All Topics  
Silesian Voivodeship

 

   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link






 

Silesian Voivodeship



 
 
Silesian Voivodeship (also known as Silesian Province, or by its Polish
Polish language

Polish , an official language of Poland, has the largest number of speakers of any West Slavic languages. Polish-speakers use the language in a uniform manner through most of Poland, and it has a regular orthography....
 name of województwo slaskie or simply Slaskie) is a voivodeship
Voivodeship

A voivodeship, also spelled voivodship, voivodina or vojvodina , is a type of administrative division dating to medieval Poland, Romania, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Russia and Serbia , ruled by a voivode ....
, or province
Province

A province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state....
, in southern Poland
Poland

Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe. Poland is bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian Enclave and exclave, to the north....
, centring on the region known as Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia

Upper Silesia is the southeastern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia; Lower Silesia is to the northwest. Since the 9th century, Upper Silesia has been part of Greater Moravia, Kingdom of Bohemia, Poland, Holy Roman Empire, Habsburg Monarchy, Kingdom of Prussia, and later of unified German Reich....
 (Górny Slask). Its capital is Katowice
Katowice

Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Klodnica and Rawa river rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about 50 km from the Silesian Beskids and about 100 km from Sudetes....
.

It was created on January 1, 1999, out of the former Katowice, Czestochowa and Bielsko-Biala
Bielsko-Biala Voivodeship

Bielsko-Biala Voivodeship was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland from 1975 to 1998, superseded by Silesian Voivodeship and Lesser Poland Voivodeship....
 Voivodeship
Voivodeship

A voivodeship, also spelled voivodship, voivodina or vojvodina , is a type of administrative division dating to medieval Poland, Romania, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Russia and Serbia , ruled by a voivode ....
s, pursuant to the 1998 Local Government Reorganization Act.

sian Voivodeship borders both the Czech Republic
Czech Republic

The Czech Republic , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country borders Poland to the northeast, Germany to the west, Austria to the south and Slovakia to the east....
 and Slovakia
Slovakia

Slovakia . It was amended in September 1998 to allow direct election of the president and again in February 2001 due to EU admission requirements....
 to the south.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Silesian Voivodeship'
Start a new discussion about 'Silesian Voivodeship'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


Silesian Voivodeship (also known as Silesian Province, or by its Polish
Polish language

Polish , an official language of Poland, has the largest number of speakers of any West Slavic languages. Polish-speakers use the language in a uniform manner through most of Poland, and it has a regular orthography....
 name of województwo slaskie or simply Slaskie) is a voivodeship
Voivodeship

A voivodeship, also spelled voivodship, voivodina or vojvodina , is a type of administrative division dating to medieval Poland, Romania, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Russia and Serbia , ruled by a voivode ....
, or province
Province

A province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state....
, in southern Poland
Poland

Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe. Poland is bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian Enclave and exclave, to the north....
, centring on the region known as Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia

Upper Silesia is the southeastern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia; Lower Silesia is to the northwest. Since the 9th century, Upper Silesia has been part of Greater Moravia, Kingdom of Bohemia, Poland, Holy Roman Empire, Habsburg Monarchy, Kingdom of Prussia, and later of unified German Reich....
 (Górny Slask). Its capital is Katowice
Katowice

Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Klodnica and Rawa river rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about 50 km from the Silesian Beskids and about 100 km from Sudetes....
.

It was created on January 1, 1999, out of the former Katowice, Czestochowa and Bielsko-Biala
Bielsko-Biala Voivodeship

Bielsko-Biala Voivodeship was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland from 1975 to 1998, superseded by Silesian Voivodeship and Lesser Poland Voivodeship....
 Voivodeship
Voivodeship

A voivodeship, also spelled voivodship, voivodina or vojvodina , is a type of administrative division dating to medieval Poland, Romania, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Russia and Serbia , ruled by a voivode ....
s, pursuant to the 1998 Local Government Reorganization Act.

Geography

Silesian Voivodeship borders both the Czech Republic
Czech Republic

The Czech Republic , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country borders Poland to the northeast, Germany to the west, Austria to the south and Slovakia to the east....
 and Slovakia
Slovakia

Slovakia . It was amended in September 1998 to allow direct election of the president and again in February 2001 due to EU admission requirements....
 to the south. It is also bordered by four other Polish voivodeships: those of Opole
Opole Voivodeship

Opole Voivodeship is a Poland voivodeship, or province, created on January 1, 1999, out of the former Opole Voivodeship and parts of Czestochowa Voivodeship, pursuant to the 1998 Local Government Reorganization Act....
 (to the west), Lódz
Lódz Voivodeship

L?dz Voivodeship is a province in central Poland, created on January 1, 1999 out of the former L?dz Voivodeship and the Sieradz Voivodeship, Piotrkow Trybunalski Voivodeship and Skierniewice Voivodeships and part of Plock Voivodeship Voivodeship, pursuant to the 1998 Local Government Reorganization Act....
 (to the north), Swietokrzyskie
Swietokrzyskie Voivodeship

Swietokrzyskie Voivodeship is one of the 16 Voivodeships of Polands into which Poland is presently divided. It is situated in south-central Poland, in the historical province of Lesser Poland, and takes its name from the Swietokrzyskie Mountains mountain range....
 (to the north-east), and Lesser Poland
Lesser Poland Voivodeship

Lesser Poland Voivodeship is a voivodeship, or province, in southern Poland. It has an area of , and a population of 3,267,731 .It was created on January 1, 1999, out of the former Krak?w Voivodeship, Tarn?w Voivodeship, Nowy Sacz Voivodeship and parts of Bielsko-Biala Voivodeship and Katowice Voivodeship Voivodeships, pursuant to the 199...
 (to the east).

The region includes the Silesian Upland (Wyzyna Slaska) in the centre and north-west, and the Krakowsko-Czestochowska Upland (Jura Krakowsko-Czestochowska) in the north-east. The southern border is formed by the Beskidy Mountains (Beskid Slaski and Beskid Zywiecki).

The strong links between Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia

Upper Silesia is the southeastern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia; Lower Silesia is to the northwest. Since the 9th century, Upper Silesia has been part of Greater Moravia, Kingdom of Bohemia, Poland, Holy Roman Empire, Habsburg Monarchy, Kingdom of Prussia, and later of unified German Reich....
 and the regions now contained in Opole and Lower Silesian Voivodeships reach back to the medieval history of the Duchy of Silesia
Silesia

Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in present-day Poland, with parts in the Czech Republic and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas....
 (Ksiestwo Slaskie), which was divided in the 13th century into Upper and Lower Silesia. However, it should be noted that around half of the territory of today's Silesian Voivodeship is not part of historical Silesia. Such cities as Czestochowa
Czestochowa

Czestochowa is a city in south Poland on the Warta with 248,894 inhabitants . It has been situated in the Silesian Voivodeship since 1999, and was previously the capital of Czestochowa Voivodeship ....
, Zawiercie
Zawiercie

Zawiercie [] is a city in the Silesian Voivodeship of southern Poland with 55,800 inhabitants . It is situated in the Krak?w-Czestochowa highland near the source of the Warta River....
, Myszków
Myszków

Myszk?w [] is a town in Poland, with 33,016 inhabitants . It is the capital of Myszk?w County.Situated in the Silesian Voivodeship , previously in Czestochowa Voivodeship ....
, Jaworzno
Jaworzno

Jaworzno [] is a city in the Silesian Voivodeship of southern Poland on the Przemsza and Biala Przemsza rivers . It lies about 25 kilometers east of the provincial capital of Katowice....
, Sosnowiec
Sosnowiec

Sosnowiec is a city located in the south of Poland. It is a county capital neighbouring Katowice as well as the mining and industrial region. It is one of the largest cities in the Silesian Voivodeship and Upper Silesian Industry Area....
, Zywiec
Zywiec

