View source for Lesser Poland Voivodeship

{{short description|Province of Poland}}
{{Infobox state
| name               = Lesser Poland Voivodeship
| native_name        = Województwo małopolskie
| native_name_lang   = pl
| settlement_type    = [[Voivodeships of Poland|Voivodeship]]
| image_blank_emblem = Malopolska.svg
| blank_emblem_type  = [[Brandmark]]
| blank_emblem_size  = 120px
| image_flag         = POL województwo małopolskie 1 flag.svg
| image_shield       = POL województwo małopolskie COA.svg
| image_map          = File:Lesser Poland in Poland (+rivers).svg
| map_caption        = Location within Poland
| image_map1         = POL województwo małopolskie map marked.svg
| map_caption1       = Division into counties
| coordinates        = {{coord|50|3|41|N|19|56|18|E|region:PL-MA_type:adm1st|display=title,inline}}
| coor_pinpoint      = Kraków
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = {{POL}}
| seat_type          = Capital
| seat               = [[Kraków]]
| parts_type         = [[Powiat|Counties]]
| parts              = 3 cities, 19 land counties *
| governing_body     = [[Voivodeship executive board|Executive board]]
| leader_title1      = [[Voivodes of Poland (since 1999)|Voivode]]
| leader_name1       = [[Krzysztof Klęczar]] ([[Polish People's Party|PSL]])
| leader_title2      = [[Voivodeship marshal|Marshal]]
| leader_name2       = [[Łukasz Smółka]] ([[Law and Justice|PiS]])
| leader_title3      = [[European Parliament|EP]]
| leader_name3       = [[Lesser Poland and Świętokrzyskie (European Parliament constituency)|Lesser Poland and Świętokrzyskie]]
| total_type         = Total
| area_total_km2     = 15108
| population_total   = 3404863
| population_as_of   = 2019
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_urban   = 1641189
| population_blank1_title = Rural
| population_blank1  = 1763674
| demographics_type1 = GDP
| demographics1_footnotes = <ref>{{cite web | url=https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/tgs00003/default/table?lang=en | title=EU regions by GDP, Eurostat|access-date=18 September 2023}}</ref>
| demographics1_title1 = Total
| demographics1_info1 = €60.275 billion (2023)
| demographics1_title2 = Per capita
| demographics1_info2 = €18,200 (2023)
| timezone           = [[Central European Time|CET]]
| utc_offset         = +1
| timezone_DST       = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]]
| utc_offset_DST     = +2
| blank_name_sec2    = [[Human Development Index|HDI]] (2021)
| blank_info_sec2    = 0.888<ref name="GlobalDataLab">{{Cite web |url=https://globaldatalab.org/shdi/shdi/POL/?levels=1%2B4&interpolation=1&extrapolation=0&nearest_real=0&years=2019 |title=Sub-national HDI - Subnational HDI |website=Global Data Lab |language=en |access-date=2021-12-13 |publisher=[[Radboud University Nijmegen]] }}</ref><br/>{{color|green|very high}} · [[List of Polish voivodeships by Human Development Index|3rd]]
| blank1_name_sec2   = Primary airport
| blank1_info_sec2   = [[Kraków John Paul II International Airport]]
| blank2_name_sec2   = [[Highways in Poland|Highways]]
| blank2_info_sec2   = [[File:A4-PL.svg|32px|link=A4 autostrada (Poland)]] [[File:S7-PL.svg|32px|link=Expressway S7 (Poland)]]
| website            = {{Official URL}}
| footnotes          = * further divided into 182 [[gmina]]s
| p1                 = [[Kraków]]
| p2                 = [[Nowy Sącz]]
| p3                 = [[Tarnów]]
| p4                 = [[Bochnia County]]
| p5                 = [[Brzesko County]]
| p6                 = [[Chrzanów County]]
| p7                 = [[Dąbrowa County]]
| p8                 = [[Gorlice County]]
| p9                 = [[Kraków County]]
| p10                = [[Limanowa County]]
| p11                = [[Miechów County]]
| p12                = [[Myślenice County]]
| p13                = [[Nowy Sącz County]]
| p14                = [[Nowy Targ County]]
| p15                = [[Olkusz County]]
| p16                = [[Oświęcim County]]
| p17                = [[Proszowice County]]
| p18                = [[Sucha County]]
| p19                = [[Tarnów County]]
| p20                = [[Tatra County]]
| p21                = [[Wadowice County]]
| p22                = [[Wieliczka County]]
| iso_code           = [[ISO 3166-2:PL|PL-12]]
| registration_plate = [[Polish car number plates|K]]
}}
'''Lesser Poland Voivodeship''' ({{langx|pl|województwo małopolskie}} {{IPA|pl|vɔjɛˈvut͡stfɔ mawɔˈpɔlskʲɛ||LL-Q809 (pol)-KaMan-województwo małopolskie.wav}}) is a [[voivodeships of Poland|voivodeship]] in southern [[Poland]]. It has an area of {{convert|15108|km2|sqmi|0}}, and a population of 3,404,863 (2019).<ref name="population">{{Cite web|last=GUS|title=Population. Size and structure and vital statistics in Poland by territorial division in 2019. As of 30th June|url=https://stat.gov.pl/en/topics/population/population/population-size-and-structure-and-vital-statistics-in-poland-by-territorial-division-in-2019-as-of-30th-june,3,26.html|access-date=2020-09-11|publisher=stat.gov.pl|language=en}}</ref> Its capital and largest city is [[Kraków]].

