A voivodeship (; pl, województwo ; plural: ) is the highest-level
administrative division
Administrative division, administrative unit,Article 3(1). country subdivision, administrative region, subnational entity, constituent state, as well as many similar terms, are generic names for geographical areas into which a particular, ind ...
of
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...
, corresponding to a
province
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman '' provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
in many other countries. The term has been in use since the 14th century and is commonly translated into English as "province".
The
Polish local government reforms
The administrative division of Poland since 1999 has been based on three levels of subdivision. The territory of Poland is divided into ''voivodeships'' (provinces); these are further divided into ''powiats'' (counties or districts), and these i ...
adopted in 1998, which went into effect on 1 January 1999, created sixteen new voivodeships. These replaced the 49
former voivodeships that had existed from 1 July 1975, and bear a greater resemblance (in territory, but not in name) to the voivodeships that existed between 1950 and 1975.
Today's voivodeships are mostly named after historical and geographical regions, while those prior to 1998 generally took their names from the cities on which they were centered. The new units range in area from under (
Opole Voivodeship
Opole Voivodeship, or Opole Province ( pl, województwo opolskie ), is the smallest and least populated voivodeship (province) of Poland. The province's name derives from that of the region's capital and largest city, Opole. It is part of Upper Si ...
) to over (
Masovian Voivodeship
The Masovian Voivodeship, also known as the Mazovia Province ( pl, województwo mazowieckie ) is a voivodeship (province) in east-central Poland, with its capital located in the city of Warsaw, which also serves as the capital of the country. Th ...
), and in population from nearly one million (Opole Voivodeship) to over five million (Masovian Voivodeship).
Administrative authority at the voivodeship level is shared between a government-appointed governor called a
voivode
Voivode (, also spelled ''voievod'', ''voevod'', ''voivoda'', ''vojvoda'' or ''wojewoda'') is a title denoting a military leader or warlord in Central, Southeastern and Eastern Europe since the Early Middle Ages. It primarily referred to the ...
(), an elected assembly called a , and an
executive board
A board of directors (commonly referred simply as the board) is an executive committee that jointly supervises the activities of an organization, which can be either a for-profit or a nonprofit organization such as a business, nonprofit organiz ...
() chosen by that assembly, headed by a
voivodeship marshal
A voivodeship marshal ( pl, marszałek województwa, ) is the head of the provincial-level government for each of the sixteen voivodeships of Poland. Elected by councillors from the provincial assembly, the marshal is the head of the collective ...
(). Voivodeships are further divided into ('counties') and ('communes' or 'municipalities'), the smallest
administrative divisions of Poland
The administrative division of Poland since 1999 has been based on three levels of subdivision. The territory of Poland is divided into ''voivodeships'' (provinces); these are further divided into '' powiats'' (counties or districts), and these ...
.
Etymology and use
Some English-language sources, in historic contexts, speak of
''palatinate''''s'' rather than ''voivodeships''. The term "
palatine
A palatine or palatinus (in Latin; plural ''palatini''; cf. derivative spellings below) is a high-level official attached to imperial or royal courts in Europe since Roman times. " traces back to the
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
.
More commonly used now is ''province'' or ''voivodeship''. The latter is a
loanword
A loanword (also loan word or loan-word) is a word at least partly assimilated from one language (the donor language) into another language. This is in contrast to cognates, which are words in two or more languages that are similar because t ...
-
calque
In linguistics, a calque () or loan translation is a word or phrase borrowed from another language by literal word-for-word or root-for-root translation. When used as a verb, "to calque" means to borrow a word or phrase from another language w ...
hybrid
Hybrid may refer to:
Science
* Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding
** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species
** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two dif ...
formed on the Polish .
Some writers argue against rendering in English as ''province'', on historic grounds. Before the third and last
Partition of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, which occurred in 1795, each of the main constituent regions of the
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, formally known as the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and, after 1791, as the Commonwealth of Poland, was a bi- confederal state, sometimes called a federation, of Poland and Lithuania ru ...
—
Greater Poland,
Lesser Poland
Lesser Poland, often known by its Polish name Małopolska ( la, Polonia Minor), is a historical region situated in southern and south-eastern Poland. Its capital and largest city is Kraków. Throughout centuries, Lesser Poland developed a ...
