Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship

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Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship
Województwo kujawsko-pomorskie
Voivodeship

Flag
Coat of arms
Location within Poland
Division into counties
Country  Poland
Seats Bydgoszcz (governor),
Toruń (assembly)
Counties
Area
 • Total 17,969 km2 (6,938 sq mi)
Population (2011)
 • Total 2,098,370
 • Density 120/km2 (300/sq mi)
 • Urban 1,280,006
 • Rural 818,364
Car plates C
Website http://www.kujawsko-pomorskie.pl
  • further divided into 144 gminas

The Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, also known as Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship[1] or Kujawy-Pomerania Province[2] (in Polish, województwo kujawsko-pomorskie [[Wikipedia:IPA for Polish|[vɔjɛˈvut͡stfɔ kuˈjafsk]]ɔ pɔˈmɔrskʲɛ]), is one of the 16 voivodeships (provinces) into which Poland is now divided. It is situated in mid-northern Poland, on the boundary between the two historic regions from which it takes its name: Kuyavia (Polish: Kujawy) and Pomerania (Polish: Pomorze). Its two chief cities, serving as the province's joint capitals, are Bydgoszcz and Toruń.

History

The Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship was created on 1 January 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms adopted in 1998. It consisted of territory from the former Bydgoszcz, Toruń and Włocławek Voivodeships.

The area now known as Kuyavia-Pomerania was previously divided between the region of Kuyavia and the Polish fiefdom of Royal Prussia. Of the two principal cities of today's Kuyavian-Pomeranian voivodeship, one (Bydgoszcz) was historically located in Kuyavia, whilst the other (Toruń) was an important town of Royal Prussia.

Administration and territory

Bydgoszcz is the Voivodeship's largest city and the seat of its Governor (Voivode)

The functions of regional capital are shared between two cities: Bydgoszcz and Toruń. Bydgoszcz serves as the seat of the centrally appointed governor or voivode (Polish: wojewoda), while Toruń is the seat of the elected Regional Assembly (sejmik), and of the executive elected by that assembly, headed by the voivodeship marshal (marszałek województwa).

The Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship is bordered by five other voivodeships. These are Pomeranian Voivodeship to the north, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship to the north-east, Masovian Voivodeship to the east, Łódź Voivodeship across a short boundary to the south, and Greater Poland Voivodeship to the south and west.

Cities and towns

The medieval city of Toruń, birthplace of Nicholas Copernicus, is today the seat of the provincial assembly
The medieval city of Grudziądz
Włocławek Cathedral
Inowrocław is famous for its large salt spa

The voivodeship contains 52 cities and towns. These are listed below in descending order of population (according to official figures for 2006[3] ):

  1. Bydgoszcz (364,953)
  2. Toruń (207,381)
  3. Włocławek (119,608)
  4. Grudziądz (99,299)
  5. Inowrocław (77,095)
  6. Brodnica (27,624)
  7. Świecie (25,614)
  8. Chełmno (20,388)
  9. Nakło nad Notecią (19,409)
  10. Rypin (16,565)
  11. Chełmża (15,273)
  12. Solec Kujawski (15,060)
  13. Lipno (14,834)
  14. Żnin (14,052)
  15. Tuchola (13,935)
  16. Wąbrzeźno (13,796)
  17. Golub-Dobrzyń (13,006)
  18. Mogilno (12,359)
  19. Aleksandrów Kujawski (12,359)
  20. Ciechocinek (10,855)
  21. Koronowo (10,784)
  22. Kruszwica (9,373)
  23. Szubin (9,326)
  24. Sępólno Krajeńskie (9,258)
  25. Janikowo (9,111)
  26. Barcin (7,810)
  27. Gniewkowo (7,254)
  28. Nowe (6,252)
  29. Strzelno (6,054)
  30. Pakość (5,789)
  31. Więcbork (5,788)
  32. Radziejów (5,756)
  33. Kcynia (4,679)
  34. Brześć Kujawski (4,522)
  35. Piotrków Kujawski (4,509)
  36. Łabiszyn (4,473)
  37. Mrocza (4,203)
  38. Janowiec Wielkopolski (4,114)
  39. Kowalewo Pomorskie (4,055)
  40. Jabłonowo Pomorskie (3,658)
  41. Kowal (3,484)
  42. Skępe (3,442)
  43. Łasin (3,276)
  44. Lubraniec (3,207)
  45. Izbica Kujawska (2,783)
  46. Dobrzyń nad Wisłą (2,269)
  47. Kamień Krajeński (2,251)
  48. Nieszawa (2,012)
  49. Chodecz (1,936)
  50. Radzyń Chełmiński (1,915)
  51. Górzno (1,362)
  52. Lubień Kujawski (1,299)

Transportation

Transportation infrastructure is of critical importance to the voivodeship's economy. Kuyavia-Pomerania is a major node in the Polish transportation system. Railway lines from the South and East pass through Bydgoszcz to connect to the major ports on the Baltic Sea. In addition to this, Bydgoszcz is home to the rolling stock manufacturer PESA SA, Poland's largest and most modern producer of railway and tram products. The province's sole international airport, Ignacy Jan Paderewski Airport, is located in Bydgoszcz and has connections to a number of European destinations as well as Warsaw, which are all operated by either Irish carrier Ryanair or LOT Polish Airlines.

The main railway stations of the province are Bydgoszcz main station and Toruń main station; both stations are served by fast PKP Intercity trains which connect them with the capital Warsaw, as well as other major Polish cities. In addition to these fast express services, inter-regional trains are operated by the firm Przewozy Regionalne, whilst domestic rail transportation within the voivodeship is provided by Arriva RP, a private firm to which the provincial government subcontracted the provision of rail transport.

