Katowice, an Upper Silesian metropolis with 325 thousand inhabitants is the capital city of the Silesian Voivodship and one of the greatest economic,scientific, cultural, political and administrative centre in Poland. It is also regarded as one of the youngest big towns in this region of Europe.

In the past, the dynamic development of Katowice was due to natural conditions favourable particularly for coal - mining, metallurgy and well - developed routes of transport.

The transformation of the political system in Poland and the market economy option of development after 1989 launched in the municipal economics deep technical and technological restructuring processes as well as organization and ownership transformation of economic entities.

Transforming the city into a national and regional centre of finance, modern manufacture, services, science and culture is strategic goal for the town deve-lopment. Katowice is already becoming a place of substantial investment (transport routes, banks, hipermarkets, office buildings, the culture and science centres, filling stations, hotels, multicinemas, multifunctional complexes), which gradually implements the approved goals and adopted trends of the city development as well as proves the attractiveness of Katowice for the domestic and foreign investors.

The main source of financing the investments important for Katowice beside the resources from the municipal and state budget are funds from various assistance programmes, foreign credits (e.g. those taken up in the European Investment Bank) as well as private capital - both the national and the foreign ones.

In the end of the year 2002 in result of the rating carried out by the Fitch Rating Agency from London, the creditworthiness of the city of Katowice was graded to the highest rating. However, in a ranking of gminas - city powitas (powiaty grodzkie) published by the "Rzeczpospolita" newspaper, Katowice took a first place as regards a developmental potential.

Some of the proposals concerning the investments in the city of Katowice have still been opened to the prospective investors. There are among them the offers of great importance for the sustainable development of city. Among the present offers first priority is given to construction of multistorey garages and carparks in the central zone of the city.

The investors are also required in the following spheres:

• housing oriented on renting accommodation units by families of low income;
• building swimming - pool and recreational complexes with a strong focus put on the high standard swimming pools;
• restructuring of the Marketplace;
• implementation of the project related to the site planning of the Council of Europe Square;
• building the Central Bus Station;
• restructuring the square in front of the main railway station in Katowice;
• building and running comfortable houses for old people desposing of high income;
• modernization of the highly degraded housing substance possessing to a great extent - the historic values;
• industrial site - planning released by collieries and steelworks undergoing the restructuring process; holding shares of the state enterprises functioning on the premises of the city, which under go the process of privatization.

Numerous opportunities rest also in the scope of the commercial and technological collaboration as well as further development of the cooperative relations as such which is offered by the firms and companies headquatered in Katowice.

The investors interested in an active participation in developing of the aforementioned domains can count on any facilities on the part of the Katowice City Hall.

Katowice is not only a big economic centre, but also an important centre of science and culture. There are 18 academic schools (private and state owned) with approx 80 000 students located here. There are also numerous research institutes of the Polish Academy of Sciences.

The plant reserve "OCHOJEC"
in the Ślepiotka valley in Katowice-Ochojec, of an area of 26.77 hectares, established in 1982 - a relic colony of mountainous plants. A sanctuary of mountainous species, 231 species of vascular plants, 40 protected animal species. A mixed continental forest.

Forest reserve "LAS MURCKOWSKI"
in Katowice-Murcki, of an area of 102.56 ha, established in 1953 and subsequently enlarged in 1989 - a mixed, natural-like forest. The objective is to preserve the fragments of the beech forest growing on the hill "Wzgórze Wandy" with monumental beeches and oaks. Over 100 animal species, one third of which are legally protected species, 80 species of insects, 210 species of vascular plants, protected fungi species.

Planned nature reserve "PŁONE BAGNO"
- a peat bog habitat in the South-east part of the town with greatly varied animal life (area: 53.30 ha) - a stretch of forest with high peat bog underneath (a unique natural habitat).

Nature Landmark "Kamienna Góra"
a nature and landscape complex with numerous specimens of Daphne mezereum, Atropa belladonna and others.