,
Lithuania, and
Royal Prussia
Royal Prussia ( pl, Prusy Królewskie; german: Königlich-Preußen or , csb, Królewsczé Prësë) or Polish PrussiaAnton Friedrich Büsching, Patrick Murdoch. ''A New System of Geography'', London 1762p. 588/ref> (Polish: ; German: ) was a ...
—was sometimes
idiosyncratically referred to as a "Province" (). According to the argument, a ''province'' (such as Greater Poland) cannot consist of a number of subdivisions ("", the plural of "") that are likewise called "provinces". This is an antiquarian consideration, as " province" has not been used in this sense in Poland for over two centuries. The former larger political units, all now obsolete, can be referred to in English as they were, "regions".
The
Polish
Polish may refer to:
* Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe
* Polish language
* Poles
Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...
, designating a second-tier Polish or Polish–Lithuanian administrative unit, derives from , (etymologically, a '
warlord
A warlord is a person who exercises military, economic, and political control over a region in a country without a strong national government; largely because of coercive control over the armed forces. Warlords have existed throughout much of h ...
', 'war leader' or 'leader of warriors', but now simply the
governor
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
of a ) and the
suffix (a "state or condition").
The English ''voivodeship'', which is a
hybrid
Hybrid may refer to:
Science
* Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding
** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species
** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two dif ...
of the
loanword
A loanword (also loan word or loan-word) is a word at least partly assimilated from one language (the donor language) into another language. This is in contrast to cognates, which are words in two or more languages that are similar because t ...
''voivode'' and ''-ship'' (the latter a
suffix that
calque
In linguistics, a calque () or loan translation is a word or phrase borrowed from another language by literal word-for-word or root-for-root translation. When used as a verb, "to calque" means to borrow a word or phrase from another language w ...
s the Polish suffix ), has never been much used and is absent from many dictionaries. According to the ''
Oxford English Dictionary
The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' (''OED'') is the first and foundational historical dictionary of the English language, published by Oxford University Press (OUP). It traces the historical development of the English language, providing a co ...
'', it first appeared in 1792, spelled "woiwodship", in the sense of "the district or province governed by a voivode." The word subsequently appeared in 1886 also in the sense of "the office or dignity of a voivode."
Poland's Commission on Standardization of Geographic Names outside the Republic of Poland, prefers the form which omits the 'e', recommending the spelling "", for use in English.
Since 1999
Administrative powers
Competences and powers at voivodeship level are shared between the
voivode
Voivode (, also spelled ''voievod'', ''voevod'', ''voivoda'', ''vojvoda'' or ''wojewoda'') is a title denoting a military leader or warlord in Central, Southeastern and Eastern Europe since the Early Middle Ages. It primarily referred to the ...
(governor), the
sejmik
A sejmik (, diminutive of ''sejm'', occasionally translated as a ''dietine''; lt, seimelis) was one of various local parliaments in the history of Poland and history of Lithuania. The first sejmiks were regional assemblies in the Kingdom of ...
(regional assembly) and the
marshal. In most cases these institutions are all based in one city, but in
Kuyavian-Pomeranian and
Lubusz Voivodeship
Lubusz Voivodeship, or Lubuskie Province ( pl, województwo lubuskie ), is a voivodeship (province) in western Poland.
It was created on January 1, 1999, out of the former Gorzów Wielkopolski and Zielona Góra Voivodeships, pursuant to the Po ...
the voivode's offices are in a different city from those of the executive and the sejmik. Voivodeship capitals are listed in the table below.
The ''voivode'' is appointed by the
Prime Minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...
and is the regional representative of the central government. The voivode acts as the head of central government institutions at regional level (such as the police and fire services, passport offices, and various inspectorates), manages central government property in the region, oversees the functioning of local government, coordinates actions in the field of public safety and environment protection, and exercises special powers in emergencies. The voivode's offices collectively are known as the .
The is elected every five years. (The first of the five-year terms began in 2018; previous terms lasted four years.))
Elections
An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual or multiple individuals to hold Public administration, public office.
Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative ...
for the fall at the same time as that of local authorities at and level. The passes
by-law
A by-law (bye-law, by(e)law, by(e) law), or as it is most commonly known in the United States bylaws, is a set of rules or law established by an organization or community so as to regulate itself, as allowed or provided for by some higher authorit ...
s, including the voivodeship's development strategies and budget. It also elects the and other members of the executive, and holds them to account.
