Editing Lesser Poland (section)

== Economy and industry ==
History of industry in Lesser Poland goes back to prehistoric times, when in [[Świętokrzyskie Mountains]], first [[bloomery|bloomeries]] were constructed. In the Middle Ages, first plants were opened in that area, and as a result, [[Old-Polish Industrial Region]] was created, which was a major industrial region of the [[Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth]]. In the 17th century, first Polish [[blast furnace]]s were constructed in [[Samsonów]] by Italian engineer Hieronim Caccio. Apart from iron products, used for military purposes, Old-Polish Industrial Region also manufactured [[charcoal]] and glass. In 1782, in Poland there were 34 bloomeries, out of which 27 were located in Old-Polish Industrial Region. Another major industrial area of Lesser Poland is [[Zagłębie Dąbrowskie]], where in the 16th century, lead, silver, and [[zinc]] were found. As early as in the 15th century, coal was extracted in [[Trzebinia]] – Siersza, and in the following centuries, especially in the 19th century, several coal mines and steel mills were opened in Zagłębie and in Zagłębie Krakowskie (first coal mine in [[Jaworzno]] was opened in 1792). In nearby [[Olkusz]], the history of zinc mining dates to the 12th century when Casimir II the Just set up a mining settlement. Also, in the towns of [[Wieliczka]] and [[Bochnia]], salt mines were established in the 12th and 13th centuries (see [[Bochnia Salt Mine]], [[Wieliczka Salt Mine]]).

In the 20th century, natural resources were also discovered in central and eastern counties Lesser Poland.
In 1964, the world's largest open-pit sulfur mine was opened in Machów near [[Tarnobrzeg]].<ref>{{cite book| last = Kutney| first = Gerald| title = Sulfur: History, Technology, Applications and Industry| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=O4rzzkUQyzIC&pg=PA131| year = 2007| publisher = ChemTec Publishing| isbn = 978-1-895198-37-9| page = 131 }}</ref> Other sulfur deposits in the area of Tarnobrzeg are Jeziorko, Grzybów-Gacki, and Grębów-Wydza. The mine at Machów is now closed. In the late 1960s, [[Eastern Lesser Poland]] became one of three coal basins of the country, when Lublin Basin was created.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cprm.gov.br/33IGC/1324649.html |title=Resources of hard coal in Polish coal basins |publisher=Cprm.gov.br |access-date=8 October 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930023819/http://www.cprm.gov.br/33IGC/1324649.html |archive-date=30 September 2011}}</ref> Major coal mine in the area is [[Bogdanka Coal Mine|KWK Bogdanka]] near [[Łęczna]], which is the only coal mine in Poland which has continuously generated a profit. Other Polish coal mines located in Lesser Poland are those found in western part of the province, along the boundary with Upper Silesia – [[Janina Coal Mine|KWK Janina]] in Jaworzno, [[Sobieski Coal Mine|KWK Sobieski]], and also in Jaworzno. Copper and silver are extracted in [[Myszków]] (see [[Myszków mine]]).

In the late 1930s, the government of the [[Second Polish Republic]] created [[Central Industrial Region (Poland)|Central Industrial Region]], which was almost exclusively located in Lesser Poland. Currently, within borders of the province, there are following [[industrial region]]s:
* ''Bielsko Industrial Region'' (''Bielski Okręg Przemysłowy''), which includes both towns from Lesser Poland, and Upper Silesia ([[Andrychów]], [[Bielsko-Biała]], [[Cieszyn]], [[Kęty]], [[Pszczyna]], [[Skoczów]], Żywiec),
* ''Częstochowa Industrial Region'' (''Częstochowski Okręg Przemysłowy''), which includes Częstochowa, [[Myszków]], and [[Zawiercie]].
* [[Upper Silesian Industrial Region]] (''Górnośląski Okręg Przemysłowy''). Despite the name, it also includes cities from Lesser Poland's [[Zagłębie Dąbrowskie]] – Sosnowiec, [[Będzin]], [[Czeladź]], [[Dąbrowa Górnicza]], [[Wojkowice]],
* ''Jaworzno – Chrzanów Industrial Region'' (''Jaworznicko-Chrzanowski Okręg Przemysłowy''), with the towns of Jaworzno, [[Chrzanów]], [[Trzebinia]], [[Libiąż]], [[Chełmek]], [[Bukowno]], [[Alwernia]], [[Krzeszowice]],
* ''Carpathian Industrial Region'' (''Karpacki Okręg Przemysłowy''), which stretches from [[Nowy Sącz]], through [[Jasło]] and [[Gorlice]], to [[Sanok]],
* ''Kraków Industrial Region'' (''Krakowski Okręg Przemysłowy'') – the city of Kraków and the towns of [[Wieliczka]], [[Skawina]], [[Myślenice]], [[Bochnia]],
* '' Lublin Industrial Region'' (''Lubelski Okręg Przemysłowy'') – the city of Lublin and the towns of [[Świdnik]], [[Puławy]], [[Łęczna]],
* ''Tarnobrzeg Industrial Area'' (''Tarnobrzeski Okręg Przemysłowy'') – [[Stalowa Wola]], [[Tarnobrzeg]], [[Nisko]], [[Staszów]], [[Janów Lubelski]], [[Gorzyce, Tarnobrzeg County|Gorzyce]], [[Połaniec]], [[Mielec]],
* ''Tarnów – Rzeszów Industrial Region'' (''Tarnowsko-Rzeszowski Okręg Przemysłowy''), which stretches from Tarnów to Rzeszów, with such towns, as [[Dębica]], [[Niedomice]], [[Sędziszów Małopolski]], [[Ropczyce]].

