Kowary is a town of about 12.500 residents. Until recently it was an industrial and touristic town, nowadays it is undergoing a period of structural transformations designed to give it the quality of centre of tourism and specialized therapeutics.

The trump card of the town is its geographic location in south-eastern part of Kotlina (dale) Jeleniogórska. The area is distinguished for its diversified sculpture of the earth's surface (420-1280 m a.s.l.) as well as varied climate conditions. From the south-west Kowary borders upon Bohemy. The border runs from Przełęcz (mountain pass) Okraj along Kowarski Grzbiet (ridge) up to Skalny Stół (mountain top).

Kowary is located by the river Jedlica along which, for about 5 km., buildings of the town spread. In the middle part the centre of town is located. The centre is marked with a row of commerce and service institutions' outposts, the Townhall, the Parish Church, ambulatory and two of four elementary schools of the town. The centre is the oldest part of the town.
 

The area of Kowary (within its legal boundaries) amounts 3739 ha. The biggest part of it in 1998 were forest grounds - 2379ha (63,6% of the total area). They belong to the I Preservation Zone grounds so they serve first of all as a place of leisure and as a source of fresh air. Just like elsewhere in Poland you can walk around almost every forest without anyone's permission (they are public property).
Only a small piece of land is occupied by arable grounds - 838 ha. The reason of it is a common relinquishment of agriculture activity which is unprofitable in the neighbourhood.