Greater Poland Voivodeship
Encyclopedia
Wielkopolska Voivodeship (in Polish
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...

, województwo wielkopolskie w), or Greater Poland Voivodeship, is a voivodeship
Voivodeships of Poland
The voivodeship, or province, called in Polish województwo , has been a high-level administrative subdivision of Poland since the 14th century....

, or province, in west-central 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 was created on 1 January 1999 out of the former Poznań
Poznan Voivodeship
-1975 to 1998:From 1975 to 1998, Poznań Voivodeship was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland, superseded by Greater Poland Voivodeship.Capital city: Poznań.Major cities and towns :...

, Kalisz
Kalisz Voivodeship
-Kalisz Voivodeship 1975–1998:Kalisz Voivodeship 1975–1998 was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland in years 1975–1998, superseded by Greater Poland Voivodeship.Capital city: Kalisz...

, Konin
Konin Voivodeship
Konin Voivodeship - a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland from 1975 to 1998, superseded by Greater Poland Voivodeship. Its capital city was Konin.-Major cities and towns :* Konin * Turek...

, Piła and Leszno
Leszno Voivodeship
Leszno Voivodeship was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland from 1975 to 1998, superseded by Greater Poland Voivodeship. Its capital city was Leszno.-Major cities and towns :* Leszno...

 Voivodeships, pursuant to the Polish local government reforms adopted in 1998. The province is named after the region called Greater Poland
Greater Poland
Greater Poland or Great Poland, often known by its Polish name Wielkopolska is a historical region of west-central Poland. Its chief city is Poznań.The boundaries of Greater Poland have varied somewhat throughout history...

 or Wielkopolska AUD. The modern province includes most of this historic region, except for some south-western parts.

Greater Poland Voivodeship is second in area and third in population among Poland's sixteen voivodeships, with an area of 29826 square kilometres (11,515.9 sq mi) and a population of close to 3.4 million. Its capital city is Poznań
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...

; other important cities include Kalisz
Kalisz
Kalisz is a city in central Poland with 106,857 inhabitants , the capital city of the Kalisz Region. Situated on the Prosna river in the southeastern part of the Greater Poland Voivodeship, the city forms a conurbation with the nearby towns of Ostrów Wielkopolski and Nowe Skalmierzyce...

, Konin
Konin
Konin is a city in central Poland.Konin may also refer to:*Emperor Kōnin , emperor of Japan who reigned 770–781**Kōnin , a Japanese era name for the years 810–824...

, Piła, Ostrów Wielkopolski
Ostrów Wielkopolski
Ostrów Wielkopolski is a town in central Poland with 72,360 inhabitants , situated in the Greater Poland Voivodeship; the seat of Ostrów Wielkopolski County.-History:Recently, a small fortified dwelling dating from the 10th century was discovered on the north-east side of...

 and Gniezno
Gniezno
Gniezno is a city in central-western Poland, some 50 km east of Poznań, inhabited by about 70,000 people. One of the Piasts' chief cities, it was mentioned by 10th century A.D. sources as the capital of Piast Poland however the first capital of Piast realm was most likely Giecz built around...

 (an early capital of Poland). It is bordered by seven other voivodeships: West Pomeranian
West Pomeranian Voivodeship
West Pomeranian Voivodeship, , is a voivodeship in northwestern Poland. It borders on Pomeranian Voivodeship to the east, Greater Poland Voivodeship to the southeast, Lubusz Voivodeship to the south, the German federal-state of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania to the west, and the Baltic Sea to the north...

 to the northwest, Pomeranian
Pomeranian Voivodeship
Pomeranian Voivodeship, or Pomerania Province , is a voivodeship, or province, in north-central Poland. It comprises most of Pomerelia , as well as an area east of the Vistula River...

 to the north, Kuyavian-Pomeranian
Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship
-Transportation:Transportation infrastructure is of critical importance to the voivodeship's economy. Kuyavia-Pomerania is a major node point in the Polish transportation system. Railway lines from the South and East pass through Bydgoszcz in order to reach the major ports on the Baltic Sea...

 to the north-east, Łódź to the south-east, Opole
Opole Voivodeship
- Administrative division :Opole Voivodeship is divided into 12 counties : 1 city county and 11 land counties. These are further divided into 71 gminas.The counties are listed in the following table .- Economy :...

 to the south, Lower Silesian
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...

 to the southwest and Lubusz
Lubusz Voivodeship
- Administrative division :Lubusz Voivodeship is divided into 14 counties : 2 city counties and 12 land counties. These are further divided into 83 gminas....

 to the west.

Greater Poland Voivodeship has the highest percentage of unemployment, making it prominent among all polish provinces, and the city of Poznań has international twinning
Town twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...

 arrangements with the English county of Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...

.

History

Greater Poland, sometimes called the "cradle of Poland," formed the heart of the 10th-century early Polish state. Poznań
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...

 and Gniezno
Gniezno
Gniezno is a city in central-western Poland, some 50 km east of Poznań, inhabited by about 70,000 people. One of the Piasts' chief cities, it was mentioned by 10th century A.D. sources as the capital of Piast Poland however the first capital of Piast realm was most likely Giecz built around...

 were early centers of royal power, but following the region's devastation by pagan rebellion in the 1030s, and an invasion by Bretislaus I of Bohemia
Bretislaus I of Bohemia
Bretislaus I , known as Bohemian Achilles, of the house of the Přemyslids, was the duke of Bohemia from 1035 till death.-Youth:...

 in 1038, the capital was moved by Casimir the Restorer from Gniezno to Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...

.

In the testament of Bolesław III Krzywousty, which initiated the period of fragmentation of Poland (1138–1320), the western part of Greater Poland (including Poznań) was granted to Mieszko III the Old
Mieszko III the Old
Mieszko III the Old , of the royal Piast dynasty, was Duke of Greater Poland from 1138 and High Duke of Poland, with interruptions, from 1173 until his death....

. The eastern part, with Gniezno and Kalisz
Kalisz
Kalisz is a city in central Poland with 106,857 inhabitants , the capital city of the Kalisz Region. Situated on the Prosna river in the southeastern part of the Greater Poland Voivodeship, the city forms a conurbation with the nearby towns of Ostrów Wielkopolski and Nowe Skalmierzyce...

, was part of the Duchy of Kraków, granted to Władysław II. However for most of the period the two parts were under a single ruler, and were known as the Duchy of Greater Poland (although at times there were separately ruled duchies of Poznań, Gniezno, Kalisz
Kalisz
Kalisz is a city in central Poland with 106,857 inhabitants , the capital city of the Kalisz Region. Situated on the Prosna river in the southeastern part of the Greater Poland Voivodeship, the city forms a conurbation with the nearby towns of Ostrów Wielkopolski and Nowe Skalmierzyce...

 and Ujście
Ujscie
Ujście is a town in Piła County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, with 3,888 inhabitants ....

). The region came under the control of Władysław I the Elbow-High in 1314, and thus became part of the reunited Poland of which Władyslaw was crowned king in 1320.

