Kościerzyna County (Kashubian: Kòscérsczi kréz, Polish: powiat kościerski) is a unit of territorial administration and local government (powiat) in Pomeranian Voivodeship, northern Poland. It came into being on 1 January 1999 as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and only town is Kościerzyna, which lies 51 kilometres (32 mi) south-west of the regional capital Gdańsk. Its borders equal approximately the borders of the old Marquessate of Berent in the German Empire.

Kościerzyna County
Powiat kościerski
Flag of Kościerzyna County
Coat of arms of Kościerzyna County
Division into gminas
Division into gminas
Coordinates (Kościerzyna): 54°7′N 17°59′E / 54.117°N 17.983°E / 54.117; 17.983
Country Poland
VoivodeshipPomeranian
SeatKościerzyna
Gminas
Area
 • Total1,165.85 km2 (450.14 sq mi)
Population
 (2019)
 • Total72,589
 • Density62/km2 (160/sq mi)
 • Urban
23,776
 • Rural
48,813
Car platesGKS
Websitehttps://www.powiatkoscierski.pl/

The county covers an area of 1,165.85 square kilometres (450.1 sq mi). As of 2019 its total population is 72,589, out of which the population of Kościerzyna is 23,776, and the rural population is 48,813.[1]


Kościerzyna County on a map of the counties of Pomeranian Voivodeship

Kościerzyna County is bordered by Kartuzy County to the north, Gdańsk County and Starogard County to the east, Chojnice County to the south, and Bytów County to the west.

History

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Before the First Partition of the First Polish Republic in 1772, there was a non-town Kościerzyna County Council. During the Prussian partition in 1818–1919, the Prussian district "Landkreis Berent" functioned. In the years 1920-1939 (the Second Polish Republic) and 1945-1975 (PRL) there was a Kościerzyna Land District. In the period of September 1939 - February / March 1945, the area of the county was under German occupation.

In 1920, the county granted to Poland covered the area of 117,698 ha and was smaller than its Prussian counterpart of 6,301 ha, which left for the Free City of Gdańsk (villages of Częstocin, Trzepowo, Gromadzin, Czarna Huta, Borowina, Olszanka, Sucha Huta, and Pawłowo).[2]

Administrative division

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The county is subdivided into eight gminas (one urban and seven rural). These are listed in the following table, in descending order of population.

Gmina Type Area
(km2)
Population
(2019)
Seat
Kościerzyna urban 15.8 23,776  
Gmina Kościerzyna rural 310.2 16,036 Kościerzyna *
Gmina Nowa Karczma rural 113.3 6,992 Nowa Karczma
Gmina Stara Kiszewa rural 213.1 6,810 Stara Kiszewa
Gmina Karsin rural 169.2 6,252 Karsin
Gmina Liniewo rural 110.1 4,596 Liniewo
Gmina Dziemiany rural 125.0 4,391 Dziemiany
Gmina Lipusz rural 109.2 3,736 Lipusz
* seat not part of the gmina

References

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  1. ^ GUS. "Population. Size and structure and vital statistics in Poland by territorial division in 2019. As of 30th June". stat.gov.pl. Retrieved 2020-09-14.
  2. ^ Franciszek Mamuszka, Izabella Trojanowska (1972). Kościerzyna i ziemia kościerska. Wydawnictwo Morskie.