Nowy Sącz 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 Lesser Poland Voivodeship

Lesser Poland Voivodeship

Małopolska Voivodeship , or Lesser Poland Voivodeship, is a voivodeship, in southern Poland...

, southern 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...

, on the Slovak

Slovakia

The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...

 border. 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 Nowy Sącz

Nowy Sacz

Nowy Sącz is a town in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship in southern Poland. It is the district capital of Nowy Sącz County, but is not included within the powiat.-Names:...

, although the city is not part of the county (it constitutes a separate city county). The county contains five towns: Krynica-Zdrój, 31 km (19 mi) south-east of Nowy Sącz, Stary Sącz

Stary Sacz

Stary Sącz - is a town in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Poland, seat of the municipality Stary Sącz. It's a one of the oldest towns in Poland, founded in 13th century.- Geography :...

, 9 km (6 mi) south-west of Nowy Sącz, Grybów

Grybów

Grybów is a town in the Nowy Sącz County, in Lesser Poland Voivodeship of Poland, with 12,409 inhabitants . It is located in the heartland of the Doły , and its average altitude is 370 metres above sea level, although there are some hills located within the confines of the city, Grybów has the...

, 19 km (12 mi) east of Nowy Sącz, Piwniczna-Zdrój

Piwniczna-Zdrój

Piwniczna-Zdrój is a town in Nowy Sącz County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Poland, near the border with Slovakia, with 5,744 inhabitants ....

, 21 km (13 mi) south of Nowy Sącz, and Muszyna

Muszyna

Muszyna is a town in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, southern Poland. Population: 4,989 . It is a railroad junction, located near border with Slovakia, with trains going into three directions - towards Nowy Sącz, Krynica-Zdrój and southwards, to Slovakia....

, 33 km (21 mi) south-east of Nowy Sącz.

The county covers an area of 1550.24 square kilometres (598.6 sq mi). As of 2006 its total population is 197,718, out of which the population of Krynica-Zdrój is 11,243, that of Stary Sącz is 8,987, that of Grybów is 6,025, that of Piwniczna-Zdrój is 5,717, that of Muszyna is 4,980, and the rural population is 160,766.

Neighbouring counties

Apart from the city of Nowy Sącz

Nowy Sacz

Nowy Sącz is a town in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship in southern Poland. It is the district capital of Nowy Sącz County, but is not included within the powiat.-Names:...

, Nowy Sącz County is also bordered by Nowy Targ County

Nowy Targ County

Nowy Targ County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, southern Poland, on the Slovak border. 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...

 and Limanowa County

Limanowa County

Limanowa County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, southern 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 Limanowa, which lies ...

 to the west, Brzesko County

Brzesko County

Brzesko County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, southern 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 Brzesko, which lies ...

 and Tarnów County

Tarnów County

Tarnów County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, southern 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 Tarnów, although the city is...

 to the north, and Gorlice County

Gorlice County

Gorlice County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, southern Poland, on the Slovak border. It was created on 1 January 1999 as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and largest town is Gorlice,...

 to the east. It also borders Slovakia

Slovakia

The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...

 to the south.

Administrative division

The county is subdivided into 16 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, four urban-rural and 11 rural). These are listed in the following table, in descending order of population.

