Będzin County

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Będzin County
Powiat będziński
—  County  —
Flag of Będzin County
Flag
Coat of arms of Będzin County
Coat of arms
Location within the voivodeship
Location within the voivodeship
Coordinates (Będzin): 50°20′N 19°7′E / 50.333, 19.117
Country Flag of Poland Poland
Voivodeship Silesian
Seat Będzin
Gminas
Area
 - Total 368.02 km² (142.1 sq mi)
Population (2006)
 - Total 151,122
 - Density 410.6/km² (1,063.5/sq mi)
 - Urban 114,627
 - Rural 36,495
Car plates SBE
Website: http://www.starostwo.bedzin.pl

Będzin County (Polish: powiat będziński) is a unit of territorial administration and local government (powiat) in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It was created on January 1, 1999 as a result of the Local Government Reorganization Act of 1998. Its administrative seat and largest town is Będzin, which lies 13 kilometres (8 mi) north-east of the regional capital Katowice. The county contains four other towns: Czeladź, 3 km (2 mi) west of Będzin, Wojkowice, 7 km (4 mi) north-west of Będzin, Sławków, 20 km (12 mi) east of Będzin, and Siewierz, 18 km (11 mi) north-east of Będzin.

The town of Sławków, which became part of Będzin County in 2002 when it was transferred from Lesser Poland Voivodeship to Silesian Voivodeship, forms an exclave. It is separated from the rest of the county by the cities of Dąbrowa Górnicza and Sosnowiec.

The county covers an area of 368.02 square kilometres (142.1 sq mi). As of 2006 its total population is 151,122, out of which the population of Będzin is 58,659, that of Czeladź is 34,173, that of Wojkowice is 9,434, that of Sławków is 6,833, that of Siewierz is 5,528, and the rural population is 36,495.

[edit] Neighbouring counties

Będzin County is bordered by Myszków County to the north, Zawiercie County to the north-east, the city of Dąbrowa Górnicza and (through Sławków) Olkusz County to the east, the city of Sosnowiec to the south, the cities of Siemianowice Śląskie and Piekary Śląskie to the west, and Tarnowskie Góry County to the north-west.

[edit] Administrative division

The county is subdivided into eight gminas (four urban, one urban-rural and three rural). These are listed in the following table, in descending order of population.

Gmina Type Area
(km²)
Population
(2006)
Seat
Będzin urban 37.1 58,659  
Czeladź urban 16.6 34,173  
Gmina Siewierz urban-rural 115.8 12,277 Siewierz
Gmina Bobrowniki rural 52.0 11,238 Bobrowniki
Gmina Psary rural 46.0 11,219 Psary
Wojkowice urban 12.8 9,434  
Gmina Mierzęcice rural 51.3 7,289 Mierzęcice
Sławków urban 36.6 6,833  

[edit] References