The most important economic information
Collection of university history and selmec library of historic monuments
The Świętokrzyskie key indicators show a general mild growth trend. Region’s gross domestic product (GDP) was estimated to be €10,835.37m in 2017 (Eurostat, 2019), showing a slight increase from 2016 and reflecting overall growth in Poland. The regional GDP in 2016 was about 2.3% of the national GDP (Eurostat 2019). Equally, the unemployment rate of the region was 5.8.% in 2018, which meant a further reduction from 7.0% in 2017, but was still clearly lagging behind the national average of 3.9% of that year (Eurostat, 2019). The GDP per capita was 14.900 (PPS) in 2017, way below the national average of 20,900 (PPS) in the same year.
The region’s real growth rate (GVA) in 2016 amounted to 1.1%, a significant reduction from the 2.1% of 2015 (Eurostat, 2019). While, the share of industry in this was close to the national average of 27,4% one of the region’s key economy branches- construction- exceeded the 7,2% average and stood at 8,3%, placing Świętokrzyskie at third place amongst the regions in this regards (Regions of Poland 2019 Report). There was a significant drop in the number of companies registered in the region between mid-2018 and mid-2019, and this negative trend was visible also in case of companies with foreign capital.
Economics in numbers
Economic mechanisms in the region
The region is characterised by the presence of heavy construction and transport companies as well as military equipment manufacturers. Moreover, the Świętokrzyskie is characterised by a tradition in metallurgy, ceramics and masonry. In addition, rich natural resources promote the production of cement and plaster. The Świętokrzyskie is famous for the largest construction companies in Poland, which prepare and implement projects across the country. Another relevant economic factor in the region is the presence of the Special Economic Zone “Starachowice” SA. in Starachowice (Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency 2017). Agriculture plays also an important role in the regional economy as favourable weather and fertile soil create excellent conditions for agricultural development. In the Świętokrzyskie region the headquarters are seated of large companies such as Kolporter sp. z o.o. (logistics), Celsa Huta Ostrowiec sp. z o.o. (steel manufacturing), Elektrownia Połaniec (energy supply) or NSG (Pilkington) (automotive).
