Żywiec 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 Silesian Voivodeship

Silesian Voivodeship

Silesian Voivodeship, or Silesia Province , is a voivodeship, or province, in southern Poland, centering on the historic region known as Upper Silesia...

, 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 and only town is Żywiec

Zywiec

Żywiec is a town in south-central Poland with 32,242 inhabitants . Between 1975 and 1998, it was located within the Bielsko-Biała Voivodeship, but has since become part of the Silesian Voivodeship....

, which lies 64 kilometres (40 mi) south of the regional capital Katowice

Katowice

Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...

.

The county covers an area of 1039.96 square kilometres (401.5 sq mi). As of 2006 its total population is 149,492, out of which the population of Żywiec is 32,078 and the rural population is 117,414.

The county includes part of the 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...

 known as Żywiec Landscape Park

Zywiec Landscape Park

Żywiec Landscape Park is a protected area in southern Poland. It was established in 1986 and covers an area of .The Park lies within Silesian Voivodeship and is named after the town of Żywiec....

.

Neighbouring counties

Żywiec County is bordered by Cieszyn County

Cieszyn County

Cieszyn County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland, on the Czech and Slovak border. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998...

 to the west, the city of Bielsko-Biała

Bielsko-Biała

-Economy and Industry:Nowadays Bielsko-Biała is one of the best-developed parts of Poland. It was ranked 2nd best city for business in that country by Forbes. About 5% of people are unemployed . Bielsko-Biała is famous for its textile, machine-building, and especially automotive industry...

 and 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 north, Wadowice County

Wadowice County

Wadowice 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 town of Wadowice, the birthplace of...

 to the north-east, and 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 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 15 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 14 rural). These are listed in the following table, in descending order of population.

