EN
The role of small and medium enterprises in the Polish economy has increased significantly in recent years. A large number of SMEs located in voivodships constituting the largest urban areas, with high dynamic of growth and often trying to compete on the international market. In turn, the region dominated by voivodsips with a high share of agriculture is characterised by dominant small enterprises producing for the local market, and in particular oriented to meeting the needs of rural areas. The number of firms in Poland, in 1998 was about 2,7 million, but in rural communes about 426 thousands enterprises. The main barrier to the development of small firms is the lack of capital.