The ''
executive
Executive ( exe., exec., execu.) may refer to:
Role or title
* Executive, a senior management role in an organization
** Chief executive officer (CEO), one of the highest-ranking corporate officers (executives) or administrators
** Executive dir ...
'' (), headed by the drafts the budget and development strategies, implements the resolutions of the , manages the voivodeship's property, and deals with many aspects of regional policy, including management of
European Union
The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been de ...
funding. The marshal's offices are collectively known as the .
List
Economies
According to 2017 Eurostat data, the GDP per capita of Polish voivodeships varies notably and there is a large gap between the richest per capita voivodeship (being the Masovian Voivodeship at 33,500 EUR) and the poorest per capita (being the Lublin Voivodeship at 14,400 EUR).
Historical development
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
Greater Poland (''Wielkopolska'')
The following is a list of the Voivodeships within
Greater Poland at various points over the period from the mid-16th century until the late 18th century:
*
Poznań Voivodeship
Poznań Voivodeship was the name of several former administrative regions (''województwo'', rendered as ''voivodeship'' and usually translated as "province") in Poland, centered on the city of Poznań, although the exact boundaries changed over t ...
(''województwo poznańskie'',
Poznań
Poznań () is a city on the River Warta in west-central Poland, within the Greater Poland region. The city is an important cultural and business centre, and one of Poland's most populous regions with many regional customs such as Saint Joh ...
)
*
Kalisz Voivodeship (''województwo kaliskie'',
Kalisz
(The oldest city of Poland)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = ''Top:'' Town Hall, Former "Calisia" Piano Factory''Middle:'' Courthouse, "Gołębnik" tenement''Bottom:'' Aerial view of the Kalisz Old Town
, image_flag = POL Kalisz flag.svg ...
)
*
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 ...
(''województwo gnieźnieńskie'',
Gniezno
Gniezno (; german: Gnesen; la, Gnesna) is a city in central-western Poland, about east of Poznań. Its population in 2021 was 66,769, making it the sixth-largest city in the Greater Poland Voivodeship. One of the Piast dynasty's chief cities, ...
) from 1768
*
Sieradz Voivodeship (''województwo sieradzkie'',
Sieradz
Sieradz ( la, Siradia, yi, שעראַדז, שערעדז, שעריץ, german: 1941-45 Schieratz) is a city on the Warta river in central Poland with 40,891 inhabitants (2021). It is the seat of the Sieradz County, situated in the Łódź Voivode ...
)
*
Łęczyca Voivodeship
Łęczyca Voivodeship ( pl, Województwo łęczyckie) was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland from the 14th century until the partitions of Poland in 1772–1795. It was part of Province of Greater Poland, and its capit ...
(''województwo łęczyckie'',
Łęczyca
Łęczyca (; in full the Royal Town of Łęczyca, pl, Królewskie Miasto Łęczyca; german: Lentschitza; he, לונטשיץ) is a town of 13,786 inhabitants () in central Poland. Situated in the Łódź Voivodeship, it is the county seat of the ...
)
*
Brześć Kujawski Voivodeship
The Brześć Kujawski Voivodeship ( la, Palatinatus Brestensis, pl, Województwo brzesko-kujawskie) was a unit of administrative division and local government in the Kingdom of Poland (later Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth), from the 14th centu ...
(''województwo brzesko-kujawskie'',
Brześć Kujawski
Brześć Kujawski (Polish pronunciation: ; or ''Kujawisch Brest''; often anglicized to Kuyavian Brest) is a town in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship of Poland. Once a royal seat of Kuyavia, the town has been the seat of one of two small du ...
)
*
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 ...
(''województwo inowrocławskie'',
Inowrocław
Inowrocław (; german: Hohensalza; before 1904: Inowrazlaw; archaic: Jungleslau) is a city in central Poland with a total population of 70,713 in December 2021. It is situated in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999, previously in the B ...
)
*
Chełmno Voivodeship
The Chełmno Voivodeship () was a unit of administrative division and local government in the Kingdom of Poland since 1454/1466 until the Partitions of Poland in 1772/1795. Together with the Pomeranian and Malbork Voivodeships and the Prince-B ...
