The Zachodniopomorskie (Western Pomerania) voivodship is situated in the north-western part of Poland. It embraces on the north the belts of Szczecin and Koszalin Coastland (Pobrzeze Szczecinskie and Koszalinskie), on the south the Pomeranian Lakeland (Pojezierze Pomorskie). Main river of the region Odra - discharges its waters to the Szczecin Lagoon (Zalew Szczecinski) which is closed on the sea side by Wolin and Uznam Islands Zachodniopomorskie borders Germany on the west. In 1995, the Pomerania Euroregion was established, which actively enacts measures to support investment and economic programmes. It covers a considerable part of the Zachodniopomorskie voivodship on the Polish side and border areas of Brandenburg and Mecklenburg on the German side. Swedish and Danish communes have also expressed a willingness to join the Euroregion. The maritime economy creates opportunities for the future development of the voivodship. The proximity to Berlin and the development of infrastructure is likely to render the Szczecin-Swinoujscie port complex one of the main harbours in that region, providing services for the capital of Germany. Szczecin national airport is used also for international flights, while small airports in Kolobrzeg and Koszalin provide connections to Warsaw. In the capital of the region there is a crossing point of two important international routes: one linking Berlin with Gdansk, and the other from Prague to the port in Swinoujscie. National road runs from Szczecin, via Bygdoszcz and Torun to Warsaw.
 
 
ECONOMY
 
      Zachodniopomorskie is an integral, maritime economy region. Szczecin, together with Swinoujscie, makes the largest port in Poland, which is also one of the largest Baltic harbours. The region has very good conditions for agricultural development, possibly due to the best national agrarian structure. An average farm is about 18 ha, and resembles the size of farms in Western European countries. An acute unemployment problem in the eastern part of the region is mainly related to the collapse of former State Farming Enterprises (PGR Panstwowe Gospodarstwa Rolne). Well developed industries of Zachodniopomorskie include: food (fish processing), meat, sugar, potato products, breweries, chemical, power, paper, wood and furniture. The biggest company of the Zachodniopomorskie voivodship is the Szczecin Shipyard, which in 1996 was 63rd amongst the biggest companies of Central Europe (PLN 2.1 billion in revenue in 1997 and over 8,000 employees). The voivodships economy consists of 130,000, mostly small and medium-sized, companies employing nearly 633,000 people. 97.8% of all businesses belong to the private sector. They employ approximately 58.6% of all employees. Due to its location, Zachodniopomorskie has a great investment potential.
 
 
UNIVERSITIES
 
      There are six public and four private colleges in Szczecin. The public schools are the Technical University, the Agricultural Academy, the Musical Academy, the Pomeranian Medical Academy, the Maritime Academy and the Szczecin University. Two schools, the Technical University and the private Baltic Humanistic Academy are located in Koszalin. At present, over 55,000 young people study in the region's state run colleges. 16,000 students in full time and weekend studies attend private schools in the region.
 
 
TOURISM
 
      The Zachodniopomorskie voivodship is one of the greenest regions in Poland. Forests and related areas cover about one-third of the voivodship's area. Its natural landscape, therapeutic climate, free access to the sea and wide sandy beaches, attract Polish and foreign tourists to Western Pomerania. Two districts determine the region's tourist importance: Swinoujscie and Miedzyzdroje at the western end and Kolobrzeg, Ustronie Morskie and Mielno in the east. Kamien Pomorski, the seat of Western Pomerania bishopric from the 12th until 16th century, is a very interesting sight-seeing place in the region. The Wolin Island, one of the oldest Slav settlements in the country, offers a wonderfully contrasted landscape of sand dunes, lakes, forests, meadows and moors.