Lower Silesian Voivodeship

Lower Silesian Voivodeship
Województwo dolnośląskie
—  Voivodeship  —

Flag
Coat of arms
Location within Poland
Division into counties
Coordinates (Wrocław):
Country  Poland
Capital Wrocław
Counties
Area
 - Total 19,946 km2 (7,701.2 sq mi)
Population (2006)
 - Total 2,884,248
 - Density 144.6/km2 (374.5/sq mi)
 - Urban 2,047,151
 - Rural 837,097
Car plates D
Website http://www.umwd.pl/
* further divided into 169 gminas

Lower Silesian Voivodeship (also known as Lower Silesian Province, or by its Polish name of województwo dolnośląskie [vɔjɛˈvut​͡stfɔ dɔlnɔˈɕlɔ̃skʲɛ] or simply Dolnośląskie) is one of the 16 voivodeships (provinces) into which Poland is currently divided. It lies in south-western Poland, corresponding roughly to the region of Lower Silesia (the northwestern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia), but also includes the eastern part of Upper Lusatia. Its capital and largest city is Wrocław, on the middle Odra (Oder) river.

The voivodeship is the territorial successor of the former German Lower Silesia, which had the same city — then Breslau — as its capital.

Contents

History and geography

The voivodeship was created on 1 January 1999 out of the former Wrocław, Legnica, Wałbrzych and Jelenia Góra Voivodeships, pursuant to the Polish local government reforms adopted in 1998. It covers an area of 19,946 square kilometres (7,701 sq mi), and as at 2006 has a total population of 2,884,248, comprising an urban population of 2,047,151 and rural population of 837,097.

Although much of the region is relatively low-lying it also includes part of the Sudetes mountain range running along the Polish/Czech border. Popular ski resorts in Lower Silesian Voivodeship include Karpacz and Szklarska Poręba in the Karkonosze mountains. The town of Kudowa Zdrój, also in the Sudetes (west of Kłodzko near the Czech border), is a traditional spa town often visited by heart patients. Other important tourist destinations in the voivodeship include the chief city, Wrocław, as well as the towns of Jelenia Góra and Legnica.

Lower Silesian Voivodeship is bordered by Lubusz Voivodeship to the north-west, Greater Poland Voivodeship to the north-east, Opole Voivodeship to the south-east, the Czech Republic to the south, and Germany, (Federal-State of Saxony) to the west.

Economy

Lower Silesia is one of the richest regions in Poland. GDP per capita in 2007 accounted for 108.7% of the average for the country. GDP per capita in the region is similar to the GDP in the poorest regions of Spain, Greece and Portugal, and slightly lower than the poorest regions of Italy. Since 2005, the voivodeship recorded the highest in the country economic growth rate (around 10% per annum).

GDP per capita in Lower Silesia Voivodeship: GDP in Poland:

GDP per capita in Lower Silesian Voivodeship and Poland
Lower Silesian Voivodeship GDP per capita Poland GDP per capita
2000 10 440$ (+2.8%) 2000 10 140$ (+4.0%)
2005 13 060$ (+4.9%) 2005 12 600$ (+3.5%)
2006 13 700$ (+7.3%) 2006 13 020$ (+6.2%)
2007 14 980$ (+9.5%) 2007 13 760$ (+6.5%)
2008 16 030$ (+7.2%) 2008 14 450$ (+5.0%)
2009 16 350$ (+2.0%) 2009 14 720$ (+1.9%)

Cities and towns

The voivodeship contains 91 cities and towns. These are listed below in descending order of population (according to official figures for 2006[1] ):

