The gmina (Polish: [ˈɡmʲina], plural gminy [ˈɡmʲinɨ], from German Gemeinde meaning commune) is the principal unit of the administrative division of Poland, similar to a municipality. As of 1 January 2019, there were 2477 communes throughout the country, encompassing 940 cities and over 43,000 villages. The gmina has been the basic unit of territorial division in Poland since 1974, when it replaced the smaller gromada (cluster). There are three types of gminy: