Kraków 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 Lesser Poland Voivodeship

Lesser Poland Voivodeship

Małopolska Voivodeship , or Lesser Poland Voivodeship, is a voivodeship, in southern Poland...

, southern 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 city of Kraków

Kraków

Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...

, although the city is not part of the county (it constitutes a separate city county). The county contains five towns: Skawina

Skawina

Skawina is a town in southern Poland with 27,328 inhabitants .Situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship , previously in Kraków Voivodeship .- Twin Towns - Sister Cities :Skawina is twinned with:...

, 12 km (7 mi) south-west of Kraków, Krzeszowice

Krzeszowice

Krzeszowice is a town in southern Poland, situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship. As of 2004, the population of Krzeszowice was 9,993.In 2008, it was selected with 19 villages of Europe -Germany, Poland, Italy and Spain- for the Spanish documentary film "Villages of Europe" Pueblos de Europa,...

, 24 km (15 mi) west of Kraków, Słomniki, 24 km (15 mi) north-east of Kraków, Skała, 20 km (12 mi) north of Kraków, and Świątniki Górne

Swiatniki Górne

Świątniki Górne is a town in southern Poland, situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship , previously in Kraków Voivodeship ....

, 15 km (9 mi) south of Kraków.

The county covers an area of 1229.62 square kilometres (474.8 sq mi). As of 2006 its total population is 244,970, out of which the population of Skawina is 23,691, that of Krzeszowice is 9,942, that of Słomniki is 4,331, that of Skała is 3,693, that of Świątniki Górne is 2,101, and the rural population is 201,212.

Neighbouring counties

Apart from the city of Kraków

Kraków

Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...

, Kraków County is also bordered by Miechów County

Miechów County

Miechów County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, southern 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 only town is Miechów, which lies north...

 to the north, Proszowice County

Proszowice County

Proszowice County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, southern Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat is Proszowice, which lies north-east of...

 and Bochnia County

Bochnia County

Bochnia County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, southern 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 Bochnia, which lies ...

 to the east, Wieliczka County

Wieliczka County

Wieliczka County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, southern 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 Wieliczka, which lies ...

 to the south-east, Myślenice County

Myslenice County

Myślenice County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, southern 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 Myślenice, which lies ...

 to the south, Wadowice County

Wadowice County

Wadowice County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, southern Poland. 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 Wadowice, the birthplace of...

 and Chrzanów County

Chrzanów County

Chrzanów County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, southern 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 Chrzanów, which lies ...

 to the west, and Olkusz County

Olkusz County

Olkusz County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, southern 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 Olkusz, which lies ...

 to the north-west.

Administrative division

The county is subdivided into 17 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 (five urban-rural and 12 rural). These are listed in the following table, in descending order of population.

