Greater Poland (also Great Poland; Polish: Wielkopolska, German: Grosspolen, Latin: Polonia Maior) is one of the historical regions of Poland. It is located in western-central Poland, encompassing much of the area drained by the Warta River and its tributaries.

The Greater Poland Voivodship (in Polish województwo wielkopolskie) is an administrative region or voivodship of western-central Poland It was created on 1 January 1999 out of the former Poznan, Kalisz, Konin, Pila and Leszno voivodships as a result of Local Government Reorganization Act of 1998. The voivodship's name recalls the region's traditional name of Greater Poland(Wielkopolska).

It is second in area and third in population among the country's sixteen voivodships, with 29,826 km² and 3.4 million inhabitants. Its principal cities are:

Its principal cities are Poznan, Leszno, Kalisz and Gniezno. Most of the historical region (except some southwestern communities) is included the Greater Poland voivodship (administrative province) created in 1999.

Name of the region

Greater Poland (Wielkopolska) was the core of the early medieval Polish state, often called the cradle of Poland, and at times was called simply Poland (in Latin: Polonia). The name of Greater Poland is mentioned first in Latin form Polonia Maior in 1257, and in Polish form w Wielkej Polszcze in 1449. The name of the region can be understool as the Old Poland as opposed to the New Poland (Lesser Poland, Małopolska, Polonia Minor, a region in south-eastern Poland with Kraków as its capital) and in opposition to the whole Poland as a state and country.

Major cities and towns

(population 2003)

• Poznań (581,200)
• Kalisz (106,500)
• Konin, Poland (83,600)
• Piła (76,800)
• Ostrow Wielkopolski (74,500)
• Gniezno (71,600)
• Leszno (63,500)
• Srem (31,000)
• Turek (30,700)
• Krotoszyn (29,100)
• Wrzesnia (28,900)
• Swarzedz (28,200)
• Jarocin (26,000)
• Koscian (24,500)
• Wągrowiec (24,500)
• Kolo (24,300)
• Lubon (23,800)
• Sroda Wielkopolska (22,200)
• Rawicz (21,700)
• Gostyn (20,800)
• Chodzież (20,500)

Administrative division

• Chodziez County , Chodziez
• Czarnkow-Trzcianka County, Czarnkow
• Gniezno County , Gniezno
• Gostyn County , Gostyn
• Grodzisk Wielkopolski County , Grodzisk Wielkopolski
• Jarocin County , Jarocin
• Kalisz City County
• Kalisz County , Kalisz
• Kepno County , Kepno
• Kolo County , Kolo
• Konin City County
• Konin County , Konin
• Koscian County , Koscian
• Krotoszyn County , Krotoszyn
• Leszno County , Leszno
• Leszno City County
• Miedzychod County , Miedzychod
• Nowy Tomysl County , Nowy Tomysl
• Oborniki County , Oborniki
• Ostrow Wielkopolski County , Ostrow Wielkopolski
• Ostrzeszow County , Ostrzeszow
• Pila County , Pila
• Pleszew County , Pleszew
• Poznan City County
• Poznan County, Poznan
• Rawicz County , Rawicz
• Slupca County , Slupca
• Szamotuly County , Szamotuly
• Sroda Wielkopolska County , Sroda Wielkopolska
• Srem County , Srem
• Turek County , Turek
• Wagrowiec County, Wagrowiec
• Wolsztyn County , Wolsztyn
• Wrzesnia County , Wrzesnia
• Zlotow County, Zlotow

Major corporations

• Jeronimo Martins Dystrybucja sp. z o.o (Biedronka), Poznan
• Grupa Energetyczna Enea SA , Poznan
• Volkswagen Poznań sp. z o.o. , Poznan
• Kompania Piwowarska SA , Poznan
• Selgros Cash & Carry sp. z o.o. , Poznan
• Zespół Elektrowni Pątnów-Adamów-Konin SA , Konin
• Skoda Auto Polska , Poznan
• Philips Lighning Poland SA , Pila
• Eurocash sp. z o.o. , Poznan
• GlaxoSmithCline Pharmaceuticals SA , Poznan
• KDWT SA , Poznan
• Energetyka Kaliska SA , Kalisz
• Amica Wronki SA , Wronki
• Żabka Polska SA , Poznan
• Wrigley Poland sp. z o.o. , Poznan
• Kopalnia Węgla Kamiennego Konin SA , Kleczew
• Aluminium Konin-Impexmetal SA , Konin
• Wistil SA , Kalisz
• miniMal sp. z o.o. , Poznan
• Man Star Trucks & Buses sp. z o.o , Tarnowo Podgorne
• Grupa Raben , Poznan
• Grupa Mahle , Krotoszyn
• Winkowski sp. z o.o. , Pila
• Beiersdorf-Lechia SA , Poznan
• Inter Groclin Auto SA , Wolsztyn+Grodzisk Wielkopolski
• Aluplast sp. z o.o. , Poznan
• Lidl Polska sp. z o.o. , Tarnowo Podgorne
• Kuehne & Nagel sp. z o.o. , Gądki
• Apexim AB SA , Poznan
• Arko PH s.j. , Komorniki
• PHUP Andrzej Szeszycki , Gniezno
• Zespół Elektrociepłowni Poznańskich SA , Poznan
• Hydrobudowa 9 sp. z o.o. , Poznan
• Sanitec Koło SA , Kolo
• H. Cegielski-Poznań SA , Poznan
• Maxer SA , Poznan
• Centra SA , Poznan
• Bridgestone Poland sp. z o.o. , Poznan
• Rehau sp. z o.o. , Przeźmierowo
• Marol sp. z o.o. , Poznan
• Wavin Metalplast-Buk sp. z o.o , Buk
• Solaris Bus & Coach sp. z. o.o. , Bolechowo

Most popular surnames in the region

• 1. Nowak : 35,011
• 2. Kaczmarek : 24,185
• 3. Wojciechowski : 12,928

Further reading

• Zygmunt Boras, Książęta Piastowscy Wielkopolski, Wydawnictwo Poznańskie, Poznań 1983

See also

• Poznań (city)
• History of Poznań (city)

External links

• Greater Poland Voivodship Office
• Greater Poland Local Government Office
• ChefMoz Dining Guide Greater Poland
• Open Directory Project Greater Poland