Pisz 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 Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship

Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship

Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, or Warmia-Masuria Province , is a voivodeship in northeastern Poland. Its capital and largest city is Olsztyn...

, 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 largest town is Pisz

Pisz

Pisz is a town in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship in Poland, with a population of 19,328 in 2004. It is the seat of Pisz County. Pisz is located at the junction of Lake Roś and the Pisa River.- Etymology :...

, which lies 88 kilometres (55 mi) east of the regional capital Olsztyn

Olsztyn

Olsztyn is a city in northeastern Poland, on the Łyna River. Olsztyn has been the capital of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship since 1999. It was previously in the Olsztyn Voivodeship...

. The county contains three other towns: Orzysz

Orzysz

Orzysz is a town in Pisz County, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Poland, with 7,512 inhabitants .-Notable residents:* Kurt Sanderling , conductor* Wolfgang Heyda , U-boat commander...

, 24 km (15 mi) north-east of Pisz, Ruciane-Nida

Ruciane-Nida

Ruciane-Nida is a town in Pisz County, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Poland, with 4,934 inhabitants . The town was formed in 1966 by the merger of three smaller settlements: Ruciane , Nida , and Wola Ratajowa....

, 17 km (11 mi) west of Pisz, and Biała Piska, 18 km (11 mi) east of Pisz.

The county covers an area of 1776.17 square kilometres (685.8 sq mi). As of 2006 its total population is 57,553, out of which the population of Pisz is 19,332, that of Orzysz is 5,804, that of Ruciane-Nida is 4,894, that of Biała Piska is 4,006, and the rural population is 23,517.

Neighbouring counties

Pisz County is bordered by Giżycko County

Gizycko County

Giżycko County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, northern Poland. It came into being on 1 January 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms of 1998. Its administrative seat and largest town is Giżycko, which lies east of...

 to the north, Ełk County and Grajewo County

Grajewo County

Grajewo County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Podlaskie Voivodeship, north-eastern 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 Grajewo, which lies ...

 to the east, Kolno County

Kolno County

Kolno County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Podlaskie Voivodeship, north-eastern 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 Kolno, which lies west...

 and Ostrołęka County to the south, Szczytno County

Szczytno County

Szczytno County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Warmian-Masurian 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 Szczytno, which lies...

 to the west, and Mrągowo County

Mragowo County

Mrągowo County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Warmian-Masurian 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 Mrągowo, which lies ...

 to the north-west.

Administrative division

The county is subdivided into four 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 (all urban-rural, centred on the four towns). These are listed in the following table, in descending order of population.

Gmina	Type	Area (km²)	Population (2006)	Seat
Gmina Pisz Gmina Pisz Gmina Pisz is an urban-rural gmina in Pisz County, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the town of Pisz, which lies approximately east of the regional capital Olsztyn....	urban-rural	634.8	27,224	Pisz Pisz Pisz is a town in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship in Poland, with a population of 19,328 in 2004. It is the seat of Pisz County. Pisz is located at the junction of Lake Roś and the Pisa River.- Etymology :...
Gmina Biała Piska	urban-rural	420.1	12,135	Biała Piska
Gmina Orzysz Gmina Orzysz Gmina Orzysz is an urban-rural gmina in Pisz County, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the town of Orzysz, which lies approximately north-east of Pisz and east of the regional capital Olsztyn....	urban-rural	363.5	9,567	Orzysz Orzysz Orzysz is a town in Pisz County, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Poland, with 7,512 inhabitants .-Notable residents:* Kurt Sanderling , conductor* Wolfgang Heyda , U-boat commander...
Gmina Ruciane-Nida Gmina Ruciane-Nida Gmina Ruciane-Nida is an urban-rural gmina in Pisz County, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the town of Ruciane-Nida, which lies approximately west of Pisz and east of the regional capital Olsztyn....	urban-rural	357.7	8,627	Ruciane-Nida Ruciane-Nida Ruciane-Nida is a town in Pisz County, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Poland, with 4,934 inhabitants . The town was formed in 1966 by the merger of three smaller settlements: Ruciane , Nida , and Wola Ratajowa....