Białystok County

Białystok County
Powiat białostocki
County

Flag
Coat of arms
Coordinates (Białystok): 53°7′N 23°10′E / 53.117°N 23.167°ECoordinates: 53°7′N 23°10′E / 53.117°N 23.167°E
Country  Poland
Voivodeship Podlaskie
Seat Białystok
Gminas
Area
 • Total 2,984.64 km2 (1,152.38 sq mi)
Population (2006)
 • Total 136,797
 • Density 46/km2 (120/sq mi)
 • Urban 53,758
 • Rural 83,039
Car plates BIA
Website http://www.powiatbialostocki.pl/

Białystok County (Polish: powiat białostocki) is a unit of territorial administration and local government (powiat) in Podlaskie Voivodeship, north-eastern Poland, on the border with Belarus. It was created on 1 January 1999 as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat is the city of Białystok, although the city is not part of the county (it constitutes a separate city county). The county contains nine towns: Łapy, 25 km (16 mi) south-west of Białystok, Czarna Białostocka, 22 km (14 mi) north of Białystok, Wasilków, 11 km (7 mi) north of Białystok, Choroszcz, 13 km (8 mi) west of Białystok, Supraśl, 16 km (10 mi) north-east of Białystok, Michałowo, 13 km (8 mi) east of Białystok, Zabłudów, 16 km (10 mi) south-east of Białystok, Tykocin, 29 km (18 mi) west of Białystok, and Suraż, 23 km (14 mi) south-west of Białystok.

The county covers an area of 2,984.64 square kilometres (1,152.4 sq mi), making it the largest county in Poland (ahead of Olsztyn County). As of 2006 its total population is 136,797, out of which the population of Łapy is 16,583, that of Czarna Białostocka is 9,596, that of Wasilków is 8,967, that of Choroszcz is 5,416, that of Supraśl is 4,578, that of Michałowo is 3,343, that of Zabłudów is 2,400, that of Tykocin is 1,893, that of Suraż is 982, and the rural population is 83,039.

Neighbouring counties

Apart from the city of Białystok, Białystok County is bordered by Hajnówka County and Bielsk County to the south, Wysokie Mazowieckie County, Zambrów County and Łomża County to the west, Mońki County to the north-west, and Sokółka County to the north-east. It also borders Belarus to the east.

Administrative division

1. Białystok (not part of the county). Gminas: 2. Choroszcz, 3. Czarna Białostocka, 4. Łapy, 5. Supraśl, 6. Suraż, 7. Tykocin, 8. Wasilków, 9. Zabłudów, 10. Dobrzyniewo Duże, 11. Gródek, 12. Juchnowiec Kościelny, 13. Michałowo, 14. Poświętne, 15. Turośń Kościelna, 16. Zawady.

The county is subdivided into 15 gminas (nine urban-rural and six rural). These are listed in the following table, in descending order of population.

Gmina Type Area
(km²)		 Population
(2006)		 Seat
Gmina Łapy urban-rural 127.6 23,132 Łapy
Gmina Juchnowiec Kościelny rural 172.1 13,421 Juchnowiec Kościelny
Gmina Choroszcz urban-rural 163.5 12,957 Choroszcz
Gmina Wasilków urban-rural 127.2 12,790 Wasilków
Gmina Supraśl urban-rural 188.0 12,780 Supraśl
Gmina Czarna Białostocka urban-rural 206.5 11,692 Czarna Białostocka
Gmina Zabłudów urban-rural 339.8 8,451 Zabłudów
Gmina Dobrzyniewo Duże rural 160.7 7,933 Dobrzyniewo Duże
Gmina Michałowo urban-rural 409.2 7,263 Michałowo
Gmina Tykocin urban-rural 207.3 6,477 Tykocin
Gmina Gródek rural 430.6 5,740 Gródek
Gmina Turośń Kościelna rural 140.3 5,348 Turośń Kościelna
Gmina Poświętne rural 114.3 3,761 Poświętne
Gmina Zawady rural 112.7 3,014 Zawady
Gmina Suraż urban-rural 76.6 2,038 Suraż

References