Warmia and Masuria lie in the northern part of the country. The Masurian Lakeland (Pojezierze Mazurskie) where the major part of the region is situated, makes the largest lake area in Poland. The region reaches up to the Vistula Lagoon (Zalew Wislany) embracing part of Zulawy, the Old Prussian Lowlands (Nizina Staropruska) and, to the west, the part of Chelminsko-Dobrzynskie Lakeland. The Warminsko Mazurskie voivodship is bordered to the north by the Kaliningrad District belonging to Russia Western part of the voivodship (Elblag and neighbouring areas) will join a newly formed Baltyk Euroregion, covering the coastal areas of four Baltic states: Poland, Sweden, Lithuania and Russia. The ability to take advantage of its location on the Russian border and the adoption of an appropriate strategy for the eastward expansion of trade and services are the key elements determining the role of the region in the process of European integration. The national road connecting Grudziadz with Augustow runs through Olsztyn, the town of EIbIag lies on a busy route Gdansk-Warsaw.
 
 
ECONOMY
 
      Main industries in the region are: food industry, in particular dairy production (butter and cheese), meat and fish processing, beer making, metal-working, electro-engineering, chemical (tyre factory Stomil in Olsztyn), wood industry and textiles (Ketrzyn). The voivodship's most profitable company is ABB Zamech Ltd. in Elblag. This dynamic private company with the majority of Swedish and Swiss capital achieved over PLN 1 billion in revenue in 1997. Investment attractiveness is strengthened with the Warminsko-Mazurska Special Economic Zone. The economy of the Warmirisko-Mazurskie voivodship consists of over 81,000, mostly small and medium-sized, businesses. Most are involved in trade and services about 31,000, and manufacturing about 8,500. The overwhelming majority of companies (96%) belong to the private sector employing over 233,000 people (56.8% of all the region's employees). Nearly 411,000 people are involved in business in the whole voivodship. Numerous foreign investors are interested in the regions assets. 131 firms, mainly manufacturing and trading, are Polish foreign joint-ventures employing over 4,200 people.
 
 
UNIVERSITIES
 
      Out of eleven universities in the Warminsko Mazurskie voivodship, the Agricultural and Technical Academy in Olsztyn is the oldest. It is also the biggest one, educating 11,000 students. Other important universities include the OIszlyn Pedagogic College and the private Mazurian School in Olecko. The Catholic Church owns a considerable number of schools (Warminski Theological Institute in Olsztyn and two Higher Seminaries in Olsztyn and Elblag). The region is also the seat of the renowned Police Academy in Szczytno.
 
 
TOURISM
 
      Warmia and Masuria, often called the thousand lakes region, are unique in Europe. The voivodship assets include the cleanest air in the country and the beauty of landscape - countless lakes (among others the two biggest Polish lakes Sniardwy -113,8 square km and Mamry - 104,4 square km) and forests cover almost one third of the voivodship. Warminsko-Mazurskie boasts the largest area of reserves in Poland covering over one million hectares. The tourist opportunities in Warmia and Masuria are almost infinite. Medieval castles of the Teutonic Order and bishops, enclaves of untouched nature with its living monuments, landscape parks, picturesque rivers and a thousand lakes are all features of the area. These are located along designated routes, either by bicycle, by boat, by horse or on foot. The region, with its breathtaking countryside, attracts over one million tourists annually. The 125,7 km long canal between Ostroda and Elblag, with its 100 year old operational system of locks, is a major attraction for yachting enthusiasts. The complex of cathedral buildings in Frombork, where Nicholaus Copernicus created his immortal work De revolutionibus orbium coelestium, is a monument of a very special status.