Zywiec [] is a town in south-central Poland with 32,078 inhabitants . After being part of Bielsko-Biala Voivodeship from 1975 to 1998, it has been part of the Silesian Voivodeship since 1999 and includes one of the eight protected areas in Silesian Voivodeship, called Zywiec Landscape Park....
, Dabrowa Górnicza
Dabrowa Górnicza

Dabrowa G?rnicza is a city in southern Poland with 140,000 inhabitants and a territory of 177 km?, in a region called Zaglebie.Since 1999 it has been situated in the Silesian Voivodeship ...
, Bedzin
Bedzin

Bedzin is a town in Silesian Voivodeship in southern Poland. It has a population of 58,659 , and covers an area of .Situated in Silesian Voivodeship since 1999, previously in Katowice Voivodship , it is now the seat of Bedzin County....
 and east part of Bielsko-Biala
Bielsko-Biala

Bielsko-Biala is a city in southern Poland with 176,987 inhabitants .Bielsko-Biala is made of two former cities on opposite banks of the Biala River , Bielsko and Biala, Amalgamation in 1951....
, and their surrounding counties, belong historically to Lesser Poland
Lesser Poland

Lesser Poland is one of the historical regions of Poland. It forms the southeastern corner of the country. It should not be confused with the modern Lesser Poland Voivodeship, which covers just a part of the historical region of Lesser Poland...
.

Population

Silesian Voivodeship has the highest population density in the country (379 people per square kilometre, compared to the national average of 124). The region's considerable industrialisation gives it the lowest unemployment rate nationally (6.2%). The Silesian region is the most industrialized and the most urbanized region in Poland: 78% of its population live in towns and cities.

Cities and towns

Due to its industrial and urban nature, the voivodeship has many cities and large towns. Of Poland's 40 largest towns, 12 are in Silesian Voivodeship. In all it has 71 towns, listed below in descending order of population (according to official figures for 2006): 1. Katowice
Katowice

Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Klodnica and Rawa river rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about 50 km from the Silesian Beskids and about 100 km from Sudetes....
 (315,996)
2. Czestochowa
Czestochowa

Czestochowa is a city in south Poland on the Warta with 248,894 inhabitants . It has been situated in the Silesian Voivodeship since 1999, and was previously the capital of Czestochowa Voivodeship ....
 (246,129)
3. Sosnowiec
Sosnowiec

Sosnowiec is a city located in the south of Poland. It is a county capital neighbouring Katowice as well as the mining and industrial region. It is one of the largest cities in the Silesian Voivodeship and Upper Silesian Industry Area....
 (225,202)
4. Gliwice
Gliwice

Gliwice is an industrial city in southern Poland with 200,361 inhabitants on the Klodnica River, about 20 km to the west from Katowice.Gliwice is one of the main centers of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union, the largest legally-recognized urban entity in Poland, with the population of the greater metropolitan area of 3,487,000....
 (199,099)
5. Zabrze
Zabrze

Zabrze is a city in southern Poland with 194,041 inhabitants . Zabrze is part of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union, the largest legally-recognized urban entity in Poland with a population of 2.2 million....
 (190,610)
6. Bytom
Bytom

Bytom is a city in southern Poland with 188,234 inhabitants . Since 1999 it has been situated in the Silesian Voivodeship, having previously been in the Katowice Voivodeship ....
 (187,205)
7. Bielsko-Biala
Bielsko-Biala

Bielsko-Biala is a city in southern Poland with 176,987 inhabitants .Bielsko-Biala is made of two former cities on opposite banks of the Biala River , Bielsko and Biala, Amalgamation in 1951....
 (176,678)
8. Ruda Slaska
Ruda Slaska

Ruda Slaska is a city in south Poland with 149,000 inhabitants , member of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union.It is situated in the Silesian Voivodship , having previously been in Katowice Voivodship ....
 (145,929)
9. Rybnik
Rybnik

Rybnik is a city in southern Poland, in the Silesian Voivodeship. Rybnik is located close to the border with the Czech Republic and just outside the southern border of the largest urban area in Poland, the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union....
 (141,382)
10. Tychy
Tychy

Tychy ) is a city in southern Poland with a population of 132,600. It is situated in the Silesian Voivodeship ; previously, it was in Katowice Voivodeship ....
 (130,842)
11. Dabrowa Górnicza
Dabrowa Górnicza

Dabrowa G?rnicza is a city in southern Poland with 140,000 inhabitants and a territory of 177 km?, in a region called Zaglebie.Since 1999 it has been situated in the Silesian Voivodeship ...
 (129,753)
12. Chorzów
Chorzów

Chorz?w is a city in Silesia, southern Poland with around 114,680 inhabitants and an area of 33.5 km?. Chorz?w is situated on the Rawa river on the Silesian Highland in the heart of the Upper Silesian Industrial Area, 7 km north-west of Katowice....
 (114,434)
13. Jaworzno
Jaworzno

Jaworzno [] is a city in the Silesian Voivodeship of southern Poland on the Przemsza and Biala Przemsza rivers . It lies about 25 kilometers east of the provincial capital of Katowice....
 (96,051)
14. Jastrzebie-Zdrój (95,149)
15. Myslowice
Myslowice

Myslowice [] is a town in south Poland with 75,183 inhabitants . It is situated in the Silesian Voivodship ; previously it was in Katowice Voivodship ....
 (74,988)
16. Siemianowice Slaskie
Siemianowice Slaskie

Siemianowice Slaskie [] is a city of the Upper Silesian Industry Area in Poland. Its population is 72,869, within a greater metropolitan area population of 3,487,000 ....
 (72,451)
17. Zory
Zory

Zory [] is a town in southern Poland with 62,625 inhabitants .Since 1999 it has been part of Silesian Voivodeship; it was previously in Katowice Voivodeship ....
 (62,625)
18. Tarnowskie Góry
Tarnowskie Góry

Tarnowskie G?ry [] is a town in southern Poland with 61,642 inhabitants . Situated in the Silesian Voivodeship , it was previously in Katowice Voivodeship ....
 (61,107)
19. Piekary Slaskie
Piekary Slaskie

Piekary Slaskie [] is a town in south Poland, situated in the Silesian Voivodship . Piekary is a spiritual center of Upper Silesia, a Marian shrine which is a pilgrimage site for thousands of the faithful, and a mining town....
 (59,494)
20. Bedzin
Bedzin

Bedzin is a town in Silesian Voivodeship in southern Poland. It has a population of 58,659 , and covers an area of .Situated in Silesian Voivodeship since 1999, previously in Katowice Voivodship , it is now the seat of Bedzin County....
 (58,659)
21. Racibórz
Racibórz

Racib?rz [] is a town in southern Poland with 60,218 inhabitants situated in the Silesian Voivodeship , previously in Katowice Voivodeship . It is the capital of Racib?rz County....
 (57,352)
22. Swietochlowice
Swietochlowice

Swietochlowice is a city in Silesia, Southern Poland with about 55,500 inhabitants . It is situated in the Silesian Voivodship ; previously, it was in Katowice Voivodship ....
 (55,172)
23. Zawiercie
Zawiercie

Zawiercie [] is a city in the Silesian Voivodeship of southern Poland with 55,800 inhabitants . It is situated in the Krak?w-Czestochowa highland near the source of the Warta River....
 (52,926)
24. Wodzislaw Slaski
Wodzislaw Slaski

Wodzislaw Slaski [] is a town in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland with 50,493 inhabitants . It is the seat of Wodzislaw County.It was previously in Katowice Voivodeship ; close to the border with the Czech Republic, about 290 kilometre south of Warsaw and about 100 km west of Krak?w, on the southern outskirts of the metropolitan area...
 (49,319)
25. Knurów
Knurów

Knur?w [] is a town in south Poland with 40,023 inhabitants .Situated in the Silesian Voivodship , previously in Katowice Voivodship ....
 (39,823)
26. Mikolów
Mikolów