In the reunited kingdom, and later in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, the country came to be divided into administrative units called voivodeship
Voivodeship
Voivodship is a term denoting the position of, or more commonly the area administered by, a voivod. Voivodeships have existed since medieval times in Poland, Romania, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Russia and Serbia....

s. In the case of the Greater Poland region these were Poznań Voivodeship
Poznan Voivodeship
-1975 to 1998:From 1975 to 1998, Poznań Voivodeship was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland, superseded by Greater Poland Voivodeship.Capital city: Poznań.Major cities and towns :...

 and Kalisz Voivodeship
Kalisz Voivodeship
-Kalisz Voivodeship 1975–1998:Kalisz Voivodeship 1975–1998 was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland in years 1975–1998, superseded by Greater Poland Voivodeship.Capital city: Kalisz...

. The Commonwealth also had larger subdivisions known as prowincja
Prowincja
A prowincja , or Region, was the largest territorial subdivision in medieval and Renaissance-era Poland, and later in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth...

, one of which was named Greater Poland. However, this prowincja covered a larger area than the Greater Poland region itself, also taking in Masovia and Royal Prussia
Royal Prussia
Royal Prussia was a Region of the Kingdom of Poland and of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth . Polish Prussia included Pomerelia, Chełmno Land , Malbork Voivodeship , Gdańsk , Toruń , and Elbląg . It is distinguished from Ducal Prussia...

. (This division of Crown Poland into two entities called Greater and Lesser Poland
Lesser Poland
Lesser Poland is one of the historical regions of Poland, with its capital in the city of Kraków. It forms the southeastern corner of the country, and should not be confused with the modern Lesser Poland Voivodeship, which covers only a small, southern part of Lesser Poland...

 had its roots in the Statutes of Casimir the Great
Statutes of Casimir the Great
Statutes of Casimir the Great or Piotrków-Wiślica Statutes - a collection of laws issued by Casimir III the Great, the king of Poland, in the years 1346-1362 during congresses in Piotrków and Wiślica...

 of 1346–1362, where the laws of "Greater Poland" – the northern part of the country – were codified in the Piotrków
Piotrków Trybunalski
Piotrków Trybunalski is a city in central Poland with 80,738 inhabitants . It is situated in the Łódź Voivodeship , and previously was the capital of Piotrków Voivodeship...

 statute, with those of "Lesser Poland" in the separate Wiślica
Wislica
Wiślica is a village in Busko County, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, in south-central Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Wiślica. It lies on the Nida River, approximately south of Busko-Zdrój and south of the regional capital Kielce...

 statute.)

In 1768 a new Gniezno Voivodeship
Gniezno Voivodeship
Gniezno Voivodeship was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland for a short time from 1768, when it was cut from the Kalisz Voivodeship, to the Second Partition of Poland in 1793...

 was formed out of the northern part of Kalisz Voivodeship. However more far-reaching changes would come with the Partitions of Poland
Partitions of Poland
The Partitions of Poland or Partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth took place in the second half of the 18th century and ended the existence of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, resulting in the elimination of sovereign Poland for 123 years...

. In the first partition (1772), northern parts of Greater Poland along the Noteć
Notec
Noteć is a river in central Poland with a length of 388 km and a basin area of 17,330 km². It is a tributary of the Warta river and lies completely within Poland....

 (German Netze) were taken over by Prussia
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...

, becoming the Netze District
Netze District
The Netze District or District of the Netze was a territory in the Kingdom of Prussia from 1772 until 1807. It included the urban centers of Bydgoszcz , Inowrocław , Piła and Wałcz and was given its name for the Noteć River that traversed it.Beside Royal Prussia, a land of the Polish Crown...

. In the second partition (1793) the whole of Greater Poland was absorbed by Prussia, becoming part of the province of South Prussia
South Prussia
South Prussia was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1793 to 1807. It was created out of territory annexed in the Second Partition of Poland and included in 1793*the Poznań, Kalisz and Gniezno Voivodeships of Greater Poland;...

. It remained so in spite of the first Greater Poland Uprising (1794), part of the unsuccessful Kościuszko Uprising
Kosciuszko Uprising
The Kościuszko Uprising was an uprising against Imperial Russia and the Kingdom of Prussia led by Tadeusz Kościuszko in Poland, Belarus and Lithuania in 1794...

 directed chiefly against Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...

.

More successful was the Greater Poland Uprising of 1806, which led to the region's becoming part of the Napoleonic Duchy of Warsaw
Duchy of Warsaw
The Duchy of Warsaw was a Polish state established by Napoleon I in 1807 from the Polish lands ceded by the Kingdom of Prussia under the terms of the Treaties of Tilsit. The duchy was held in personal union by one of Napoleon's allies, King Frederick Augustus I of Saxony...

 (forming the Poznań Department
Poznan Department
Poznań Department was a unit of administrative division and local government in Polish Duchy of Warsaw in years 1806-1815.Capital city: PoznańAdministrative division: 10 counties....

 and parts of the Kalisz
Kalisz Department
Kalisz Department was a unit of administrative division and local government in Polish Duchy of Warsaw in years 1806–1815.Its capital city was Kalisz, and the area was further subdivided onto 13 powiats....

 and Bydgoszcz
Bydgoszcz Department
Bydgoszcz Department was a unit of administrative division and local government in Polish Duchy of Warsaw in years 1806-1815.Its capital city was Bydgoszcz....

 Departments). However, following the Congress of Vienna
Congress of Vienna
The Congress of Vienna was a conference of ambassadors of European states chaired by Klemens Wenzel von Metternich, and held in Vienna from September, 1814 to June, 1815. The objective of the Congress was to settle the many issues arising from the French Revolutionary Wars, the Napoleonic Wars,...

 in 1815, Greater Poland was again partitioned, with the western part (including Poznań) going to Prussia. The eastern part joined the Russian-controlled Kingdom of Poland
Congress Poland
The Kingdom of Poland , informally known as Congress Poland , created in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna, was a personal union of the Russian parcel of Poland with the Russian Empire...

, where it formed the Kalisz Voivodeship
Kalisz Voivodeship
-Kalisz Voivodeship 1975–1998:Kalisz Voivodeship 1975–1998 was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland in years 1975–1998, superseded by Greater Poland Voivodeship.Capital city: Kalisz...

 until 1837, then the Kalisz Governorate
Kalisz Governorate
Kalisz Governorate was an administrative unit of the Kingdom of Poland.-History:It was created in 1837 from the Kalisz Voivodeship, and had the same borders and centre as the voivodeship....

 (merged into the Warsaw Governorate
Warsaw Governorate
Warsaw Governorate was an administrative unit of the Congress Poland.It was created in 1844 from the Masovia and Kalisz Governorates, and had the capital in Warsaw...

 between 1844 and 1867).

Within the Prussian empire, western Greater Poland became the Grand Duchy of Posen (Poznań), which theoretically held some autonomy. Following an unrealized uprising in 1846, and the more substantial but still unsuccessul uprising of 1848 (during the Spring of Nations), the Grand Duchy was replaced by the Province of Posen
Province of Posen
The Province of Posen was a province of Prussia from 1848–1918 and as such part of the German Empire from 1871 to 1918. The area was about 29,000 km2....

. The authorities made efforts to Germanize the region, particularly after the founding of Germany in 1871, and from 1886 onwards the Prussian Settlement Commission was active in increasing German land ownership in formerly Polish areas.

