POLAND : GDYNIA
Gdynia is a city in the Pomeranian
Voivodship of Poland and an important seaport at Gdansk Bay on the south
coast of the Baltic Sea.
Gdynia is part of a conurbation with the spa town of Sopot, the city of
Gdansk and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area
called the Tricity with a population of over a million people.
Originally a small German fishing village, it was transferred to Poland
after World War I. Gdynia as a port was built up after 1924 to end
Poland's dependence on Danzig (Gdansk).
By 1934, Gdynia handled more freight than Danzig and was a leading
Baltic port. It also became the main naval base and shipbuilding center
of Poland. Although the harbor was heavily damaged in World War II, the
city suffered relatively little destruction. By 1950 most of the harbor
was rebuilt, and Gdynia was again an important commercial port. It is
the port of a larger urban area. Gdynia is located in Kashubia in
Eastern Pomerania.