The province's name recalls the traditional name of a historic Polish region, Lesser Poland, or in Polish: {{lang|pl|[[Małopolska]]}}. The current Lesser Poland Voivodeship, however, covers only a small part of the broader ancient Małopolska region, which stretched far north, to [[Radom]] and [[Siedlce]], also including such cities as [[Lublin]], [[Kielce]], [[Częstochowa]], and [[Sosnowiec]].

The province is bounded on the north by the [[Świętokrzyskie Mountains]] ({{lang|pl|Góry Świętokrzyskie}}), on the west by ''[[Jura Krakowsko-Częstochowska]]'' (a broad range of hills stretching from [[Kraków]] to [[Częstochowa]]), and on the south by the [[Tatra mountains|Tatra]], [[Pieniny Mountains|Pieniny]] and [[Beskidy Mountains]]. Politically, it is bordered by [[Silesian Voivodeship]] to the west, [[Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship]] to the north, [[Subcarpathian Voivodeship]] to the east, and [[Slovakia]] ([[Prešov Region]] and [[Žilina Region]]s) to the south.

Almost all of [[Lesser Poland]] lies in the [[Vistula River]] catchment area. The city of [[Kraków]] was one of the [[European Cities of Culture]] in 2000. Kraków has railway and road connections with [[Katowice]] (expressway), [[Warsaw]], [[Wrocław]] and [[Rzeszów]]. It lies at the crossroads of major international routes linking [[Dresden]] with [[Kyiv]], and [[Gdańsk]] with [[Budapest]]. Located here is the second largest [[international airport]] in Poland (after [[Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport|Warsaw]]'s), the [[John Paul II International Airport]].

== Economy ==
The [[gross domestic product]] (GDP) of the province was €40.4 billion in 2018, accounting for 8.1% of the Polish economic output. GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power was €19,700 or 65% of the EU27 average in the same year. The GDP per employee was 72% of the EU average.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/2995521/10474907/1-05032020-AP-EN.pdf/81807e19-e4c8-2e53-c98a-933f5bf30f58|title=Regional GDP per capita ranged from 30% to 263% of the EU average in 2018|website=Eurostat}}</ref>

The region's economy includes [[high tech]]nology, banking, chemical and [[metallurgy|metallurgical]] industries, [[coal]], [[ore]], [[food processing]], and spirit and [[tobacco]] industries. The most industrialized city of the voivodeship is [[Kraków]]. The largest regional enterprise operates here, the Tadeusz Sendzimir Steelworks in [[Nowa Huta]], employing 17,500 people. Another major industrial center is located in the west, in the neighborhood of Chrzanów (chiefly the production of railway engines) and [[Oświęcim]] (chemical works). Kraków Park Technologiczny, a [[special economic zone]], has been established within the voivodeship. There are almost 210,000 registered economic entities operating in the voivodeship, mostly small and medium-sized, of which 234 belong to the state-owned sector. Foreign investment, growing in the region, reached approximately US$18.3 billion by the end of 2006.

== Universities ==
[[File:Jagiellonian University 12.jpg|thumb|left|[[Collegium Maius, Kraków|Collegium Maius]], [[Jagiellonian University]], [[Kraków]]]]
A total of 130,000 students attend fifteen Kraków institutions of higher learning. The [[Jagiellonian University]], the largest university in the city (44,200 students), was founded in 1364 as [[Cracow Academy]]. [[Nicolaus Copernicus]] and Karol Wojtyła ([[Pope John Paul II]]) graduated from it. The [[AGH University of Science and Technology]] (29,800 students) is considered to be the best technical university in Poland. The Academy of Economics, the Pedagogical University, the [[Cracow University of Technology|Kraków University of Technology]] and the Agricultural Academy are also very highly regarded. There are also the Fine Arts Academy, the State Theatre University and the Musical Academy. [[Nowy Sącz]] has become a major educational center in the region thanks to its Higher School of Business and Administration, with an American curriculum, founded in 1992. The school has 4,500 students. There are also two private higher schools in Tarnów.