  1. Wrocław (635,280)
  2. Wałbrzych (125,773)
  3. Legnica (105,485)
  4. Jelenia Góra (86,663)
  5. Lubin (76,595)
  6. Głogów (68,954)
  7. Świdnica (60,354)
  8. Bolesławiec (40,837)
  9. Oleśnica (36,951)
  10. Dzierżoniów (34,678)
  11. Zgorzelec (32,925)
  12. Bielawa (31,219)
  13. Oława (30,908)
  14. Kłodzko (28,249)
  15. Jawor (24,347)
  16. Nowa Ruda (24,261)
  17. Świebodzice (23,126)
  18. Polkowice (22,279)
  19. Lubań (22,137)
  20. Kamienna Góra (21,440)
  21. Bogatynia (19,068)
  22. Strzegom (16,782)
  23. Boguszów-Gorce (16,687)
  24. Złotoryja (16,503)
  25. Ząbkowice Śląskie (16,242)
  26. Jelcz-Laskowice (15,196)
  27. Chojnów (14,389)
  28. Brzeg Dolny (12,786)
  29. Góra (12,574)
  30. Wołów (12,286)
  31. Strzelin (12,192)
  1. Trzebnica (12,180)
  2. Milicz (12,004)
  3. Kowary (11,824)
  4. Syców (10,712)
  5. Bystrzyca Kłodzka (10,638)
  6. Kudowa-Zdrój (10,204)
  7. Lwówek Śląski (9,687)
  8. Pieszyce (9,490)
  9. Ziębice (9,234)
  10. Środa Śląska (8,800)
  11. Oborniki Śląskie (8,426)
  12. Chocianów (8,215)
  13. Gryfów Śląski (7,128)
  14. Szklarska Poręba (7,094)
  15. Głuszyca (6,999)
  16. Żarów (6,902)
  17. Polanica-Zdrój (6,900)
  18. Twardogóra (6,866)
  19. Sobótka (6,780)
  20. Piława Górna (6,779)
  21. Żmigród (6,573)
  22. Przemków (6,551)
  23. Lubawka (6,529)
  24. Piechowice (6,494)
  25. Stronie Śląskie (6,246)
  26. Lądek-Zdrój (6,181)
  27. Ścinawa (5,934)
  28. Pieńsk (5,799)
  29. Szczawno-Zdrój (5,506)
  30. Kąty Wrocławskie (5,418)
  31. Bolków (5,380)
  1. Jaworzyna Śląska (5,240)
  2. Szczytna (5,234)
  3. Jedlina-Zdrój (5,116)
  4. Duszniki-Zdrój (5,113)
  5. Bierutów (5,066)
  6. Karpacz (5,063)
  7. Olszyna (4,786)
  8. Leśna (4,752)
  9. Świeradów-Zdrój (4,554)
  10. Mieroszów (4,515)
  11. Zawidów (4,412)
  12. Mirsk (4,136)
  13. Nowogrodziec (4,055)
  14. Wojcieszów (3,940)
  15. Siechnice (3,851)
  16. Prochowice (3,702)
  17. Niemcza (3,121)
  18. Węgliniec (3,072)
  19. Złoty Stok (2,930)
  20. Bardo (2,860)
  21. Wąsosz (2,828)
  22. Międzylesie (2,776)
  23. Radków (2,460)
  24. Świerzawa (2,439)
  25. Międzybórz (2,356)
  26. Wiązów (2,230)
  27. Prusice (2,203)
  28. Wleń (1,884)
  29. Lubomierz (1,818)

Administrative division

Lower Silesian Voivodeship is divided into 29 counties (powiats): 3 city counties and 26 land counties. These are further divided into 169 gminas.

The counties are listed in the following table (ordering within categories is by decreasing population).

