Janów Podlaski

Janów Podlaski is a rural municipality in the Biała Podlaska County, Lublin Voivodeship, with its administrative seat located in the village of Janów Podlaski. The municipality was established in 1940 during the Nazi occupation, when the territory of the abolished Pawłów municipality was merged with Janów, which had been stripped of its town rights. However, the history of Janów dates back further; between 1870 and 1919, there was a Janów municipality in the Konstantynów County. After World War II, in 1944, Janów briefly regained its town status but ultimately became part of the Janów Podlaski municipality. In 1973, the municipality was reinstated following an administrative reform, and from 1975 to 1998, it was part of the Biała Podlaska Voivodeship. Within the municipality lies the Łęg Dębowy Nature Reserve, which protects unique ecosystems and forest stands. According to 2002 data, the municipality covers an area of 135 km², with agricultural land dominating (75%). In 2004, the population was 5,560. The Janów Podlaski municipality includes several village administrations (sołectwa), such as Błonie, Jakówki, and Romanów. An interesting fact is that after World War II, two administrative units named Janów Podlaski coexisted—rural and urban—which may have caused confusion regarding their status. It borders the municipalities of Biała Podlaska, Konstantynów, and Leśna Podlaska, as well as Belarus.