Mikol?w [] is a town in south Poland with 42,053 inhabitants . It was first mentioned in writing in the year 1222.It is situated in the Silesian Voivodeship ; previously it was in the Katowice Voivodeship ....
 (38,392)
27. Cieszyn
Cieszyn

Cieszyn is a town and the seat of Cieszyn County, Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It has 36,109 inhabitants . Cieszyn lies on the Olza River, a tributary of the Oder river, opposite Cesk? Te??n....
 (36,014)
28. Czechowice-Dziedzice
Czechowice-Dziedzice

Czechowice-Dziedzice is a town in Bielsko County, Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland with 34,867 inhabitants . It lies on the northeastern edge of the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia....
 (34,811)
29. Czeladz
Czeladz

Czeladz [] is a town in south Poland with 34,402 inhabitants .It is situated in the Silesian Voivodship , previously in Katowice Voivodship , and historically is part of the Zaglebie Dabrowskie region of Lesser Poland, adjoining Upper Silesia....
 (34,173)
30. Myszków
Myszków

Myszk?w [] is a town in Poland, with 33,016 inhabitants . It is the capital of Myszk?w County.Situated in the Silesian Voivodeship , previously in Czestochowa Voivodeship ....
 (32,830)
31. Zywiec
Zywiec

Zywiec [] is a town in south-central Poland with 32,078 inhabitants . After being part of Bielsko-Biala Voivodeship from 1975 to 1998, it has been part of the Silesian Voivodeship since 1999 and includes one of the eight protected areas in Silesian Voivodeship, called Zywiec Landscape Park....
 (32,078)
32. Czerwionka-Leszczyny
Czerwionka-Leszczyny

Czerwionka-Leszczyny [] is a town in Rybnik County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 28,840 inhabitants . There are two towns in Czerwionka-Leszczyny gmina: Czerwionka and Leszczyny, and two villages, Czuch?w and Debiensko....
 (28,486)
33. Pszczyna
Pszczyna

Pszczyna [] is a town in southern Poland with 26,827 inhabitants within the immediate gmina rising to 50,121 inhabitants in the powiat, which includes the town of Pszczyna, itself, Brzezce , Czark?w , Cwiklice , Jankowice , Laka , Piasek , Poreba , Rudoltowice , Studzionka , Studzienice , Wisla Mala and Wisla Wielka ....
 (25,621)
34. Lubliniec
Lubliniec

Lubliniec [] is a town in south Poland with 29,359 inhabitants . It is the capital of Lubliniec County.It is situated in the Silesian Voivodeship ; previously it was in Czestochowa Voivodeship ....
 (24,229)
35. Rydultowy
Rydultowy

Rydultowy [] , is a town in southern Poland, it is a part of the Wodzislaw County in the Silesian Voivodeship and is situated in the south-western part of the Silesian Upland, on the Rybnik Plateau, in the Oswiecim-Racib?rz Valley....
 (21,950)
36. Laziska Górne
Laziska Górne

Laziska G?rne [] is a town in Mikol?w County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 21,958 inhabitants .Situated in the Silesian Voivodeship , previously in Katowice Voivodeship ....
 (21,906)
37. Bierun
Bierun

Bierun [] is a town in south Poland with 19,841 inhabitants .Situated in the Silesian Voivodeship , previously in Katowice Voivodeship . It is the capital of Bierun-Ledziny County....
 (19,642)
38. Pyskowice
Pyskowice

Pyskowice is a town in southern Poland with 21,900 inhabitants . Situated in the Silesian Voivodeship , previously in Katowice Voivodeship ....
 (19,127)
39. Orzesze
Orzesze

Orzesze [] is a town in south Poland with 18,600 inhabitants . It lies 10 km west from Tychy and belongs to the Silesian Voivodeship , previously to the Katowice Voivodeship ....
 (18,830)
40. Radlin
Radlin

Radlin [] is a town in Wodzislaw County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 17,656 inhabitants ....
 (17,673)
41. Radzionków
Radzionków

Radzionk?w [] is a town in south Poland with 17,130 inhabitants .Situated in the Silesian Voivodship , previously in Katowice Voivodship , as a district of city Bytom, from 1998 again independent town....
 (17,220)
42. Ledziny
Ledziny

Ledziny [] is a town in south Poland with 16,050 inhabitants .Situated in the Silesian Voivodeship , previously in Katowice Voivodeship ....
 (16,156)
43. Ustron
Ustron

Ustron is a health resort town in Cieszyn Silesia, southern Poland. It is situated in the Silesian Voivodeship , having previously been in Bielsko-Biala Voivodeship ....
 (15,420)
44. Skoczów
Skoczów

Skocz?w is a town and the seat of Gmina Skocz?w in Cieszyn County, Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland with 14,783 inhabitants . It lies in the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia....
 (14,641)
45. Pszów
Pszów

Psz?w is a town in Wodzislaw County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 14,035 inhabitants .The town is where a famous Polish rock band Lzy was founded and started their career....
 (14,012)
46. Klobuck
Klobuck

Klobuck [] is a town in Poland, with 13,254 inhabitants . Located in the Silesian Voivodeship, about 15 km northwest of Czestochowa, it is the capital of Klobuck County....
 (13,193)
47. Wisla
Wisla

Wisla is a town in Cieszyn County, Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland, with a population of about 11,810 , near the border with Czech Republic in the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia....
 (11,453)
48. Blachownia
Blachownia

Blachownia [] is a town in Poland, in Silesian Voivodeship, in Czestochowa County, about 10 km west of Czestochowa. It has 9,967 inhabitants ....
 (9,863)
49. Wojkowice
Wojkowice

Wojkowice [] is a town in Bedzin County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 9,531 inhabitants . It lies on the Brynica river.Historically, it lies in the Zaglebie Dabrowskie region of Lesser Poland, adjoining the Silesia region....
 (9,434)
50. Poreba
Poreba

Poreba is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Pszczyna, within Pszczyna County, Silesian Voivodeship, in southern Poland.The village has an approximate population of 900....
 (8,784)
51. Kalety
Kalety

Kalety [] is a town in Tarnowskie G?ry County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 8,668 inhabitants ....
 (8,657)
52. Imielin
Imielin

Imielin [] is a city in southern Poland, located between Katowice and Krak?w.It is a quite small city with about 8000 inhabitants. The most remarkable in this city is Our Lady of Scapular Church and a small chapel where Napoleon prayed on his way to Russia during Napoleon's invasion of Russia....
 (7,887)
53. Miasteczko Slaskie
Miasteczko Slaskie

Miasteczko Slaskie [] is a town in Tarnowskie G?ry County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 7,585 inhabitants .External links ...
 (7,368)
54. Lazy
Lazy

Lazy can refer to:* Laziness, the lack of desire to expend effort* Lazy, a town in Poland * Lazy , a former village now part of the town of Orlov? in the Czech Republic...
 (7,139)
55. Slawków
Slawków

Slawk?w [] is a town in Bedzin County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland. It has 6,866 inhabitants in 2007.Historically, it lies in the Zaglebie Dabrowskie region of Lesser Poland....
 (6,833)
56. Koniecpol
Koniecpol

Koniecpol [] is a town in Poland, with 6,366 inhabitants . In the times of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth it was the seat of the Koniecpolski magnate family....
 (6,303)
57. Szczyrk
Szczyrk

Szczyrk [] is a town in the Beskid Slaski mountains of southern Poland, situated in the valley of the Zylica river. It is part of the Silesian Voivodeship , previously being part of the Bielsko-Biala Voivodeship ....
 (5,860)
58. Siewierz
Siewierz

Siewierz [] is a town in the Silesian Voivodeship in Poland....
 (5,528)
59. Kuznia Raciborska
Kuznia Raciborska