English and
Polish names		 Area
(km²)		 Population
(2006)		 Seat Other towns Total
gminas
City counties
Wrocław 293 635,280 1
Legnica 56 105,485 1
Jelenia Góra 109 86,663 1
Land counties
Wałbrzych County
powiat wałbrzyski		 514 184,594 Wałbrzych Boguszów-Gorce, Głuszyca, Szczawno-Zdrój, Jedlina-Zdrój, Mieroszów 9
Kłodzko County
powiat kłodzki		 1,643 166,447 Kłodzko Nowa Ruda, Bystrzyca Kłodzka, Kudowa-Zdrój, Polanica-Zdrój, Stronie Śląskie, Lądek-Zdrój, Szczytna, Duszniki-Zdrój, Międzylesie, Radków 14
Świdnica County
powiat świdnicki		 743 160,337 Świdnica Świebodzice, Strzegom, Żarów, Jaworzyna Śląska 8
Lubin County
powiat lubiński		 712 105,582 Lubin Ścinawa 4
Dzierżoniów County
powiat dzierżoniowski		 478 104,852 Dzierżoniów Bielawa, Pieszyce, Piława Górna, Niemcza 7
Oleśnica County
powiat oleśnicki		 1,049 103,366 Oleśnica Syców, Twardogóra, Bierutów, Międzybórz 8
Wrocław County
powiat wrocławski		 1,116 101,913 Wrocław * Sobótka, Kąty Wrocławskie, Siechnice 9
Zgorzelec County
powiat zgorzelecki		 838 94,408 Zgorzelec Bogatynia, Pieńsk, Zawidów, Węgliniec 7
Bolesławiec County
powiat bolesławiecki		 1,303 88,343 Bolesławiec Nowogrodziec 6
Głogów County
powiat głogowski		 443 87,651 Głogów 6
Trzebnica County
powiat trzebnicki		 1,026 77,285 Trzebnica Oborniki Śląskie, Żmigród, Prusice 6
Oława County
powiat oławski		 524 71,118 Oława Jelcz-Laskowice 4
Ząbkowice Śląskie County
powiat ząbkowicki		 801 69,297 Ząbkowice Śląskie Ziębice, Złoty Stok, Bardo 7
Jelenia Góra County
powiat jeleniogórski		 628 63,817 Jelenia Góra * Kowary, Szklarska Poręba, Piechowice, Karpacz 9
Polkowice County
powiat polkowicki		 780 61,138 Polkowice Chocianów, Przemków 6
Lubań County
powiat lubański		 428 57,061 Lubań Olszyna, Leśna, Świeradów-Zdrój 7
Legnica County
powiat legnicki		 745 52,995 Legnica * Chojnów, Prochowice 8
Jawor County
powiat jaworski		 581 52,058 Jawor Bolków 6
Środa Śląska County
powiat średzki		 704 49,208 Środa Śląska 5
Lwówek Śląski County
powiat lwówecki		 710 48,144 Lwówek Śląski Gryfów Śląski, Mirsk, Wleń, Lubomierz 5
Wołów County
powiat wołowski		 675 47,445 Wołów Brzeg Dolny 3
Kamienna Góra County
powiat kamiennogórski		 396 46,470 Kamienna Góra Lubawka 4
Złotoryja County
powiat złotoryjski		 575 45,744 Złotoryja Wojcieszów, Świerzawa 6
Strzelin County
powiat strzeliński		 622 44,146 Strzelin Wiązów 5
Milicz County
powiat milicki		 715 36,845 Milicz 3
Góra County
powiat górowski		 738 36,556 Góra Wąsosz 4
* seat not part of the county

Protected areas

Protected areas in Lower Silesian Voivodeship include two National Parks and 12 Landscape Parks. These are listed below.

Most popular surnames in the region

  1. Nowak: 13,217
  2. Kowalski: 9,429
  3. Wójcik: 7,046

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://www.stat.gov.pl/gus/45_655_PLK_HTML.htm

External links

Counties of Lower Silesian Voivodeship
City counties
Wrocław (capital) • Jelenia Góra • Legnica
 Coat of arms of Lower Silesian Voivodeship
Land counties
Bolesławiec • Dzierżoniów • Głogów • Góra • Jawor • Jelenia Góra • Kamienna Góra • Kłodzko • Legnica • Lubań • Lubin • Lwówek Śląski • Milicz • Oława • Oleśnica • Polkowice • Środa Śląska • Strzelin • Świdnica • Trzebnica • Wałbrzych • Wołów • Wrocław • Ząbkowice Śląskie • Zgorzelec • Złotoryja
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