Localization

The Podkarpackie is located in southeastern Poland. Its border with Slovakia is 134 km long, and with Ukraine – 236 km long. Which means it is the southeastern most Polish province. Furthermore, the Mt Kremenaros (1221 m of elevation) in the Bieszczady is the point where the borders of three countries meet: Poland, Slovakia and Ukraine. The point is marked with the No 1 landmark. Therefore, you could say Poland begins in the Podkarpackie. The southernmost point of Poland is in the Bieszczady, on Mt Opołonek (44º00´N). In the north and the west, the Podkarpackie borders with the Lublin, the Świętokrzyskie and the Małopolskie provinces. The largest Polish river, the Vistula, forms the northwestern border.

The Podkarpackie’s area is 17 844 km², which constitutes 5.7% of the total area of Poland. Around 37% of the area is forest, and the nature and landscape parks form almost 45%. The Podkarpackie is located in the basin of three rivers: San, Wisłoka and Wisłok. The Beskid Niski (Low Beskid) and the Bieszczady form the border of the Baltic and the Black Sea Conglomeration. All the Podkarpackie rivers, except the Strwiąż, are part of the Baltic Conglomeration. The River Strwiąż, flowing through towns like Ustrzyki Dolne, flows into the Dniestr, which is a part of the Black Sea Conglomeration. The Podkarpackie Province rivers are one of the cleanest in Poland, which is why their diversity of fish is amazing. The most popular ones are trout, pike, barbel and pikeperch.

The Podkarpackie Province, formed in 1999 as the result of the Administrative Reform,  is territorially synonymous with the Rzeszów Province (Gorlice District excluded), liquidated in 1975.  In the times of the First Polish Republic, these territories were part of the Bełż, Krakow, Lublin, Russia and Sandomierz Provinces. During the Second Polish Republic, they were part of the Krakow, Lublin, Lviv and Stanisławów Provinces.