(''województwo chełmińskie'',
Chełmno
Chełmno (; older en, Culm; formerly ) is a town in northern Poland near the Vistula river with 18,915 inhabitants as of December 2021. It is the seat of the Chełmno County in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship.
Due to its regional impor ...
)
*
Malbork Voivodeship
The Malbork Voivodeship (Polish: ''Województwo malborskie''), after Partitions of Poland also referred to as the Malbork Land (Polish: ''Ziemia malborska''), was a unit of administrative division and local government in the Kingdom of Poland fro ...
(''województwo malborskie'',
Malbork)
*
Pomeranian Voivodeship (''województwo pomorskie'',
Gdańsk)
*
Duchy of Warmia
The Prince-Bishopric of Warmia ( pl, Biskupie Księstwo Warmińskie; german: Fürstbistum Ermland) was a semi-independent ecclesiastical Sovereign state, state, ruled by the List of bishops of Warmia#Prince-Bishops of Ermland / Warmia, incumbent ...
(''Księstwo Warmińskie'',
Lidzbark Warmiński
Lidzbark Warmiński (; german: Heilsberg, ), often shortened to Lidzbark, is a historical town located within the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. It is the capital of Lidzbark County.
Lidzbark Warmiński was once the capital of ...
)
*
Duchy of Prussia
The Duchy of Prussia (german: Herzogtum Preußen, pl, Księstwo Pruskie, lt, Prūsijos kunigaikštystė) or Ducal Prussia (german: Herzogliches Preußen, link=no; pl, Prusy Książęce, link=no) was a duchy in the region of Prussia establish ...
(''Księstwo Pruskie'',
Królewiec)
*
Płock Voivodeship (''województwo płockie'',
Płock
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 th ...
)
*
Rawa Voivodeship
Rawa Voivodeship () was a unit of administrative division and local government in the Kingdom of Poland since 15th century until the partitions of Poland in 1795. It was part of the Province of Greater Poland. Together with the Plock and Masovia ...
(''województwo rawskie'',
Rawa Mazowiecka
Rawa Mazowiecka is a town in central Poland, with 17,193 inhabitants (2020). It lies in the Łódź Voivodeship and is the capital of the Rawa County.
From 1562 the city hosted the ''Rawa Treasury'' for the Polish army. During an excavation in 1 ...
)
*
Masovian Voivodeship
The Masovian Voivodeship, also known as the Mazovia Province ( pl, województwo mazowieckie ) is a voivodeship (province) in east-central Poland, with its capital located in the city of Warsaw, which also serves as the capital of the country. Th ...
(''województwo mazowieckie'',
Warszawa
Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officiall ...
)
Lesser Poland (''Małopolska'')
The following is a list of the Voivodeships within
Lesser Poland
Lesser Poland, often known by its Polish name Małopolska ( la, Polonia Minor), is a historical region situated in southern and south-eastern Poland. Its capital and largest city is Kraków. Throughout centuries, Lesser Poland developed a ...
over the period of the mid-16th century until the late 18th century:
*
Kraków Voivodeship (''województwo krakowskie'',
Kraków
Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland until 1596 ...
)
*
Sandomierz Voivodeship
Sandomierz Voivodeship ( pl, Województwo Sandomierskie, la, Palatinatus Sandomirensis) was a unit of administration and local government in Poland from the 14th century to the partitions of Poland in 1772–1795. It was part of the Lesser Polan ...
(''województwo sandomierskie'',
Sandomierz
Sandomierz (pronounced: ; la, Sandomiria) is a historic town in south-eastern Poland with 23,863 inhabitants (as of 2017), situated on the Vistula River in the Sandomierz Basin. It has been part of Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship (Holy Cross Prov ...
)
*
Lublin Voivodeship
The Lublin Voivodeship, also known as the Lublin Province ( Polish: ''województwo lubelskie'' ), is a voivodeship (province) of Poland, located in southeastern part of the country. It was created on January 1, 1999, out of the former Lublin, C ...