== History ==
[[File:Nuremberg chronicles - CRACOVIA.png|thumb|left|15th-century view of Kraków]]
In the [[Early Middle Ages]], the territory was inhabited by the [[Vistulans]], an old [[Polish tribes|Polish tribe]]. It formed part of Poland since its establishment in the 10th century, with the regional capital [[Kraków]] becoming the seat of one of Poland's oldest dioceses, est. in 1000, contributing to the [[Christianization of Poland]]. In 1038, Kraków became the capital of Poland by decision of [[Casimir I the Restorer]], retaining its role for several centuries with short-term breaks. It also became the location of the [[Jagiellonian University]], Poland's oldest university and one of world's oldest, established by King [[Casimir III the Great]]. In the [[Late Middle Ages]], [[Oświęcim]] and [[Zator, Lesser Poland Voivodeship|Zator]] were ducal seats of local lines of the [[Piast dynasty]]. Following the late-18th-century [[Partitions of Poland]], the region witnessed several uprisings against foreign rule, i.e. the [[Kościuszko Uprising]] of 1794, [[Kraków uprising]] of 1846 and [[January Uprising]] of 1863–1864, and Kraków remained one of the main cultural centers of partitioned Poland, taking advantage of the more relaxed policies of the [[Austro-Hungary|Austrian]] partitioners than those of the [[Kingdom of Prussia|Prussians]] and [[Russian Empire|Russians]]. In the [[interbellum]], the region was part of reborn independent Poland.

During [[World War II]], it was [[Occupation of Poland (1939–1945)|occupied by Germany]], with the occupiers committing their genocidal policies against [[Nazi crimes against the Polish nation|Poles]] and [[The Holocaust|Jews]] in the region, massacring civilians and prisoners of war, including at [[Szczucin massacre|Szczucin]] and [[Bloody Wednesday of Olkusz|Olkusz]], operating prisons, [[Forced labour under German rule during World War II|forced labour]] camps and, most notably, the [[Auschwitz concentration camp]] with a network of subcamps in various localities. There was also a [[German prisoner-of-war camps in World War II|German prisoner-of-war camp]] for [[French prisoners of war in World War II|French]], Belgian, Dutch and Soviet prisoners of war.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Banaś|first1=Jan|last2=Fijałkowska|first2=Grażyna|year=2006|title=Miejsca Pamięci Narodowej na terenie Podgórza|location=Kraków|language=pl|page=30}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Megargee|first1=Geoffrey P.|last2=Overmans|first2=Rüdiger|last3=Vogt|first3=Wolfgang|year=2022|title=The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos 1933–1945. Volume IV|publisher=Indiana University Press, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum|pages=374|isbn=978-0-253-06089-1}}</ref> 

The Lesser Poland Voivodeship was created on 1 January 1999 out of the former [[Kraków Voivodeship (1975–1998)|Kraków]], [[Tarnów Voivodeship|Tarnów]], [[Nowy Sącz Voivodeship|Nowy Sącz]] and parts of [[Bielsko-Biała Voivodeship|Bielsko-Biała]], [[Katowice Voivodeship|Katowice]], [[Kielce Voivodeship|Kielce]] and [[Krosno Voivodeship|Krosno]] Voivodeships, pursuant to the [[Polish local government reforms]] adopted in 1998.

== Climate ==
Located in Southern [[Poland]], Lesser Poland is the warmest place in Poland with average summer temperatures between {{convert|23|C|F}} and {{convert|30|C|F}} during the day, often reaching {{convert|32|C|F}} to {{convert|38|C|F}} in July and August, the two warmest months of the year. The city of [[Tarnów]], which is located in [[Lesser Poland]], is the hottest place in Poland all year round, average temperatures being around {{convert|25|C|F}} during the day in the three summer months and {{convert|3|C|F}} during the day in the three winter months. In the winter the weather patterns alter each year; usually winters are mildly cold with temperatures ranging from {{convert|-7|C|F}} to {{convert|4|C|F}}, but the winter season changes often to a more humid and warmer winter, or more continental and cold, depending on the many various wind patterns that affect Poland from different regions of the world. [[Błędów Desert]], the only desert in Poland, is located in Lesser Poland, where temperatures can often reach {{convert|38|C|F}} in the summer.

