Dolnoslaskie (Lower Silesia) lies in the south western part of Poland. To the south the voivodship is flanked by the picturesque Sudety (Sudeten) Mountains; the northern part of the region, situated in the Odra River valley, is called Nizina Slaska (Silesian Lowland). Along with Wielkopolska (Great Poland) and Malopolska (Little Poland), historical region of Silesia (now comprising three voivodships) was a key component of the early Polish nation. Hence the traditional links of Lower Silesia with Opolskie and Slaskie voivodships. Dolnoslaskie borders Germany and the Czech Republic, which makes economic co-operation with neighbouring countries one of the assets of this region. Two Euroregions function in the voivodship: Nysa (the area between Zgorzelec, Gorlitz, and Liberec) and Glacensis, stretching from Klodzko to Hradec Kralove. The region has prosperous landscape, tourist, therapeutic, economic and cultural assets which create excellent development perspectives. Wroclaw, the capital of the voivodship, is now one of the most rapidly developing cities in Poland. In recent years it has become the regional trade fair centre, as well as an important national financial centre. It hosts a major national airport, which serves also for international flights. Wroclaw is a crossroads of two major international thoroughfares: one linking Berlin, Leipzig and Dresden with Katowice and Krakow, and farther on with Lvov and Kiev in Ukraine; and the other running from Prague to Warsaw.
 
 
ECONOMY
 
      Lower Silesia has abundant natural resources (hard coal, lignite copper and nickel ores) mined by the largest companies in the region - KGHM Polska Miedz S.A. (a copper mine) and Kopalnia i Elektrownia Turow (Turow Mine and Power Plant). The largest deposits of building stones in Poland, mostly granites and basalts are found in the region (Luban, Strzelin, Strzegom) The natural resources constituted the basis for the development of the mining, metallurgical, power, timber, pulp&paper and ceramics industries. Good growth rates are also noted in the mining, textile and food processing industries. A well-developed and diversified industry attracts national and foreign investors. There are three special economic zones within Lower Silesia: Walbrzyska, Legnicka and Kamiennogorska ones. A technological park is being built in Wroclaw. More than 215,000, mostly small and medium sized, economic entities (companies) are registered within the region (out of which approximately 75,000 are based in Wroclaw), 98% of which are private. The ratio of privately owned companies to the working population positions Lower Silesia among the three voivodships where people show the strongest economic initiative (approximately 120 small and medium-sized companies for every 1,000 inhabitants).
 
 
UNIVERSITIES
 
      The region offers an excellent choice of state universities and private colleges. The capital of Lower Silesia is one of Poland's strongest scientific and cultural centres. 80,400 students attended thirteen Wroclaw universities in the 1997/1998 academic year. Although the city takes pride in its outstanding University of Wroclaw, it is also the seat of the Wroclaw Technical University, the Academy of Economics, the Medical Academy, the Agricultural Academy, the Musical Academy, the Fine Arts Academy, the Physical Education Academy and the renowned Tadeusz Kosciuszko Military Academy. Other academic centres in the region are Jelenia Gora (3,600 students), Legnica (2,400 students) and Walbrzych. Students can also attend eight private colleges.
 
 
TOURISM
 
      The region attracts more and more domestic and foreign tourists with its excellent tourist and recreational assets: the Karkonosze Mountains; the Sudety Plateau; the Klodzko Valley resorts; the unique ancient sites of Wroclaw and the Cistercian Trail - Lubiaz, Trzebnica, Krzeszow, Henrykow, Swidnica, Jawor, Ksiaz; and well-known cultural venues, e.g. musical festivals in Wroclaw, Duszniki, Kudowa and Szczawno. The beauty of the highest range of the Sudety Mountains attracts skiing fans and mountain walkers.