Zielona Góra - a Comfortable Place to Live

Zielona Góra, a city with a population of 120,000 located in central west Poland, is one of the fastest developing urban centers in the country.  It is the capital of the Lubuskie Province with the status of urban county (powiat grodzki) that is rapidly transforming into a buoyant economic, administrative, cultural and educational center for the region. The local authorities (Sejmik Samorządowy) of the Lubuskie Province, the Marshall's Office, Lubuska Healthcare Fund (Kasa Chorych), County Authorities and Provincial Job Center are located in Zielona Góra. This year, Zielona Góra University, providing education to almost 25,000 students, was established from the merger of Zielona Góra Technical University and Teacher Training College (Wyższa Szkoła Pedagogiczna).
 Its favorable location is among the major attractions of the city. It is only a 30-min. drive from Zielona Góra to the border with the German Branderburg region. In addition, routes linking the harbors of Świnoujście and Szczecin with Wrocław and Prague run through the city. Zielona Gora is located 125-km from Poznań and 150-km from Berlin. Nearly 80% of national east-west transit traffic runs through the border points of Świecko, Słubice, Gubin and Olszyna located in the Lubuskie Province. In addition, a modern network of ring roads, among the best in Poland, has been built around Zielona Góra. The network was partly financed by European funds and has moved heavy traffic out of the living quarters of the city. Two airports, a sports airport in Przylep and a cargo-passenger airport in Babimost, which maintains constant links with Poznań and Warsaw, have significant importance for the further development of the city.

Approx. 14,500 private business entities, 20 state-owned and 6 municipal companies are registered in the city. Trade and services, followed by construction and the textile industries have the largest stake in the production generated in the city. The unemployment level, which is the lowest in this region of Poland, best proves the economic potential of Zielona Góra.

  Housing construction is fast developing in the city. From 1999 till July 2001, 3603 construction permits were issued in the city, and in 2000 alone, approx. 580 inexpensive and modern apartments with total area of 40,244. sq. m. were built. Moreover, new projects are being implemented, and it is forecasted that in Zielona Góra the housing problem should be eliminated next year.

Domestic and foreign investors are opening new trade, services and manufacturing companies in the city. In order to create favorable conditions and a good investment climate, last November the City Council in Zielona Góra passed a resolution granting exemptions and rebates on land and real estate tax for businessmen who create new jobs. Due to the scarcity of investment sites in Zielona Góra, city authorities have decided to transform a 90-ha area located near a ring road into the Zielona Góra Enterprise Zone. They earmarked large funds for the development of the zone, and new manufacturing and service companies will be established there soon.
 Apart from its economic attractions, Zielona Góra is above all a comfortable place to live, work and relax. It is a clean green city surrounded by forests with diverse cultural and recreation facilities. Numerous tourists visit the city not only to celebrate the Wine Festival and United Europe Song Festival. What is more, many people from across Poland and abroad come to stay in the beautiful and hospitable city for good.