All major towns of the province have municipal transportation companies operating buses, whilst Bydgoszcz, Toruń and Grudziądz also have extensive tram systems.

Politics

Main article: Kuyavian-Pomeranian Regional Assembly

The Kuyavian-Pomeranian voivodeship's government is headed by the province's voivode (governor) who is appointed by the Polish Prime Minister. The voivode is then assisted in performing his duties by the voivodeship's marshal, who is the appointed speaker for the voivodeship's executive and is elected by the sejmik (provincial assembly). The current voivode of Kuyavia-Pomerania is Ewa Monika Mes, and the present marshal is Piotr Całbecki.

The Sejmik of Kuyavia-Pomerania consists of 33 members.

Kuyavian-Pomeranian Regional Assembly elections on 21 November 2010[4]
Party Votes % Total seats held
Civic Platform (PO) 218,004 33.81 16
Law and Justice (PiS) 114,557 17.77 6
Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) 111,885 17.35 6
Polish People's Party (PSL) 93,445 14.49 5
Others 106,877 16.58 0
Total 644,768 100.00 33
  • Votes counted: 741,828
  • Valid votes: 644,768
  • Turnout: 44.96%

Governors

Name Period
Józef Rogacki 1 January 1999 - 21 October 2001
Romuald Kosieniak 21 October 2001 - 26 January 2006
Józef Ramlau 26 January 2006 - 24 July 2006
Marzenna Drab (acting) 24 July 2006 - 7 November 2006
Zbigniew Hoffmann 7 November 2006 - 29 November 2007
Rafał Bruski 29 November 2007 - 13 December 2010
Ewa Mes 14 December 2010 – present

Administrative division

The Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship is divided into 23 counties (powiats): 4 city counties and 19 land counties. These are further divided into 144 gminas.

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

English and
Polish names		 Area
(km²)		 Population
(2007)[5]		 Seat Other towns Total
gminas
City counties
Bydgoszcz 175 361,222 1
Toruń 116 206,619 1
Włocławek 84 118,432 1
Grudziądz 58 99,090 1
Land counties
Inowrocław County
powiat inowrocławski		 1,225 164,571 Inowrocław Kruszwica, Janikowo, Gniewkowo, Pakość 9
Bydgoszcz County
powiat bydgoski		 1,395 99,386 Bydgoszcz * Solec Kujawski, Koronowo 8
Świecie County
powiat świecki		 1,473 97,037 Świecie Nowe 11
Toruń County
powiat toruński		 1,230 91,963 Toruń * Chełmża 9
Włocławek County
powiat włocławski		 1,472 85,303 Włocławek * Brześć Kujawski, Kowal, Lubraniec, Izbica Kujawska, Chodecz, Lubień Kujawski 13
Nakło County
powiat nakielski		 1,120 85,050 Nakło nad Notecią Szubin, Kcynia, Mrocza 5
Brodnica County
powiat brodnicki		 1,039 75,204 Brodnica Jabłonowo Pomorskie, Górzno 10
Żnin County
powiat żniński		 985 69,736 Żnin Barcin, Łabiszyn, Janowiec Wielkopolski 6
Lipno County
powiat lipnowski		 1,016 66,063 Lipno Skępe, Dobrzyń nad Wisłą 9
Aleksandrów County
powiat aleksandrowski		 476 55,367 Aleksandrów Kujawski Ciechocinek, Nieszawa 9
Chełmno County
powiat chełmiński		 528 51,412 Chełmno 7
Tuchola County
powiat tucholski		 1,075 47,310 Tuchola 6
Mogilno County
powiat mogileński		 676 46,833 Mogilno Strzelno 4
Golub-Dobrzyń County
powiat golubsko-dobrzyński		 613 45,111 Golub-Dobrzyń Kowalewo Pomorskie 6
Rypin County
powiat rypiński		 587 44,143 Rypin 6
Radziejów County
powiat radziejowski		 607 41,972 Radziejów Piotrków Kujawski 7
Sępólno County
powiat sępoleński		 791 40,990 Sępólno Krajeńskie Więcbork, Kamień Krajeński 4
Grudziądz County
powiat grudziądzki		 728 38,559 Grudziądz * Łasin, Radzyń Chełmiński 6
Wąbrzeźno County
powiat wąbrzeski		 501 34,763 Wąbrzeźno 5
* seat not part of the county

Protected areas

Protected areas in Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship include the nine Landscape Parks listed below.

Notes

  1. ↑ "Kujawsko-Pomorskie invites you!". Urząd Marszałkowski Województwa Kujawsko-Pomorskiego. 2007. Retrieved July 31, 2011. 
  2. ↑ Arkadiusz Belczyk, Tłumaczenie polskich nazw geograficznych na język angielski [Translation of Polish Geographical Names into English], 2002-2006.
  3. ↑ http://www.stat.gov.pl/gus/45_655_PLK_HTML.htm
  4. ↑ "Kuyavian-Pomeranian Regional Assembly elections". State Electoral Commission. Retrieved 2011-05-28. 
  5. ↑ "Population size and structure by territorial division as of December 31, 2007", GUS, Warsaw 2008, .pdf

See also

External links

City counties
Land counties
Voivodeships of Poland

Coordinates: 53°04′42″N 18°29′37″E / 53.07833°N 18.49361°E / 53.07833; 18.49361

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