Gmina	Type	Area (km²)	Population (2006)	Seat
Gmina Skawina Gmina Skawina Gmina Skawina is an urban-rural gmina in Kraków County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. Its seat is the town of Skawina, which lies approximately south-west of the regional capital Kraków....	urban-rural	100.2	41,445	Skawina Skawina Skawina is a town in southern Poland with 27,328 inhabitants .Situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship , previously in Kraków Voivodeship .- Twin Towns - Sister Cities :Skawina is twinned with:...
Gmina Krzeszowice Gmina Krzeszowice Gmina Krzeszowice is an urban-rural gmina in Kraków County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. Its seat is the town of Krzeszowice, which lies approximately west of the regional capital Kraków....	urban-rural	139.4	31,418	Krzeszowice Krzeszowice Krzeszowice is a town in southern Poland, situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship. As of 2004, the population of Krzeszowice was 9,993.In 2008, it was selected with 19 villages of Europe -Germany, Poland, Italy and Spain- for the Spanish documentary film "Villages of Europe" Pueblos de Europa,...
Gmina Zabierzów Gmina Zabierzów Gmina Zabierzów is a rural gmina in Kraków County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. Its seat is the village of Zabierzów, which lies approximately north-west of the regional capital Kraków....	rural	99.6	22,387	Zabierzów
Gmina Zielonki Gmina Zielonki Gmina Zielonki is a rural gmina in Kraków County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. Its seat is the village of Zielonki, which lies approximately north of the regional capital Kraków....	rural	48.4	15,740	Zielonki Zielonki, Lesser Poland Voivodeship Zielonki is a village in southern Poland. It is located in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship and it is also the administrative center of the Gmina Zielonki. It lies approximately north of the regional capital Kraków.-References:...
Gmina Liszki Gmina Liszki Gmina Liszki is a rural gmina in Kraków County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. Its seat is the village of Liszki, which lies approximately west of the regional capital Kraków....	rural	72.0	15,636	Liszki Liszki, Lesser Poland Voivodeship Liszki is a village in Kraków County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Liszki. It lies approximately west of the regional capital Kraków.The village has a population of 1,850....
Gmina Słomniki	urban-rural	111.4	13,589	Słomniki
Gmina Kocmyrzów-Luborzyca Gmina Kocmyrzów-Luborzyca Gmina Kocmyrzów-Luborzyca is a rural gmina in Kraków County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. Its seat is the village of Luborzyca, which lies approximately north-east of the regional capital Kraków....	rural	82.5	13,199	Luborzyca Luborzyca Luborzyca is a village in Kraków County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Kocmyrzów-Luborzyca. It lies approximately north-east of the regional capital Kraków....
Gmina Czernichów	rural	83.8	12,851	Czernichów
Gmina Mogilany Gmina Mogilany Gmina Mogilany is a rural gmina in Kraków County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. Its seat is the village of Mogilany, which lies approximately south of the regional capital Kraków....	rural	43.6	11,141	Mogilany Mogilany Mogilany is a village in Kraków County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Mogilany. It lies approximately south of the regional capital Kraków....
Gmina Jerzmanowice-Przeginia Gmina Jerzmanowice-Przeginia Gmina Jerzmanowice-Przeginia is a rural gmina in Kraków County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. Its seat is the village of Jerzmanowice, which lies approximately north-west of the regional capital Kraków....	rural	68.4	10,432	Jerzmanowice Jerzmanowice, Lesser Poland Voivodeship Jerzmanowice is a village in Kraków County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Jerzmanowice-Przeginia. It lies approximately north-west of the regional capital Kraków....
Gmina Skała	urban-rural	74.3	9,635	Skała
Gmina Wielka Wieś Gmina Wielka Wies Gmina Wielka Wieś is a rural gmina in Kraków County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. Its seat is the village of Wielka Wieś, which lies approximately north-west of the regional capital Kraków....	rural	48.1	9,316	Wielka Wieś Wielka Wies, Kraków County Wielka Wieś is a village in Kraków County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Wielka Wieś. It lies approximately north-west of the regional capital Kraków....
Gmina Świątniki Górne Gmina Swiatniki Górne Gmina Świątniki Górne is an urban-rural gmina in Kraków County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. Its seat is the town of Świątniki Górne, which lies approximately south of the regional capital Kraków....	urban-rural	20.2	8,619	Świątniki Górne Swiatniki Górne Świątniki Górne is a town in southern Poland, situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship , previously in Kraków Voivodeship ....
Gmina Iwanowice Gmina Iwanowice Gmina Iwanowice is a rural gmina in Kraków County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. Its seat is the village of Iwanowice, which lies approximately north of the regional capital Kraków....	rural	70.6	8,292	Iwanowice Iwanowice, Kraków County Iwanowice is a village in Kraków County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Iwanowice. It lies approximately north of the regional capital Kraków....
Gmina Michałowice	rural	51.3	7,729	Michałowice
Gmina Igołomia-Wawrzeńczyce	rural	62.6	7,661	Wawrzeńczyce Wawrzenczyce, Lesser Poland Voivodeship Wawrzeńczyce is a village in Kraków County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Igołomia-Wawrzeńczyce. It lies approximately east of the regional capital Kraków.-References:...
Gmina Sułoszowa	rural	53.4	5,880	Sułoszowa