Following the end of World War I, the Greater Poland Uprising (1918–1919)
Greater Poland Uprising (1918–1919)
The Greater Poland Uprising of 1918–1919, or Wielkopolska Uprising of 1918–1919 or Posnanian War was a military insurrection of Poles in the Greater Poland region against Germany...

 ensured that most of the region became part of the newly independent Polish state, forming most of Poznań Voivodeship (1921–1939). Northern and some western parts of Greater Poland remained in Germany, where they formed much of the province of Posen-West Prussia
Posen-West Prussia
The border province of historical period Posen-West Prussia was a province of the Free State of Prussia. The capital was Schneidemühl . The province had an area of 7,695 km², and was located within present-day Poland....

 (1922–1938), whose capital was Schneidemühl (Piła).

Following the German invasion of 1939, Greater Poland was incorporated into Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...

, becoming the province called Reichsgau Posen, later Reichsgau Wartheland (Warthe being the German name for the Warta river). The Polish population was oppressed, with many former officials and others considered potential enemies by the Nazis being imprisoned or executed, including at the notorious Fort VII
Fort VII
Fort VII, officially Konzentrationslager Posen , was a Nazi concentration camp set up in Poznań in occupied Poland during World War II, located in one of the 19th-century forts which ringed the city...

 concentration camp in Poznań. Poznań was declared a stronghold city (Festung) in the closing stages of the war, being taken by the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...

 in the Battle of Poznań
Battle of Poznan (1945)
The Battle of Poznań during World War II in 1945 was a massive assault by the Soviet Union's Red Army that had as its objective the elimination of the Nazi German garrison in the stronghold city of Poznań in occupied Poland...

, which ended on 22 February 1945.

After the war, Greater Poland was fully within the Polish People's Republic, as Poznań Voivodeship
Poznan Voivodeship
-1975 to 1998:From 1975 to 1998, Poznań Voivodeship was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland, superseded by Greater Poland Voivodeship.Capital city: Poznań.Major cities and towns :...

. With the reforms of 1975 this was divided into smaller provinces (the voivodeships of Kalisz
Kalisz Voivodeship
-Kalisz Voivodeship 1975–1998:Kalisz Voivodeship 1975–1998 was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland in years 1975–1998, superseded by Greater Poland Voivodeship.Capital city: Kalisz...

, Konin
Konin Voivodeship
Konin Voivodeship - a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland from 1975 to 1998, superseded by Greater Poland Voivodeship. Its capital city was Konin.-Major cities and towns :* Konin * Turek...

, Leszno
Leszno Voivodeship
Leszno Voivodeship was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland from 1975 to 1998, superseded by Greater Poland Voivodeship. Its capital city was Leszno.-Major cities and towns :* Leszno...

 and Piła, and a smaller Poznań Voivodeship). The present-day Greater Poland Voivodeship, again with Poznań as its capital, was created in 1999.

Cities and towns

The voivodeship contains 109 cities and towns. These are listed below in descending order of population (according to official figures for 2006 ):
.

Topography

The relief of Greater Poland, geological conditions and soil have been shaped by two glaciations:
  • The Baltic glaciation in the lowlands of northern and central Europe where there are now numerous lakes of the Pomeranian Lake District, a feature especially common in and around Poznań
    Poznan
    Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...

     and Gniezno
    Gniezno
    Gniezno is a city in central-western Poland, some 50 km east of Poznań, inhabited by about 70,000 people. One of the Piasts' chief cities, it was mentioned by 10th century A.D. sources as the capital of Piast Poland however the first capital of Piast realm was most likely Giecz built around...

    .
  • The Mid-glaciation in the southern part of the province, where there is less terrain diversity and a lack of major lakes.


The highest elevation is Greater Kobyla Mountain (284 m) in the Ostrzeszowski Hills, the lowest area is located in the valley of the Warta River at the mouth of its tributary the Noteć
Notec
Noteć is a river in central Poland with a length of 388 km and a basin area of 17,330 km². It is a tributary of the Warta river and lies completely within Poland....

 (21 m) in the north-western part of the region. Agriculturally fertile soils account for around 60% of the province's area, whilst 20%, the rest of the none forested or urban areas, is mostly wetland soil (muck-peat and alluvial soils).

An area of approximately 800 thousand hectares is covered by forests, this represents around 25.8% of the total surface area of the region.
In the lake districts of the northern and central parts of the province there are about 800 lakes; 58% of which cover an area of at least 10 hectares and 8%, with an area exceeding 100 hectares. The largest reservoir is the natural Greater Powidzkie Lake (1036 ha) in the Gniezno Lake District.
Wielkopolska Region lies within the basin of the Oder River, 88% of the province's surface water drains into the Warta river basin, whilst the remaining 12% is drained by a multitude of other river systems, including the Barycz, Ladislaus Trench and Obrzycy waterways. The quality of river waters is generally poor, but their condition is gradually improving and should soon be classed as 'clean'.

Geology

The main mineral energy resources in Greater Poland are lignite, natural gas, oil and peat.

Brown coal deposits are currently mined in the Konin area, form the basis for the province's power industry (The Pątnów-Adams-Konin coal-fired power stations account for more than 10% of national electricity production). There are also significant quantities of peat deposits in the region; it is calculated that there are ca. 886 thousand hectares of land covered with an average thickness of 1.5 m of peat. An abundance of raw materials used in the production of numerous medicine was recently discovered in the muds of Błażejewo, Oderbank and Mechnacz
Mechnacz
Mechnacz is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Kwilcz, within Międzychód County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, in west-central Poland. It lies approximately north-west of Kwilcz, east of Międzychód, and west of the regional capital Poznań....

. In addition, very large deposits of brown coal have been discovered in the vicinity of Kościan
Koscian
Kościan is a town on the Obra canal in west-central Poland, with a population of 24 059 inhabitants in June 2009. Situated in the Greater Poland Voivodeship , previously in Leszno Voivodeship , it is the capital of Kościan County...

, these however are not currently being extracted and probably due to the expense that would be incurred in adapting the site to build a mine and the need to resettle thousands of people never will be.
Rock salt is mined intensively at a salt mine in Kłodawa (this mine alone accounts for about 20% of domestic production). The Lime exploiting rich deposits of gypsum.

Throughout the province there are significant deposits of aggregates, ceramic materials and lacustrine chalk.
In Kościan
Koscian
Kościan is a town on the Obra canal in west-central Poland, with a population of 24 059 inhabitants in June 2009. Situated in the Greater Poland Voivodeship , previously in Leszno Voivodeship , it is the capital of Kościan County...

 the largest and most modern, Polish natural gas production site is in operation. It supplies raw material for Kościańska Zieme, and Zielona Gora CHP. It is estimated that gas reserves being exploited at the plant in Kościan will be enough for about 20 years of operation, thus practically allowing for local independence against the effects of gas crises.

Climate

Wielkopolska is influenced by oceanic air masses that affect the mildness of the climate. The farther east one travels the more distinctly continental the climate becomes. The area is situated in the Silesian Greater Poland agro-climatic region where the average annual temperature is about 8.2 °C, and in the north drops to around 7.6 °C. It is slightly warmer in the south and west where the average temperature is usually about 8.5 °C. The number of days with snow can reach up to 57 days in and around the Kalisz
Kalisz
Kalisz is a city in central Poland with 106,857 inhabitants , the capital city of the Kalisz Region. Situated on the Prosna river in the southeastern part of the Greater Poland Voivodeship, the city forms a conurbation with the nearby towns of Ostrów Wielkopolski and Nowe Skalmierzyce...

 district.

