gmin

A gmina, plural gminy, and genitive gmin, is the basic unit of territorial self-government in Poland. It is the lowest tier of administrative division, sitting below the voivodeship (województwo) and the powiat (county). Gminas are responsible for many local services and decisions that affect daily life.

Gminas can be classified as urban (miejska), rural (wiejska), or urban-rural (miejsko-wiejska). An urban gmina is centered on a town or city, a rural gmina covers villages and countryside, and an urban-rural gmina includes an urban center plus surrounding areas. The structure and responsibilities of a gmina are shaped by national law and local needs.

Governance in a gmina is based on an elected council (rada gminy) and an executive head. Depending on the type and size of the gmina, the executive is called a burmistrz (in larger towns), a prezydent miasta (in larger cities), or a wójt (in rural gminas). The council passes local laws and the budget, while the executive implements them. A gmina may also have a secretary or administrator to manage day-to-day operations.

Key responsibilities include land-use planning and zoning, pre-school and primary education, local transport and road maintenance, water supply and sewage, waste management, social welfare, housing, and cultural and recreational services. Gminas also support local economic development and environmental protection within the framework of national policy. Finances come from own-source revenues (taxes and fees) and transfers from higher levels of government, with collaboration on tasks shared with powiats and voivodeships.