The Lodz region is almost entirely situated within the belt of Central Poland Lowlands. The geometrical centre of Poland is to be found in the locality of Piatek (Leczyca poviat). Three major rivers of the region are: the Warta (in the west), the Pilica (in the east) and the Bzura (in the north) The voivodship borders on three large historical areas: Wielkopolska (Great Poland), Malopolska (Little Poland) and Mazowsze (Mazovia). The Lodz region started to develop in the 19th century as a result of rapid industrialisation and dynamic population growth. At that time, Lodz and the neighbouring towns formed one of the largest world centres of cotton fabrics rnanufacturing. Hence, the second largest city in Poland after Warsaw, has been nick-named Polish Manchester. There are two international routes that cross in the area of the voivodship: one running from west to east, linking Berlin, Warsaw, Minsk and Moscow; the other; from north to south, leading from Gdansk, via Lodz, Bratislava, Budapest and Belgrade to Athens.
 
 
ECONOMY
 
      The Lodzki Industrial District is one of the largest in Poland. The scarce regional natural resources include deposits of lignite (near Belchatow) and iron ore (near Leczyca). Fertile black-earth soils are found in the Kutno, Leczyca and Lowicz poviats. The vicinities of Lowicz and Skierniewice are famous for their orchards and horticulture. The voivodship is dominated by the textile industry, but the region's largest companies are power plants. The first one, the Belchatow power plant which produces 20% of all the electricity in Poland, is also the largest lignite-fuelled power plant in Europe. Other strong regional industries include the food-processing, engineering, building materials, glass-making, timber and chemical industries. The Lodzka Special Economic Zone was established to attract investors with preferential tax regulations. The zone covers almost 209 ha of land in four separate sub-areas in Lodz, Zgierz, Ozorkow and Pabianice. The voivodship's economy consists of over 173,000 businesses, mostly small and medium sized, which employ over 860,000 people. Private companies constitute 97.6% of all the businesses The region's biggest employer is a group of 31,600 manufacturing companies, which employ a total of almost 258,000 people. The voivodship has extraordinary investment assets. Business is attracted by the central location of the city of Lodz, the planned construction of the trans European motorway network, which will cross about a dozen kilometres from the city centre, a market of nearly a million customers and well-developed scientific facilities.
 
 
UNIVERSITIES
 
      Lodz is a significant academic centre. Apart from the University of Lodz and the Lodz Technical University, the Medical Academy, the Musical Academy and the Fine Arts Academy, the world-famous Leon Schiller State Film, Television and Theatre School (whose graduates include such acclaimed directors as Wajda, Polanski, Zanussi and Kieslowski) is also found here. The Lodz Military Medical Academy is nationally renowned. The voivodship's capital is the seat of eight private colleges quoted in the Ministry of National Education's register: The region's academic centres also include Lowicz, Skierniewice and Zgierz, where private higher schools are developing dynamically.
 
 
TOURISM
 
      From among numerous touristic attractions of the Lodzkie voivodship, the Lowicz area is quite extraordinary in terms of folklore. Visitors from all over the world come to see its folk customs, original paper cut-outs and wood work, as well as its characteristic costumes. Numerous museums, private galleries and collections of folk art can be found across the voivodship. The 17th century baroque palace in Nieborow, the remarkably preserved, romantic park in Arkadia, the magnificent Lowicz cathedral, the medieval castle in Leczyca or Sulejow Abbey, are only some of the landmarks which enjoy enormous popularity with tourists visiting the voivodship. While in Lodzkie, one can relax in the solitude of the green forests surrounding Spala. Two popular lakes attract ardent anglers and water sport enthusiasts, the Jeziorsko Lake on the Warta River and the Sulejowskie Lake on the Pilica River.