The growing season is one of the longest in Poland. On the province's southern plains this season constitutes around 228 days,whilst north of Gniezno and Szamotuł this slowly declines to 216 days.

Precipitation ranges from 500 to 550 mm. Despite this the region is still faced with a deficit in rainfall, particularly in the eastern part of the province (around Słupcy, Kazimierz Biskupi, Kleczew) where sometimes experience only 450 mm of rainfall per year, this threatens steppization of the region. Throughout the province there is typically a prevailing westerly wind.

Transportation

Greater Poland is a major transport hub within 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...

, a great deal of traffic from Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...

 and other states of the former Soviet Union pass through Poznań
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...

 and Konin
Konin
Konin is a city in central Poland.Konin may also refer to:*Emperor Kōnin , emperor of Japan who reigned 770–781**Kōnin , a Japanese era name for the years 810–824...

 to reach Germany and other EU member states. To the south runs the international route from Gdańsk
Gdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...

 via Poznań and Leszno to Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...

 and then to the south of Europe. There is also a major highway being built in in the province, the A2 motorway
A2 autostrada (Poland)
The autostrada A2 in Poland is a motorway which, when completed, will run from west to east through central Poland, from the Polish-German border in Świecko/Frankfurt , through Poznań, Łódź and Warsaw to the Polish-Belarusian border in Terespol/Brest...

, which when completed will run from the western border of Poland with Germany, through Poznań to Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...

 and then onwards via Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...

 to Moscow.

The main railway hubs located in Greater Poland are Poznań, Piła and Ostrów Wielkopolski
Ostrów Wielkopolski
Ostrów Wielkopolski is a town in central Poland with 72,360 inhabitants , situated in the Greater Poland Voivodeship; the seat of Ostrów Wielkopolski County.-History:Recently, a small fortified dwelling dating from the 10th century was discovered on the north-east side of...

. PKP Intercity
PKP Intercity
PKP Intercity is a company of PKP Group responsible for long-distance passenger transport. It runs about 350 trains daily, connecting mainly large aglomerations and smaller towns, also servicing most of the international trains....

 operate a number of trains a day between Warsaw and Berlin which provide a fast connection for the two cities also to Poznań. This route was the first in Poland, adapted for use by the European high-speed transportation system.
In the near future the government expects to construct a high-speed rail line in the shape of a Y connecting Kalisz
Kalisz
Kalisz is a city in central Poland with 106,857 inhabitants , the capital city of the Kalisz Region. Situated on the Prosna river in the southeastern part of the Greater Poland Voivodeship, the city forms a conurbation with the nearby towns of Ostrów Wielkopolski and Nowe Skalmierzyce...

 and Poznań from Łódź, Warsaw and Wrocław.

Poznań is the port of arrival for most international travellers as it is plays host to Ławica International Airport which has recently seen the second highest passenger growth rate in the country.

Politics

The Greater Poland voivodeship's government is headed by the province's voivode (governor) who is appointed by the Polish Prime Minister. The voivode is then assisted in performing his duties by the voivodeship's marshal, who is the appointed speaker for the voivodeship's executive and is elected by the sejmik (provincial assembly). The current voivode of Greater Poland is Piotr Florek, whilst the present marshal is Marek Woźniak.

The Sejmik of Greater Poland consists of 39 members.
Kuyavian-Pomeranian Regional Assembly elections on 21 November 2010
Party Votes % Total seats held
Civic Platform
Civic Platform
Civic Platform , abbreviated to PO, is a centre-right, liberal conservative political party in Poland. It has been the major coalition partner in Poland's government since the 2007 general election, with party leader Donald Tusk as Prime Minister of Poland and Bronisław Komorowski as President...

 (PO)
345,209 32.04 17
Law and Justice
Law and Justice
Law and Justice , abbreviated to PiS, is a right-wing, conservative political party in Poland. With 147 seats in the Sejm and 38 in the Senate, it is the second-largest party in the Polish parliament....

 (PiS)
193,395 17.95 6
Left and Democrats
Left and Democrats
Left and Democrats was a centre-left political coalition in Poland which was created on September 3, 2006, before the Warsaw municipal election of 2006. The coalition's aim was to provide an alternative for both the national-conservative Law and Justice party and the liberal-conservative Civic...

 (LiD)
232,704 21.60 9
Polish People's Party (PSL) 193,953 18.00 7
Others 112,171 10.41 0
Total 1,077,356 100.00 39
  • Votes counted: 1,271,549
  • Valid votes: 1,077,356
  • Turnout: 47.04%

Administrative division

Greater Poland Voivodeship is divided into 35 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. The term powiat is most often translated into English as "county", although other terms are also sometimes used...

s): 4 city counties and 31 land counties. These are further divided into 226 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.

The counties are listed in the following table (ordering within categories is by decreasing population).
English and
Polish names
Area Population
(2006)
Seat Other towns Total
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
(km²) (sq mi)
City counties
Poznań
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...

262101 566,546 1
Kalisz
Kalisz
Kalisz is a city in central Poland with 106,857 inhabitants , the capital city of the Kalisz Region. Situated on the Prosna river in the southeastern part of the Greater Poland Voivodeship, the city forms a conurbation with the nearby towns of Ostrów Wielkopolski and Nowe Skalmierzyce...

7027 108,575 1
Konin
Konin
Konin is a city in central Poland.Konin may also refer to:*Emperor Kōnin , emperor of Japan who reigned 770–781**Kōnin , a Japanese era name for the years 810–824...

8232 80,618 1
Leszno
Leszno
Leszno is a town in central Poland with 63,955 inhabitants . Situated in the southern part of the Greater Poland Voivodeship since 1999, it was previously the capital of the Leszno Voivodeship . The town has county status.-History:...

3212 64,079 1
Land counties
Poznań County
Poznan County
Poznań County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Greater Poland Voivodeship, west-central 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 city of Poznań, although the city...


powiat poznański
1900734 291,562 Poznań
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...

 *
Swarzędz
Swarzedz
Swarzędz is a town in central Poland of 29,766 inhabitants and a mixed urban-rural commune of 40,166 inhabitants...

, Luboń
Lubon
Luboń is a town situated on the Warta River, in the Poznań metro area, in the Greater Poland Voivodeship . It was previously in the Poznań Voivodeship...

, Mosina
Mosina
Mosina is a town in Poznań County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, about 20 km south Poznań, with 12,107 inhabitants .-External links:*...

, Murowana Goślina
Murowana Goslina
Murowana Goślina is a town in Poznań County in western Poland, with 10,336 inhabitants . It lies approximately north of the major city of Poznań, on the main road and railway line to Wągrowiec...

, Puszczykowo
Puszczykowo
Puszczykowo is a town in Poznań County, Poland, with 9,177 inhabitants . It is located about south of Poznań, the area is surrounded by the Wielkopolski National Park ....

