Bielsk County

Bielsk County (Polish: powiat bielski) is a unit of territorial administration and local government (powiat) in Podlachian Voivodeship, north-eastern 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 Bielsk Podlaski, which lies 39 kilometres (24 mi) south of the regional capital Białystok. The only other town in the county is Brańsk, lying 25 km (16 mi) west of Bielsk Podlaski.

The county covers an area of 1,385.2 square kilometres (534.8 sq mi). As of 2006 its total population is 60,047, out of which the population of Bielsk Podlaski is 26,876, that of Brańsk is 3,794, and the rural population is 29,377.

[edit] Neighbouring counties

Bielsk County is bordered by Białystok County to the north, Hajnówka County to the east, Siemiatycze County to the south and Wysokie Mazowieckie County to the west.

[edit] Administrative division

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

Gmina	Type	Area (km²)	Population (2006)	Seat
Bielsk Podlaski	urban	26.9	26,876
Gmina Bielsk Podlaski	rural	430.1	7,396	Bielsk Podlaski *
Gmina Brańsk	rural	227.3	6,476	Brańsk *
Gmina Boćki	rural	232.1	5,006	Boćki
Gmina Wyszki	rural	206.5	4,962	Wyszki
Brańsk	urban	32.4	3,794
Gmina Orla	rural	159.7	3,320	Orla
Gmina Rudka	rural	70.2	2,217	Rudka
* seat not part of the gmina

[edit] References

Polish official population figures 2006

v • d • e Gminas of Bielsk County

Urban gminas: Bielsk Podlaski (seat) • Brańsk Rural gminas: Gmina Bielsk Podlaski • Gmina Boćki • Gmina Brańsk • Gmina Orla • Gmina Rudka • Gmina Wyszki

v • d • e Counties of Podlachian Voivodeship

City counties: Białystok (capital) • Łomża • Suwałki Land counties: Augustów • Białystok • Bielsk • Grajewo • Hajnówka • Kolno • Łomża • Mońki • Sejny • Siemiatycze • Sokółka • Suwałki • Wysokie Mazowieckie • Zambrów