Staszów County

Staszów County (Polish: powiat staszowski) is a unit of territorial administration and local government (powiat) in Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, south-central Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and largest town is Staszów, which lies 53 kilometres (33 mi) south-east of the regional capital Kielce. The county also contains the towns of Połaniec, lying 17 km (11 mi) south-east of Staszów, and Osiek, 21 km (13 mi) east of Staszów.

The county covers an area of 924.80 square kilometres (357.1 sq mi). As of 2010 its total population is 73,125, out of which the population of Staszów is 15,108, that of Połaniec is 8,227, that of Osiek is 2,001, and the rural population is 47,789.

Demography

According to the 2011 Poland census, there were 73,125 people residing in Staszów County, of whom 49.5% were male and 50.5% were female (out of which the population in townships amounts to 25,336, of whom 48.8% were male and 51.2% were female; and the population of the villageships part of the county is 47,789, of whom 49.9% were male and 50.1% were female). In the county, the population was spread out with 19.8% under the age of 18, 38.7% from 18 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 17% who were 65 years of age or older (out of which the population in rural areas amounts to 19% under the age of 18, 39.1% from 18 to 44, 28.2% from 45 to 64, and 13.7% who were 65 years of age or older; and the population of the villageships part of the county is 20.3% under the age of 18, 38.5% from 18 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 18.7% who were 65 years of age or older).

Staszów

Staszów[ˈstaʂuf] is a town in Poland, in Świętokrzyskie Voivodship (historic province of Lesser Poland), about 54 kilometres (34 miles) southeast of Kielce, and 120 km (75 mi) northeast of Kraków. It is the capital of Staszów County. Population is 15,108 (2010), which makes it 8th largest urban center of the province. The area of the town is 26,88 km²., and its two rivers are the Desta and the Czarna Staszowska. Staszów's coat of arms is the Korab, ancient symbol of several noble families of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. This is because Hieronymus Jaroslaw Łaski of Korab coat of arms, founded the town. Staszów remained in private hands until October 1866. It has a rail station, near the town also goes the Broad Gauge Metallurgy Line.

The name of the town comes from ancient Slavic given name Stanisław, which in the 13th and 14th centuries was used in diminutive form Stasz. It is probable that the first owner of the town was a man named Stasz Kmiotko. Staszów is home to a sports club Pogoń, founded in 1945.