Voivodeships o Poland

The **[[voivodeship]]**, or **[[province]]**, cried in Pols ***województwo***  (plural *województwa*), haes been a heich-level admeenistrative subdiveesion o Poland syne the 14t century.

The Pols local govrenment reforms adoptit in 1998, which went intae effect on 1 Januar 1999, creatit saxteen new voivodeships. Thir replacit the 49 umwhile voivodeships that haed existit frae 1 Julie 1975.

The day's voivodeships are maistly namit efter historical an geografical regions, while those prior tae 1998 generally teuk thair names frae the ceeties on which thay wur centered. The new units range in aurie frae unner  (Opole Voivodeship) tae ower  (Masovian Voivodeship), an in population frae ane million (Lubusz Voivodeship) tae ower five million (Masovian Voivodeship).

Admeenistrative authority at voivodeship level is shared atween a govrenment-appointit govrenor cried a voivode (Pols *wojewoda*), an electit assembly cried a sejmik, an an executive chosen bi that assembly. The leader o that executive is cried the *marszałek województwa* (voivodeship marshal). Voivodeships are further dividit intae powiats (coonties) an gminas (communes or municipalities): see Administrative diveesion o Poland.

## Voivodeships syne 1999

### Admeenistrative pouers
Competences an pouers at voivodeship level are shared beatween the voivode (govrenor), the sejmik (regional assembly) an the executive. In maist cases thir institutions are aw based in ane ceety, but in Kuyavie-Pomeranie an Lubusz Voivodeship the voivode's offices are in a different ceety frae those o the executive an the sejmik. Voivodeship caipitals are leetit in the table belaow.

The **voivode** is appointit bi the Prime Meenister an is the regional representative o the central govrenment. The voivode acts as the heid o central govrenment institutions at regional level (sic as the polis an fire services, passport offices, an various inspectorates), manages central govrenment property in the region, owersees the functionin o local govrenment, coordinates actions in the field o public safety an environment pertection, an exercises special pouers in emergencies. The voivode's offices collectively are kent as the *urząd wojewódzki*.

The **sejmik** is electit ivery fower years, at the same time as the local authorities at powiat an gmina level. It passes bylaws, includin the voivodeship's development strategies an budget. It elects the *marszałek* an ither memmers o the executive, an haulds them tae accoont.

The **executive** (*zarząd województwa*), heidit bi the *marszałek*, drafts the budget an development strategies, implements the resolutions o the sejmik, manages the voivodeship's property, an deals wi mony aspects o regional policy, includin management o European Union fundin. Its offices collectively are kent as the *urząd marszałkowski*.

### Map an table o voivodeships





## See an aw

* Voivodeships o Poland (1975–1998)
* Admeenistrative diveesion o the Pols–Lithuanie Commonwalth
* ISO 3166-2:PL
**[[Prowincja]]*
* Regions o Poland
* Voivodeship

## Notes

## Freemit airtins
* Regions o Poland 
*Toponymic Guidelines Of Poland for Map Editors and Other Users  Heid Office O Geodesy And Cartography, 2002
* ''CIA World Factbook'' --> "Poland --> Administrative divisions"