Powiatowe

Powiatowe is the neuter form of the Polish adjective powiatowy, meaning relating to a powiat, i.e., a county in Poland’s administrative division. In Poland, a powiat is a second-level unit of territorial division situated between the voivodeship (województwo) and the gmina. Since the administrative reform of 1999, powiats (which include land counties and cities with powiat rights) function as local government units with elected councils and executive organs, providing regional services and administration for their territory.

The term powiatowe is used to describe institutions, bodies and activities that belong to or operate at the powiat level. It appears in official names and descriptions such as urzędy powiatowe (county offices), starostwo powiatowe (the office of the starosta), rada powiatu (county council) and powiatowe instytucje (county institutions). The form conforms to Polish grammar: powiatowe can describe neuter nouns in the singular or plural feminine nouns, and it also appears in masculine plural phrases like urzędy powiatowe.

In the broader structure of Poland’s administration, powiats are one level below voivodeships and above gminas, encompassing local services such as education, infrastructure, public health, and some social programs. The term powiatowe is thus a common descriptive element in the language of local government, signaling affiliation with a specific powiat rather than with a broader national or regional level.