Wodzisław County is a unit of territorial administration and local government (powiat) in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland, on the Czech border. It came into being on 1 January 1999 as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and largest town is Wodzisław Śląski, which lies 49 km south-west of the regional capital Katowice. The county contains three other towns: Rydułtowy, 7 km north of Wodzisław Śląski, Radlin, 4 km north-east of Wodzisław Śląski, and Pszów, 7 km north-west of Wodzisław Śląski. The county covers an area of 286.92 km2. As of 2019 its total population is 157,346, out of which the population of Wodzisław Śląski is 47,992, that of Rydułtowy is 21,616, that of Radlin is 17,776, that of Pszów is 13,896, and the rural population is 56,066.

History

Wodzisław area was heavily influenced by the Duchy of Racibórz, Duchy of Wodzisław and Wodzisław State country in the Middle Ages and later. First Wodzisław county was created in 1954. It covered vast area, including current Wodzisław County and Jastrzębie-Zdrój. In 1975 administrative reforms repealed counties (powiaty) in Poland. In 1999 Jerzy Buzek government restored Wodzisław county (without Jastrzębie) along with other counties.

Neighbouring counties

Wodzisław County is bordered by Racibórz County to the west, the city of Rybnik and Rybnik County to the north-east, and the city of Jastrzębie-Zdrój to the east. It also borders the Czech Republic to the south.

Administrative division

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

Sights

Wodzisław Śląski Rydułtowy Radlin

Twin regions

Wodzisław County is twinned with: