Białogard [bʲaˈwɔɡart] ( listen) (German: Belgard ( listen); Kashubian/Pomeranian: Biôłogard) is a town in Middle Pomerania, northwestern Poland with 24,399 inhabitants (2004). The name is a combination of two Slavic (Pomeranian/Kashubian) terms: białi for white and gard (also spelled gôrd in Kashubian) for city/town. The capital of Białogard County in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999, the town was previously in Koszalin Voivodeship (1950–1998). It is the most important railroad junction of the Middle Pomerania, with two major lines (Kołobrzeg - Piła and Gdańsk - Stargard Szczeciński) crossing there.