Kuznia Raciborska [] is a town in Racib?rz County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 5,630 inhabitants .External links...
 (5,517)
60. Krzepice
Krzepice

Krzepice [] is a Polish town near Czestochowa, in Klobuck County, Silesian Voivodeship....
 (4,524)
61. Ogrodzieniec
Ogrodzieniec

Ogrodzieniec [] is town Zawiercie County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 4,499 inhabitants .It is noted for the extensive ruins of Castle in Ogrodzieniec, damaged during the The Deluge in the years 1655–1660....
 (4,465)
62. Zarki
Zarki

Zarki [] is a town in Myszk?w County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 4,387 inhabitants ....
 (4,419)
63. Wozniki
Wozniki

Wozniki is a town in Lubliniec County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 4,420 inhabitants .External links ...
 (4,410)
64. Szczekociny
Szczekociny

Szczekociny [] is a town in Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 4,115 inhabitants . The Battle of Szczekociny was fought near the town on June 6, 1794 during the Kosciuszko Uprising....
 (3,912)
65. Toszek
Toszek

Toszek [] is a town in Poland, in Gliwice County, Silesian Voivodeship, with 4,000 inhabitants....
 (3,822)
66. Strumien
Strumien

Strumien is a town and the seat of Gmina Strumien, Cieszyn County, in southern Poland, on the Wisla River.Currently situated in the Silesian Voivodeship , Strumien was previously part of the Bielsko-Biala Voivodeship ....
 (3,397)
67. Wilamowice
Wilamowice

Wilamowice [] is a village in southern Poland, situated in the Bielsko County, Silesian Voivodeship . The endangered language of Wymysorys is spoken here by about 70 native speakers, the majority of them elderly....
 (2,818)
68. Kozieglowy
Kozieglowy, Silesian Voivodeship

Kozieglowy [] is a town in Myszk?w County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 2,493 inhabitants ....
 (2,505)
69. Krzanowice
Krzanowice

Krzanowice [] is a town in Racib?rz County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 2,206 inhabitants . It lies just a few kilometers from the border with the Czech Republic....
 (2,207)
70. Pilica
Pilica, Silesian Voivodeship

Pilica [] is a town in Zawiercie County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 1,948 inhabitants .External links ...
 (1,971)
71. Sosnicowice
Sosnicowice

Sosnicowice [] is a town in Gliwice County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 1,776 inhabitants .External links ...
 (1,747)

Administrative division

Silesian Voivodeship is divided into 36 counties (powiat
Powiat

A powiat is the second-level unit of local government and administration in Poland, equivalent to a county, district or prefecture in other countries....
s). These include 19 city counties (far more than any other voivodeship) and 17 land counties. The counties are further divided into 167 gmina
Gmina

The gmina is the principal unit of territorial division in Poland. It is frequently translated as "commune" or "municipality." As of 2004 there were 2,478 gminas....
s.

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

English and
Polish names
Area
(km˛)
Population
(2006)
SeatOther townsTotal
gmina
Gmina

The gmina is the principal unit of territorial division in Poland. It is frequently translated as "commune" or "municipality." As of 2004 there were 2,478 gminas....
s
City counties
Katowice
Katowice

Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Klodnica and Rawa river rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about 50 km from the Silesian Beskids and about 100 km from Sudetes....
165315,996  1
Czestochowa
Czestochowa

Czestochowa is a city in south Poland on the Warta with 248,894 inhabitants . It has been situated in the Silesian Voivodeship since 1999, and was previously the capital of Czestochowa Voivodeship ....
160246,129  1
Sosnowiec
Sosnowiec

Sosnowiec is a city located in the south of Poland. It is a county capital neighbouring Katowice as well as the mining and industrial region. It is one of the largest cities in the Silesian Voivodeship and Upper Silesian Industry Area....
91225,202  1
Gliwice
Gliwice

Gliwice is an industrial city in southern Poland with 200,361 inhabitants on the Klodnica River, about 20 km to the west from Katowice.Gliwice is one of the main centers of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union, the largest legally-recognized urban entity in Poland, with the population of the greater metropolitan area of 3,487,000....
134199,099  1
Zabrze
Zabrze

Zabrze is a city in southern Poland with 194,041 inhabitants . Zabrze is part of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union, the largest legally-recognized urban entity in Poland with a population of 2.2 million....
80190,610  1
Bytom
Bytom

Bytom is a city in southern Poland with 188,234 inhabitants . Since 1999 it has been situated in the Silesian Voivodeship, having previously been in the Katowice Voivodeship ....
69187,205  1
Bielsko-Biala
Bielsko-Biala

Bielsko-Biala is a city in southern Poland with 176,987 inhabitants .Bielsko-Biala is made of two former cities on opposite banks of the Biala River , Bielsko and Biala, Amalgamation in 1951....
125176,678  1
Ruda Slaska
Ruda Slaska

Ruda Slaska is a city in south Poland with 149,000 inhabitants , member of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union.It is situated in the Silesian Voivodship , having previously been in Katowice Voivodship ....
78145,929  1
Rybnik
Rybnik

Rybnik is a city in southern Poland, in the Silesian Voivodeship. Rybnik is located close to the border with the Czech Republic and just outside the southern border of the largest urban area in Poland, the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union....
148141,382  1
Tychy
Tychy

Tychy ) is a city in southern Poland with a population of 132,600. It is situated in the Silesian Voivodeship ; previously, it was in Katowice Voivodeship ....
82130,842  1
Dabrowa Górnicza
Dabrowa Górnicza

Dabrowa G?rnicza is a city in southern Poland with 140,000 inhabitants and a territory of 177 km?, in a region called Zaglebie.Since 1999 it has been situated in the Silesian Voivodeship ...
188129,753  1
Chorzów
Chorzów

Chorz?w is a city in Silesia, southern Poland with around 114,680 inhabitants and an area of 33.5 km?. Chorz?w is situated on the Rawa river on the Silesian Highland in the heart of the Upper Silesian Industrial Area, 7 km north-west of Katowice....
33114,434  1
Jaworzno
Jaworzno

Jaworzno [] is a city in the Silesian Voivodeship of southern Poland on the Przemsza and Biala Przemsza rivers . It lies about 25 kilometers east of the provincial capital of Katowice....
15296,051  1
Jastrzebie-Zdrój8595,149  1
Myslowice
Myslowice

Myslowice [] is a town in south Poland with 75,183 inhabitants . It is situated in the Silesian Voivodship ; previously it was in Katowice Voivodship ....
6674,988  1
Siemianowice Slaskie
Siemianowice Slaskie

Siemianowice Slaskie [] is a city of the Upper Silesian Industry Area in Poland. Its population is 72,869, within a greater metropolitan area population of 3,487,000 ....
2572,451  1
Zory
Zory

Zory [] is a town in southern Poland with 62,625 inhabitants .Since 1999 it has been part of Silesian Voivodeship; it was previously in Katowice Voivodeship ....
6562,625  1
Piekary Slaskie
Piekary Slaskie

Piekary Slaskie [] is a town in south Poland, situated in the Silesian Voivodship . Piekary is a spiritual center of Upper Silesia, a Marian shrine which is a pilgrimage site for thousands of the faithful, and a mining town....
4059,494  1
Swietochlowice
Swietochlowice

Swietochlowice is a city in Silesia, Southern Poland with about 55,500 inhabitants . It is situated in the Silesian Voivodship ; previously, it was in Katowice Voivodship ....
1355,172  1
Land counties
Cieszyn County
Cieszyn County

Cieszyn County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland, on the Czech Republic and Slovakia border....

powiat cieszynski
730171,029Cieszyn
Cieszyn

Cieszyn is a town and the seat of Cieszyn County, Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It has 36,109 inhabitants . Cieszyn lies on the Olza River, a tributary of the Oder river, opposite Cesk? Te??n....
Ustron
Ustron

