Kościerzyna 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 Pomeranian Voivodeship

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...

, northern 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. Its administrative seat and only town is Kościerzyna

Koscierzyna

Kościerzyna is a town in Kashubia in Gdańsk Pomerania region, northern Poland, with some 24,000 inhabitants. It has been the capital of Kościerzyna County in Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999; previously it was in Gdańsk Voivodeship from 1975 to 1998...

, which lies 51 kilometres (32 mi) south-west of the regional capital 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...

. Its borders equal approximately the borders of the old Marquessate of Berent in the German Empire.

The county covers an area of 1165.85 square kilometres (450.1 sq mi). As of 2006 its total population is 66,778, out of which the population of Kościerzyna is 23,016 and the rural population is 43,762.



Kościerzyna County on a map of the counties of Pomeranian Voivodeship

Kościerzyna County is bordered by Kartuzy County

Kartuzy County

Kartuzy County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Pomeranian Voivodeship, northern 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 Kartuzy, which lies west...

 to the north, Gdańsk County

Gdansk County

Gdańsk County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Pomeranian Voivodeship, northern Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. It includes areas to the east and south of the city of Gdańsk, from...

 and Starogard County

Starogard County

Starogard County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Pomeranian Voivodeship, northern 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 Starogard Gdański, which...

 to the east, Chojnice County

Chojnice County

Chojnice County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Pomeranian Voivodeship, northern 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 Chojnice, which lies ...

 to the south, and Bytów County

Bytów County

Bytów County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Pomeranian Voivodeship, northern 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 Bytów, which lies west of...

 to the 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 (one urban and seven rural). These are listed in the following table, in descending order of population.

Gmina	Type	Area (km²)	Population (2006)	Seat
Kościerzyna Koscierzyna Kościerzyna is a town in Kashubia in Gdańsk Pomerania region, northern Poland, with some 24,000 inhabitants. It has been the capital of Kościerzyna County in Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999; previously it was in Gdańsk Voivodeship from 1975 to 1998...	urban	15.8	23,016
Gmina Kościerzyna Gmina Koscierzyna Gmina Kościerzyna is a rural gmina in Kościerzyna County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the town of Kościerzyna, although the town is not part of the territory of the gmina....	rural	310.2	13,295	Kościerzyna Koscierzyna Kościerzyna is a town in Kashubia in Gdańsk Pomerania region, northern Poland, with some 24,000 inhabitants. It has been the capital of Kościerzyna County in Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999; previously it was in Gdańsk Voivodeship from 1975 to 1998...  *
Gmina Nowa Karczma Gmina Nowa Karczma Gmina Nowa Karczma is a rural gmina in Kościerzyna County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the village of Nowa Karczma, which lies approximately east of Kościerzyna and south-west of the regional capital Gdańsk.The gmina covers an area of , and as of 2006 its total...	rural	113.3	6,288	Nowa Karczma Nowa Karczma, Gmina Nowa Karczma Nowa Karczma is a village in Kościerzyna County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Nowa Karczma...
Gmina Stara Kiszewa Gmina Stara Kiszewa Gmina Stara Kiszewa is a rural gmina in Kościerzyna County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the village of Stara Kiszewa, which lies approximately south-east of Kościerzyna and south-west of the regional capital Gdańsk.The gmina covers an area of , and as of 2006 its...	rural	213.1	6,267	Stara Kiszewa Stara Kiszewa Stara Kiszewa is a village in Kościerzyna County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Stara Kiszewa...
Gmina Karsin Gmina Karsin Gmina Karsin is a rural gmina in Kościerzyna County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the village of Karsin, which lies approximately south of Kościerzyna and south-west of the regional capital Gdańsk....	rural	169.2	5,905	Karsin Karsin Karsin is a village in Kościerzyna County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Karsin. It lies approximately south of Kościerzyna and south-west of the regional capital Gdańsk....
Gmina Liniewo Gmina Liniewo Gmina Liniewo is a rural gmina in Kościerzyna County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the village of Liniewo, which lies approximately east of Kościerzyna and south-west of the regional capital Gdańsk....	rural	110.1	4,561	Liniewo Liniewo Liniewo is a village in Kościerzyna County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Liniewo. It lies approximately east of Kościerzyna and south-west of the regional capital Gdańsk....
Gmina Dziemiany Gmina Dziemiany Gmina Dziemiany is a rural gmina in Kościerzyna County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the village of Dziemiany, which lies approximately south-west of Kościerzyna and south-west of the regional capital Gdańsk.The gmina covers an area of , and as of 2006 its total...	rural	125.0	4,065	Dziemiany Dziemiany Dziemiany is a village in Kościerzyna County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Dziemiany. It lies approximately south-west of Kościerzyna and south-west of the regional capital Gdańsk...
Gmina Lipusz Gmina Lipusz Gmina Lipusz is a rural gmina in Kościerzyna County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the village of Lipusz, which lies approximately west of Kościerzyna and south-west of the regional capital Gdańsk....	rural	109.2	3,381	Lipusz Lipusz Lipusz is a village in Kościerzyna County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Lipusz. It lies approximately west of Kościerzyna and south-west of the regional capital Gdańsk....
* seat not part of the gmina