West Pomeranian Voivodeship

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Województwo zachodniopomorskie

Flag Coat of arms
Capital city	Szczecin
Area	22,896 km²
Population (2004)  - Density	1,694,865 74/km²
Powiats  - Urban counties  - Land counties	3 18
Communes	114
Administrative divisions:

West Pomeranian Voivodeship (also "West Pomerania Province" — Polish: województwo zachodniopomorskie) is a voivodeship, or province, in northwestern Poland. It borders on Lubusz, Greater Poland and Pomeranian Voivodeships, and on the north with the Baltic Sea.

The province was established January 1, 1999, out of the former Szczecin, Koszalin and parts of other voivodeships, pursuant to the 1998 Local Government Reorganization Act. The province's name recalls the region's traditional name, Pomorze Zachodnie ("West Pomerania").

Contents 1 Geography 2 Administrative divisions 3 Cities and towns 4 Major corporations 5 Most popular surnames in the region 6 Historic region 7 See also 8 External links and references

[edit] Geography

This is a picturesque region of the Baltic Sea coast, with lakes and woodlands. Major coastal towns include Koszalin, Świnoujście, Międzyzdroje, Dziwnów, Kołobrzeg and Mielno.

The district's proximity to several borders places it at the crossroads of important international trade routes: from Scandinavia to southern Europe; and from western Europe (Italy, Croatia, Czech Republic, Slovakia) to the Baltic countries.

West Pomerania Province is the fifth-largest voivodeship of Poland. The region's largest cities are its capital, Szczecin, and Koszalin, Stargard Szczeciński and Świnoujście.

In fact, the Polish name of the region, Pomorze Zachodnie, should not be literally translated as 'West Pomerania' because the historical region of Pomerania has its western part in Germany (see Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania)! Thus Pomorze Zachodnie should be translated as the western part of Polish Pomerania. It is considered one of the greenest regions of Poland, and one of the most attractive ones when it comes to tourism. It is characterized by incredible diversity of the landscape: beaches, hundreds of lakes, and forests full of wild life, spreading mainly up the hills of the glacial lakes areas. West Pomerania is also rich in various forms and styles of architecture that were built during the Middle Ages as well as the Gothic, Baroque, and Renaissance periods. There is a diverse repertoire of theaters, festivals, museums and galleries. During a few-day long annual Sea Festival in Szczecin, a number of free open air concerts take place. In Świnoujście during the summer, the FAMA - Academic Youth Arts Festival takes place -- an event with several years worth of tradition, which attracts not only young people but also older alumni. In Międzyzdroje, there is a Festival Of The Stars which draws many popular actors. In Wolin, a Viking Festival takes place, which draws "Vikings" from all across Europe.

Another draw to the area is a wide array of health resorts. Brine and peloid dicsovered in the 19th century, together with geothermal water resources, are popular attractions in Świnoujście, Kamień Pomorski and Połczyn Zdrój.

[edit] Administrative divisions

• Białogard County (Białogard)
• Choszczno County (Choszczno)
• Drawsko Pomorskie County (Drawsko Pomorskie)
• Goleniów County (Goleniów)
• Gryfice County (Gryfice)
• Gryfino County (Gryfino)
• Kamień County (Kamień Pomorski)
• Kołobrzeg County (Kołobrzeg)
• Koszalin City County
• Koszalin County (Koszalin)
• Łobez County (Łobez)
• Myślibórz County (Myślibórz)
• Police County (Police)
• Pyrzyce County (Pyrzyce)
• Sławno County (Sławno)
• Stargard County (Stargard Szczeciński)
• Szczecin City County
• Szczecinek County (Szczecinek)
• Świdwin County (Świdwin)
• Świnoujście City County
• Wałcz County (Wałcz)

[edit] Cities and towns

The voivodeship has 62 cities and towns, among them 3 cities which are city counties (underlined below). The list below orders them by population and also gives the area (data from December 31, 2005):