Ustron is a health resort town in Cieszyn Silesia, southern Poland. It is situated in the Silesian Voivodeship , having previously been in Bielsko-Biala Voivodeship ....
, Skoczów
Skoczów

Skocz?w is a town and the seat of Gmina Skocz?w in Cieszyn County, Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland with 14,783 inhabitants . It lies in the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia....
, Wisla
Wisla

Wisla is a town in Cieszyn County, Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland, with a population of about 11,810 , near the border with Czech Republic in the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia....
, Strumien
Strumien

Strumien is a town and the seat of Gmina Strumien, Cieszyn County, in southern Poland, on the Wisla River.Currently situated in the Silesian Voivodeship , Strumien was previously part of the Bielsko-Biala Voivodeship ....
12
Wodzislaw County
Wodzislaw County

Wodzislaw County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland, on the Czech Republic border....

powiat wodzislawski
287155,228Wodzislaw Slaski
Wodzislaw Slaski

Wodzislaw Slaski [] is a town in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland with 50,493 inhabitants . It is the seat of Wodzislaw County.It was previously in Katowice Voivodeship ; close to the border with the Czech Republic, about 290 kilometre south of Warsaw and about 100 km west of Krak?w, on the southern outskirts of the metropolitan area...
Rydultowy
Rydultowy

Rydultowy [] , is a town in southern Poland, it is a part of the Wodzislaw County in the Silesian Voivodeship and is situated in the south-western part of the Silesian Upland, on the Rybnik Plateau, in the Oswiecim-Racib?rz Valley....
, Radlin
Radlin

Radlin [] is a town in Wodzislaw County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 17,656 inhabitants ....
, Pszów
Pszów

Psz?w is a town in Wodzislaw County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 14,035 inhabitants .The town is where a famous Polish rock band Lzy was founded and started their career....
9
Bedzin County
Bedzin County

Bedzin County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It was created on January 1, 1999 as a result of the Local Government Reorganization Act of 1998....

powiat bedzinski
368151,122Bedzin
Bedzin

Bedzin is a town in Silesian Voivodeship in southern Poland. It has a population of 58,659 , and covers an area of .Situated in Silesian Voivodeship since 1999, previously in Katowice Voivodship , it is now the seat of Bedzin County....
Czeladz
Czeladz

Czeladz [] is a town in south Poland with 34,402 inhabitants .It is situated in the Silesian Voivodship , previously in Katowice Voivodship , and historically is part of the Zaglebie Dabrowskie region of Lesser Poland, adjoining Upper Silesia....
, Wojkowice
Wojkowice

Wojkowice [] is a town in Bedzin County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 9,531 inhabitants . It lies on the Brynica river.Historically, it lies in the Zaglebie Dabrowskie region of Lesser Poland, adjoining the Silesia region....
, Slawków
Slawków

Slawk?w [] is a town in Bedzin County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland. It has 6,866 inhabitants in 2007.Historically, it lies in the Zaglebie Dabrowskie region of Lesser Poland....
, Siewierz
Siewierz

Siewierz [] is a town in the Silesian Voivodeship in Poland....
8
Bielsko County
Bielsko County

Bielsko County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It was created on January 1, 1999 as a result of the Local Government Reorganization Act of 1998....

powiat bielski
457150,764Bielsko-Biala
Bielsko-Biala

Bielsko-Biala is a city in southern Poland with 176,987 inhabitants .Bielsko-Biala is made of two former cities on opposite banks of the Biala River , Bielsko and Biala, Amalgamation in 1951....
 *
Czechowice-Dziedzice
Czechowice-Dziedzice

Czechowice-Dziedzice is a town in Bielsko County, Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland with 34,867 inhabitants . It lies on the northeastern edge of the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia....
, Szczyrk
Szczyrk

Szczyrk [] is a town in the Beskid Slaski mountains of southern Poland, situated in the valley of the Zylica river. It is part of the Silesian Voivodeship , previously being part of the Bielsko-Biala Voivodeship ....
, Wilamowice
Wilamowice

Wilamowice [] is a village in southern Poland, situated in the Bielsko County, Silesian Voivodeship . The endangered language of Wymysorys is spoken here by about 70 native speakers, the majority of them elderly....
10
Zywiec County
Zywiec County

Zywiec County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland, on the Slovakia border. It was created on January 1, 1999 as a result of the Local Government Reorganization Act of 1998....

powiat zywiecki
1,040149,492Zywiec
Zywiec

Zywiec [] is a town in south-central Poland with 32,078 inhabitants . After being part of Bielsko-Biala Voivodeship from 1975 to 1998, it has been part of the Silesian Voivodeship since 1999 and includes one of the eight protected areas in Silesian Voivodeship, called Zywiec Landscape Park....
 15
Tarnowskie Góry County
Tarnowskie Góry County

Tarnowskie G?ry County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It was created on January 1, 1999 as a result of the Local Government Reorganization Act of 1998....

powiat tarnogórski
643137,979Tarnowskie Góry
Tarnowskie Góry

Tarnowskie G?ry [] is a town in southern Poland with 61,642 inhabitants . Situated in the Silesian Voivodeship , it was previously in Katowice Voivodeship ....
Radzionków
Radzionków

Radzionk?w [] is a town in south Poland with 17,130 inhabitants .Situated in the Silesian Voivodship , previously in Katowice Voivodship , as a district of city Bytom, from 1998 again independent town....
, Kalety
Kalety

Kalety [] is a town in Tarnowskie G?ry County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 8,668 inhabitants ....
, Miasteczko Slaskie
Miasteczko Slaskie

Miasteczko Slaskie [] is a town in Tarnowskie G?ry County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 7,585 inhabitants .External links ...
9
Czestochowa County
Czestochowa County

Czestochowa County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It was created on January 1, 1999 as a result of the Local Government Reorganization Act of 1998....

powiat czestochowski
1,519133,553Czestochowa
Czestochowa

Czestochowa is a city in south Poland on the Warta with 248,894 inhabitants . It has been situated in the Silesian Voivodeship since 1999, and was previously the capital of Czestochowa Voivodeship ....
 *
Blachownia
Blachownia

Blachownia [] is a town in Poland, in Silesian Voivodeship, in Czestochowa County, about 10 km west of Czestochowa. It has 9,967 inhabitants ....
, Koniecpol
Koniecpol

Koniecpol [] is a town in Poland, with 6,366 inhabitants . In the times of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth it was the seat of the Koniecpolski magnate family....
16
Zawiercie County
Zawiercie County

Zawiercie County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It was created on January 1, 1999 as a result of the Local Government Reorganization Act of 1998....

powiat zawiercianski
1,003124,127Zawiercie
Zawiercie

Zawiercie [] is a city in the Silesian Voivodeship of southern Poland with 55,800 inhabitants . It is situated in the Krak?w-Czestochowa highland near the source of the Warta River....
Poreba
Poreba

Poreba is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Pszczyna, within Pszczyna County, Silesian Voivodeship, in southern Poland.The village has an approximate population of 900....
, Lazy
Lazy

Lazy can refer to:* Laziness, the lack of desire to expend effort* Lazy, a town in Poland * Lazy , a former village now part of the town of Orlov? in the Czech Republic...
, Ogrodzieniec
Ogrodzieniec

Ogrodzieniec [] is town Zawiercie County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 4,499 inhabitants .It is noted for the extensive ruins of Castle in Ogrodzieniec, damaged during the The Deluge in the years 1655–1660....
, Szczekociny
Szczekociny

Szczekociny [] is a town in Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 4,115 inhabitants . The Battle of Szczekociny was fought near the town on June 6, 1794 during the Kosciuszko Uprising....
, Pilica
Pilica, Silesian Voivodeship

Pilica [] is a town in Zawiercie County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 1,948 inhabitants .External links ...
10
Gliwice County
Gliwice County

