Żywiec/ˈʒɪvjɛts/ (Polish pronunciation:[ˈʐɨvjɛt͡s]) is a town in south-central Poland with 32,242 inhabitants (Nov. 2007). Between 1975 and 1998, it was located within the Bielsko-Biała Voivodeship, but has since become part of the Silesian Voivodeship.