Poland has added 15 new towns since 1 January

This brings their total number to 979

Per tradition, Poland updates its administrative maps every New Year. This year, thanks to the high urbanisation trends, the Central European country granted the town status to 15 more settlements. With this change, the total number of towns in Poland is 979, as of 1 January 2023.

New rights, new responsibilities for 15 Polish villages

Granting town rights to Polish villages happens when several factors are in place: a high level of urbanisation, including most inhabitants making a living from non-agricultural activities, good transport connections to other towns, etc. The planned change of rights is previously consulted with their citizens and the municipal and provincial authorities. Receiving town status is an acknowledgement of high levels of development, but also – a commitment to the future.

However, it is often a matter of restoration, rather than granting town rights, as Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki noted at the ceremony which took place at the end of December. "This was a very common practice of the tsarist regime - revenge for the participation or assistance of a town in the January Uprising [a rebellion against the Russian rule, that took place in 1863-4], he said as quoted by the Chancellery. He thus called it a restoration of historic justice.

Here is the list of the new Polish towns as of 1 January 2023:

1. Miękinia (Środa Śląska County, Śląskie Province);
2. Jeżów (Brzeziny County, Łódzkie Province);
3. Dąbrowice (Kutno County, Łódzkie Province);
4. Rozprza (Piotrków Trybunalski County, Łódzkie Province);
5. Ujazd (Tomaszów Mazowiecki County, Łódzkie Province);
6. Książ Wielki (Miechów County, Małopolskie Province);
7. Czarny Dunajec (Nowy Targ County, Małopolskie Province);
8. Latowicz (Mińsk Mazowiecki, Mazowieckie Province);
9. Bodzanów (Płock County, Mazowieckie Province);
10. Jastrząb (Szydłowiec County, Mazowieckie Province);
11. Jadów (Wołomin County, Mazowieckie Province);
12. Włodowice (Zawiercie County, Śląskie Province);
13. Łopuszno (Kielce County, Świętokrzyskie Province);
14. Piekoszów (Kielce County, Świętokrzyskie Province);
15. Miasteczko Krajeńskie (Piła County, Wielkopolskie Province).

Out of the 15 former villages, only 3 have never had town rights, according to the press release. These are Miękinia, Łopuszno and Piekoszów.

Receiving town rights is an opportunity for the localities to attract more serious investors and qualify for targeted financial programmes for development.