Gliwice County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It was created on January 1, 1999 as a result of the Local Government Reorganization Act of 1998....

powiat gliwicki
663114,963Gliwice
Gliwice

Gliwice is an industrial city in southern Poland with 200,361 inhabitants on the Klodnica River, about 20 km to the west from Katowice.Gliwice is one of the main centers of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union, the largest legally-recognized urban entity in Poland, with the population of the greater metropolitan area of 3,487,000....
 *
Knurów
Knurów

Knur?w [] is a town in south Poland with 40,023 inhabitants .Situated in the Silesian Voivodship , previously in Katowice Voivodship ....
, Pyskowice
Pyskowice

Pyskowice is a town in southern Poland with 21,900 inhabitants . Situated in the Silesian Voivodeship , previously in Katowice Voivodeship ....
, Toszek
Toszek

Toszek [] is a town in Poland, in Gliwice County, Silesian Voivodeship, with 4,000 inhabitants....
, Sosnicowice
Sosnicowice

Sosnicowice [] is a town in Gliwice County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 1,776 inhabitants .External links ...
8
Racibórz County
Racibórz County

Racib?rz County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland, on the Czech Republic border....

powiat raciborski
544111,505Racibórz
Racibórz

Racib?rz [] is a town in southern Poland with 60,218 inhabitants situated in the Silesian Voivodeship , previously in Katowice Voivodeship . It is the capital of Racib?rz County....
Kuznia Raciborska
Kuznia Raciborska

Kuznia Raciborska [] is a town in Racib?rz County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 5,630 inhabitants .External links...
, Krzanowice
Krzanowice

Krzanowice [] is a town in Racib?rz County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 2,206 inhabitants . It lies just a few kilometers from the border with the Czech Republic....
8
Pszczyna County
Pszczyna County

Pszczyna County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It was created on January 1, 1999 as a result of the Local Government Reorganization Act of 1998....

powiat pszczynski
473104,638Pszczyna
Pszczyna

Pszczyna [] is a town in southern Poland with 26,827 inhabitants within the immediate gmina rising to 50,121 inhabitants in the powiat, which includes the town of Pszczyna, itself, Brzezce , Czark?w , Cwiklice , Jankowice , Laka , Piasek , Poreba , Rudoltowice , Studzionka , Studzienice , Wisla Mala and Wisla Wielka ....
 6
Mikolów County
Mikolów County

Mikol?w County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It was created on January 1, 1999 as a result of the Local Government Reorganization Act of 1998....

powiat mikolowski
23291,022Mikolów
Mikolów

Mikol?w [] is a town in south Poland with 42,053 inhabitants . It was first mentioned in writing in the year 1222.It is situated in the Silesian Voivodeship ; previously it was in the Katowice Voivodeship ....
Laziska Górne
Laziska Górne

Laziska G?rne [] is a town in Mikol?w County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 21,958 inhabitants .Situated in the Silesian Voivodeship , previously in Katowice Voivodeship ....
, Orzesze
Orzesze

Orzesze [] is a town in south Poland with 18,600 inhabitants . It lies 10 km west from Tychy and belongs to the Silesian Voivodeship , previously to the Katowice Voivodeship ....
5
Klobuck County
Klobuck County

Klobuck County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It was created on January 1, 1999 as a result of the Local Government Reorganization Act of 1998....

powiat klobucki
88984,730Klobuck
Klobuck

Klobuck [] is a town in Poland, with 13,254 inhabitants . Located in the Silesian Voivodeship, about 15 km northwest of Czestochowa, it is the capital of Klobuck County....
Krzepice
Krzepice

Krzepice [] is a Polish town near Czestochowa, in Klobuck County, Silesian Voivodeship....
9
Lubliniec County
Lubliniec County

Lubliniec County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It was created on January 1, 1999 as a result of the Local Government Reorganization Act of 1998....

powiat lubliniecki
82276,628Lubliniec
Lubliniec

Lubliniec [] is a town in south Poland with 29,359 inhabitants . It is the capital of Lubliniec County.It is situated in the Silesian Voivodeship ; previously it was in Czestochowa Voivodeship ....
Wozniki
Wozniki

Wozniki is a town in Lubliniec County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 4,420 inhabitants .External links ...
8
Rybnik County
Rybnik County

Rybnik County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It was created on January 1, 1999 as a result of the Local Government Reorganization Act of 1998....

powiat rybnicki
22573,527Rybnik
Rybnik

Rybnik is a city in southern Poland, in the Silesian Voivodeship. Rybnik is located close to the border with the Czech Republic and just outside the southern border of the largest urban area in Poland, the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union....
 *
Czerwionka-Leszczyny
Czerwionka-Leszczyny

Czerwionka-Leszczyny [] is a town in Rybnik County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 28,840 inhabitants . There are two towns in Czerwionka-Leszczyny gmina: Czerwionka and Leszczyny, and two villages, Czuch?w and Debiensko....
5
Myszków County
Myszków County

Myszk?w County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It was created on January 1, 1999 as a result of the Local Government Reorganization Act of 1998....

powiat myszkowski
47971,619Myszków
Myszków

Myszk?w [] is a town in Poland, with 33,016 inhabitants . It is the capital of Myszk?w County.Situated in the Silesian Voivodeship , previously in Czestochowa Voivodeship ....
Zarki
Zarki

Zarki [] is a town in Myszk?w County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 4,387 inhabitants ....
, Kozieglowy
Kozieglowy, Silesian Voivodeship

Kozieglowy [] is a town in Myszk?w County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 2,493 inhabitants ....
5
Bierun-Ledziny County
Bierun-Ledziny County

Bierun-Ledziny County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It was created on January 1, 1999 as a result of the Local Government Reorganization Act of 1998....

powiat bierunsko-ledzinski
15755,868Bierun
Bierun

Bierun [] is a town in south Poland with 19,841 inhabitants .Situated in the Silesian Voivodeship , previously in Katowice Voivodeship . It is the capital of Bierun-Ledziny County....
Ledziny
Ledziny

Ledziny [] is a town in south Poland with 16,050 inhabitants .Situated in the Silesian Voivodeship , previously in Katowice Voivodeship ....
, Imielin
Imielin

Imielin [] is a city in southern Poland, located between Katowice and Krak?w.It is a quite small city with about 8000 inhabitants. The most remarkable in this city is Our Lady of Scapular Church and a small chapel where Napoleon prayed on his way to Russia during Napoleon's invasion of Russia....
5
* seat not part of the county


Economy

The Silesian voivodship is predominantly an industrial region. Most of the mining is derived from one of the world's largest bituminous coal
Coal

Coal is a readily combustion black or brownish-black sedimentary rock. The harder forms, such as anthracite, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure....
fields of the Upper Silesian Industrial District (Gornoslaski Okreg Przemyslowy) and the Rybnik
Rybnik

Rybnik is a city in southern Poland, in the Silesian Voivodeship. Rybnik is located close to the border with the Czech Republic and just outside the southern border of the largest urban area in Poland, the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union....
 Coal District (Rybnicki Okreg Weglowy) with its major cities Rybnik
Rybnik

Rybnik is a city in southern Poland, in the Silesian Voivodeship. Rybnik is located close to the border with the Czech Republic and just outside the southern border of the largest urban area in Poland, the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union....
, Jastrzebie Zdrój
Jastrzebie Zdrój

Jastrzebie Zdr?j is a city in south Poland with 94,072 inhabitants . Until the 20th century it was a spa town village situated in Upper Silesia....
, Zory
Zory

Zory [] is a town in southern Poland with 62,625 inhabitants .Since 1999 it has been part of Silesian Voivodeship; it was previously in Katowice Voivodeship ....
 and Wodzislaw Slaski
Wodzislaw Slaski