Gmina	Type	Area (km²)	Population (2006)	Seat
Gmina Chełmiec	rural	112.0	24,473	Chełmiec
Gmina Grybów Gmina Grybów Gmina Grybów is a rural gmina in Nowy Sącz County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. Its seat is the town of Grybów, although the town is not part of the territory of the gmina....	rural	153.0	22,436	Grybów Grybów Grybów is a town in the Nowy Sącz County, in Lesser Poland Voivodeship of Poland, with 12,409 inhabitants . It is located in the heartland of the Doły , and its average altitude is 370 metres above sea level, although there are some hills located within the confines of the city, Grybów has the...  *
Gmina Stary Sącz Gmina Stary Sacz Gmina Stary Sącz is an urban-rural gmina in Nowy Sącz County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. Its seat is the town of Stary Sącz, which lies approximately south-west of Nowy Sącz and south-east of the regional capital Kraków.The gmina covers an area of , and as of 2006 its total...	urban-rural	102.4	22,206	Stary Sącz Stary Sacz Stary Sącz - is a town in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Poland, seat of the municipality Stary Sącz. It's a one of the oldest towns in Poland, founded in 13th century.- Geography :...
Gmina Krynica-Zdrój Gmina Krynica-Zdrój Gmina Krynica-Zdrój is an urban-rural gmina in Nowy Sącz County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland, on the Slovak border...	urban-rural	145.3	16,850	Krynica-Zdrój
Gmina Łącko	rural	133.0	14,835	Łącko
Gmina Korzenna Gmina Korzenna Gmina Korzenna is a rural gmina in Nowy Sącz County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. Its seat is the village of Korzenna, which lies approximately north-east of Nowy Sącz and south-east of the regional capital Kraków....	rural	106.8	13,377	Korzenna Korzenna Korzenna is a village in southern Poland situated in Lesser Poland Voivodeship since 1999 . It lies approximately north-east of Nowy Sącz and south-east of the regional capital Kraków....
Gmina Podegrodzie Gmina Podegrodzie Gmina Podegrodzie is a rural gmina in Nowy Sącz County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. Its seat is the village of Podegrodzie, which lies approximately south-west of Nowy Sącz and south-east of the regional capital Kraków.The gmina covers an area of , and as of 2006 its total...	rural	63.7	11,607	Podegrodzie Podegrodzie, Lesser Poland Voivodeship Podegrodzie is a village in Nowy Sącz County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Podegrodzie. It lies approximately south-west of Nowy Sącz and south-east of the regional capital Kraków.The village has a population of 1,700.-References:...
Gmina Muszyna Gmina Muszyna Gmina Muszyna is an urban-rural gmina in Nowy Sącz County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland, on the Slovak border...	urban-rural	142.0	11,293	Muszyna Muszyna Muszyna is a town in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, southern Poland. Population: 4,989 . It is a railroad junction, located near border with Slovakia, with trains going into three directions - towards Nowy Sącz, Krynica-Zdrój and southwards, to Slovakia....
Gmina Piwniczna-Zdrój Gmina Piwniczna-Zdrój Gmina Piwniczna-Zdrój is an urban-rural gmina in Nowy Sącz County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland, on the Slovak border...	urban-rural	126.7	10,313	Piwniczna-Zdrój Piwniczna-Zdrój Piwniczna-Zdrój is a town in Nowy Sącz County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Poland, near the border with Slovakia, with 5,744 inhabitants ....
Gmina Łososina Dolna	rural	84.3	9,814	Łososina Dolna
Gmina Kamionka Wielka Gmina Kamionka Wielka Gmina Kamionka Wielka is a rural gmina in Nowy Sącz County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. Its seat is the village of Kamionka Wielka, which lies approximately south-east of Nowy Sącz and south-east of the regional capital Kraków.The gmina covers an area of , and as of 2006 its...	rural	63.0	9,158	Kamionka Wielka Kamionka Wielka Kamionka Wielka is a village in Nowy Sącz County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Kamionka Wielka. It lies approximately south-east of Nowy Sącz and south-east of the regional capital Kraków.The village has a population of 2,925.-References:...
Gmina Gródek nad Dunajcem Gmina Gródek nad Dunajcem Gmina Gródek nad Dunajcem is a rural gmina in Nowy Sącz County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. Its seat is the village of Gródek nad Dunajcem, which lies approximately north of Nowy Sącz and south-east of the regional capital Kraków.The gmina covers an area of , and as of 2006...	rural	88.2	8,896	Gródek nad Dunajcem Gródek nad Dunajcem Gródek nad Dunajcem is a village in southern Poland situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship since 1999 . It is approximately north of Nowy Sącz and south-east of the regional capital Kraków.-See also:*Dunajec River*Nowy Targ*Zakopane...
Gmina Nawojowa Gmina Nawojowa Gmina Nawojowa is a rural gmina in Nowy Sącz County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. Its seat is the village of Nawojowa, which lies approximately south-east of Nowy Sącz and south-east of the regional capital Kraków....	rural	51.1	7,644	Nawojowa Nawojowa Nawojowa is a village in Nowy Sącz County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Nawojowa. It lies approximately south-east of Nowy Sącz and south-east of the regional capital Kraków.The village has a population of 8000.The area of commune...
Grybów Grybów Grybów is a town in the Nowy Sącz County, in Lesser Poland Voivodeship of Poland, with 12,409 inhabitants . It is located in the heartland of the Doły , and its average altitude is 370 metres above sea level, although there are some hills located within the confines of the city, Grybów has the...	urban	17.0	6,025
Gmina Łabowa	rural	119.1	5,172	Łabowa
Gmina Rytro Gmina Rytro Gmina Rytro is a rural gmina in Nowy Sącz County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. Its seat is the village of Rytro, which lies approximately south of Nowy Sącz and south-east of the regional capital Kraków....	rural	41.9	3,619	Rytro Rytro Rytro is a village in Nowy Sącz County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Rytro. It lies approximately south of Nowy Sącz and south-east of the regional capital Kraków....
* seat not part of the gmina