Upper Silesia

Upper Silesia (Polish Górny Śląsk, German Oberschlesien, Czech Horní Slezsko) is the south-eastern part of Silesia, a historical and geographical region of Poland (Opole Voivodship and Silesian Voivodship) and of the Czech Republic (Silesian-Moravian Region). The region is situated in the Silesian highlands, between the upper Oder and upper Vistula rivers. The largest city is Katowice, capital of the Silesian Voivodship.

Total population of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Area is 2,930,000.

Major cities and towns

(All in Poland unless otherwise indicated; population figures are for 1995)

Katowice (354,200)
Ostrava (320,000) – Czech Republic
Czestochowa (259,500)
Sosnowiec (249,000)
Bytom (227,600)
Gliwice (214,000)
Zabrze (201,600)
Bielsko-Biala (180,700)
Ruda Slaska (166,300)
Rybnik (144,300)
Tychy (133,900)
Dabrowa Gornicza (130,900)
Opole (130,600)
Chorzow (125,800)
Jastrzebie-Zdroj (103,500)
Jaworzno (98,500)
Myslowice (80,000)
Siemianowice Slaskie (78,100)
Kedzierzyn-Kozle (70,700)
Wodzislaw Slaski (68,600)
Tarnowskie Gory (67,200)
Piekary Slaskie (67,200)
Zory (66,300)
Raciborz (65,100)
Bedzin (63,100)
Opava (62,000) – Czech Republic
Swietochlowice (59,600)
Zawiercie (56,300)
Nysa (49,000)
Oswiecim (44,400)
Knurow (44,200)
Chrzanow (42,100)
Olkusz (40,500)
Brzeg (39,900)
Mikolow (38,900)
Cieszyn (37,300)
Czeladz (36,600)
Czechowice-Dziedzice (35,600)
Pszczyna (34,600)
Myszkow (34,000)
Zywiec (32,300)
Czerwionka-Leszczyny (30,100)
Kluczbork (26,900)
Lubliniec (26,900)
Krnov (25,400)
Prudnik (24,300)
Rydultowy (24,100)
Andrychow (23,100)
Laziska Gorne (23,000)
Bierun (22,100)
Pyskowice (21,900)
Strzelce Opolskie (21,900)
Krapkowice (20,100)
Trzebinia (20,000)

Other cities in Poland: Chelmek, Kety, Makow Podhalanski, Skoczow, Sucha Beskidzka, Ustron, Wilamowice, Wisla, Zator.
Other cities in the Czech Republic: Český Těšín, Karvina, Frydek-Mistek.

Upper Silesia was formerly a province of Prussia, later the Autonomous Silesian Voivodship. The area was also the location of the Auschwitz Death Camp during the Second World War.