The administrative division of Poland since 1999 has been based on three levels of subdivision. The territory of Poland is divided into voivodeships ; these are further divided into powiats, and these in turn are divided into gminas. Major cities normally have the status of both gmina and powiat. Poland currently has 16 voivodeships, 380 powiats, and 2,478 gminas. The current system was introduced pursuant to a series of acts passed by the Polish parliament in 1998, and came into effect on 1 January 1999. Previously there had been 49 smaller voivodeships, and no powiats. The reform created 16 larger voivodeships and reintroduced powiats. The boundaries of the voivodeships do not always reflect the historical borders of Polish regions. Around half of the Silesian Voivodeshipbelongs to the historical province of Lesser Poland. Similarly, the area around Radom, which historically is part of Lesser Poland, is located in the Masovian Voivodeship. Also, the Pomeranian Voivodeship includes only the eastern extreme of historical Pomerania, as well as areas outside it.
Voivodeships
Poland is currently divided into 16 provinces known as voivodeships. Administrative authority at voivodeship level is shared between a central government-appointed governor, called the voivode, an elected assembly called the sejmik, and an executive board chosen by that assembly. The leader of that executive is called the marszałek.
Powiats
Each voivodeship is divided into a number of smaller entities known as powiats. The number of powiats per voivodeship ranges from 12 to 42. This includes both powiats proper, and cities with powiat status. Land counties have an elected council, which elects an executive board headed by the starosta. In city counties the functions of these institutions are performed by the city's own council and directly electedmayor.
Gminas
The third level of administrative division is the gmina. A powiat is typically divided into a number of gminas, although the city counties constitute single gminas. A gmina may be classed as urban, urban-rural, or rural. A gmina has an elected council as well as a directly elected mayor.
Smaller units
Gminas are generally sub-divided into smaller units, called osiedle or dzielnica in towns, and sołectwo in rural areas. However, these units are of lesser importance and are subordinate in status to the gmina.
