Gmina

A gmina, or commune, is the basic unit of local government in Poland. It is the lowest level of territorial division, responsible for many public services. Gminas are part of a higher-level unit called a powiat (county) and, in turn, a voivodeship (province). There are three types of gmina: urban (miejska), rural (wiejska), and urban-rural (miejsko-wiejska). Each gmina has a seat where its offices are located.

Governance is provided by the gmina council (rada gminy), elected for a four-year term, and an executive head who depends on the gmina type: wójt in rural gminas, burmistrz in urban and urban-rural gminas, or, in larger cities with county rights, a prezydent miasta. The council passes local laws and the annual budget; the executive implements them. The gmina is responsible for tasks including local planning and zoning, primary education and pre-school care, social welfare, housing, maintenance of local roads and public spaces, water supply and waste management, cultural and sports facilities, and civil registration and registry offices associated services.

Financing comes from local taxes and charges, state subsidies and shared taxes, grants for specific projects, and borrowing within legal limits. Gminas cooperate with neighboring units and with the powiat and voivodeship on regional infrastructure and services. The gmina is a key level of self-government in Poland, reflecting a balance between local autonomy and centralized regulation.