, Kostrzyn
Kostrzyn
Kostrzyn is a town in Poland, in the Greater Poland Voivodeship, with 8,398 inhabitants . Katarzyna Tomicka was born nearby in Iwno....

, Pobiedziska
Pobiedziska
Pobiedziska is a town in Poznań County, Poland, with 8,209 inhabitants as of the year 2004. It is also the seat of the administrative district called Gmina Pobiedziska.The town's name comes from the word pobieda meaning victory...

, Kórnik
Kórnik
Kórnik is a town with about 6,800 inhabitants , located in western Poland, approximately south-east of the city of Poznań. It is one of the major tourist attractions of the Wielkopolska region....

, Buk
Buk
Buk is a town in central Poland, situated in the Greater Poland Voivodeship , previously in Poznań Voivodeship .The town's name means "Beech" in Polish, and the flag of the town shows a branch of beech, and three beech leaves....

, Stęszew
Steszew
Stęszew is a town in Poland, with 5,248 inhabitants in Poznań County, Greater Poland Voivodship.-References:Location [edit]...

17
Ostrów Wielkopolski County
Ostrów Wielkopolski County
Ostrów Wielkopolski County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Greater Poland Voivodeship, west-central Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and largest town is Ostrów...


powiat ostrowski
1161448 158,407 Ostrów Wielkopolski
Ostrów Wielkopolski
Ostrów Wielkopolski is a town in central Poland with 72,360 inhabitants , situated in the Greater Poland Voivodeship; the seat of Ostrów Wielkopolski County.-History:Recently, a small fortified dwelling dating from the 10th century was discovered on the north-east side of...

Nowe Skalmierzyce
Nowe Skalmierzyce
Nowe Skalmierzyce is a town and its surrounding municipality in Ostrów Wielkopolski County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, in west-central Poland. The town has a population of 5,093 , while the municipality, Gmina Nowe Skalmierzyce, which is a mixed urban-rural gmina that includes the town, has a...

, Odolanów
Odolanów
Odolanów is a town in the Greater Poland Voivodeship of Poland, about 10 km south-west from Ostrów Wielkopolski, with over 5000 inhabitants.-History:...

, Raszków
Raszków
Raszków is a town in Ostrów Wielkopolski County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, with 2,043 inhabitants ....

8
Gniezno County
Gniezno County
Gniezno County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Greater Poland Voivodeship, west-central Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and largest town is Gniezno, which lies...


powiat gnieźnieński
1254484 140,333 Gniezno
Gniezno
Gniezno is a city in central-western Poland, some 50 km east of Poznań, inhabited by about 70,000 people. One of the Piasts' chief cities, it was mentioned by 10th century A.D. sources as the capital of Piast Poland however the first capital of Piast realm was most likely Giecz built around...

Witkowo
Witkowo
Witkowo is a town in Gniezno County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, located southeast of Poznań.- External links :*...

, Trzemeszno
Trzemeszno
Trzemeszno is a town in central Poland belonging to the group of the oldest settlements in the region. The town’s name derives from an Old Polish word “Trzemcha” meaning the flower of the "Bird’s Cherry" plant, which once grew in the vicinity...

, Kłecko, Czerniejewo
Czerniejewo
Czerniejewo is a town and municipality in central Poland with 2,536 inhabitants .It is situated in Gniezno County, in the Greater Poland Voivodeship , previously in Poznań Voivodeship . Czerniejewo is located on the Wrześnicą River, in a predominately farming area...

10
Piła County
powiat pilski
1267489 137,099 Piła Wyrzysk
Wyrzysk
Wyrzysk is a town in Poland with 5,263 inhabitants, situated in Piła County, Greater Poland Voivodeship.- Geographic location of municipal-rural community of Wyrzysk:...

, Ujście
Ujscie
Ujście is a town in Piła County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, with 3,888 inhabitants ....

, Łobżenica, Wysoka
Wysoka
Wysoka is a town in Piła County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, with 2,760 inhabitants . The current Mayor is Marek Madej.- History :...

9
Konin County
Konin County
Konin County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Greater Poland Voivodeship, west-central 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 city of Konin, although the city...


powiat koniński
1579610 123,646 Konin
Konin
Konin is a city in central Poland.Konin may also refer to:*Emperor Kōnin , emperor of Japan who reigned 770–781**Kōnin , a Japanese era name for the years 810–824...

 *
Golina
Golina
Golina is a town in Konin County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, with 4,366 inhabitants .Golina is located 12 kilometers west from Konin, Wielkopolskie Voivodeship....

, Kleczew
Kleczew
Kleczew is a town in Konin County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, western-central Poland.-External links:*...

, Sompolno
Sompolno
Sompolno is a town in Konin County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, with 3,700 inhabitants ....

, Ślesin
Slesin
Ślesin is a town in Konin County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, with 3,324 inhabitants . In partitioned Poland it belonged to the Russian-controlled Congress Kingdom from 1815; it returned to Poland when the country regained its independence in 1918....

, Rychwał
14
Koło County
powiat kolski
1011390 88,601 Koło Kłodawa, Dąbie, Przedecz
Przedecz
Przedecz is a town in Koło County in the Greater Poland Voivodeship of Poland, with 1,779 inhabitants . It is situated west of Central Poland, midway between Chodecz and Kłodawa. It is about northwest of Łódź, west of Warsaw and east of Poznań. The southeast side of Przedecz borders on Lake...

11
Czarnków-Trzcianka County
Czarnków-Trzcianka County
Czarnków-Trzcianka County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Greater Poland Voivodeship, west-central 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 Czarnków,...


powiat czarnkowsko-trzcianecki
1808698 86,134 Czarnków
Czarnków
Czarnków is a town in Poland in Czarnków-Trzcianka County in Greater Poland Voivodeship, previously in Piła Voivodeship . It has 12,000 inhabitants.The town lies on the Noteć river...

Trzcianka
Trzcianka
Trzcianka is a town in the Greater Poland region in Poland. Since 1999 it has belonged to Greater Poland Voivodeship and Czarnków-Trzcianka County. Previously it was in Pila Voivodeship . Trzcianka has 17,131 inhabitants . From 1772 to 1945 the town was in Prussia, Germany and its name was...

, Krzyż Wielkopolski
Krzyz Wielkopolski
Krzyż Wielkopolski is a town in Poland, with 6,317 inhabitants in Czarnków-Trzcianka County, Greater Poland Voivodship. It is an important railroad junction, with two major lines crossing there - the Berlin - Bydgoszcz and Poznań - Szczecin connections...

, Wieleń
Wielen
Wieleń is a town in Czarnków-Trzcianka County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland. It is situated on the river Noteć. Zbigniew Stochaj is the mayor of the city since 2001.- Historical monuments :...

8
Szamotuły County
powiat szamotulski
1120432 85,849 Szamotuły Wronki
Wronki
Wronki is a town in the Szamotuły County, western-central Poland, situated in the Greater Poland Voivodeship , previously in Piła Voivodeship . It is located close to the Warta River to the northwest of Poznań, and has a population of approximately 11,000...

, Pniewy
Pniewy
Pniewy is a town in Szamotuły County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, with 7,477 inhabitants .Pniewy had once been flooded to make way for a reservoir.- People :...

