Białystok, the capital of Podlaskie Province, is one of the few big European cities placed on the border of Western and Eastern European cultures. It is barely 188 km from Białystok to Warsaw and 54 km to the border with Belarus. 9 road and railway tracks cross here as Białystok is on the way of the international railway route Berlin - Warsaw - St. Petersburg - Moscow. Its location in the neighbourhood of Belarus, Lithuania and Russia, as well as the convenient transportation links, create excellent conditions for the development of economical and cultural contacts with countries of Eastern and Southern Europe. In a few year's time, as the borders of the European Union are extended, Białystok will gain more development opportunities.

Since 1990 Polish economy has been undergoing major transformation changes, aimed at privatisation and specialisation. The situation also applies to Białystok, whose process of economic transformation is subject to the same tendencies and mechanisms as the economy of the whole country, however the structure of the changes being characteristic of the region. The economy of Białystok is dominated by small and medium size enterprises /SME's/, em-ploying up to 5 people. Globally, Białystok has an above countryaverage work efficiency. The historical traditions and geographical location of the city, the conditions of the natural environment, and the quality of the city infrastructure all determine the development and specific nature Białystok's economy.
Among the most important qualities of Białystok are:

• convenient transportation links,
• city's function as the pan-regional centre of administration, finances, industry and culture,
• substantial local labour and trade market (the agglomeration of Białystok has a population of about 350 thousand people),
• centres of science and higher education in the city,
• city's industrial and cultural traditions,
• geographical location: close to the eastern border, in the neighbourhood of three countries: Belarus, Lithuania and Russia,
• location in an environmentally unspoilt region, attractive to tourists.

There are about 80.000 people employed in the city, most of whom work in the following business sectors:

• trade and services - about 21%
• production - about 20% of the total number of the employed
• transportation, warehousing and communication - about 12 %
• financial agencies, real estate and business services, hotels and restau-rants - about 12%
• healthcare and social welfare - about 11%

Food and drink industry plays an important part in the production sector. Moreover, there has been a dynamic development of trade and services noted in recent years. The pace of development exceeds considerably the results of other Polish towns in that respect. This convenient situation of Białystok should be associated with the vigorous trade and tourist contacts with the Eastern neighbours of Poland. Among the sectors which are still developing are: financial agencies, real estate and business services, hotels and restaurants, all employing about 11,4% of the total number of workers. They create an appropriate business environment, thus increasing the attractiveness of our city. There is also a dynamic development of the building industry sector, which employs about 8% of the total number of the employed. Among the significant elements of Białystok's economy are also education, public administration, electrical energy, gas and water supply, which all together employ 14% of the total number of the employed.

The City Authorities play an important role in the process of the city's economic development. The pro-investment policy of the city, which stems from the consistent execution of " The Białystok Development Strategy", ensures the creation of proper economic city infrastructure. A broad offer of land areas for sale also helps local economic development by attracting numerous foreign and local investors, who establish their offices and invest their capital in the city, for example: Binding Brauerei, Philips, McDonald's, International UNP Holdings, Metro AG, Orkla Media Newspapers, Makro Cash and Carry, Statoil, British Petroleum-BP, Shell, Auchan

Białystok is the capital of the north-eastern region of Poland called "The Green Lungs of Poland". The city's location in the unspoilt and attractive region, as well as its rich infrastructure, makes it an appealing place to live, relax and develop tourism. Białystok has several hundred relics of architecture, about 150 of which have been enlisted in the official register. The most important buildings are: Branickis Palace, Equerry's House from 1771r, historical town palaces of factory-owners, the City Hall and sacral buildings, such as the cathedral complex of The Holy Virgin Mary, or the 19th century Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas The Wonderworker. The city has become the base from which visitors set off to other parts of the wide area of The Green Lungs of Poland - to the forests of Białowieska Wilderness, to the swamps of the Biebrza River, to the charming old towns and villages and other sites of the Podlasie region. Several dozen kilometres from Białystok one can find many wonderful plant complexes, unique in Europe. The most popular of them are:

• Białowieski Park Narodowy (Białowieski National Park) - it is the oldest Polish National Park, located in Białowieska Wilderness, which is the habitat of the European bison. It is, in most of its part, under strict protection. The Park has been recognised by UNESCO as a World Bio-sphere Reservation and included on the List of the World Heritage.
• Narwiański Park Narodowy (Narwianski National Park) - a refuge of the unique in Europe species of water-uliginose fowls.
• Biebrzański Park Narodowy (Biebrzanski National Park) - the biggest complex of peat bogs in Eastern Europe; it is also the biggest National Park in Poland.
• Wigierski Park Narodowy (Wigierski National Park) - a lake complex which has maintained its ecological zones; it is the youngest Park in Poland, set up in 1997.
• Park Krajobrazowy Puszczy Knyszyńskiej (Landscape Park of Puszcza Knyszynska) - a charming complex of forests, a remnant of the forests which used to spread on the border of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. PKPK is a place of many forest species, such as the famous mast pine of Supraśl ("supraska pine").

Białystok is also a city of sports. There are several sport pitches and a stadium, as well as an airport where the Białystok Balloon Club and The Aircraft Society of Białystok regularly organise aircraft competitions. There are also competitions of aircraft models organised. Fitness clubs and gyms are to be found in each town district. Three horse-riding clubs situated in the city provide horse-riding opportunities. In the summer, The Water Sports Centre welcomes everybody to take up swimming, canoeing, water bicycling and sailing. Several swimming pools create conditions for swimming the whole year round. Bicycle roads in the city allow for safe cycling. Tennis courts, which spring up in the city and which are available for everyone, are the reason why tennis is becoming an increasingly popular sport among the locals. Winter sports fans can take advantage of the ice rink open in the winter, or of the cross-country skiing areas in the Solnicki Forest, Pietrasze District and the nearby towns of Supraśl and Ogrodniczki.