1. Szczecin – 411.119 (300,83 km²)
2. Koszalin – 107.886 (83,20 km²)
3. Stargard Szczeciński – 70.639 (48,10 km²)
4. Kołobrzeg – 44.887 (25,67 km²)
5. Świnoujście – 40.933 (195,10 km²)
6. Szczecinek – 38.864 (37,16 km²)
7. Police – 34.319 (36,84 km²)
8. Wałcz – 26.220 (38,16 km²)
9. Białogard – 24.356 (25,72 km²)
10. Goleniów – 20.140 (11,74 km²)
11. Gryfino – 21.561 (9,58 km²)
12. Gryfice – 16.773 (12,40 km²)
13. Nowogard – 16.753 (12,46 km²)
14. Choszczno – 16.743 (19,30 km²)
15. Świdwin – 15.723 (22,51 km²)
16. Darłowo – 14.434 (19,93 km²)
17. Barlinek – 14.195 (17,54 km²)
18. Dębno – 13.958 (19,50 km²)
19. Złocieniec – 13.420 (32,22 km²)
20. Sławno – 13.325 (15,78 km²)
21. Pyrzyce – 12.682 (38,79 km²)
22. Myślibórz – 11.890 (15,04 km²)
23. Drawsko Pomorskie – 11.512 (22,24 km²)
24. Łobez – 10.659 (11,75 km²)
25. Trzebiatów – 10.137 (10,14 km²)
26. Kamień Pomorski – 9.123 (10,75 km²)
27. Połczyn-Zdrój – 8.602 (7,21 km²)
28. Chojna – 7.145 (12,12 km²)
29. Czaplinek – 6.955 (13,51 km²)
30. Sianów – 6.542 (15,93 km²)
31. Karlino – 5.791 (9,21 km²)
32. Międzyzdroje – 5.467 (4,51 km²)
33. Wolin – 4.872 (14,41 km²)
34. Bobolice – 4.447 (4,62 km²)
35. Resko – 4.397 (4,49 km²)
36. Borne Sulinowo – 4.184 (18,15 km²)
37. Płoty – 4.163 (4,12 km²)
38. Lipiany – 4.125 (5,50 km²)
39. Kalisz Pomorski – 4.031 (11,89 km²)
40. Barwice – 3.857 (7,42 km²)
41. Mieszkowice – 3.566 (4,73 km²)
42. Chociwel – 3.303 (3,67 km²)
43. Maszewo – 3.063 (5,56 km²)
44. Węgorzyno – 3.031 (6,82 km²)
45. Recz – 3.010 (12,39 km²)
46. Polanów – 2.986 (7,61 km²)
47. Dziwnów – 2.976 (4,90 km²)
48. Golczewo – 2.729 (7,42 km²)
49. Pełczyce – 2.697 (13,07 km²)
50. Mirosławiec – 2.652 (2,13 km²)
51. Trzcińsko-Zdrój – 2.513 (2,30 km²)
52. Dobrzany – 2.431 (5,34 km²)
53. Drawno – 2.400 (5,03 km²)
54. Człopa – 2.378 (6,33 km²)
55. Biały Bór – 2.131 (12,76 km²)
56. Dobra Nowogardzka – 2.036 (2,32 km²)
57. Ińsko – 1.990 (6,95 km²)
58. Tuczno – 1.974 (9,28 km²)
59. Cedynia – 1.659 (1,67 km²)
60. Moryń – 1.561 (5,54 km²)
61. Suchań – 1.457 (3,57 km²)
62. Nowe Warpno – 1.196 (24,56 km²)

[edit] Major corporations

• Grupa Kronospan SA, Szczecinek
• Zakłady Chemiczne Police SA, Police
• Swedwood Poland SA, Szczecin
• Zespół Elektrowni Dolna Odra SA, Nowe Czarnowo
• Stocznia Szczecińska Nowa sp. z o.o., Szczecin
• Polska Żegluga Morska SA, Szczecin
• Netto Artykuły Żywnościowe sp. z o.o., Kobylanka
• Komfort sp. z o.o., Szczecin
• Agencja Reklamowa Anny Turkiewicz, Szczecin
• Zakład Energetyczny Koszalin SA, Koszalin
• Petrocargo/OW Bunker sp. z o.o., Szczecin
• Vobis Microcomputer sp. z o.o., Szczecin
• Yiotarini Holdings Co Ltd., Szczecinek
• PZE Cefarm-Szczecin SA, Szczecin
• POOL-SPA Sp. z o.o., Gryfice

[edit] Most popular surnames in the region

1. Nowak : 7,444
2. Kowalski : 6,345
3. Wiśniewski : 6,284

[edit] Historic region

Western Pomerania (also West Pomerania, Zachodnie Pomorze, Szczecin Pomerania, Odra Pomerania) is a geographic and historic region in northern Poland's western Pomerania. In a wider sense, the term also includes Middle Pomerania and Germany's Vorpommern.

[edit] See also

• Dukes of Pomerania

[edit] External links and references

• Zrot : Official Tourism Site (Polish, English, German)
• Zart : Good Tourism Site (Polish, English, German)
• Regional Tourist Board Vorpommern (German Neighbour) (English, German, Swedish, Polish)
• Ost|See|Land - German Polish- Tourism Overview site (English, German, Swedish, Polish)
• Fishing in West Pomerania

Counties of West Pomeranian Voivodeship
City counties: Koszalin • Szczecin • Świnoujście Land counties: Białogard • Choszczno • Drawsko • Goleniów • Gryfice • Gryfino • Kamień • Kołobrzeg • Koszalin • Łobez • Myślibórz • Police • Pyrzyce • Sławno • Stargard • Szczecinek • Świdwin • Wałcz