A powiat is a second-level unit of the administrative division and local government in Poland, usually translated as county or district. A powiat is smaller than voivodship (województwo), but larger than commune, municipality (gmina). Usually it consist of 5 to 15 communes.
The history of powiats back into 14th century. They were dissolved in 1975, but they were reintroduced in 1999. At present there is 308 so called land counties (powiat ziemski) and 65 city or urban counties (powiat grodzki).
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