Świdnica County is a unit of territorial administration and local government (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. The term powiat is most often translated into English as "county", although other terms are also sometimes used...

) in Lower Silesian Voivodeship

Lower Silesian Voivodeship

Lower Silesian Voivodeship, or Lower Silesia Province , is one of the 16 voivodeships into which Poland is currently divided. It lies in southwestern Poland...

, south-western Poland

Poland

Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe 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 exclave, to the north...

. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. The county covers an area of 742.9 square kilometres (286.8 sq mi). Its administrative seat is Świdnica

Swidnica

Świdnica is a city in south-western Poland in the region of Silesia. It has a population of 60,317 according to 2006 figures. It lies in Lower Silesian Voivodeship, being the seventh largest town in that voivodeship. From 1975–98 it was in the former Wałbrzych Voivodeship...

, and it also contains the towns of Świebodzice

Swiebodzice

Świebodzice is a town in south-western Poland with 23,126 inhabitants . It is situated in Świdnica County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship ....

, Strzegom

Strzegom

Strzegom is a town in Świdnica County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. It is the seat of the administrative district called Gmina Strzegom. It lies approximately north-west of Świdnica, and west of the regional capital Wrocław...

, Jaworzyna Śląska

Jaworzyna Slaska

Jaworzyna Śląska is a town in Świdnica County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. It is the seat of the administrative district called Gmina Jaworzyna Śląska. Prior to 1945 it was in Germany. The town lies approximately north of Świdnica, and south-west of the regional...

 and Żarów

Zarów

Żarów is a town in Świdnica County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. It is the seat of the administrative district called Gmina Żarów. Prior to 1945 it was in Germany...

.

As at 2006 the total population of the county is 160,337, out of which the population of Świdnica is 60,354, that of Świebodzice is 23,126, that of Strzegom is 16,782, that of Żarów is 6,902, that of Jaworzyna Śląska is 5,240, and the rural population is 47,933.

Neighbouring counties

Świdnica County is bordered by Środa Śląska County

Sroda Slaska County

Środa Śląska County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Lower Silesian Voivodeship, south-western Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. The county covers an area of...

 to the north, Wrocław County to the north-east, Dzierżoniów County

Dzierzoniów County

Dzierżoniów County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Lower Silesian Voivodeship, south-western Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat is the town of Dzierżoniów, and it...

 to the south, Wałbrzych County to the south-west and Jawor County

Jawor County

Jawor County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Lower Silesian Voivodeship, south-western Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. The county covers an area of...

 to the north-west.

Administrative division

The county is subdivided into eight gmina

Gmina

The gmina is the principal unit of administrative division of Poland at its lowest uniform level. It is often translated as "commune" or "municipality." As of 2010 there were 2,479 gminas throughout the country...

s (two urban, three urban-rural and three rural). These are listed in the following table, in descending order of population.

Gmina	Type	Area (km²)	Population (2006)	Seat
Świdnica Swidnica Świdnica is a city in south-western Poland in the region of Silesia. It has a population of 60,317 according to 2006 figures. It lies in Lower Silesian Voivodeship, being the seventh largest town in that voivodeship. From 1975–98 it was in the former Wałbrzych Voivodeship...	urban	22.0	60,354
Gmina Strzegom Gmina Strzegom Gmina Strzegom is an urban-rural gmina in Świdnica County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. Its seat is the town of Strzegom, which lies approximately north-west of Świdnica, and west of the regional capital Wrocław.The gmina covers an area of , and as of 2006 its total...	urban-rural	144.7	26,990	Strzegom Strzegom Strzegom is a town in Świdnica County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. It is the seat of the administrative district called Gmina Strzegom. It lies approximately north-west of Świdnica, and west of the regional capital Wrocław...
Świebodzice Swiebodzice Świebodzice is a town in south-western Poland with 23,126 inhabitants . It is situated in Świdnica County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship ....	urban	30.4	23,126
Gmina Świdnica Gmina Swidnica, Lower Silesian Voivodeship Gmina Świdnica is a rural gmina in Świdnica County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. Its seat is the town of Świdnica, although the town is not part of the territory of the gmina....	rural	208.3	15,210	Świdnica Swidnica Świdnica is a city in south-western Poland in the region of Silesia. It has a population of 60,317 according to 2006 figures. It lies in Lower Silesian Voivodeship, being the seventh largest town in that voivodeship. From 1975–98 it was in the former Wałbrzych Voivodeship...  *
Gmina Żarów Gmina Zarów Gmina Żarów is an urban-rural gmina in Świdnica County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. Its seat is the town of Żarów, which lies approximately north-east of Świdnica, and south-west of the regional capital Wrocław.The gmina covers an area of , and as of 2006 its total...	urban-rural	88.0	12,381	Żarów Zarów Żarów is a town in Świdnica County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. It is the seat of the administrative district called Gmina Żarów. Prior to 1945 it was in Germany...
Gmina Jaworzyna Śląska Gmina Jaworzyna Slaska Flag of the Gmina Jaworzyna ŚląskaGmina Jaworzyna Śląska is an urban-rural gmina in Świdnica County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland...	urban-rural	67.3	10,352	Jaworzyna Śląska Jaworzyna Slaska Jaworzyna Śląska is a town in Świdnica County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. It is the seat of the administrative district called Gmina Jaworzyna Śląska. Prior to 1945 it was in Germany. The town lies approximately north of Świdnica, and south-west of the regional...
Gmina Marcinowice Gmina Marcinowice Gmina Marcinowice is a rural gmina in Świdnica County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. Its seat is the village of Marcinowice, which lies approximately east of Świdnica and south-west of the regional capital Wrocław.The gmina covers an area of , and as of 2006 its total...	rural	95.9	6,476	Marcinowice Marcinowice, Swidnica County Marcinowice is a village in Świdnica County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. It is the seat of the administrative district called Gmina Marcinowice. Prior to 1945 it was in Germany. It lies approximately east of Świdnica and south-west of the regional capital...
Gmina Dobromierz Gmina Dobromierz Gmina Dobromierz is a rural gmina in Świdnica County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. Its seat is the village of Dobromierz, which lies approximately north-west of Świdnica, and south-west of the regional capital Wrocław.The gmina covers an area of , and as of 2006 its total...	rural	86.5	5,448	Dobromierz
* seat not part of the gmina