Gmina	Type	Area (km²)	Population (2006)	Seat
Żywiec Zywiec Żywiec is a town in south-central Poland with 32,242 inhabitants . Between 1975 and 1998, it was located within the Bielsko-Biała Voivodeship, but has since become part of the Silesian Voivodeship....	urban	50.6	32,078
Gmina Węgierska Górka Gmina Wegierska Górka Gmina Węgierska Górka is a rural gmina in Żywiec County, Silesian Voivodeship, in southern Poland. Its seat is the village of Węgierska Górka, which lies approximately south-west of Żywiec and south of the regional capital Katowice....	rural	77.1	14,640	Węgierska Górka Wegierska Górka Węgierska Górka is a village in Żywiec County, Silesian Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Węgierska Górka. It lies approximately south-west of Żywiec and south of the regional capital Katowice...
Gmina Jeleśnia Gmina Jelesnia Gmina Jeleśnia is a rural gmina in Żywiec County, Silesian Voivodeship, in southern Poland. Its seat is the village of Jeleśnia, which lies approximately south-east of Żywiec and south of the regional capital Katowice....	rural	170.5	13,456	Jeleśnia Jelesnia Jeleśnia is a village in Żywiec County, Silesian Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Jeleśnia. It lies approximately south-east of Żywiec and south of the regional capital Katowice....
Gmina Łodygowice	rural	35.2	13,348	Łodygowice
Gmina Radziechowy-Wieprz Gmina Radziechowy-Wieprz Gmina Radziechowy-Wieprz is a rural gmina in Żywiec County, Silesian Voivodeship, in southern Poland. Its seat is the village of Wieprz, which lies approximately south of Żywiec and south of the regional capital Katowice....	rural	65.9	12,385	Wieprz Wieprz, Silesian Voivodeship Wieprz is a village in Żywiec County, Silesian Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Radziechowy-Wieprz. It lies approximately south of Żywiec and south of the regional capital Katowice.The village has a population of 3,535.-References:...
Gmina Milówka Gmina Milówka Gmina Milówka is a rural gmina in Żywiec County, Silesian Voivodeship, in southern Poland. Its seat is the village of Milówka, which lies approximately south-west of Żywiec and south of the regional capital Katowice....	rural	98.3	9,965	Milówka Milówka Milówka is a village in Żywiec County, Silesian Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Milówka. It lies It is situated in Żywiec Beskids mountain range, approximately south-west of Żywiec and south of the regional capital Katowice.The village has a population...
Gmina Lipowa Gmina Lipowa Gmina Lipowa is a rural gmina in Żywiec County, Silesian Voivodeship, in southern Poland. Its seat is the village of Lipowa, which lies approximately west of Żywiec and south of the regional capital Katowice....	rural	58.1	9,681	Lipowa Lipowa, Silesian Voivodeship Lipowa is a village in Żywiec County, Silesian Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Lipowa. It lies approximately west of Żywiec and south of the regional capital Katowice....
Gmina Rajcza Gmina Rajcza Gmina Rajcza is a rural gmina in Żywiec County, Silesian Voivodeship, in southern Poland, on the Slovak border. Its seat is the village of Rajcza, which lies approximately south of Żywiec and south of the regional capital Katowice....	rural	131.2	9,049	Rajcza Rajcza Rajcza is a village in Żywiec County, Silesian Voivodeship, in southern Poland, close to the border with Slovakia. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Rajcza. It lies approximately south of Żywiec and south of the regional capital Katowice.The village has a population of 3,438.-References:...
Gmina Świnna Gmina Swinna Gmina Świnna is a rural gmina in Żywiec County, Silesian Voivodeship, in southern Poland. Its seat is the village of Świnna, which lies approximately south-east of Żywiec and south of the regional capital Katowice....	rural	39.4	7,856	Świnna Swinna, Silesian Voivodeship Świnna is a village in Żywiec County, Silesian Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Świnna. It lies approximately south-east of Żywiec and south of the regional capital Katowice....
Gmina Czernichów Gmina Czernichów, Silesian Voivodeship Gmina Czernichów is a rural gmina in Żywiec County, Silesian Voivodeship, in southern Poland. Its seat is the village of Czernichów, which lies approximately north of Żywiec and south of the regional capital Katowice....	rural	56.3	6,527	Czernichów Czernichów, Silesian Voivodeship Czernichów is a village in Żywiec County, Silesian Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Czernichów. It lies approximately north of Żywiec and south of the regional capital Katowice....
Gmina Gilowice Gmina Gilowice Gmina Gilowice is a rural gmina in Żywiec County, Silesian Voivodeship, in southern Poland. Its seat is the village of Gilowice, which lies approximately east of Żywiec and south of the regional capital Katowice...	rural	28.2	5,667	Gilowice Gilowice, Zywiec County Gilowice is a village in Żywiec County, Silesian Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Gilowice. It lies approximately east of Żywiec and south of the regional capital Katowice....
Gmina Ujsoły	rural	110.0	4,649	Ujsoły
Gmina Łękawica	rural	42.2	4,276	Łękawica
Gmina Ślemień Gmina Slemien Gmina Ślemień is a rural gmina in Żywiec County, Silesian Voivodeship, in southern Poland. Its seat is the village of Ślemień, which lies approximately east of Żywiec and south-east of the regional capital Katowice...	rural	45.9	3,422	Ślemień Slemien Ślemień is a village in Żywiec County, Silesian Voivodeship, in a mountainous part of southern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Ślemień. It lies approximately east of Żywiec and south-east of the regional capital Katowice.The village has a population of 1,977.-References:...
Gmina Koszarawa Gmina Koszarawa Gmina Koszarawa is a rural gmina in Żywiec County, Silesian Voivodeship, in southern Poland, on the Slovak border. Its seat is the village of Koszarawa, part of which forms a separate sołectwo called Koszarawa Bystra....	rural	31.2	2,493	Koszarawa Koszarawa Koszarawa is a village in Żywiec County, Silesian Voivodeship, in southern Poland, close to the border with Slovakia. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Koszarawa. It lies approximately east of Żywiec, and south-east of the regional capital, Katowice.The village has a population of 2,538...