== Tourism ==
[[File:Wieliczka salt mine.jpg|thumb|left|[[Wieliczka Salt Mine]], [[UNESCO World Heritage Site]]]]
Lesser Poland Voivodeship is the voivodeship with the highest number of [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site]]s in Poland with six entries, encompassing the [[Kraków]] Old Town with the [[Wawel|Wawel Royal Castle]], former main royal residence and burial site of Polish monarchs, the old salt mines of [[Bochnia Salt Mine|Bochnia]] (Europe's oldest) and [[Wieliczka Salt Mine|Wieliczka]], the pilgrimage town of [[Kalwaria Zebrzydowska]], the former Nazi German concentration camp [[Auschwitz]] in [[Oświęcim]], the [[wooden churches of Southern Lesser Poland]], and the [[wooden Tserkvas of the Carpathian Region in Poland and Ukraine]].

Four national parks and numerous reserves have been established in the voivodeship to protect the environment of [[Lesser Poland]]. The region has areas for tourism and recreation, including [[Zakopane]] (Poland's most popular winter resort) and the Tatra, [[Pieniny]] and Beskidy Mountains. There are ten [[spa town]]s: [[Krynica-Zdrój]], [[Muszyna]], [[Piwniczna-Zdrój]], [[Rabka-Zdrój]], [[Szczawnica]], [[Wapienne]], [[Wieliczka]], [[Wysowa-Zdrój]], [[Zakopane]], [[Żegiestów]]. The natural landscape features many historic sites.
[[File:DJI 0332 Wawel.jpg|thumb|[[Wawel Castle]] in Kraków, [[UNESCO World Heritage Site]]]]

The voivodeship is rich in historic architecture ranging from [[Romanesque architecture in Poland|Romanesque]] and [[Gothic architecture|Gothic]] to [[Renaissance architecture|Renaissance]], [[Baroque architecture|Baroque]] and [[Art Nouveau]]. Numerous towns possess preserved historic market squares and town halls, as in Kraków and [[Tarnów]]. At [[Wadowice]], birthplace of John Paul II (50 kilometers southwest of Kraków) is a museum dedicated to the late pope's childhood.

The voivodeship, especially Kraków, is home to various museums, art galleries and cultural institutions. Major museums include the [[National Museum in Kraków]] with the branch [[Czartoryski Museum]], one of the oldest museums of Poland, which contains works by various artists including [[Leonardo da Vinci]], [[Rembrandt]] and Kraków-native [[Jan Matejko]], and the [[Archaeological Museum of Kraków]], the oldest archaeological museum in Poland. There are museums dedicated to painters [[Jan Matejko House|Jan Matejko]] and [[Józef Mehoffer]] at their former homes in Kraków, to composer and pianist [[Karol Szymanowski]] and writer [[Kornel Makuszyński]] at their homes in Zakopane, to writer [[Władysław Orkan]] at his home in [[Poręba Wielka, Limanowa County|Poręba Wielka]] and to writer [[Emil Zegadłowicz]] in his manor in [[Gorzeń Górny]]. [[Manggha]], the largest Polish museum of Japanese art, is located in Kraków.

There are numerous World War II memorials in the province, including a museum at the site of the former [[Nazi concentration camp]]s [[Auschwitz]]-I and Auschwitz-II-Birkenau, as well as the [[Auschwitz Jewish Center in Oświęcim|Auschwitz Jewish Center]], visited annually by a million people. There are memorials at the sites of German-perpetrated massacres of Poles, German-operated [[Forced labour under German rule during World War II|forced labour]] camps, etc.

The voivodeship is abundant in castles, including [[Mirów Castle in Książ Wielki|Mirów]], [[Niedzica Castle|Niedzica]], [[Niepołomice Castle|Niepołomice]], [[Nowy Wiśnicz Castle|Nowy Wiśnicz]], [[Pieskowa Skała]] and [[Wawel Castle|Wawel]].

