ul. Wyszyńskiego 1
15-888 Białystok
tel: +48 85 74 97 495
fax: +48 85 74 97 440
coi@wrotapodlasia.pl
coie@wrotapodlasia.pl
Podlaskie Voivodeship
Podlaskie Voivodeship is located in the north-east Poland. It borders with three other provinces: Warminsko-Mazurskie, Mazowieckie and along a short section with Lubelskie voivodeships. It also borders with Lithuania in the north-east and with Belarus in the east. Podlaskie Voivodeship marks the internal (Lithuanian) and external (Belarusian) border of the European Union. There are 9 border crossings in the region: on the Lithuanian border – Budzisko (road crossing), Ogodniki (road crossing), Trakiszki (railway crossing); on the Belarusian border – Bobrowniki (road crossing), Czeremcha (railway crossing), Kuźnica Białostocka (railway and road crossing), Połowce (road crossing), Siemianówka (railway crossing – freight only).
Podlaskie Voivodeship covers the area of - 20,187 km².
Population – 1,189,327
Number of communes - 118 – including 3 poviat towns – municipal poviats (Town of Białystok, Town of Łomża,
Town of Suwałki).
Number of poviats - 17 - including 3 municipal poviats (municipal poviats - Town of Białystok, Town of Łomża,
Town of Suwałki) and 14 land poviats.
Podlaskie Voivodeship, being the member of Związek Transgraniczny Euroregion “Niemen” (The Interborder Union Euroregion “Niemen” - Poland, Lithuania and Belarus), cooperates more closely with the Baltic countries and other friendly regions. Trento, Lombardy, Bolzano – Upper Adige (Italy), Burgundy (France), Häme (Finland), North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany) and Värmländ (Sweden).
Province capital – Białystok. The town’s development began in mid 18th century. It is the biggest industrial, cultural and scientific centre in the region. Most of cultural institutions and higher schools are located here, among them one can find theatres, philharmonic, museums, university, medical academy, technical university and universities of economics. The town is one of the leading centres of puppetry in Poland.