Wodzislaw Slaski [] is a town in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland with 50,493 inhabitants . It is the seat of Wodzislaw County.It was previously in Katowice Voivodeship ; close to the border with the Czech Republic, about 290 kilometre south of Warsaw and about 100 km west of Krak?w, on the southern outskirts of the metropolitan area...
. Lead
Lead

Lead is a main-group Chemical element with symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal, also considered to be one of the heavy metal ....
 and zinc
Zinc

Zinc is a metallic chemical element with the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is a first-row transition metal of the group 12 element of the periodic table....
 can be found near Bytom
Bytom

Bytom is a city in southern Poland with 188,234 inhabitants . Since 1999 it has been situated in the Silesian Voivodeship, having previously been in the Katowice Voivodeship ....
, Zawiercie
Zawiercie

Zawiercie [] is a city in the Silesian Voivodeship of southern Poland with 55,800 inhabitants . It is situated in the Krak?w-Czestochowa highland near the source of the Warta River....
 and Tarnowskie Góry
Tarnowskie Góry

Tarnowskie G?ry [] is a town in southern Poland with 61,642 inhabitants . Situated in the Silesian Voivodeship , it was previously in Katowice Voivodeship ....
; iron ore
Iron ore

Iron ores are Rock and minerals from which metallic iron can be economically extracted. The ores are usually rich in iron oxides and vary in colour from dark grey, bright yellow, deep purple, to rusty red....
 and raw materials for building - near Czestochowa
Czestochowa

Czestochowa is a city in south Poland on the Warta with 248,894 inhabitants . It has been situated in the Silesian Voivodeship since 1999, and was previously the capital of Czestochowa Voivodeship ....
. The most important regional industries are: mining, iron, lead and zinc metallurgy, power industry, engineering, automobile, chemical, building materials and textile. In the past, the Silesian economy was determined by coal mining. Now, considering the investment volume, car manufacturing is becoming more and more important. The most profitable company in the region is Fiat
Fiat

Fiat S.p.A. Fiat based cars are constructed all around the world?the largest concern outside Italy is in Brazil . It also has factories in Argentina and Poland....
 Auto-Poland S.A. in Bielsko-Biala with a revenue of PLN
PLN

PLN can stand for:* The currency code of the Polish zloty* Liberal Nationalist Party, Partido Liberal Nacionalista, a former political party of Nicaragua...
 6.2 billion in 1997. Recently a new car factory has been opened by GM Opel
Opel

Adam Opel Gesellschaft mit beschr?nkter Haftung is a Germany automaker, part of General Motors.The company was founded on 21 January, 1863, and began making automobiles in 1899....
 in Gliwice. There are two Special Economic Zone
Special Economic Zone

A Special Economic Zone is a geographical region that has economic laws that are more liberal than a country's typical economic laws. The category 'SEZ' covers a broad range of more specific zone types, including Free Trade Zones , Export Processing Zones , Free Zones , Industrial Estates , Free Ports, Urban Enterprise Zones and others....
s in the area: Katowice and Czestochowa. The voivodship's economy consists of about 323,000, mostly small and medium-sized, enterprises employing over 3 million people. The biggest Polish steel-works "Huta Katowice" is situated in Dabrowa Górnicza
Dabrowa Górnicza

Dabrowa G?rnicza is a city in southern Poland with 140,000 inhabitants and a territory of 177 km?, in a region called Zaglebie.Since 1999 it has been situated in the Silesian Voivodeship ...
.

Silesian Voivodship is also one of the richiest regions in Poland. Average salary is about 3 800 zlotychs (over 1 200 EUR).

Transport

Katowice International Airport
Katowice International Airport

Katowice International Airport is an international airport located in Pyrzowice, 30 km north of the Katowice city centre, in Poland.The airport features two passenger terminals A and B and a cargo terminal....
 is used for domestic and international flights and the Silesian agglomeration railway network has the largest concentration in the country. The voivodship capital enjoys good railway and road connections with Kraków
Kraków

Krak?w , in English also spelled Krakow or Cracow , is one of the largest and oldest cities in Poland, with a population of 756,336 in 2007 ....
 (highway), Wroclaw
Wroclaw

Wroclaw is the chief city of the historical region of Lower Silesia in south-western Poland, situated on the Oder River river. Over the centuries the city has been part of Kingdom of Poland , Bohemia, Austria, Prussia, and Germany....
 (highway), Lódz
Lódz

L?dz is the third-largest city in Poland. Located in the central part of the country, it had a population of 753,192 in 2007. It is the capital of L?dz Voivodeship, and is approximately south-west of Warsaw....
 and Warsaw
Warsaw

Warsaw is the Capital and World's largest cities of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River roughly from both the Baltic Sea coast and the Carpathian Mountains....
. It is also the crossing point for many international routes like the one connecting Berlin
Berlin

Berlin is the Capital of Germany city and one of sixteen States of Germany of Germany. With a population of 3.4 million within its city limits, Berlin is the country's largest city....
, Dresden
Dresden

Dresden is the capital city of the Germany Federal Free state of Saxony. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon triangle metropolitan area....
, Wroclaw, Kraków and Kiev
Kiev

Kiev, also known as Kyiv , is the Capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River....
 and the other from Gdansk
Gdansk

Gdansk is the city at the centre of the fourth-largest metropolitan area in Poland. It is Poland's principal seaport as well as the capital of the Pomeranian Voivodeship....
 to the Balkans
Balkans

The Balkans is the historical name of a geographic subregion of southeastern Europe. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains, which run through the centre of Bulgaria into eastern Serbia....
. A relatively short distance to Vienna
Vienna

Vienna is the Capital of Republic of Austria and also one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.7 million...
 facilitates cross-border co-operation and may positively influence the process of European integration.

Universities

There are eleven public universities in the voivodship. The biggest university is the University of Silesia
University of Silesia

University of Silesia, also called Silesian University , is an autonomous state university in Silesian Voivodship, Silesia, Poland. Its campuses are located mostly in Katowice....
 in Katowice
Katowice

Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Klodnica and Rawa river rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about 50 km from the Silesian Beskids and about 100 km from Sudetes....
, with 43,000 students. The region's capital boasts the Medical University
Medical University of Silesia

The Medical University of Silesia is located in Katowice, Poland. Established on March 20, 1948, it is reportedly the largest Medical school in Poland....
, The Karol Adamiecki University of Economics in Katowice
University of Economics in Katowice

The Karol Adamiecki University of Economics in Katowice , is the only state university specializing in Economics and Business studies in the region....
, the Musical Academy, the Physical Education Academy and the Academy of Fine Arts. Czestochowa
Czestochowa

Czestochowa is a city in south Poland on the Warta with 248,894 inhabitants . It has been situated in the Silesian Voivodeship since 1999, and was previously the capital of Czestochowa Voivodeship ....
 is the seat of the Czestochowa University of Technology
Czestochowa University of Technology

Czestochowa University of Technology - the oldest higher education institution in Czestochowa, Poland....
 and Pedagogic University. The Silesian University of Technology
Silesian University of Technology

Silesian University of Technology is a university located in Gliwice, Silesia, Poland. It was founded in 1945 by Polish professors of the Lviv University of Technology, who were forced to leave their native city and move to the Recovered Territories ....
 in Gliwice
Gliwice

Gliwice is an industrial city in southern Poland with 200,361 inhabitants on the Klodnica River, about 20 km to the west from Katowice.Gliwice is one of the main centers of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union, the largest legally-recognized urban entity in Poland, with the population of the greater metropolitan area of 3,487,000....
 is nationally renowned. Bielsko-Biala
Bielsko-Biala

Bielsko-Biala is a city in southern Poland with 176,987 inhabitants .Bielsko-Biala is made of two former cities on opposite banks of the Biala River , Bielsko and Biala, Amalgamation in 1951....
 is home of the Technical-Humanistic Academy. In addition, 17 new private schools have been established in the region.

In voivodship are studying more than 300,000 people.