, Obrzycko
Obrzycko
Obrzycko is a town in Szamotuły County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, with 2,172 inhabitants .Nearby municipalities include Wronki, Ostroróg, and Szamotuły.- Notable residents :* Abraham Berliner , historian...

, Ostroróg
Ostroróg
Ostroróg is a town in Szamotuły County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, with 1,993 inhabitants .- History :First mentioned in 1383. City's location before 1412, confirmed by the king , Sigismund I the Old ....

8
Turek County
Turek County
Turek County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Greater Poland Voivodeship, west-central Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and largest town is Turek, which lies ...


powiat turecki
929359 83,635 Turek Tuliszków
Tuliszków
Tuliszków is a town in Turek County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, with 3,406 inhabitants . It was also home to the first Jewish Ghetto established by Nazi Germany during the World War II. The walls for the ghetto were estimated to have been raised in December 1939, or January 1940....

, Dobra
Dobra, Turek County
Dobra is a town in Turek County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, with 1,562 inhabitants ....

9
Kalisz County
Kalisz County
Kalisz County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Greater Poland Voivodeship, west-central 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 city of Kalisz, although the city...


powiat kaliski
1160448 80,369 Kalisz
Kalisz
Kalisz is a city in central Poland with 106,857 inhabitants , the capital city of the Kalisz Region. Situated on the Prosna river in the southeastern part of the Greater Poland Voivodeship, the city forms a conurbation with the nearby towns of Ostrów Wielkopolski and Nowe Skalmierzyce...

 *
Stawiszyn
Stawiszyn
Stawiszyn is a town in Kalisz County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, with 1,569 inhabitants . It is the urban part of the larger Stawiszyn Commune, a mixed urban-rural municipality . The town has a land area of only 0.99 km², and is the smallest town in geographical area in...

11
Kościan County
Koscian County
Kościan County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Greater Poland Voivodeship, west-central Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and largest town is Kościan, which lies...


powiat kościański
723279 77,760 Kościan
Koscian
Kościan is a town on the Obra canal in west-central Poland, with a population of 24 059 inhabitants in June 2009. Situated in the Greater Poland Voivodeship , previously in Leszno Voivodeship , it is the capital of Kościan County...

Śmigiel
Smigiel
Śmigiel is a town in Kościan County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, with 5,420 inhabitants .While part of the Prussian Province of Posen, the town was administered within Kreis Schmiegel.-People:...

, Czempiń
Czempin
Czempiń is a town in Kościan County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, with 5,093 inhabitants ....

, Krzywiń
Krzywin
Krzywiń is a small town in the centre of Poland in the Kościan County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, located at the Obra canal.Krzywiń was first referred to in scripts as Crivin in 1181. But it was not until 1237 that the area's reputation grew as a prominent marketplace. It was then that it was...

5
Krotoszyn County
Krotoszyn County
Krotoszyn County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Greater Poland Voivodeship, west-central Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and largest town is Krotoszyn, which...


powiat krotoszyński
714276 77,092 Krotoszyn
Krotoszyn
Krotoszyn is a town in central Poland with 30,010 inhabitants . It has been part of the Greater Poland Voivodeship since 1999; it was within Kalisz Voivodeship from 1975 to 1998....

Koźmin Wielkopolski
Kozmin Wielkopolski
Koźmin Wielkopolski is a town in Krotoszyn County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, with 6,718 inhabitants ....

, Zduny
Zduny
Zduny is a town in Krotoszyn County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, with 4,529 inhabitants .-External links:*...

, Kobylin
Kobylin
Kobylin is a town in Krotoszyn County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, with 3,018 inhabitants ....

, Sulmierzyce
Sulmierzyce
Sulmierzyce is a town in Krotoszyn County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, located southeast of Poznań, at .It is the birthplace of famous Polish poet Sebastian Klonowic....

6
Gostyń County
Gostyn County
Gostyń County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Greater Poland Voivodeship, west-central Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and largest town is Gostyń, which lies ...


powiat gostyński
810313 75,683 Gostyń
Gostyn
Gostyń is a town in Greater Poland Voivodeship , in Gostyń County. According to 30 June 2004 data its population was 20,746.-Geography:Gostyń is located at 17°01' East and 51°53' North....

Krobia
Krobia
Krobia is a town situated in the western part of Poland, in Greater Poland Voivodeship. Center of small folklore region - Biskupizna.- Monuments :...

, Poniec
Poniec
Poniec is a town situated in the southern part of the Greater Poland Voivodeship , formerly in Leszno Voivodeship , in Poland. The town has about 3,000 inhabitants. It is the capital of a commune in Gostyń County....

, Borek Wielkopolski
Borek Wielkopolski
Borek Wielkopolski is a town in Poland, with 2,474 inhabitants ....

, Pogorzela
Pogorzela
Pogorzela is a town in Gostyń County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, with 1,958 inhabitants ....

7
Września County
Wrzesnia County
Września County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Greater Poland Voivodeship, west-central Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and largest town is Września, which...


powiat wrzesiński
704272 73,778 Września
Wrzesnia
Września is a town in central Poland with 28,600 inhabitants . It is situated in the Września County, Greater Poland Voivodeship , previously in Poznań Voivodeship , on the Wrzesnica River.- History :...

Miłosław, Nekla
Nekla
Nekla is a town in Września County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, with 6,750 inhabitants ....

, Pyzdry
Pyzdry
Pyzdry is a town in Września County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, with 3,163 inhabitants .- History :In 1390 the treaty of Pyzdry was signed there. In 1815 the town was the western most point of the Russian Empire. There was a narrow-gauge railway in Pyzdry....

5
Nowy Tomyśl County
Nowy Tomysl County
Nowy Tomyśl County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Greater Poland Voivodeship, west-central Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and largest town is Nowy Tomyśl,...


powiat nowotomyski
1012391 71,817 Nowy Tomyśl
Nowy Tomysl
Nowy Tomyśl is a town in western Poland, in Greater Poland Voivodeship. It is the capital of Nowy Tomyśl County. The population is 15,627 ....

Opalenica
Opalenica
Opalenica is a town in Nowy Tomyśl County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, with 9,861 inhabitants .The noble de Opalenica Opaliński family originated here as lords of the area and a branch of the de Bnin Bniński family of Clan Łodzia.There was a narrow-gauge railway in Opalenica but it closed...

, Zbąszyń
Zbaszyn
Zbąszyń is a town in Poland, in Greater Poland Voivodeship, in Nowy Tomyśl County. It has 7,319 inhabitants .-History:The town was first mentioned in historical sources from 1231, and it received its city charter before 1311. As a result of the Second Partition of Poland in 1793 it became part of...

, Lwówek
Lwówek
Lwówek is a town in Nowy Tomyśl County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, with 2,939 inhabitants ....

6
Jarocin County
Jarocin County
Jarocin County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Greater Poland Voivodeship, west-central Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and largest town is Jarocin, which lies...


powiat jarociński
588227 70,390 Jarocin
Jarocin
Jarocin Jarocin Jarocin ( is a town in central Poland with 25,700 inhabitants (1995). Since 1999 Jarocin has been located in the Greater Poland Voivodeship, prior to that it was located in the Kalisz Voivodeship (1975–1998).- History :...

