Ewolucja ustroju miasta stołecznego Warszawy w latach 1990–2002

Since the revival of the self-government system in Poland in 1990, the capital and the biggest city of Poland has had an administrative system different from other Polish towns. In 1990–2002, the system was based on the territorial structure made of separate units called gminas (communes), having a status of legal entities. However, the system was evolving over that period. In 1990–1994 the city was divided into seven districts-gminas: Warszawa-Mokotów, Warszawa-Ochota, Warszawa-Wola, Warszawa-Żoliborz, Warszawa-Praga Północ, Warszawa-Praga Południe and Warszawa-Śródmieście. The mayor of the city of Warsaw was its President elected by all the city councilors. The system did not function well. In 1994 a new system was introduced: the central part of the city, which had the biggest building density and the population of about one million, became one gmina called Warszawa-Centrum and divided into districts. Around it, there were ten neighboring gminas: Warszawa-Ursynów, Warszawa-Wilanów, Warszawa-Wawer, Warszawa-Targówek, Warszawa-Rembertów, Warszawa-Białołęka, Warszawa-Bielany, Warszawa-Bemowo and Warszawa-Ursus. In 1998 a decision was made to introduce one more level of self-government in the city: powiat warszawski (County of Warsaw) with its own administrative units. This very complicated system existed until 2002, when it was replaced by a new one in which Warsaw was made one gmina with eighteen districts.