Opole Voivodship

Opole Voivodeship
Województwo opolskie

Voivodeship

Flag

Coat of arms

Location within Poland

Division into counties

Coordinates (Opole): 50°40′N 17°56′E / 50.667°N 17.933°E

Country

Poland

Capital

Opole

Counties

1 city, 11 land counties *

Area

• Total

9,412.5 km² (3,634.2 sq mi)

Population (31-12-2014)

• Total

1,000,858

• Density

110/km² (280/sq mi)

• Urban

549,334

• Rural

495,012

Car plates

Website

http://www.umwo.opole.pl/

further divided into 71 gminas

Opole Voivodeship, or Opole Province (Polish: województwo opolskie [vɔjɛˈvutstfɔ ɔˈpɔlskʲɛ], German: Woiwodschaft Oppeln), is the smallest and least populated voivodeship of Poland. The province's name derives from that of the region's capital and largest city, Opole. It is part of Upper Silesia. A relatively large German minority lives in the voivodeship, with representatives in the Sejm.

Opole Voivodeship is bordered by Lower Silesian Voivodeship to the west, Greater Poland and Łódź Voivodeships to the north, Silesian Voivodeship to the east, and the Czech Republic to the south.

Opole Province's geographic location, economic potential, and its population's level of education make it an attractive business partner for other Polish regions (especially Lower Silesian and Silesian Voivodeships) and for foreign investors. Formed in 1997, the Praděd/Pradziad Euroregion has facilitated economic, cultural and tourist exchanges between the border areas of Poland and the Czech Republic.

The voivodeship lies in southwestern Poland, the major part on the Silesian Lowland (Nizina Śląska). To the east, the region touches upon the Silesian Upland (Silesian Uplands, Wyżyna Śląska) with the famous Saint Anne Mountain; the Sudetes range, the Opawskie Mountains, lies to the southwest. The Oder River cuts across the middle of the voivodeship. The northern part of the voivodeship, along the Mała Panew River, is densely forested, while the southern part consists of arable land.

...
Wikipedia