województwa

Województwa, in English commonly translated as voivodeships or provinces, are the highest-level administrative units in Poland. There are sixteen such units, established in the 1999 territorial reform, which replaced the earlier system of 49 voivodeships created in 1975. The term derives from the office of wojewoda, a governor or military leader, and has roots in the medieval organization of the Polish state.

Each voivodeship combines political, administrative, and regional development functions. It has two main governing layers: a voivode, who represents the central government and is responsible for ensuring legality and coordination of national tasks; and a regional assembly (sejmik) elected by residents. The sejmik elects an executive board led by a marshal (marszałek), which draws up and implements the voivodeship’s program and budget. The voivode acts as the representative of the central state and oversees adherence to national laws within the region.

The voivodeship is responsible for regional development, transport planning, environmental protection, public health at the regional level, culture and education coordination, and management of EU funds allocated to the region. It operates in a three-tier national system with powiaty (counties) and gminy (municipalities) below it, coordinating with national authorities while retaining a degree of local autonomy and fiscal responsibility.

The capital city of a voivodeship is typically the seat of its regional authorities, though some voivodeships have special arrangements. An example of an exception is the Lubusz Voivodeship, which has two capitals, reflecting its administrative arrangement. Województwa serve as important instruments for regional governance within Poland’s unitary state structure.