== List of cities and towns ==
[[File:Church of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven, view from SW, 5 Mariacki square, Old Town, Kraków, Poland.jpg|thumb|[[Kraków]], capital of Lesser Poland and former capital of Poland]]
[[File:Ratusz w Tarnowie 1.jpg|thumb|[[Tarnów]], second-largest city in the voivodeship, considered the warmest city of Poland, with the highest long-term mean annual temperature]]
[[File:N. Sącz św Ducha.jpg|thumb|[[Nowy Sącz]], largest city of [[Beskid Sądecki]]]]
[[File:02021 0870 Market Square in Oświęcim.jpg|thumb|[[Oświęcim]], former ducal seat of the [[Piast dynasty]]]]
[[File:Chrzanow rynek.jpg|thumb|[[Chrzanów]]]]
[[File:Olkusz 02.jpg|thumb|[[Olkusz]]]]
[[File:Nt-223.jpg|thumb|[[Nowy Targ]]]]
[[File:Widok układu urbanistycznego Bochni z wieży kościoła farnego.jpg|thumb|[[Bochnia]]]]
{{historical populations|1988|3087613|2002|3232408|2011|3337471|2021|3432995|align=right|cols=1|source=<ref>{{cite web |title=Statistics Poland - National Censuses|url=https://bdl.stat.gov.pl/bdl/dane/podgrup/temat/}}</ref>}}The voivodeship contains 4 cities and 58 towns. These are listed below in descending order of population (according to official figures for 2019<ref name="population" />):
{{columns-list|colwidth=20em|
'''Cities (governed by a city mayor or ''prezydent miasta''):'''
# [[Kraków]] (774,839)
# [[Tarnów]] (108,580)
# [[Nowy Sącz]] (83,813)
# [[Oświęcim]] (38,120)

'''Towns:'''
# [[Chrzanów]] (36,717)
# [[Olkusz]] (35,421)
# [[Nowy Targ]] (33,357)
# [[Bochnia]] (29,814)
# [[Gorlice]] (27,442)
# [[Zakopane]] (27,078)
# [[Skawina]] (24,340)
# [[Andrychów]] (20,143)
# [[Kęty]] (18,705)
# [[Wadowice]] (18,778)
# [[Wieliczka]] (23,565)
# [[Trzebinia]] (19,778)
# [[Myślenice]] (18,349)
# [[Libiąż]] (17,017)
# [[Brzesko]] (16,792)
# [[Limanowa]] (15,157)
# [[Rabka-Zdrój]] (12,746)
# [[Brzeszcze]] (11,185)
# [[Miechów]] (11,612)
# [[Dąbrowa Tarnowska]] (11,889)
# [[Krynica-Zdrój]] (10,635)
# [[Bukowno]] (10,141)
# [[Krzeszowice]] (10,014)
# [[Sucha Beskidzka]] (9,114)
# [[Wolbrom]] (8,561)
# [[Chełmek]] (9,073)
# [[Stary Sącz]] (9,071)
# [[Niepołomice]] (13,276)
# [[Mszana Dolna]] (7,944)
# [[Szczawnica]] (5,732)
# [[Tuchów]] (6,627)
# [[Sułkowice]] (6,637)
# [[Proszowice]] (5,976)
# [[Dobczyce]] (6,444)
# [[Grybów]] (6,026)
# [[Maków Podhalański]] (5,841)
# [[Piwniczna-Zdrój]] (5,884)
# [[Jordanów]] (5,346)
# [[Muszyna]] (4,800)
# [[Biecz]] (4,590)
# [[Kalwaria Zebrzydowska]] (4,496)
# [[Słomniki]] (4,343)
# [[Żabno]] (4,234)
# [[Szczucin]] (4,157)
# [[Zator, Lesser Poland Voivodeship|Zator]] (3,677)
# [[Skała]] (3,798)
# [[Alwernia]] (3,368)
# [[Wojnicz]] (3,328)
# [[Bobowa]] (3,136)
# [[Radłów]] (2,765)
# [[Ryglice]] (2,839)
# [[Nowy Wiśnicz]] (2,757)
# [[Ciężkowice]] (2,473)
# [[Czchów]] (2,345)
# [[Świątniki Górne]] (2,431)
# [[Nowe Brzesko]] (1,663)
# [[Zakliczyn]] (1,631)
# [[Koszyce, Lesser Poland Voivodeship|Koszyce]] (779)
}}

== Administrative division ==
Lesser Poland Voivodeship is divided into 22 counties ([[powiat]]s): 3 city counties and 19 land counties. These are further divided into 182 [[gmina]]s.

The counties are listed in the following table (ordering within categories is by decreasing population).

