielce Voivodeship *

Koszalin Voivodeship Koszalin Voivodeship may also refer to: *Koszalin Voivodeship (1950–1975) *Koszalin Voivodeship (1975–1998) The Koszalin Voivodeship was a voivodeship (province) of the Polish People's Republic from 1975 to 1989, and the Third Republic of ...

* Łódź Voivodeship * Lublin Voivodeship *

Olsztyn Voivodeship Olsztyn Voivodeship () was an administrative division and unit of local government in Poland in the years 1945–75, and a new territorial division between 1975–1998, superseded by Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship. Its capital city was Olsztyn. ...

* Opole Voivodeship * Poznań Voivodeship *

Rzeszów Voivodeship Rzeszów Voivodeship () can refer to one of two political entities in Poland: Rzeszów Voivodeship (1) was a unit of administrative division and local government from 1975 to 1998, superseded by Podkarpackie Voivodeship. Major cities and towns i ...

Szczecin Voivodeship Szczecin Voivodeship may also refer to: * Szczecin Voivodeship (1946–1975) *Szczecin Voivodeship (1975–1998) *West Pomeranian Voivodeship, with the capital in Szczecin Szczecin (, , german: Stettin ; sv, Stettin ; Latin: ''Sedinum'' or ...

* Warsaw Voivodeship * Wrocław Voivodeship *

Zielona Góra Voivodeship Zielona may refer to the following places: *Zielona, Lublin Voivodeship (east Poland) *Zielona, Gmina Gródek in Podlaskie Voivodeship (northeast Poland) *Zielona, Gmina Supraśl in Podlaskie Voivodeship (northeast Poland) *Zielona, Bochnia County i ...

Voivodeships of Poland, 1975–1998: *

Biała Podlaska Voivodeship The Biała Podlaska Voivodeship was a voivodeship (province) of the Polish People's Republic from 1975 to 1989, and the Third Republic of Poland from 1989 to 1998. Its capital was Biała Podlaska. It was established on 1 June 1975, from the par ...

* Białystok Voivodeship *

Bielsko-Biała Voivodeship Bielsko-Biała (; cs, Bílsko-Bělá, german: Bielitz-Biala, szl, Bjylsko-Bjoło) is a city in southern Poland, with a population of approximately 168,319 as of December 2021, making it the 22nd largest city in Poland, and an area of . It is a ...

Chełm Voivodeship Chełm Voivodeship () was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland in years 1975–1998, superseded by Lublin Voivodeship. Its capital city was Chełm. Major cities and towns (population in 1995) * Chełm (69,100) * K ...

* Ciechanów Voivodeship * Częstochowa Voivodeship *

Elbląg Voivodeship Elbląg Voivodeship () was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland from 1975 to 1998, superseded by the Pomeranian Voivodeship and the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship. Its capital city was Elbląg. Major cities and towns ( ...

* Gdańsk Voivodeship *

Gorzów Voivodeship Gorzów Wielkopolski Voivodeship () was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland between 1975 and 1998 when it was superseded by Lubusz Voivodeship. Its capital city was Gorzów Wielkopolski. Major cities and towns (popul ...

Jelenia Góra Voivodeship Jelenia Gora Voivodeship () was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland in the years 1975–1998, superseded by the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. Its capital city was Jelenia Gora. Major cities and towns (population i ...

* Katowice Voivodeship * Kielce Voivodeship *

Konin Voivodeship Konin Voivodeship () - a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland from 1975 to 1998, superseded by Greater Poland Voivodeship. Its capital city was Konin. Major cities and towns (population in 1995) * Konin (82,700) * Turek ...

Krosno Voivodeship Krosno Voivodeship () was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland in years 1975–1998, superseded by Subcarpathian Voivodeship (except Biecz Commune which is now a part of Lesser Poland Voivodeship). Its capital cit ...

* Legnica Voivodeship * Leszno Voivodeship * Łódź Voivodeship * Łomża Voivodeship * Lublin Voivodeship * Nowy Sacz Voivodeship *

* Opole Voivodeship *

Ostrołęka Voivodeship Ostrołęka Voivodeship () was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland in the period 1975–1998. It was superseded by Masovian Voivodeship. Ostrołęka. Major cities and towns ''Population on 31 December 1998.'' * ...

* Piotrków Voivodeship *

Piła Voivodeship Piła Voivodeship () was a voivodeship (unit of administrative division and local government) in Poland from 1975 to 1998. It was superseded by the Greater Poland Voivodeship. The Voivodeship's capital city was Piła. Major cities and towns (pop ...

* Poznań Voivodeship *

Przemyśl Voivodeship Przemyśl Voivodeship () was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland in the years 1975–1998, superseded by the Podkarpackie Voivodeship. Its capital city was Przemyśl. Major cities and towns (population in 1995) * ...

Radom Voivodeship Radom Voivodeship () was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland in the years 1975–1998, superseded by Masovian Voivodeship. Its capital city was Radom. Major cities and towns (population in 1995) * Radom (232,300) ...

* Siedlce Voivodeship *

* Skierniewice Voivodeship *

Suwałki Voivodeship Suwałki Voivodeship () was an administrative division and local government in Poland from 1975 to 1998. In 1999 the Voidvodeship was divided in half and reassigned to two other Voivodeships – the eastern half to Podlaskie Voivodeship and the we ...

* Słupsk Voivodeship *

Tarnobrzeg Voivodeship The Tarnobrzeg Voivodeship () was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland in years 1975-1998, superseded in parts by Subcarpathian Voivodeship, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship and Lublin Voivodeship. Its capital city was Tarno ...

Tarnów Voivodeship Tarnów Voivodeship () was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland in years 1975–1998, superseded by a much larger Lesser Poland Voivodeship. Its capital city was Tarnów. Located in southeastern part of the country, ...

Toruń Voivodeship Toruń Voivodeship () was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland in the years 1975–1998, superseded by the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship. Its capital city was Toruń. Major cities and towns (population in 1995) * ...

* Warsaw Voivodeship *

Wałbrzych Voivodeship Walbrzych Voivodeship ( pl, województwo wałbrzyskie) was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland in the years 1975–1998, superseded by the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. Major cities and towns (population in 1995) * ...

* Wrocław Voivodeship *

Włocławek Voivodeship Włocławek Voivodeship ( pl, województwo włocławskie) was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland in the years 1975–1998. It was superseded by Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship. Capital city: Włocławek Populat ...

* Zamość Voivodeship *

References

{{Terms for types of administrative territorial entities Former subdivisions of Belarus Geographic history of Hungary Medieval Romania Geographic history of Latvia Geographic history of Ukraine Geographic history of Moldova Geography of Poland Types of administrative division Subdivisions of the Ottoman Empire