Voivodeships of Poland (Województwa): All 16 Regions by Macroregion
Poland is divided into 16 voivodeships, and every voivodeship sits inside one of seven macroregions used for regional planning. For an apparel importer, that map is a working tool: it shows which regions carry the Baltic seaports, the air gateways, the intermodal rail terminals, and the land borders that move garments into and across the country. This page lists all 16 voivodeships with their English and Polish names, their capital, and what each place contributes to the trade.
- 16Voivodeships
- 7Macroregions
- 3Baltic seaport groups
- 8Air cargo gateways
All 16 Voivodeships, Grouped by Macroregion
The macroregions follow the seven NUTS 1 statistical groupings used for European Union regional policy. They are not administrative governments, so the boundaries exist for planning and funding rather than for local rule. The 16 voivodeships remain the units of local government, and the counts below add up to exactly 16.
16 voivodeships shown
Centralny macroregion
2 voivodeshipsThe inland centre of the country, the historic textile heartland around Łódź and the industrial and trade fairs belt around Kielce.
- Łódzkiewojewództwo łódzkie CapitalŁódź
Historic textile and garment manufacturing base, with the Łódź Olechów intermodal terminal on the China to Europe rail route and Łódź Lublinek airport.
- Świętokrzyskiewojewództwo świętokrzyskie CapitalKielce
Inland industrial region between Warsaw and Kraków, with the Kielce trade fair campus and the Świętokrzyskie mountains.
Południowy macroregion
2 voivodeshipsThe southern uplands and the Silesian conurbation, carrying the Kraków and Katowice air gateways and one of the largest industrial bases in Central Europe.
- Małopolskiewojewództwo małopolskie CapitalKraków
Kraków John Paul II International Airport and a services and light manufacturing base in the south.
- Śląskiewojewództwo śląskie CapitalKatowice
Silesian industrial conurbation, Katowice airport at Pyrzowice, and the Sławków broad gauge terminal near the eastern edge of the region.
Wschodni macroregion
3 voivodeshipsThe eastern borderlands, running from the Belarus and Lithuania crossings in the north to the Ukraine crossings in the south, with the classic China to Europe rail bridge at Małaszewicze.
- Lubelskiewojewództwo lubelskie CapitalLublin
Eastern rail and road bridge at Małaszewicze and Terespol, the Dorohusk crossing to Ukraine, and Lublin airport.
- Podkarpackiewojewództwo podkarpackie CapitalRzeszów
Aviation Valley industry, Rzeszów Jasionka airport, and the Korczowa crossing to Ukraine.
- Podlaskiewojewództwo podlaskie CapitalBiałystok
North eastern border with Belarus and Lithuania, with the Kuźnica and Budzisko crossings.
Północno-Zachodni macroregion
3 voivodeshipsThe north western corner, facing Germany along the Berlin corridor and the Baltic coast at Szczecin, with the Poznań logistics cluster in between.
- Lubuskiewojewództwo lubuskie CapitalGorzów Wielkopolski and Zielona Góra
Western border with Germany at Świecko and Olszyna on the Berlin road and rail corridor.
- Wielkopolskiewojewództwo wielkopolskie CapitalPoznań
Poznań Ławica airport and the Poznań Franowo intermodal terminal, a central freight crossroads.
- Zachodniopomorskiewojewództwo zachodniopomorskie CapitalSzczecin
The Szczecin and Świnoujście seaport complex, with ferry links onward to Scandinavia.
Południowo-Zachodni macroregion
2 voivodeshipsThe south western corridor along the A4 motorway between Germany and Silesia, anchored by Wrocław and its industrial base.
- Dolnośląskiewojewództwo dolnośląskie CapitalWrocław
Wrocław Copernicus airport and automotive, machinery, and apparel manufacturing in the south west.
- Opolskiewojewództwo opolskie CapitalOpole
Compact industrial voivodeship on the A4 corridor between Wrocław and Katowice.
Północny macroregion
3 voivodeshipsThe Baltic north, holding the Gdańsk and Gdynia seaports, the largest container gateway on the Baltic, and the north eastern lake district.
- Kujawsko-Pomorskiewojewództwo kujawsko-pomorskie CapitalBydgoszcz and Toruń
Bydgoszcz Emilianowo intermodal terminal and a central north industrial and agricultural base.
- Pomorskiewojewództwo pomorskie CapitalGdańsk
Gdańsk and Gdynia seaports, the Baltic Hub container terminal, and Gdańsk Lech Wałęsa airport.
- Warmińsko-Mazurskiewojewództwo warmińsko-mazurskie CapitalOlsztyn
North eastern lake district bordering the Kaliningrad region and Lithuania, with the Grzechotki crossing.
Mazowiecki macroregion
1 voivodeshipsThe capital macroregion, the largest consumer market in the country and the principal air gateway at Warsaw.
- Mazowieckiewojewództwo mazowieckie CapitalWarsaw
Capital and largest consumer market, with Warsaw Chopin and Warsaw Modlin airports and the main national road and rail hub.
Where Garments Reach Poland
A Philippine apparel consignment enters Poland through four kinds of gateway. Each row names the gateway and the voivodeship where it sits.
