Today’s Poland consists of 16 provinces (voivodships – województwa), according to the last changes implemented in 1999. The present division largely reflects the historical regions of the country. An earlier Poland was divided into 49 voivodships based on the bigger cities. Lower administrative levels are the “powiat” (county) and the “gmina” (community).

Województwo dolnośląskie

Województwo kujawsko-pomorskie

Województwo lubelskie

Województwo lubuskie

Województwo łódzkie

Województwo małopolskie

Województwo mazowieckie

Województwo opolskie

Województwo podkarpackie

Województwo podlaskie

Województwo pomorskie

Województwo śląskie

Województwo świętokrzyskie

Województwo warmińsko-mazurskie

Województwo wielkopolskie

Województwo zachodniopomorskie

The largest and the most populated province is Masovia (mazowieckie), with its capital of Warsaw. This province is roughly the size of Maryland and Connecticut or Belgium and Estonia. The most densely populated province is industrial Silesia – śląskie (about 400 people per square kilometre, while the average in Poland is approximately 130). The least populated areas are the districts of the Masurian Lakeland (warmińsko-mazurskie) and Podlachia, (podlaskie) which are attractive tourist destinations because of their untouched wildlife and copious supply of lakes. The most often visited areas are Little Poland (małopolskie) with the old capital of Kraków and the spectacular Tatra Mountains. Western Pomerania (zachodniopomorskie) and Pomerania (pomorskie), the voivodships that run along the coastline, are also very popular for their sandy beaches, numerous lakes and forests.

Do następnego razu… (Till next time…)