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%"
|-bgcolor="#D0D8DD"
| align="center"|'''English and<br />Polish names'''
| align="center"|'''Area<br /><small>(km<sup>2</sup>)</small>'''
| align="center"|'''Population<br /><small>(2019)</small>'''
| align="center"|'''Seat'''
| width="30%" align="center"|'''Other towns'''
| align="center"|'''Total<br />[[gmina]]s'''
|-bgcolor="#F0F8FF"
|colspan=6|'''City counties'''
|-
| [[Kraków]]
| align="right"|327
| align="right"|774,839
| colspan=2 |
| align="center"|1
|-
| [[Tarnów]]
| align="right"|72
| align="right"|108,580
| colspan=2 |
| align="center"|1
|-
| [[Nowy Sącz]]
| align="right"|57
| align="right"|83,813
| colspan=2 |
| align="center"|1
|-bgcolor="#F0F8FF"
|colspan=6|'''Land counties'''
|-
|[[Kraków County]]<br />powiat krakowski
| align="right"| 1,230
| align="right"|278,219
|[[Kraków]] *
|[[Skawina]], [[Krzeszowice]], [[Słomniki]], [[Skała]], [[Świątniki Górne]]
| align="center"|17
|-
|[[Nowy Sącz County]]<br />powiat nowosądecki
| align="right"| 1,550
| align="right"|216,429
|[[Nowy Sącz]] *
|[[Krynica-Zdrój]], [[Stary Sącz]], [[Grybów]], [[Piwniczna-Zdrój]], [[Muszyna]]
| align="center"|16
|-
|[[Tarnów County]]<br />powiat tarnowski
| align="right"| 1,413
| align="right"|201,509
|[[Tarnów]] *
|[[Tuchów]], [[Żabno]], [[Wojnicz]], [[Radłów]], [[Ryglice]], [[Ciężkowice]], [[Zakliczyn]]
| align="center"|16
|-
|[[Nowy Targ County]]<br />powiat nowotarski
| align="right"| 1,475
| align="right"|191,669
|[[Nowy Targ]]
|[[Rabka-Zdrój]], [[Szczawnica]]
| align="center"|14
|-
|[[Wadowice County]]<br />powiat wadowicki
| align="right"| 646
| align="right"|160,080
|[[Wadowice]]
|[[Andrychów]], [[Kalwaria Zebrzydowska]]
| align="center"|10
|-
|[[Oświęcim County]]<br />powiat oświęcimski
| align="right"| 406
| align="right"|153,632
|[[Oświęcim]]
|[[Kęty]], [[Brzeszcze]], [[Chełmek]], [[Zator, Lesser Poland Voivodeship|Zator]]
| align="center"|9
|-
|[[Chrzanów County]]<br />powiat chrzanowski
| align="right"| 371
| align="right"|124,937
|[[Chrzanów]]
|[[Trzebinia]], [[Libiąż]], [[Alwernia]]
| align="center"|5
|-
|[[Limanowa County]]<br />powiat limanowski
| align="right"| 952
| align="right"|131,729
|[[Limanowa]]
|[[Mszana Dolna]]
| align="center"|12
|-
|[[Myślenice County]]<br />powiat myślenicki
| align="right"| 673
| align="right"|127,262
|[[Myślenice]]
|[[Sułkowice]], [[Dobczyce]]
| align="center"|9
|-
|[[Olkusz County]]<br />powiat olkuski
| align="right"| 622
| align="right"|111,655
|[[Olkusz]]
|[[Bukowno]], [[Wolbrom]]
| align="center"|6
|-
|[[Gorlice County]]<br />powiat gorlicki
| align="right"| 967
| align="right"|108,938
|[[Gorlice]]
|[[Biecz]], [[Bobowa]]
| align="center"|10
|-
|[[Wieliczka County]]<br />powiat wielicki
| align="right"| 428
| align="right"|127,970
|[[Wieliczka]]
|[[Niepołomice]]
| align="center"|5
|-
|[[Bochnia County]]<br />powiat bocheński
| align="right"| 649
| align="right"|106,626
|[[Bochnia]]
|[[Nowy Wiśnicz]]
| align="center"|9
|-
|[[Brzesko County]]<br />powiat brzeski
| align="right"| 590
| align="right"|93,139
|[[Brzesko]]
|[[Czchów]]
| align="center"|7
|-
|[[Sucha County]]<br />powiat suski
| align="right"| 686
| align="right"|84,160
|[[Sucha Beskidzka]]
|[[Maków Podhalański]], [[Jordanów]]
| align="center"|9
|-
|[[Tatra County]]<br />powiat tatrzański
| align="right"| 472
| align="right"|68,135
|[[Zakopane]]
|
| align="center"|5
|-
|[[Dąbrowa County]]<br />powiat dąbrowski
| align="right"| 530
| align="right"|59,227
|[[Dąbrowa Tarnowska]]
|[[Szczucin]]
| align="center"|7
|-
|[[Miechów County]]<br />powiat miechowski
| align="right"| 677
| align="right"|48,948
|[[Miechów]]
|
| align="center"|7
|-
|[[Proszowice County]]<br />powiat proszowicki
| align="right"| 415
| align="right"|43,367
|[[Proszowice]]
|[[Nowe Brzesko]], [[Koszyce, Lesser Poland Voivodeship|Koszyce]]
| align="center"|6
|-bgcolor="F0F8FF"
|colspan=6 style="text-align:center;font-size:90%"|* seat not part of the county
|-
|}