Sea
Baltic container and ferry ports| Gateway | Voivodeship | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Gdańsk | Pomorskie | Baltic Hub, the largest container terminal on the Baltic and the deep water gateway for central Poland. |
| Gdynia | Pomorskie | Baltic Container Terminal and Gdynia Container Terminal, with ferry links to Scandinavia. |
| Szczecin and Świnoujście | Zachodniopomorskie | Combined river and outer port complex with ferry services to Sweden. |
Air
Passenger and freighter airports| Gateway | Voivodeship | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Warsaw Chopin (WAW) and Warsaw Modlin (WMI) | Mazowieckie | Principal national air gateway, carrying the largest share of air cargo. |
| Kraków John Paul II (KRK) | Małopolskie | Southern air gateway for the Kraków and Silesian catchment. |
| Katowice Pyrzowice (KTW) | Śląskie | Silesian industrial air gateway with freighter operations. |
| Gdańsk Lech Wałęsa (GDN) | Pomorskie | Northern air gateway paired with the Baltic seaports. |
| Wrocław Copernicus (WRO) | Dolnośląskie | South western air gateway for the Wrocław industrial belt. |
| Poznań Ławica (POZ) | Wielkopolskie | Central west air gateway and integrator base. |
| Rzeszów Jasionka (RZE) | Podkarpackie | South eastern air gateway serving the Aviation Valley. |
| Łódź Lublinek (LCJ) | Łódzkie | Central air gateway for the Łódź textile and logistics base. |
Rail
Intermodal terminals and the eastern bridge| Gateway | Voivodeship | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Małaszewicze and Terespol | Lubelskie | Broad gauge to standard gauge interchange at the Belarus border, the classic China to Europe rail bridge. |
| Łódź Olechów | Łódzkie | Central intermodal terminal linking the textile base to the wider rail network. |
| Poznań Franowo | Wielkopolskie | One of the largest intermodal terminals in the country. |
| Bydgoszcz Emilianowo | Kujawsko-Pomorskie | Newer intermodal site serving the northern corridor. |
| Sławków | Śląskie | Westernmost broad gauge terminal, linking the eastern gauge to the Silesian industrial base. |
Land
Road and rail border crossings| Gateway | Voivodeship | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Świecko, Olszyna, and Jędrzychowice | Lubuskie and Dolnośląskie | Main crossings to Germany on the Berlin and Dresden corridors. |
| Kołbaskowo | Zachodniopomorskie | Western crossing beside Szczecin toward Berlin. |
| Chałupki and Cieszyn | Śląskie | Southern crossings to Czechia. |
| Jakuszyce | Dolnośląskie | South western crossing to Czechia through the Karkonosze. |
| Chyżne and Barwinek | Małopolskie and Podkarpackie | Crossings to Slovakia in the south. |
| Dorohusk and Korczowa | Lubelskie and Podkarpackie | Eastern crossings to Ukraine. |
| Terespol, Kukuryki, and Kuźnica | Lubelskie and Podlaskie | Eastern crossings to Belarus. |
| Budzisko | Podlaskie | Northern crossing to Lithuania. |
| Grzechotki | Warmińsko-Mazurskie | Northern crossing to the Kaliningrad region. |
Border procedure for a commercial garment consignment is set nationally and across the European Union. Confirm the current routing and the declaration channel with a licensed Polish broker before shipping. The Philippines to Poland import guide covers the wider corridor.
Guides That Support a Shipment into Poland
The voivodeship map sets the geography. The pages below carry the corridor, the transport modes, and the transshipment gateways around it.
Voivodeships of Poland FAQ
How many voivodeships does Poland have?
Poland has 16 voivodeships, called województwa in Polish. The present set was created in the 1999 administrative reform, which replaced the 49 smaller voivodeships that had existed since 1975.
What is a voivodeship?
A voivodeship is the highest level of local government and state administration in Poland. Each one is led by a voivode, who represents the central government, alongside a regional assembly and an elected marshal who runs the regional government.
What are the seven macroregions of Poland?
The seven macroregions are the NUTS 1 statistical groupings used for European Union regional policy: Centralny, Południowy, Wschodni, Północno-Zachodni, Południowo-Zachodni, Północny, and Mazowiecki. They are statistical units, not administrative governments.
Which voivodeships hold the main seaports?
Pomorskie holds Gdańsk and Gdynia, the largest container gateway on the Baltic, while Zachodniopomorskie holds the combined Szczecin and Świnoujście complex with ferry links to Scandinavia.
Where does air freight enter Poland?
Warsaw Chopin and Warsaw Modlin in Mazowieckie carry the largest share of national air cargo. Kraków, Katowice, Gdańsk, Wrocław, Poznań, Rzeszów, and Łódź handle regional and freighter traffic.
How does rail freight enter Poland from the east?
Małaszewicze and Terespol in Lubelskie form the broad gauge to standard gauge interchange at the Belarus border, the classic China to Europe rail bridge. Inland terminals at Łódź Olechów, Poznań Franowo, Bydgoszcz Emilianowo, and Sławków distribute containers onward.
Which voivodeships matter most for apparel sourcing?
Łódzkie carries the deepest textile and garment heritage, Mazowieckie is the largest consumer market, Śląskie and Dolnośląskie hold the industrial base, and Wielkopolskie runs the strongest central logistics cluster.
Does a garment shipment need different permits per voivodeship?
No. Import rules, duties, and product safety obligations are set nationally and across the European Union, so they do not change from one voivodeship to another. The voivodeship affects the routing, the gateway, and the final local delivery, not the import rules themselves. Confirm the current requirements with a licensed Polish broker before shipping.
Plan a Shipment to a Polish Voivodeship
Send the garment type, the destination city or voivodeship, and the monthly volume, and the export desk will come back with the routing options, the packing plan, and the documents a Polish importer can file.