definition
strict definition
voivodship
A primary territorial division of Poland governed through regional self-government and state administration.
A voivodship is a primary territorial division of Poland.
Regional self-government operates through an elected assembly and executive, while a voivode represents the national government in the same territory. The two authorities give the unit both regional and state-administrative functions.
A powiat and a gmina are the lower Polish territorial units. Province is a common English comparison, but voivodship is the official English generic term for this Polish class.