Gmina Orla

Gmina Orla (Гміна Орля) is a rural gmina (gmina wiejska) in Bielsk County, Podlaskie Voivodeship. It is located in north-eastern Poland.

It is one of five Polish/Belarusian bilingual Gmina in Podlaskie Voivodeship regulated by the Act of 6 January 2005 on National and Ethnic Minorities and on the Regional Languages, which permits certain gminas with significant linguistic minorities to introduce a second, auxiliary language to be used in official contexts alongside Polish.

Geography
Gmina Orla is located in the geographical region of Europe known as the Wysoczyzny Podlasko–Białoruskie (English: Podlaskie and Belarus Plateau) and the mezoregion known as the Równina Bielska (English: Bielska Plain).

The Orlanka River, a tributary of the Narew River, passes through Gmina Orla.

The Gmina covers an area of 159.68 km2.

Location
It is located approximately:
 * 165 km northeast of Warsaw, the capital of Poland
 * 47 km south of Białystok, the capital of the Podlaskie Voivodeship
 * 11 km southeast of Bielsk Podlaski, the seat of Bielsk County

Climate
The region has a continental climate which is characterized by high temperatures during summer and long and frosty winters. The average amount of rainfall during the year exceeds 550 mm.

Demographics
Detailed data as of 31 December 2007:

Municipal government
Its seat is the village of Orla.

Executive branch
The chief executive of the government is the Mayor (Polish: Wójt).

Legislative branch
The legislative portion of the government is the City Council (Polish: Rada) comprising the President (Polish: Przewodniczący), the Vice-President (Polish: Wiceprzewodniczący) and thirteen councilors.

Villages
The following villages are contained within the gmina:

Czechy Zabłotne, Dydule, Gredele, Gregorowce, Koszele, Koszki, Krywiatycze, Malinniki, Malinniki-Kolonia, Mikłasze, Antonowo-Kolonia, Moskiewce, Oleksze, Orla, Paszkowszczyzna, Pawlinowo, Reduty, Spiczki, Szczyty-Dzięciołowo, Szczyty-Nowodwory, Szernie, Topczykały, Wólka, Wólka Wygonowska

Neighbouring political subdivisions
Gmina Orla is bordered by the gminas of Bielsk Podlaski, Boćki, Czyże, Dubicze Cerkiewne and Kleszczele