The Podlaskie voivodship is situated in the north eastern part of Poland, with its main part in Podlaska Lowland (Nizina Podlaska) and the northern part in the Suwalskie Lakeland (Pojezierze Suwalskie). The Bug river makes the south border of the region. In the river valleys of Narew and Biebrza flowing through the central part of the region there are vast swamps and marshes. The Augustowski Canal connects basins of the Vistula and Niemen rivers. The voivodship borders with Lithuania on the north and Belarus on the east. International economic co-operation in the voivodship is supported by the structures of the Niemen Euroregion formed in 1997, comprising the border areas of Poland (Suwalki), Lithuania (Alytus, Marjanpol) and Belarus (Grodno region). The Podlaskie voivodship, the most scantily populated area of Poland, is the most ethnically and culturally diverse of all 16 voivodships. In its south-eastern part, the majority of inhabitants are Belarussians. Lithuanians live in the north, near Punsk. A few centuries ago Muslim Tatars settled in several villages on the border of the Knyszyn Woods. Eastern Orthodox Christian believers live along the banks of the Suwalki lakes. Bialystok is situated on the route connecting Warsaw, Grodno in Belarus and Vilnus in Lithuania. The shortest route from Warsaw to Saint Petersburg runs via Lomza and Augustow.
 
 
ECONOMY
 
      Bialystok is the main industrial centre of the region and, next to Lodz and Bielsko-Biala, the largest centre of textile industry. Other important industries in the voivodship are food processing, wood industry, tobacco and beer making. In 1997, the top company in terms of revenue volume was BAT Polska S.A. The Suwalska Special Economic Zone was established to support the economic development of the voivodship. The economy of the Podlaskie voivodship is represented by nearly 65,000, mostly small and medium sized, companies which employ over 328,000 people. About 61,000 people (24,000 businesses) deal in trade and repairs. More people (over 70,000) are employed in manufacturing companies (7,400 businesses). The economy of the whole voivodship is stimulated by cross-border trade. The biggest investor in the region is the international tobacco concern, British American Tobacco Industries Plc, which purchased 33% of the stock of Zaklady Przernyslu Tytoniowego in Augustow.
 
 
UNIVERSITIES
 
      Bialystok University is the biggest regional university, as well as Poland's youngest. The voivodship's capital is also the home to the Medical Academy, the Bialystok Technical University, as well as the Puppet Faculty of the Warsaw Theatre Academy. The voivodship's most dominant private schools offer their students B.A. diplomas (5 in Bialystok, 2 in Lomza and 2 in Suwalki).
 
 
TOURISM
 
      Poland's green lungs are located with in the area of the Podlaskie voivodship, which is one of the cleanest regions of the country. Podlasie is attractive to those who like peace, quiet and close contact with nature. The precious forest areas of the Knyszyn Woods, the Narew River valley, the picturesque Bug River valley and the Biebrza marshes are well preserved and unique in Europe. However, the pride of Podlasie is the last natural reserve of bisons - the Bialowieza National Park, which was added to the sites of world heritage in 1979. In the northern part of the region, tourists are welcome to the lakes (among them the deepest Polish lake Hancza - 108,5 m) and well known resorts of Rajgrod, Augustow, Suwalki and Sejny. The extraordinary Tatar Trail has the unique mosques and Muslim cemeteries. The most important Eastern Orthodox sanctuary in Poland is situated on top of the holy Grabarka mountain.