== Protected areas ==
[[File:PL Szczawnica Dom Nad Zdrojami.JPG|thumb|right|The spa town of [[Szczawnica]] in the [[Pieniny Mountains]]]]
[[Image:CzarnyStawZakopane.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Czarny Staw pod Rysami|Czarny Staw]] in the [[High Tatras]]]]
[[Protected area]]s in Lesser Poland Voivodeship include six [[National Park]]s and 11 [[Landscape Park (Poland)|Landscape Parks]]. These are listed below.
* [[Babia Góra National Park]] (a [[UNESCO]]-designated [[biosphere reserve]])
* [[Gorce National Park]]
* [[Magura National Park]] (partly in [[Subcarpathian Voivodeship]])
* [[Ojców National Park]]
* [[Pieniny National Park (Poland)|Pieniny National Park]]
* [[Tatra National Park, Poland|Tatra National Park]] (part of a UNESCO biosphere reserve shared with [[Slovakia]])
* [[Bielany-Tyniec Landscape Park]]
* [[Ciężkowice-Rożnów Landscape Park]]
* [[Dłubnia Landscape Park]]
* [[Eagle Nests Landscape Park]] (partly in [[Silesian Voivodeship]])
* [[Kraków Valleys Landscape Park]]
* [[Little Beskids Landscape Park]] (partly in Silesian Voivodeship)
* [[Pasmo Brzanki Landscape Park]] (partly in Subcarpathian Voivodeship)
* [[Poprad Landscape Park]]
* [[Rudno Landscape Park]]
* [[Tenczynek Landscape Park]]
* [[Wiśnicz-Lipnica Landscape Park]]

== Symbols ==
Lesser Poland Voivodeship's symbols can be blazoned as follows:

Coat of arms: 
''A traditional Iberian shield gules, an eagle argent displayed armed, legged, beaked, langued and crowned Or.''

Flag:
''Per fess argent and gules, a narrow fess Or.''

== Cuisine ==
[[File:Obwarzanek mak.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|[[Obwarzanek krakowski]], traditional street food of Kraków]]
In addition to traditional nationwide [[Polish cuisine]], the voivodeship is known for its variety of regional and local [[traditional food]]s, which include especially various [[cheese]]s, including the [[Bundz]], [[Oscypek]] and [[Bryndza Podhalańska]] from mountain areas, meat products, especially local types of [[kiełbasa]] and [[bacon]], [[honey]]s and various dishes and meals, officially protected by the [[Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (Poland)|Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Poland]]. There are local types of [[pierogi]], [[kluski]], [[Kolach (bread)|kołacz]] and various [[soup]]s. Local specialities include [[obwarzanek krakowski]] and [[krówki]] from [[Regulice, Lesser Poland Voivodeship|Regulice]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.pl/web/rolnictwo/krowka-regulicka|title=Krówka regulicka|website=Ministerstwo Rolnictwa i Rozwoju Wsi - Portal Gov.pl|accessdate=27 May 2024|language=pl}}</ref>

Local beverages include several types of [[nalewka|nalewki]] and [[śliwowica]], including [[Śliwowica łącka]].