Żerków
Zerków
Żerków is a town in Jarocin County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, with 2,076 inhabitants . Zerkow was used by the Germans during WWII as a resort spot for soldiers during the war, which is located 53 kilometers east of the Polish Industrial City of Poznań, Poland.In 1962 a telecommunication...

4
Złotów County
powiat złotowski
1661641 68,526 Złotów Jastrowie
Jastrowie
Jastrowie is a town in Poland of over 9,000 inhabitants in Zlotow County, Greater Poland Voivodship. It has 8,900 inhabitants and lies on the edge of the Gwda River valley. The town is located on the Oska stream.-History:...

, Okonek
Okonek
Okonek is a town in Poland, in Greater Poland Voivodeship, with approximately 4,200 inhabitants. Town and commune in Złotów County. Chartered as a town in 1754....

, Krajenka
Krajenka
Krajenka is a town in the Greater Poland Voivodeship of Poland. It has 3,804 inhabitants and lies in Złotów County.- History :The first mention of the town is from 1286, back then it belonged to noble family of Danaborskich whose Coat of Arms was Toporzyk...

8
Wągrowiec County
Wagrowiec County
Wągrowiec County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Greater Poland Voivodeship, west-central Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and largest town is Wągrowiec, which...


powiat wągrowiecki
1041402 67,606 Wągrowiec
Wagrowiec
Wągrowiec is a town in northwestern Poland, 50 km from both Poznań and Bydgoszcz. Since the 18th century it has been the a seat of a powiat. It is currently attached to the Greater Poland Voivodeship...

Skoki
Skoki
Skoki is a town in Poland, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Wągrowiec County, with 3,779 inhabitants . It is located about 40 km north of Poznań...

, Gołańcz
7
Pleszew County
Pleszew County
Pleszew County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Greater Poland Voivodeship, west-central Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and only town is Pleszew, which lies ...


powiat pleszewski
712275 61,951 Pleszew
Pleszew
Pleszew is a town in Poland, in Greater Poland Voivodeship, about 90 km southeast of Poznań. It is the capital of Pleszew County...

6
Rawicz County
Rawicz County
Rawicz County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Greater Poland Voivodeship, west-central Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and largest town is Rawicz, which lies ...


powiat rawicki
553214 59,375 Rawicz
Rawicz
Rawicz is a town in central Poland with 21,398 inhabitants . It is situated in the Greater Poland Voivodeship ; previously it was in Leszno Voivodeship . It is the capital of Rawicz County.-History:...

Miejska Górka
Miejska Górka
Miejska Górka is a town in Rawicz County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, with 3,121 inhabitants ....

, Bojanowo
Bojanowo
Bojanowo is a town in Rawicz County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland. During the Partitions of Poland, the town was in the Kreis Rawitsch, Provinz Posen.-External links:* * * *...

, Jutrosin
Jutrosin
Jutrosin is a town in Rawicz County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, with 1,836 inhabitants .Krystyna Łybacka was born in Jutrosin....

5
Słupca County
powiat słupecki
838324 58,725 Słupca Zagórów
Zagórów
Zagórów is a town in Słupca County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, with 2,908 inhabitants ....

8
Śrem County
Srem County
Śrem County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Greater Poland Voivodeship, west-central Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and largest town is Śrem, which lies ...


powiat śremski
574222 58,646 Śrem
Srem
Śrem is a town on the Warta river in central Poland. It has been situated in the Greater Poland Voivodeship since 1999; from 1975 to 1998 it was part of the Poznań Voivodeship...

Książ Wielkopolski
Ksiaz Wielkopolski
Książ Wielkopolski is a town in Śrem County, Poland, with 2,663 inhabitants ....

, Dolsk
Dolsk
Dolsk is a town of approximately 1,400 inhabitants in the Greater Poland Voivodeship of Poland. A capital of a commune within the powiat of Śrem, the town is a minor centre of trade and commerce. The town is located between two lakes, the Dolskie Wielkie and Dolskie Małe, both deriving their...

4
Oborniki County
Oborniki County
Oborniki County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Greater Poland Voivodeship, west-central Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and largest town is Oborniki, which...


powiat obornicki
713275 55,976 Oborniki
Oborniki
Oborniki is a town in Poland, in Greater Poland Voivodeship, about 30 km north of Poznań. It is the capital of Oborniki County and of Gmina Oborniki. Its population is 18,176 .-External links:* *...

Rogoźno
Rogozno
Rogoźno is a town in Poland, in Greater Poland Voivodeship, about 40 km north of Poznań. Its population is 11,337 . It is the seat of the administrative district called Gmina Rogoźno....

3
Kępno County
Kepno County
Kępno County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Greater Poland Voivodeship, west-central Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and only town is Kępno, which lies ...


powiat kępiński
608235 55,335 Kępno
Kepno
Kępno is a town in Poland. It lies on the outskirts of the Greater Poland Voivodeship, as it borders on Silesia and the Łódz Land, at the crossing point of two transport routes: north to south and east to west . As of December 31, 2009 Kępno had a population of 14,760...

7
Wolsztyn County
Wolsztyn County
Wolsztyn County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Greater Poland Voivodeship, west-central Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and only town is Wolsztyn, which lies ...


powiat wolsztyński
680263 54,718 Wolsztyn
Wolsztyn
Wolsztyn is a town in western Poland, on the western edge of Greater Poland Voivodeship...

3
Środa Wielkopolska County
Sroda Wielkopolska County
Środa Wielkopolska County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Greater Poland Voivodeship, west-central Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998...


powiat średzki
623241 54,568 Środa Wielkopolska
Sroda Wielkopolska
Środa Wielkopolska is a town in central Poland, about southeast of Poznań, with 22,001 inhabitants .-Overview:It is situated in Greater Poland Voivodeship, having previously been in the former Poznań Voivodeship...

5
Ostrzeszów County
Ostrzeszów County
Ostrzeszów County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Greater Poland Voivodeship, west-central Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and largest town is Ostrzeszów,...


powiat ostrzeszowski
772298 54,490 Ostrzeszów
Ostrzeszów
Ostrzeszów is a town in Poland, in Greater Poland Voivodeship. It is the capital of Ostrzeszów County . The population is 14,490 ....

Grabów nad Prosną
Grabów nad Prosna
Grabów nad Prosną is a town in Ostrzeszów County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, with 1,965 inhabitants ....

, Mikstat
Mikstat
Mikstat is a town in Ostrzeszów County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, with 1,895 inhabitants ....

7
Leszno County
Leszno County
Leszno County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Greater Poland Voivodeship, west-central 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 city of Leszno, although the city...


powiat leszczyński
805311 50,024 Leszno
Leszno
Leszno is a town in central Poland with 63,955 inhabitants . Situated in the southern part of the Greater Poland Voivodeship since 1999, it was previously the capital of the Leszno Voivodeship . The town has county status.-History:...

 *
Rydzyna
Rydzyna
Rydzyna is a Polish town that was the seat of king Stanisław Leszczyński during Leszczyński's first short reign from 1704-1709. Rydzyna is known as "the pearl of the Polish baroque"....

, Osieczna
Osieczna
Osieczna is a town in Leszno County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, with 2,106 inhabitants ....

