Wadowice 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...

. 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 Wadowice

Wadowice

Wadowice is a town in southern Poland, 50 km from Kraków with 19,200 inhabitants , situated on the Skawa river, confluence of Vistula, in the eastern part of Silesian Plateau...

, the birthplace of Pope John Paul II, which lies 38 kilometres (24 mi) south-west of the regional capital 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...

. The county also contains the towns of Andrychów

Andrychów

Andrychów is the largest town in Wadowice County in southern Poland with 22,257 inhabitants as of 2006. It has been situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship since 1999. Previously, it was located in Bielsko-Biała Voivodeship...

, lying 13 km (8 mi) west of Wadowice, and Kalwaria Zebrzydowska

Kalwaria Zebrzydowska

Kalwaria Zebrzydowska is a town in southern Poland with 4,429 inhabitants . It is situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship ; previously it was in the Bielsko-Biała Voivodeship ....

, 14 km (9 mi) east of Wadowice.

The county covers an area of 645.74 square kilometres (249.3 sq mi). As of 2006 its total population is 154,304, out of which the population of Andrychów is 21,691, that of Wadowice is 19,149, that of Kalwaria Zebrzydowska is 4,503, and the rural population is 108,961.

Neighbouring counties

Wadowice County is bordered by Chrzanów County

Chrzanów County

Chrzanów 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 Chrzanów, which lies ...

 to the north, Kraków County

Kraków County

Kraków 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 Kraków, although the city is...

 and Myślenice County

Myslenice County

Myślenice 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 Myślenice, which lies ...

 to the east, Sucha County

Sucha County

Sucha County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, southern Poland, on the Slovak border. Its administrative seat and largest town is Sucha Beskidzka, which lies south-west of the regional capital Kraków...

 to the south, Żywiec County

Zywiec County

Żywiec County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Silesian 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 only town is Żywiec,...

 to the south-west, Bielsko County

Bielsko County

Bielsko County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Silesian 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 Bielsko-Biała, although the city...

 to the west, and Oświęcim County

Oswiecim County

Oświęcim 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 Oświęcim, which lies ...

 to the north-west.

Administrative division

The county is subdivided into 10 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 (three urban-rural and seven rural). These are listed in the following table, in descending order of population.

Gmina	Type	Area (km²)	Population (2006)	Seat
Gmina Andrychów Gmina Andrychów Gmina Andrychów is an urban-rural gmina in Wadowice County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. Its seat is the town of Andrychów, which lies approximately west of Wadowice and south-west of the regional capital Kraków....	urban-rural	100.6	42,893	Andrychów Andrychów Andrychów is the largest town in Wadowice County in southern Poland with 22,257 inhabitants as of 2006. It has been situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship since 1999. Previously, it was located in Bielsko-Biała Voivodeship...
Gmina Wadowice Gmina Wadowice Gmina Wadowice is an urban-rural gmina in Wadowice County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. Its seat is the town of Wadowice, which lies approximately south-west of the regional capital Kraków....	urban-rural	113.0	37,481	Wadowice Wadowice Wadowice is a town in southern Poland, 50 km from Kraków with 19,200 inhabitants , situated on the Skawa river, confluence of Vistula, in the eastern part of Silesian Plateau...
Gmina Kalwaria Zebrzydowska Gmina Kalwaria Zebrzydowska Gmina Kalwaria Zebrzydowska is an urban-rural gmina in Wadowice County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland...	urban-rural	75.3	19,210	Kalwaria Zebrzydowska Kalwaria Zebrzydowska Kalwaria Zebrzydowska is a town in southern Poland with 4,429 inhabitants . It is situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship ; previously it was in the Bielsko-Biała Voivodeship ....
Gmina Wieprz Gmina Wieprz Gmina Wieprz is a rural gmina in Wadowice County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. Its seat is the village of Wieprz, which lies approximately west of Wadowice and south-west of the regional capital Kraków....	rural	74.5	11,493	Wieprz Wieprz, Lesser Poland Voivodeship Wieprz is a village in Wadowice County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Wieprz. It lies approximately west of Wadowice and south-west of the regional capital Kraków.The village has a population of 5,002.-References:...
Gmina Brzeźnica Gmina Brzeznica, Lesser Poland Voivodeship Gmina Brzeźnica is a rural gmina in Wadowice County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. Its seat is the village of Brzeźnica, which lies approximately north-east of Wadowice and south-west of the regional capital Kraków....	rural	66.3	10,232	Brzeźnica Brzeznica, Wadowice County Brzeźnica is a village in Wadowice County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Brzeźnica. It lies approximately north-east of Wadowice and south-west of the regional capital Kraków.The village has a population of 1,200.-References:...
Gmina Spytkowice Gmina Spytkowice, Wadowice County Gmina Spytkowice is a rural gmina in Wadowice County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. Its seat is the village of Spytkowice, which lies approximately north of Wadowice and west of the regional capital Kraków....	rural	47.0	9,376	Spytkowice Spytkowice, Wadowice County Spytkowice is a village in Wadowice County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Spytkowice. It lies approximately north of Wadowice and west of the regional capital Kraków....
Gmina Tomice Gmina Tomice Gmina Tomice is a rural gmina in Wadowice County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. Its seat is the village of Tomice, which lies approximately north-west of Wadowice and south-west of the regional capital Kraków....	rural	41.7	7,232	Tomice Tomice, Lesser Poland Voivodeship Tomice is a village in Wadowice County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Tomice. It lies approximately north-west of Wadowice and south-west of the regional capital Kraków....
Gmina Stryszów Gmina Stryszów Gmina Stryszów is a rural gmina in Wadowice County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. Its seat is the village of Stryszów, which lies approximately south-east of Wadowice and south-west of the regional capital Kraków....	rural	46.1	6,690	Stryszów Stryszów Stryszów is a village in Wadowice County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Stryszów. It lies approximately south-east of Wadowice and south-west of the regional capital Kraków....
Gmina Lanckorona Gmina Lanckorona Gmina Lanckorona is a rural gmina in Wadowice County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. Its seat is the village of Lanckorona, which lies approximately east of Wadowice and south-west of the regional capital Kraków....	rural	40.6	5,819	Lanckorona Lanckorona Lanckorona is a village in Poland, near Kraków. It is famous for its well preserved 19th century wooden houses....
Gmina Mucharz Gmina Mucharz Gmina Mucharz is a rural gmina in Wadowice County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. Its seat is the village of Mucharz, which lies approximately south-east of Wadowice and south-west of the regional capital Kraków....	rural	37.3	3,878	Mucharz Mucharz Mucharz is a village in Wadowice County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Mucharz. It lies approximately south-east of Wadowice and south-west of the regional capital Kraków....