Residents/Population:	39 325
Area:	1 716 km2
Expenditure per capita:	2 468 zł
Website:	www.malbork.pl
Rulers/Leaders:
Andrzej RychłowskiBurmistrz	Arkadiusz MroczkowskiLeader of the City Council

The strategic importance of Malbork was for many years symbolised by the Teutonic Knight’s castle on the Nogat river and its favourable location at the crossroads of road, rail and water. The rich history of the city and its unique atmosphere see it is visited by nearly half a million tourists annually, most of whom come to visit the castle which is the largest Gothic Teutonic Knights’ castle in the world.

However, Malbork is not just a tourist town. Although it is surrounded by medieval walls, it does not try to fend off new investors and is constantly improving the quality of life of its inhabitants.
Malbork is a town with a unique history. It was once a settlement of the Prussian Pomezanian tribe who donated their lands to the Teutonic Order at the beginning of the XIII century where the knights began to build a heavily fortified castle. It remains the largest brick building in Europe and the largest Gothic fortress in the world, making it one of the highest rated tourist attractions worldwide (it is described a class ‘0’ monument). In 1997, it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List as an outstanding example of medieval military and residential architecture.

A number of events are connected to Malbork Castle of which two are of particular importance: The Siege of Malbork and Magic Malbork. The first combines elements of theatre and historical reconstruction, during which you can see demonstrations of medieval crafts, cuisine, music and a pyrotechnic show among other things. Magic Malbork is a show that combines music, dance, painting and light. All these elements come together to create a spectacular show, which attracts tourists from all over Poland to Malbork. The former castle of the Teutonic Order is not the only historical asset of the city. You can also find the remains of the medieval walls, the historic Old Town Hall and beautiful churches. A unique attraction is the Żuławska Ceramic Village, where you can try your hand at the potter's wheel and become familiar with methods of creating ceramic tiles and other clay objects. An unforgettable experience can be enjoyed by taking a gondola trip along the city walls and the castle or by taking cruises along the Nogat which begin in Malbork.

The attractiveness of the city is also helped by its location. A convenient location near the national road No. 7 (Gdańsk - Warsaw) and close to the A1 motorway (the junction in Swarożynie is nearby) create excellent conditions for the development of many different businesses. Thanks to its location residents of Malbork can reach the centre of the Metropolitan Area in less than an hour, Olsztyn in two hours and Warsaw in three. In addition you can also travel directly to Szczecin and Cracow by train. Rail services are also beneficial for local exporters. Located approximately 110 km from the border crossing with Kaliningrad (Russian Federation) in Gronów direct rail links help to promote trade with the businesses of the Kaliningrad region. The river Nogat also offers great potential as the starting point for shipping to Gdansk and to Eastern Poland.

Malbork continues to attract more and more investors. In 1997, Malbork was recognized by the Institute for Market Economics as one of the twelve medium-sized cities most attractive for investment. This situation has not changed despite the passage of years. The town still has attractive land for the development of new business. The local authorities continue to encourage businessmen to invest their capital here, through the introduction of tax reliefs and exemptions. The city’s budget continues to grow thanks to increased revenues from the progressive privatization of municipal businesses and sale of municipal property (including land for development). As a result, the city continues to invest in urban infrastructure, and has the capacity to mobilize the financial contributions that allow it to undertake projects co-financed by the European Union .

The economic structure of the city is dominated by the food industry. The city is home to , among others, Malbork Sugar and Confectionery Production Plant MALBORŻANKA . The clothing industry is represented by companies such as Cotte and Koga, while farmers and gardeners will know Malbork for the equipment and garden tools produced by the Leokadia  company. There is also Malbork Machine Tools Factory Pemal SA , which manufactures machinery for the processing of wood.

In addition to large enterprises in Malbork has no shortage of medium-sized companies and family businesses. Residents and budding entrepreneurs in Malbork looking to set-up their own businesses can look to the Association for the Support of Entrepreneurship for help. This is a non-governmental organisation, which runs, among others, the Business Incubator and the Loan Fund and Advisory Point for SMEs. The activities of this institution are addressed primarily to people who want to get out of unemployment and to set up their first business.

Malbork residents have an extensive choice of schools and courses organized by the Labour Office at their disposal. Additional training allows for the training of personnel in all the required specializations of the labour market.

There is a growing number of graduates among young Malborkians. In the city is a branch of the University of Economics in Bydgoszcz – the Faculty of Management and Engineering in Malbork. Mainly engineers and production specialists train there, however, the Department is also a teaching team dedicated to tourism and recreation and the very popular Foreign Languages department.