The region of Mazowsze (Mazovia) lies in the central part of Poland. The Mazowiecka Lowland is entirely situated within its borders. From the north-east to the north-west the voivodship is cut by the Vistula River, which is joined by the Bug and the Narew to the north of Warsaw. The Mazowieckie voivodship is the largest one in the countrys new administrative map, both in terms of area and population. Its reputation and importance is focused on the capital city of Warsaw, which is the seat of chief state governmental institutions. It is also Poland's largest centre of science and culture. The city hosts the largest number of cinemas, theatres, exhibitions, concerts, universities, language schools and entertainment activities. Warsaw boasts the largest international airport in the country. It also lies at the crossroads of railway and road routes, which provide convenient connections with all major cities in Poland, as well as with Berlin, Moscow, Minsk, Prague, Vienna or Budapest.
 
 
ECONOMY
 
      The biggest national companies have representative offices in the Mazowieckie region or in the capital city. Large manufacturing companies and service providers operate from here, thus determining a high volume of generated income and level of employment in Mazowsze Warsaw is the principal industrial centre in the voivodship (Daewoo-FSO automobile factory, Warszawa Lucchini Steelworks, Ursus tractor factory); other industrial towns include Plock, Radom, Siedlce and Ostroleka. The biggest company of the region is Petrochemia Plock S.A. (total income exceeded PLN 12,5 billion in 1997). The area hosts the Technopark-Modlin Mazowiecka Special Economic Zone. There are over 427,000 registered economic entities operating in the voivodship, mostly small and medium sized, of which almost 470 belong to the state-owned sector. Warsaw is the national leader as regards foreign investment. It is here that the largest number in Poland of financial and trade centres, office buildings, hotels and supermarkets are being built. Also the Polish regional companies spend enormous sums on investment. In 1997, Telekornunikacja Polska S.A. invested PLN 3.4 billion, while Petrochemia Plock spent PLN 943.5 million.
 
 
UNIVERSITIES
 
      The Mazowieckie voivodship is the seat of the biggest Polish university and the biggest technical university. Over 50,000 students study at the University of Warsaw, and over 20,000 in the famous Warsaw Technical University. Other state-run schools are the Agricultural University (SGGW), the Warsaw School of Economics, the Special Pedagogic University, the Academy of Catholic Theology, the Christian Theological Academy, the Medical Academy, the Fine Arts Academy, the Musical Academy, the Theatre Academy, the Fire Prevention and Control Academy, and the Military Technical Academy. Outside Warsaw, state-run colleges operate in Siedlce, Radom and Plock. The voivodship has the most diversified range of private colleges There are 34 such schools in Warsaw, 13 of which offer M.A., M.B.A. or LL.M. studies. Major private higher schools in the voivodship can be found, apart from Warsaw, in Plock, Ostroleka and Pultusk.
 
 
TOURISM
 
      Apart from Warsaw, with its numerous reconstructed relics of Poland's imperial past, including the Royal Castle, a scattering of palaces and parks, the restored streets of the historic Old Town, entered by UNESCO in its List of World Cultural Heritage, two other cities of the region stand out with their rich historical past - Plock, the major town of western Mazovia with an interesting cathedral complex; and Pultusk, a lively provincial town north of the capital, which boasts the longest market square in Europe. The picturesque manor-house in Zelazowa Wola, the birthplace of Frederic Chopin, is one of the region's most popular tourist attractions. In the spring and summer, open-air Sunday piano concerts are held here. For nature lovers the biggest attraction is the Kampinoski National Park (the largest in the country) with unique dunes and one of the last moose reserves in Europe.