7
Grodzisk Wielkopolski County
Grodzisk Wielkopolski County
Grodzisk Wielkopolski County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Greater Poland Voivodeship, west-central Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and largest town is...


powiat grodziski
644249 49,444 Grodzisk Wielkopolski
Grodzisk Wielkopolski
Grodzisk Wielkopolski is a town in western Poland, in Greater Poland Voivodeship , with a population of 13,703 . It is south-west of Poznań, the voivodeship capital. It is the seat of Grodzisk Wielkopolski County, and also of the smaller administrative district called Gmina Grodzisk Wielkopolski...

Rakoniewice
Rakoniewice
Rakoniewice is a town in Grodzisk Wielkopolski County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, with 3,576 inhabitants .The settlement was recorded in 1252, a town since 1662. Location Rakoniewice in the 17th century was associated with the settlement of so-called dissenters who favored property owners...

, Wielichowo
Wielichowo
Wielichowo is a town in Grodzisk Wielkopolski County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, with 1,830 inhabitants ....

5
Chodzież County
Chodziez County
Chodzież County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Greater Poland Voivodeship, west-central Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and largest town is Chodzież, which...


powiat chodzieski
681263 46,967 Chodzież
Chodziez
Chodzież is a town in northwestern Poland with 20,400 inhabitants . Situated in the Chodzież County, Greater Poland Voivodeship , previously in Piła Voivodeship .-Geography:...

Szamocin
Szamocin
Szamocin is a city in Chodzież County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland.During the Partitions of Poland the town belonged to Kreis Kolmar in Posen.-External links:* http://www.szamocin.umig.gov.pl/...

, Margonin
Margonin
Margonin is a town in Chodzież County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, with 2,941 inhabitants .- History :Margonin is first mentioned when Archbishop Jarosław Skotnicki of Gnesen and the Bishop of Posen, Jan Doliwa, agreed on May 15, 1364 that Margonin parish should belong to the Posen...

5
Międzychód County
Miedzychód County
Międzychód County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Greater Poland Voivodeship, west-central Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and largest town is Międzychód,...


powiat międzychodzki
737285 36,329 Międzychód
Miedzychód
Międzychód is a town in Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, about 75 km west of Poznań. It is the capital of Międzychód County. Population is 10,920 .-Notable residents:* Manuel Joël , philosopher...

Sieraków
Sieraków
Sieraków is a town in western Poland with 6,022 inhabitants . Located by the Warta River, it has been situated in the Greater Poland Voivodeship , previously in Poznań Voivodeship ....

4
* seat not part of the county

Protected areas

Protected area
Protected area
Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...

s in Greater Poland Voivodeship include two National Park
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...

s and 12 Landscape Parks
Landscape Park (Poland)
A Landscape Park is the name given in Poland to a type of protected area, of lower status than a National Park and with less stringent restrictions on development and economic use....

. These are listed below.
  • Drawno National Park (partly in Lubusz
    Lubusz Voivodeship
    - Administrative division :Lubusz Voivodeship is divided into 14 counties : 2 city counties and 12 land counties. These are further divided into 83 gminas....

     and West Pomeranian Voivodeship
    West Pomeranian Voivodeship
    West Pomeranian Voivodeship, , is a voivodeship in northwestern Poland. It borders on Pomeranian Voivodeship to the east, Greater Poland Voivodeship to the southeast, Lubusz Voivodeship to the south, the German federal-state of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania to the west, and the Baltic Sea to the north...

    s)
  • Wielkopolska National Park
  • Barycz Valley Landscape Park
    Barycz Valley Landscape Park
    Barycz Valley Landscape Park is a protected area in south-western Poland. Established in 1996, it covers an area of ....

     (partly 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...

    )
  • Chłapowski Landscape Park
  • Lednica Landscape Park
    Lednica Landscape Park
    Lednica Landscape Park is a protected area in west-central Poland.The Park lies within Greater Poland Voivodeship, north of Gniezno, in the region of Lednica lake, the site of annual Roman Catholic religious youth gatherings....

  • Powidz Landscape Park
    Powidz Landscape Park
    Powidz Landscape Park is a protected area in west-central Poland, established in 1998, covering an area of ....

  • Promno Landscape Park
    Promno Landscape Park
    Promno Landscape Park is a protected area in west-central Poland.The Park lies within Greater Poland Voivodeship, in Poznań County . It takes its name from the village of Promno....

  • Przemęt Landscape Park
    Przemet Landscape Park
    Przemęt Landscape Park is a protected area in western Poland, established in 1991, covering an area of ....

     (partly in Lubusz Voivodeship)
  • Pszczew Landscape Park
    Pszczew Landscape Park
    Pszczew Landscape Park is a protected area in western Poland, established in 1986, covering an area of . It takes its name from the village of Pszczew....

     (partly in Lubusz Voivodeship)
  • Puszcza Zielonka Landscape Park
    Puszcza Zielonka Landscape Park
    Puszcza Zielonka Landscape Park is a protected area situated to the north-east of the city of Poznań in Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland. It was set up in 1993 and covers an area of . It is made up of parts of the gminas of Czerwonak, Kiszkowo, Murowana Goślina, Pobiedziska and Skoki...

  • Rogalin Landscape Park
    Rogalin Landscape Park
    Rogalin Landscape Park is a protected area in west-central Poland, covering an area of . It includes two nature reserves.The Park lies within Greater Poland Voivodeship: in Poznań County and Śrem County...

  • Sieraków Landscape Park
    Sieraków Landscape Park
    Sieraków Landscape Park is a protected area in west-central Poland.The Park lies within Greater Poland Voivodeship, in the area around the town of Sieraków....

  • Warta Landscape Park
    Warta Landscape Park
    Warta Landscape Park is a protected area in west-central Poland, established in 1995, covering an area of along a stretch of the Warta river west of Konin....

  • Żerków-Czeszewo Landscape Park
    Zerków-Czeszewo Landscape Park
    Żerków-Czeszewo Landscape Park is a protected area in west-central Poland.The Park lies within Greater Poland Voivodeship....


Most popular surnames in the region

  1. Nowak: 35,011
  2. Kaczmarek
    Kaczmarek
    Kaczmarek is the 18th most common surname in Poland and the second most popular in Greater Poland and Lubusz Land .It is also a German Luftwaffe slang term for "wingman"....

    : 24,185
  3. Wojciechowski
    Wojciechowski
    Wojciechowski is the 15th most common surname in Poland and also the third most common in Greater Poland . It is derived from the Polish first name Wojciech.-Notable people:...

    : 12,928

See also

  • Prussia
    Kingdom of Prussia
    The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...

    ’s Province of Posen
    Province of Posen
    The Province of Posen was a province of Prussia from 1848–1918 and as such part of the German Empire from 1871 to 1918. The area was about 29,000 km2....

     (1818–1919)
  • Second Polish Republic
    Second Polish Republic
    The Second Polish Republic, Second Commonwealth of Poland or interwar Poland refers to Poland between the two world wars; a period in Polish history in which Poland was restored as an independent state. Officially known as the Republic of Poland or the Commonwealth of Poland , the Polish state was...

    ’s Poznań Voivodeship (1921–1939)

Further reading

  • Zygmunt Boras, Książęta Piastowscy Wielkopolski (Piast Princes of Wielkopolska), Poznań, Wydawnictwo Poznańskie, 1983.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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