(''województwo lubelskie'',
Lublin)
*
Podlaskie Voivodeship (''województwo podlaskie'',
Drohiczyn
Drohiczyn () ( lt, Drohičinas/Drogičinas, be, Дарагічын, ua, Дорогочин, Дорогичин, ''Dorohochyn'', ''Dorohychyn'') is a town in Siemiatycze County, Podlaskie Voivodeship, Poland. The town has a population of 2,11 ...
)
*
Ruthenian Voivodeship (''województwo ruskie'', Lwów
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* Bełz Voivodeship">Lviv">oday_Lviv,_Ukraine.html" ;"title="Lviv.html" ;"title="oday Lviv">oday Lviv, Ukraine">Lviv.html" ;"title="oday Lviv">oday Lviv, Ukraine
* Bełz Voivodeship (, Bełz [
Belz, Ukraine])
* Wołyń Voivodeship (1569–1795), Volhynian Voivodeship (''województwo wołyńskie'', Łuck [
Lutsk, Ukraine])
* Podole Voivodeship (''województwo podolskie'', Kamieniec Podolski
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* Bracław Voivodeship (''województwo bracławskie'', Bracław [
Bratslav, Ukraine])
* Kijów Voivodeship (''województwo kijowskie'', Kijów [
Kyiv, Ukraine, or Kiev])
* Czernihów Voivodeship (''województwo czernichowskie'', Czernihów
Chernihiv">nowiki/>Chernihiv,_Ukraine.html" ;"title="Chernihiv.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Chernihiv">nowiki/>Chernihiv, Ukraine">Chernihiv.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Chernihiv">nowiki/>Chernihiv, Ukraine
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
Voivodeships of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania during the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth were based on the administrative structure that existed in the Duchy prior to the Commonwealth's formation, from at least the early-15th century. They were:
*
Wilno Voivodship (''województwo wileńskie'', Wilno
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* Troki Voivodship (, Troki [
Trakai, Lithuania])
* Nowogródek Voivodeship (1507–1795), Nowogrodek Voivodship (''województwo nowogrodzkie'', Nowogródek [
Novogrudok, Belarus])
* Brest-Litovsk Voivodship (''województwo brzesko-litewskie'', Brześć Litewski
Brest.html" ;"title="nowiki/> Brest">nowiki/> Brest, Belarus
* Minsk Voivodship (''województwo mińskie'', Mińsk
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* Mscislaw Voivodship">Minsk,_Belarus.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Minsk, Belarus">nowiki/>Minsk, Belarus
* Mscislaw Voivodship (''województwo mścisławskie'', Mścisław [
Mstsislaw, Belarus])
* Smolensk Voivodship (''województwo smoleńskie'', Smoleńsk [
Smolensk, Russia])
* Vitebsk Voivodship (''województwo witebskie'', Witebsk [
Vitebsk, Belarus])
*
Polock Voivodship (''województwo połockie'', Połock
[
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* Eldership of Samogitia">Duchy of Samogita (''księstwo żmudzkie'', Miedniki-Wornie [
Varniai, Lithuania])
Duchy of Livonia
While the Duchy of Livonia was part of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, approximately 1569–1772, in various periods it comprised the following voivodeships in varying combinations:
*
Wenden Voivodship (''województwo wendeńskie'', Wenden
Cēsis">nowiki/>Cēsis,_Latvia.html" ;"title="Cēsis.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Cēsis">nowiki/>Cēsis, Latvia">Cēsis.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Cēsis">nowiki/>Cēsis, Latvia from 1598 until the 1620s
* Dorpat Voivodship (''województwo dorpackie'', Dorpat [
Tartu, Estonia]) from 1598 until the 1620s
* Parnawa Voivodship (''województwo parnawskie'', Parnava [
Pärnu, Estonia]) from 1598 until the 1620s
*
Inflanty Voivodeship
The Inflanty Voivodeship ( pl, Województwo inflanckie), or ''Livonian Voivodeship'', also known as Polish Livonia, was an administrative division and local government in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, since it was formed in the 1620s out ...
(''województwo inflanckie'' Dyneburg
Daugavpils">nowiki/>Daugavpils,_Latvia.html" ;"title="Daugavpils.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Daugavpils">nowiki/>Daugavpils, Latvia">Daugavpils.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Daugavpils">nowiki/>Daugavpils, Latvia from the 1620s
* Duchy of Courland and Semigalia (''księstwo Kurlandii i Semigalii''), Mitawa [
Jelgava, Latvia])
Congress Poland
From 1816 to 1837 there were 8 voivodeships in Congress Poland.
