Drawsko County is a unit of territorial administration and local government (powiat

Powiat

A powiat is the second-level unit of local government and administration in Poland, equivalent to a county, district or prefecture in other countries. The term powiat is most often translated into English as "county", although other terms are also sometimes used...

) in West Pomeranian Voivodeship

West Pomeranian Voivodeship

West Pomeranian Voivodeship, , is a voivodeship in northwestern Poland. It borders on Pomeranian Voivodeship to the east, Greater Poland Voivodeship to the southeast, Lubusz Voivodeship to the south, the German federal-state of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania to the west, and the Baltic Sea to the north...

, north-western Poland

Poland

Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...

. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat is the town of Drawsko Pomorskie

Drawsko Pomorskie

Drawsko Pomorskie is a town in Drawsko County in West Pomeranian Voivodeship in northwestern Poland, with 17,440 inhabitants. Originally inhabited by Slavs, the settlement was colonized by Germans during the Middle Ages...

, which lies 82 kilometres (51 mi) east of the regional capital Szczecin

Szczecin

Szczecin , is the capital city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland. It is the country's seventh-largest city and the largest seaport in Poland on the Baltic Sea. As of June 2009 the population was 406,427....

. The county contains three other towns: Złocieniec, 15 km (9 mi) east of Drawsko Pomorskie, Czaplinek

Czaplinek

Czaplinek is a town in Drawsko County, West Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland, with 6,879 inhabitants ....

, 29 km (18 mi) east of Drawsko Pomorskie, and Kalisz Pomorski

Kalisz Pomorski

Kalisz Pomorski is a small town in Drawsko County in West Pomeranian Voivodeship in northwestern Poland with about 4,500 inhabitants. It was founded in ca. 1303.-Twin towns — Sister cities:...

, 29 km (18 mi) south of Drawsko Pomorskie.

The county covers an area of 1764.21 square kilometres (681.2 sq mi). As of 2006 its total population is 58,073, out of which the population of Złocieniec is 13,377, that of Drawsko Pomorskie is 11,465, that of Czaplinek is 6,933, that of Kalisz Pomorski is 3,989, and the rural population is 22,309.

The eastern part of the county contains part of the protected area

Protected area

Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...

 known as Drawsko Landscape Park

Drawsko Landscape Park

Drawsko Landscape Park is a protected area in north-western Poland, established in 1979, covering an area of ....

.

Neighbouring counties

Drawsko County is bordered by Świdwin County

Swidwin County

Świdwin County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in West Pomeranian Voivodeship, north-western Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and largest town is Świdwin, which...

 to the north, Szczecinek County

Szczecinek County

Szczecinek County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in West Pomeranian Voivodeship, north-western Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and largest town is Szczecinek,...

 and Złotów County to the east, Wałcz County to the south-east, Choszczno County

Choszczno County

Choszczno County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in West Pomeranian Voivodeship, north-western Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and largest town is Choszczno,...

 to the south, Stargard County

Stargard County

Stargard County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in West Pomeranian Voivodeship, north-western Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and largest town is Stargard...

 to the west, and Łobez County to the north-west.

Administrative division

The county is subdivided into six gmina

Gmina

The gmina is the principal unit of administrative division of Poland at its lowest uniform level. It is often translated as "commune" or "municipality." As of 2010 there were 2,479 gminas throughout the country...

s (four urban-rural and two rural). These are listed in the following table, in descending order of population.

Gmina	Type	Area (km²)	Population (2006)	Seat
Gmina Drawsko Pomorskie Gmina Drawsko Pomorskie Gmina Drawsko Pomorskie is an urban-rural gmina in Drawsko County, West Pomeranian Voivodeship, in north-western Poland...	urban-rural	344.8	16,537	Drawsko Pomorskie Drawsko Pomorskie Drawsko Pomorskie is a town in Drawsko County in West Pomeranian Voivodeship in northwestern Poland, with 17,440 inhabitants. Originally inhabited by Slavs, the settlement was colonized by Germans during the Middle Ages...
Gmina Złocieniec	urban-rural	194.5	15,571	Złocieniec
Gmina Czaplinek Gmina Czaplinek Gmina Czaplinek is an urban-rural gmina in Drawsko County, West Pomeranian Voivodeship, in north-western Poland. Its seat is the town of Czaplinek, which lies approximately east of Drawsko Pomorskie and east of the regional capital Szczecin.The gmina covers an area of , and as of 2006 its total...	urban-rural	364.7	11,795	Czaplinek Czaplinek Czaplinek is a town in Drawsko County, West Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland, with 6,879 inhabitants ....
Gmina Kalisz Pomorski Gmina Kalisz Pomorski Gmina Kalisz Pomorski is an urban-rural gmina in Drawsko County, West Pomeranian Voivodeship, in north-western Poland...	urban-rural	480.5	7,150	Kalisz Pomorski Kalisz Pomorski Kalisz Pomorski is a small town in Drawsko County in West Pomeranian Voivodeship in northwestern Poland with about 4,500 inhabitants. It was founded in ca. 1303.-Twin towns — Sister cities:...
Gmina Wierzchowo Gmina Wierzchowo Gmina Wierzchowo is a rural gmina in Drawsko County, West Pomeranian Voivodeship, in north-western Poland. Its seat is the village of Wierzchowo, which lies approximately east of Drawsko Pomorskie and east of the regional capital Szczecin.The gmina covers an area of , and as of 2006 its total...	rural	229.3	4,489	Wierzchowo Wierzchowo, Drawsko County Wierzchowo is a village in Drawsko County, West Pomeranian Voivodeship, in north-western Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Wierzchowo. It lies approximately east of Drawsko Pomorskie and east of the regional capital Szczecin.Before 1945 the area was part of Germany...
Gmina Ostrowice Gmina Ostrowice Gmina Ostrowice is a rural gmina in Drawsko County, West Pomeranian Voivodeship, in north-western Poland. Its seat is the village of Ostrowice, which lies approximately north-east of Drawsko Pomorskie and east of the regional capital Szczecin.The gmina covers an area of , and as of 2006 its...	rural	150.4	2,531	Ostrowice Ostrowice Ostrowice is a village in Drawsko County, West Pomeranian Voivodeship, in north-western Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Ostrowice. It lies approximately north-east of Drawsko Pomorskie and east of the regional capital Szczecin.Before 1945 the area was part of Germany...