Protected areas

Protected area
Protected area

Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their environmental, cultural or similar value. The term protected area includes marine protected area, which refers to protected areas whose boundaries include some area of ocean....
s in Silesian Voivodeship include eight areas designated as Landscape Park
Landscape Park (Poland)

In Poland, a Landscape Park is a type of protected area similar to a National Park, but with less stringent restrictions on development and economic use....
s:
  • Eagle Nests Landscape Park
    Eagle Nests Landscape Park

    Eagle Nests Landscape Park is a protected area in southern Poland, established in 1980, and covering much of the area of the Eagle Nests Trail....
     (partly in Lesser Poland Voivodeship
    Lesser Poland Voivodeship

    Lesser Poland Voivodeship is a voivodeship, or province, in southern Poland. It has an area of , and a population of 3,267,731 .It was created on January 1, 1999, out of the former Krak?w Voivodeship, Tarn?w Voivodeship, Nowy Sacz Voivodeship and parts of Bielsko-Biala Voivodeship and Katowice Voivodeship Voivodeships, pursuant to the 199...
    )
  • Little Beskids Landscape Park
    Little Beskids Landscape Park

    Little Beskids Landscape Park is a protected area in southern Poland, established in 1998, covering an area of . It lies within the Little Beskids mountain range....
     (partly in Lesser Poland Voivodeship)
  • Rudy Landscape Park
    Rudy Landscape Park

    Rudy Landscape Park is a protected area in southern Poland, established in 1993, covering an area of .The Park lies within Silesian Voivodeship: in Gliwice County , Pszczyna County , Racib?rz County and Rybnik County ....
  • Silesian Beskids Landscape Park
    Silesian Beskids Landscape Park

    Silesian Beskids Landscape Park is a protected area in southern Poland, established in 1998, covering an area of in the Silesian Beskids mountain range. Administratively the Park is contained within Silesian Voivodeship....
  • Stawki Landscape Park
    Stawki Landscape Park

    Stawki Landscape Park is a protected area in southern Poland, established in 1982, covering an area of .The Park lies within Silesian Voivodeship....
  • Upper Liswarta Forests Landscape Park
    Upper Liswarta Forests Landscape Park

    Upper Liswarta Forests Landscape Park is a protected area in southern Poland, established in 1998, covering an area of .The Park lies within Silesian Voivodeship: in Czestochowa County , Klobuck County and Lubliniec County ....
  • Zalecze Landscape Park
    Zalecze Landscape Park

    Zalecze Landscape Park is a protected area in central Poland.The Park is shared between two voivodeships of Poland: L?dz Voivodeship and Silesian Voivodeship....
     (partly in Lódz Voivodeship
    Lódz Voivodeship

    L?dz Voivodeship is a province in central Poland, created on January 1, 1999 out of the former L?dz Voivodeship and the Sieradz Voivodeship, Piotrkow Trybunalski Voivodeship and Skierniewice Voivodeships and part of Plock Voivodeship Voivodeship, pursuant to the 1998 Local Government Reorganization Act....
    )
  • Zywiec Landscape Park
    Zywiec Landscape Park

    Zywiec Landscape Park is a protected area in southern Poland. It was established in 1986 and covers an area of .The Park lies within Silesian Voivodeship and is named after the town of Zywiec....


Tourism


Both northern and southern Silesia
Silesia

Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in present-day Poland, with parts in the Czech Republic and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas....
 is surrounded by a green belt
Green belt

A green belt or greenbelt is a policy or land use designation used in land use planning to retain areas of largely undeveloped, wild, or agricultural landscape surrounding or neighbouring urban areas....
. Bielsko-Biala
Bielsko-Biala

Bielsko-Biala is a city in southern Poland with 176,987 inhabitants .Bielsko-Biala is made of two former cities on opposite banks of the Biala River , Bielsko and Biala, Amalgamation in 1951....
 is enveloped by the magnificent Beskidy Mountains which are particularly popular with winter sports fans. This genuine skier's paradise offers over 150 ski lifts and 200 kilometres of ski routes. More and more slopes are illuminated and equipped with artificial snow generators. Szczyrk
Szczyrk

Szczyrk [] is a town in the Beskid Slaski mountains of southern Poland, situated in the valley of the Zylica river. It is part of the Silesian Voivodeship , previously being part of the Bielsko-Biala Voivodeship ....
, Brenna, Wisla
Wisla

Wisla is a town in Cieszyn County, Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland, with a population of about 11,810 , near the border with Czech Republic in the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia....
 and Ustron
Ustron

Ustron is a health resort town in Cieszyn Silesia, southern Poland. It is situated in the Silesian Voivodeship , having previously been in Bielsko-Biala Voivodeship ....
 are the most popular winter mountain resorts. Rock climbing sites can be found in admirable corners of Jura Krakowsko-Czestochowska. The ruins of castles forming the Eagle Nests Trail
Eagle Nests Trail

Eagle Nests Trail is a Trail blazing in south-western Poland, on Krak?w-Jura Highlands, running roughly from Czestochowa to Krak?w. First marked by Kazimierz Sosnowski, the trail is named after a series of medieval castles it passes by....
 are a famous attraction of the region. While in Silesia, one cannot miss the Black Madonna
Black Madonna

A Black Madonna or Black Virgin is a statue or painting of Mary in which she is depicted with dark or black skin. This name applies in particular to European statues or pictures of a Madonna which are of special interest because her dark face and hands is thought by some to be the true color....
's Jasna Góra Sanctuary in Czestochowa
Czestochowa

Czestochowa is a city in south Poland on the Warta with 248,894 inhabitants . It has been situated in the Silesian Voivodeship since 1999, and was previously the capital of Czestochowa Voivodeship ....
 - the annual destination of over 4 million pilgrims from all over the world.

With its more than two centuries of industrialisation history, region has a number of technical heritage memorials. These include narrow and standard gauge railways, coal
Coal

Coal is a readily combustion black or brownish-black sedimentary rock. The harder forms, such as anthracite, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure....
 and silver
Silver

Silver is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal....
 mines
Mining

Mining is the extraction of value minerals or other geology materials from the earth, usually from an ore body, vein or seam. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, Sodium chloride and potash....
, shafts and its equipment from 19th and 20th century.

Most popular surnames in the region

  1. Nowak: 31,838
  2. Kowalski
    Kowalski

    Kowalski is the second most common Polish surnames in Poland . In previous century used to be the most common name. Jan Kowalski are synonymous with John Doe or John Smith in English-speaking countries....
    : 11,811
  3. Wójcik
    Wójcik

    W?jcik, Wojczik, Wojczyk, or Wojszyk is one of the oldest Poland surnames.W?jcik as a toponymic surname is derived from villages W?jcia, W?jciki, as a patronymic surname from popular in medieval Central Europe, as a first name Wojciech , as a cognominal surname from the word wojak , as from the word w?jt, chief off...
    : 11,440


See also

  • Autonomous Silesian Voivodeship
    Autonomous Silesian Voivodeship

    The Autonomous Silesian Voivodeship was an Autonomy region of the Second Polish Republic created as the result of the popular Upper Silesia plebiscite in 1921, the Geneva Conventions in Geneva, three Silesian Uprisings, and the partition of Upper Silesia between Second Polish Republic, Germany and then-Czechoslovakia....
  • History of Silesia
    History of Silesia

    The history of Silesia can be traced for many millennia, although only the last one and a half are relatively known. Silesia has been inhabited from time immemorial by people of multiple ethnic groups....
  • Silesian Uprisings
    Silesian Uprisings

    The Silesian Uprisings were a series of three armed Rebellion of the Poles and Polish Silesians of Upper Silesia, from 1919?1921, against Weimar Republic rule; the resistance hoped to break away from Germany in order to join the Second Polish Republic, which had been established in the wake of World War I....


External links

  • Official website