* Augustów Voivodeship
*
Kalisz Voivodeship (1816–1837), Kalisz Voivodeship
*
Kraków Voivodeship
*
Lublin Voivodeship
The Lublin Voivodeship, also known as the Lublin Province ( Polish: ''województwo lubelskie'' ), is a voivodeship (province) of Poland, located in southeastern part of the country. It was created on January 1, 1999, out of the former Lublin, C ...
*
Mazowsze Voivodeship
*
Płock Voivodeship
*
Podlaskie Voivodeship
*
Sandomierz Voivodeship
Sandomierz Voivodeship ( pl, Województwo Sandomierskie, la, Palatinatus Sandomirensis) was a unit of administration and local government in Poland from the 14th century to the partitions of Poland in 1772–1795. It was part of the Lesser Polan ...
Second Polish Republic
The administrative division of Poland in the interwar period included 16 voivodeships and Warsaw (with voivodeship rights). The voivodeships that remained in Poland after World War II as a result of
Polish–Soviet border agreement of August 1945 were very similar to the current voivodeships.
Collapsed list of car plates
A vehicle registration plate, also known as a number plate (British English), license plate (American English), or licence plate (Canadian English), is a metal or plastic plate attached to a motor vehicle or trailer for official identificatio ...
since 1937, please use table-sort buttons.
Polish People's Republic
After World War II, the new administrative division of the country within the new national borders was based on the prewar one and included 14 (+2) voivodeships, then 17 (+5). The voivodeships in the east that had not been
annexed by the Soviet Union had their borders left almost unchanged. The
newly acquired territories in the west and north were organized into the new voivodeships of
Szczecin,
Wrocław
Wrocław (; german: Breslau, or . ; Silesian German: ''Brassel'') is a city in southwestern Poland and the largest city in the historical region of Silesia. It lies on the banks of the River Oder in the Silesian Lowlands of Central Europe, rou ...
and
Olsztyn
Olsztyn ( , ; german: Allenstein ; Old Prussian: ''Alnāsteini''
* Latin: ''Allenstenium'', ''Holstin'') is a city on the Łyna River in northern Poland. It is the capital of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, and is a city with county rights. ...
, and partly joined to
Gdańsk,
Katowice and
Poznań
Poznań () is a city on the River Warta in west-central Poland, within the Greater Poland region. The city is an important cultural and business centre, and one of Poland's most populous regions with many regional customs such as Saint Joh ...
voivodeships. Two cities were granted voivodeship status:
Warsaw
Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...
and
Łódź
Łódź, also rendered in English as Lodz, is a city in central Poland and a former industrial centre. It is the capital of Łódź Voivodeship, and is located approximately south-west of Warsaw. The city's coat of arms is an example of cant ...
.
In 1950, new voivodeships were created:
Koszalin
Koszalin (pronounced ; csb, Kòszalëno; formerly german: Köslin, ) is a city in northwestern Poland, in Western Pomerania. It is located south of the Baltic Sea coast, and intersected by the river Dzierżęcinka. Koszalin is also a county-sta ...
(previously part of
Szczecin),
Opole (previously part of
Katowice), and
Zielona Góra
Zielona Góra is the largest city in Lubusz Voivodeship, located in western Poland, with 140,403 inhabitants (2021). Zielona Góra has a favourable geographical position, being close to the Polish-German border and on several international road ...
(previously part of
Poznań
Poznań () is a city on the River Warta in west-central Poland, within the Greater Poland region. The city is an important cultural and business centre, and one of Poland's most populous regions with many regional customs such as Saint Joh ...
,
Wrocław
Wrocław (; german: Breslau, or . ; Silesian German: ''Brassel'') is a city in southwestern Poland and the largest city in the historical region of Silesia. It lies on the banks of the River Oder in the Silesian Lowlands of Central Europe, rou ...
and
Szczecin voivodeships). In 1957, three more cities were granted voivodeship status:
Wrocław
Wrocław (; german: Breslau, or . ; Silesian German: ''Brassel'') is a city in southwestern Poland and the largest city in the historical region of Silesia. It lies on the banks of the River Oder in the Silesian Lowlands of Central Europe, rou ...