== Most popular surnames in the region ==
{{unsourced section|date=May 2025}}
# [[Nowak]]: 23,671
# [[Wójcik]]: 13,347
# [[Zając (disambiguation)|Zając]]: 10,206

== International relations ==
The Lesser Poland Voivodeships has partnerships with the following regions:<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.malopolska.pl/samorzad/wspolpraca-miedzynarodowa |title=Współpraca międzynarodowa |access-date=8 March 2020}}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=35em}}
*[[Thuringia]] (Germany)
*[[Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes]] (France)
*[[Prešov Region]] (Slovakia)
*[[Žilina Region]] (Slovakia)
*[[Lviv Oblast]] (Ukraine)
*[[Cluj County]] (Romania)
*[[Sverdlovsk Oblast]] (Russia)
*[[Latgale]], (Latvia)
*[[Jiangsu]], (China)
*[[Andhra Pradesh]], (India)
*[[Uppsala County]], (Sweden)
*[[Kurdistan Region]], (Iraq)
*[[Istria County]], (Croatia)
*[[Adjara]], (Georgia)
{{div col end}}

In February 2020, the French region of [[Centre-Val de Loire]] suspended its partnership with the Lesser Poland Voivodeship as a response to the [[LGBT-free zone|anti-LGBT]] resolution passed by the voivodeship's authorities.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://wiadomosci.onet.pl/kraj/region-centralny-dolina-loary-zawiesza-wspolprace-z-malopolska/7wk8r0s |title=Francuski region zawiesza współpracę z Małopolską. "Jawnie homofobiczna deklaracja" |access-date=8 March 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.leparisien.fr/societe/zones-anti-lgbt-la-region-centre-val-de-loire-rompt-avec-la-pologne-02-03-2020-8270589.php |website=Le Parisien |first1=François-Xavier |last1=Rivaud |date=2020-03-02 |title=Zones anti-LGBT : la région Centre - Val-de-Loire rompt avec la Pologne |access-date=8 March 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.larep.fr/orleans-45000/actualites/zones-anti-lgbt-la-region-centre-val-de-loire-suspend-sa-cooperation-avec-malopolska-en-pologne_13751816/ |title="Zones anti-LGBT" : la région Centre-Val de Loire suspend sa coopération avec Malopolska en Pologne |access-date=8 March 2020}}</ref> In September 2021, the voivodeships's authorities revoked the controversial declaration.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://lifeinkrakow.pl/w-miescie/3341,sukces-demokratycznej-opozycji-sejmik-uchylil-deklaracje-anty-lgbt |language = pl |title=Sukces demokratycznej opozycji: Sejmik uchylił deklarację anty-LGBT | access-date = 27 September 2021}}</ref>

== Sports ==
[[File:Park Pilotów, Kraków, 202305 183142 12.jpg|thumb|[[Tauron Arena Kraków]]]]
[[Association football|Football]], [[ice hockey]] and [[motorcycle speedway]] enjoy the largest following and greatest success in the voivodeship. [[KS Cracovia|Cracovia]] and [[Wisła Kraków]] contest the Kraków Derby, nicknamed the [[Holy War (Kraków)|Holy War]], considered the fiercest rivalry in Poland and one of the fiercest in Europe. Most accomplished hockey teams are [[Podhale Nowy Targ]], [[Cracovia (ice hockey)|Cracovia]] and [[TH Unia Oświęcim|Unia Oświęcim]]. Top speedway team is [[Unia Tarnów (motorcycle speedway)|Unia Tarnów]].

Since the establishment of the province, various major international sports competitions were co-hosted by the province, including the [[2014 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship]], [[2016 European Men's Handball Championship]], [[2017 Men's European Volleyball Championship]], [[2021 Men's European Volleyball Championship]], [[2023 World Men's Handball Championship]], [[2023 European Games]].

== See also ==
* [[Lesser Polish Way]]
* [[Second Polish Republic]]'s [[Kraków Voivodeship (1919–1939)]]

== Notes ==
{{Reflist}}

== References ==
* [http://www.malopolskie.pl/ Małopolskie Voivodship official site]
* [http://mapy.wrotamalopolski.pl/ Photo- and Topographic Maps of the whole region]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071013013150/http://travel.poland.com/texts/en/t-ap-2.php Poland - Climate]
* [http://www.marr.pl/ Agency for Regional Development of Lesser Poland - MARR]
* [http://www.mit.malopolski.pl/index2.html Tourism Information of Małopolskie Voivodship]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20031009093350/http://www.malopolskie.pl/informator2003/html/index_en.htm Małopolska Province invites]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110513101843/http://republika.pl/polskaphoto/ Photos of Krakow, Tatry, Zakopane]
* [http://www.krakow-info.com/malopol.htm Info about the Smaller Poland - Malopolska Province]

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Lesser Poland Voivodeship}}
* {{wikivoyage inline|Lesser Poland Voivodeship}}

{{Lesser Poland Voivodeship}}
{{Voivodeships of Poland}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Lesser Poland Voivodeship| ]]
[[Category:1999 establishments in Poland]]
[[Category:Poland–Slovakia border]]
[[Category:Rusyn communities]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1999]]