Central Statistical Office of Poland Information Portal

The Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistical Purposes (NTS) is a list of names of territorial units and their territorial symbols organized into different levels of territorial division of the country used in the process of collecting statistical data, storage, processing and analysis of collected data as well as publication and dissemination of statistical information in territorial breakdown.

The Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistical Purposes (NTS) was introduced by the Decree of the Council of Ministers of 14 November 2007 on the establishment of the Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistical Purposes (NTS) (Journal of Laws No 214 item 1573 with later amendments) and entered into force on 1 January 2008. It was developed on the basis of Regulation (EC) No 1059/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 May 2003 on the establishment of a common classification of territorial units for statistics (NUTS) (OJ L154, 21.06.2003, with later amendments).
 
NTS nomenclature is based on the three-tier division of the country into voivodships, powiats and gminas on the basis of which two additional non-administrative levels were established, i.e. regions and subregions.

NTS nomenclature divides Poland into hierarchically related territorial units on 5 levels, of which 3 levels are identified as regional and 2 – as local.

Regional levels include:
Level 1 – regions,
Level 2 – voivodships,
Level 3 – subregions.

Local levels include:
Level 4 – powiats and cities with powiat status,
Level 5 – gminas, of which urban gminas that are cities with powiat status.

NTS 1 - regions (6 units — grouping together voivodships)
NTS 2 - voivodships (16 units)
NTS 3 - subregions (66 units – grouping powiats)
NTS 4 - powiats and cities with powiat status (314 + 66 units)
NTS 5 - gminas (2479 units), of which urban gminas that are cities with powiat status (66 units)

The number of units at different levels has been given as of 1 January 2013.

The structure of NTS unit groupings, their symbols and the way of notation are based on a system of identifiers and name of units of territorial division of the country, which is a part of National Official Register of Territorial Division of the Country – TERYT