,
Kraków
Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland until 1596 ...
and
Poznań
Poznań () is a city on the River Warta in west-central Poland, within the Greater Poland region. The city is an important cultural and business centre, and one of Poland's most populous regions with many regional customs such as Saint Joh ...
.
Collapsed list of car plates
A vehicle registration plate, also known as a number plate (British English), license plate (American English), or licence plate (Canadian English), is a metal or plastic plate attached to a motor vehicle or trailer for official identificatio ...
since 1956 – please use table-sort buttons
Poland's voivodeships 1975–1998
Administrative division of Poland between 1979 and 1998 included 49 voivodeships upheld after the establishment of the
Third Polish Republic in 1989 for another decade. This reorganization of administrative division of Poland was mainly a result of local government reform acts of 1973–1975. In place of the three-level administrative division (voivodeship, county, commune), a new two-level administrative division was introduced (49 small voivodeships, and communes). The three smallest voivodeships—
Warsaw
Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...
,
Kraków
Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland until 1596 ...
and
Łódź
Łódź, also rendered in English as Lodz, is a city in central Poland and a former industrial centre. It is the capital of Łódź Voivodeship, and is located approximately south-west of Warsaw. The city's coat of arms is an example of cant ...
—had the special status of municipal voivodeship; the city president (mayor) was also provincial governor.
Collapsed list of Voivodeships: 1975–1998, please use table-sort buttons.
See also
*
Armorial of Poland
*
Flags of Polish voivodeships
*
ISO 3166-2:PL
*
List of Polish voivodeships by GRP
This is a list of Polish voivodeships by gross regional product (GRP) per capita shown in euros. Statistics shown are for 2019 levels.
This is a list of Polish voivodeships by nominal gross regional product (GRP) shown in billion euros. S ...
* , provinces in Poland
*
Polish historical regions
Polish historic regions are regions that were related to a former Polish state, or are within present-day Poland, with or without being identified in its administrative divisions.
There are several historic and cultural regions in Poland that ...
Notes
References
* "Poland", ''
Encyclopædia Britannica
The (Latin for "British Encyclopædia") is a general knowledge English-language encyclopaedia. It is published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.; the company has existed since the 18th century, although it has changed ownership various t ...
'', 15th edition, 2010, ''
Macropaedia'', volume 25, p. 937.
* "Poland", ''
The Columbia Encyclopedia
The ''Columbia Encyclopedia'' is a one-volume encyclopedia produced by Columbia University Press and, in the last edition, sold by the Gale Group. First published in 1935, and continuing its relationship with Columbia University, the encyclopedi ...
'', sixth edition, edited by Paul Lagassé,
Columbia University Press
Columbia University Press is a university press based in New York City, and affiliated with Columbia University. It is currently directed by Jennifer Crewe (2014–present) and publishes titles in the humanities and sciences, including the fiel ...
, 2000, p. 2256.
* "Poland", ''
The Encyclopedia Americana
''Encyclopedia Americana'' is a general encyclopedia written in American English. It was the first major multivolume encyclopedia that was published in the United States. With ''Collier's Encyclopedia'' and ''Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclo ...
'', 1986, volume 22, p. 312.
* "Poland," in
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gathering, processing, ...
, ''
The CIA World Factbook 2010'', New York, Skyhorse Publishing, Inc., 2009, , p. 546.
* "Voivodeship," ''
The Oxford English Dictionary
The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' (''OED'') is the first and foundational historical dictionary of the English language, published by Oxford University Press (OUP). It traces the historical development of the English language, providing a com ...
'', second edition, volume XIX, Oxford,
Clarendon Press
Oxford University Press (OUP) is the university press of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world, and its printing history dates back to the 1480s. Having been officially granted the legal right to print books ...
, 1989, p. 739.
External links
Map of Polish Regions
Administrative division of Poland (from Commission on Standardization of Geographical Names Outside Poland website, in English)
Official map by Head Office of Geodesy and Cartography
Toponymic Guidelines Of Poland for Map Editors and Other Users Head Office Of Geodesy And Cartography, 2002
Administrative divisions"">''CIA World Factbook'' --> "Poland --> Administrative divisions"
{{Authority control
Poland 1
Provinces, Poland
Lists of subdivisions of Poland