Standardization of Polish
Geographical Names

Geographical names concerning territory of Poland are established officially. Names of administrative units (voivodships, counties and communes) and their seats are set by acts of Parliament and directives of the Council of Ministers, while names of localities and physiographic features, according to Act of August 29, 2003 on official names of localities and physiographic features, are standardized by the Commission on Names of Localities and Physiographic Features and next approved by a directive of the Minister of Home Affairs and Administration published in the Law Gazette.

Poland has a long tradition in standardization of geographical names. First commission establishing official names was set up after First World War, after regaining independence by Poland. Then works were concentrated on unification of Polish geographical names inside a country, which was under Partitions for almost 150 years. Standardization works were resumed after Second World War, setting up in 1946 the Commission on Standardization of Names of Localities. In 1948 its competences became wider, and polonization of geographical names on Regained Lands (western and northern Poland) was then its priority. In a relatively short period (1946 – 1951) Polish names for these regions were determined. Since 1951 till 1975 the aim of the works of the Commission was to collect, prepare and publish geographical names at the rest part of Poland. Three-volume List of official names of localities in Poland, published in 1982, was the result of these works. At present the works are concentrated on giving opinions and approving changes of names proposed by local authorities.

According to international obligations Poland should make accessible national decisions and publications concerning geographical names to other countries. It is done, within Group of UN Experts on Geographical Names, by the Commission on Standardization of Geographical Names Outside Republic of Poland. The Commission is responsible, according to Directive of the Minister of Home Affairs and Administration from March 24, 2000 on form and scope of activity of the Polish Geodetic and Cartographic Council and the Commission on Standardization of Geographical Names Outside Poland and on rules of paying their members, for international collaboration related to standardization of geographical names.