Average growth in real GDP capita ranged from a minimum 2.5% in
Zachodniopomorskie to a maximum 8.2% in Mazowieckie. The criteria applied to
real GDP capita using the asterisks enables us to categorise voivodships
according to performance over time. The results for average growth in real GDP
capita reveal that, while Polish voivodships can be subdivided into three separate
income groups when measured in GDP capita (see map 1), higher GDP capita and
geographical location is not always consistent with higher rates of average output
per head. Opolskie and Zachodniopomorskie (marked with three asterisks) from
income group two, for example, achieved the lowest growth rates of all
voivodships. In both cases, labour productivity was also the lowest in the country,
reflecting low or falling rates of investment. Poland achieved an average real GDP
capita growth rate of 6.52% over the six-year period, but only two voivodships
(Mazowieckie (IG1) & Podlaskie (IG3)) achieved average rates of real GDP capita
above the national level. These voivodships also recorded the highest average
rates of labour productivity in the country. Twelve out of Poland’s sixteen
voivodships achieved average rates in real GDP capita between 4.0% and 5.3%.
All Eastern wall voivodships (IG3) fell into this category, though labour productivity
was not the dominant source in all cases but rather increased hours worked per
job and comparatively sharper declining average rates of employment.