In 2009, [[Polityka]] weekly made its own list of 500 biggest Polish companies. According to the list, second biggest company of the country was [[Polska Grupa Energetyczna]], which, as Polityka stated, is headquartered in Lublin.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lista500.polityka.pl/rankings/show |title=Lista 500 największych polskich firm – Lista 500 |publisher=Lista500.Polityka.pl |access-date=8 October 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111020214628/http://www.lista500.polityka.pl/rankings/show |archive-date=20 October 2011}}</ref> Third biggest company of Poland in 2009 was ''[[Fiat]] Auto Poland'' from Bielsko-Biała. Other Lesser Polish companies which ranked high were: ''[[BP|BP Poland]]'' from Kraków (ranked 12th), ''Emperia Holding'' from Lublin (ranked 26th), [[Kolporter Holding]] from Kielce (ranked 43rd), and [[Żywiec Brewery]] (ranked 44th). Other major companies of Lesser Poland are ''Azoty Tarnów'', [[Bank BPH]], [[Bogdanka Coal Mine]], [[Carlsberg Polska]], [[Comarch]], ''Dębica SA'', ''Huta Częstochowa'', ''Huta Katowice'', [[Fablok]], [[FŁT-Kraśnik]], [[Huta Stalowa Wola]], ''Instal-Lublin'', [[Janina Coal Mine]], [[Jaworzno Power Station]], [[Kozienice Power Station]], [[Łucznik Arms Factory]], ''Nowiny Cement Plant'' near Kielce, [[Połaniec Power Station]], [[PZL Mielec]], [[PZL-Świdnik]], [[Sobieski Coal Mine]], [[Tadeusz Sendzimir Steelworks]].

Since the lands of historical Lesser Poland belong now to different voivodeships, unemployment rate differs from one region to another. In January 2010, in Poland the unemployment rate was 12,7%.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gus.pl/wiadomosc/20100302/bezrobotni-oraz-stopa-bezrobocia-wg-wojewodztw-styczen-2010 |title=Bezrobotni oraz stopa bezrobocia wg województw, styczeń 2010 {{pipe}} GUS.PL – Wiadomości Ekonomiczne i Statystyczne |publisher=GUS.PL |access-date=8 October 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110926033858/http://www.gus.pl/wiadomosc/20100302/bezrobotni-oraz-stopa-bezrobocia-wg-wojewodztw-styczen-2010 |archive-date=26 September 2011}}</ref> In Silesian Voivodeship, eastern half of which is Lesser Poland, it was 9,9%, in Lesser Poland Voivodeship – 10,5%, in Subcarpathian Voivodeship – 16,3%, in Holy Cross Voivodeship – 15,5%, in Lublin Voivodeship – 13,6%, and in Mazovian Voivodeship (southern part of which is Lesser Poland) – 9,6%. In Lesser Poland's cities, the best situation was in Kraków (as for November 2009<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rynekpracy.pl/monitor_rynku_pracy_1.php/wpis.56 |title=Job market in Poland. Unemployment in Polish cities |publisher=Rynekpracy.pl |access-date=8 October 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120323165839/http://www.rynekpracy.pl/monitor_rynku_pracy_1.php/wpis.56 |archive-date=23 March 2012}}</ref>), where 4,1% had no job. In Bielsko-Biała, the rate was 5,7%, in Lublin – 8,8%, in Siedlce – 9,1%, in Tarnów – 9,2%, in Nowy Sącz – 10%, in Kielce and Częstochowa – 10,1%, in Jaworzno – 10,2%, in Dąbrowa Górnicza – 10,3%, in Sosnowiec – 12,2%, and in Tarnobrzeg – 14,3%. The worst situation on the job market (as for November 2009) was in Radom, where unemployment rate was 20,9% (it made Radom second worst city county of the nation, only after [[Grudziądz]]).