Vitebsk Region
| Vitsebsk Region Віцебская вобласць (Belarusian) Витебская область (Russian) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
 | |||
| Administrative center | Vitsebsk | ||
| Largest cities |
Vitsebsk - 342,400 Orsha - 125,300 Navapolatsk - 101,300 | ||
| Raions |
21 Cities - 19 Urban localities - 26 | ||
| City raions | 5 | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 40,049.99 km2 (15,463.39 sq mi) | ||
| Population (2009 census) | |||
| • Total | 1,230,821 | ||
| • Density | 31/km2 (80/sq mi) | ||
| Website | www.vitebsk-region.gov.by | ||
Vitebsk Region, Vitsebsk Voblast, or Vitebsk Oblast (Belarusian: Ві́цебская во́бласць, Viciebskaja Vobłasć, pronounced [ˈvʲitsʲɛpskaja ˈvɔblastsʲ]; Russian: Ви́тебская о́бласть, tr. Vitebskaya Oblast; IPA: [ˈvʲitʲɪpskəjə ˈobləsʲtʲ]) is a region (voblast) of Belarus with its administrative center being Vitebsk (Viciebsk). As of a 2011, the region had a population of 1,221,800.[1] It also has the lowest population density in Belarus at 30.6 p/km².
Important cities within the region include Vitebsk, Orsha, and Polatsk/Navapolatsk.
Geography
Vitsebsk Region covers an area of 40,000 km²,[1] which is about 19.4% of the national total. It is bordered on the north by Pskov Oblast of Russia, by Smolensk Oblast of Russia on the east, on the south by Minsk Region and by Mogilev Region, on the southwest by Minsk Region and Grodno Region, and on the west and northwest by Vilnius County and Utena County of Lithuania and Daugavpils District of and Latvia.
The northern extreme point of Belarus is situated in Verkhnyadzvinsk Raion of Vitebsk Region, North from Lake Osveya.[2]
In 2000 Belarusian scientists Alexey Solomonov and Valery Anoshko published a report in which they stated that the geographic centre of Europe was located near lake Sho (Belarusian: Шо) in the Vitsebsk Voblast.
The region is known for its numerous lakes. The largest lakes of the Vitebsk Region are: Osveyskoye (2nd largest in Belarus), Lukomskoye (4th largest), Drivyaty(5th largest in Belarus and the largest of Braslav Lakes), Nescherdo, Snudy, Lisno, Ezerische, Strusto, Richi, Losvido, Lepelskoye.[3]
The region has more national parks, nature reserves and wildlife preserves of national importance than any other region of Belarus. Braslav Lakes and Naroch National Parks and Berezinski Biosphere Reserve cover 3,4% of the whole region territory, 22 wildlife preserves of national importance cover 4,1% of the region.[4]
Economy
Vitebsk Region has a number of important transport connections with Russia, Ukraine, the Baltic countries, and Poland.
Tourism
The number of travel agencies in Vitebsk Region were growing from 25 in 2000 to 83 in 2010, most of them provide both agent and operator activities.[5][6] Numerous lake resorts are situated here, that makes tourists stay for few nights. Polotsk and Vitebsk are most popular cultural tourism destinations of the region.
Administrative subdivisions
The Vitsebsk Voblast is subdivided into 21 raions, 5 cities of oblast subordinance, 19 additional cities, 249 selsovets, and 26 urban-type settlements.
Cities
- Vitsebsk (Belarusian: Ві́цебск; Russian: Ви́тебск) - 342,400
- Orsha (Belarusian: О́рша; Russian: О́рша) - 125,300
- Navapolatsk (Belarusian: Наваполацк; Russian: Новополоцк) - 101,300
- Polatsk (Belarusian: По́лацк; Russian: По́лоцк) - 82,800
- Pastavy (Belarusian: Паставы) - 20,500
- Hlybokaye (Belarusian: Глыбокае)- 19,600
- Lepel (Belarusian: Ле́пель; Russian: Ле́пель) - 18,800
- Novolukoml - 14,900
- Haradok (Belarusian: Гарадок; Russian: Городок) - 14,000
- Baran - 12,300
- Talachyn (Belarusian: Талачын) - 10,500
- Braslaw (Belarusian: Браслаў; Russian: Браслав) - 10,100
- Chashniki (Belarusian: Чашнікі) - 9,800
- Dubroŭna (Belarusian: Дуброўна) - 9,100
- Myory (Belarusian: Мёры) - 9,000
- Syanno (Belarusian: Сянно)- 8,400
- Beshankovichy (Belarusian: Бешанко́вічы) - 8,200
- Verkhnyadzvinsk (Belarusian: Верхнядзвінск) - 7,300
- Dokshytsy (Belarusian: Докшыцы)- 7,000
- Ushachy (Belarusian: Ушачы)- 5,600 (urban-type settlement, capital of Ushachy Raion)
- Disna - 2,400
Demographics
As of 2008, the birth rate was 9.7 per 1000, while the death rate was 15.5 per 1000.[7]
See also
References
- 1 2 "Main Geographic Characteristics of the Republic of Belarus. Territory and population density of Belarus by region as of January 1, 2011". Land of Ancestors. The Scientific and Production State Republican Unitary Enterprise “National Cadastre Agency” of the State Property Committee of the Republic of Belarus. 2011. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
- ↑ "Coordinates of the extreme points of the state frontier". Land of Ancestors. 2012. Retrieved 30 August 2013.
- ↑ "Main characteristics of the largest lakes of Belarus". Land of Ancestors. Data of the Research Laboratory for Lake Study of the Belarus State University. 2011. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ "Nature reserves and national parks, wildlife preserves and nature sanctuaries". Land of Ancestors. Data of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Belarus. 2011. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
- ↑ Ministry of Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Belarus. (2011). "Number of organizations engaged in tourist activities in 2010 in Belarus". Land of Ancestors. National Staistical Committee of the Republic of Belarus. Retrieved 9 October 2013.
- ↑ Ministry of Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Belarus. (2011). "Number of organisations engaged in tourist activities in Belarus by region". Land of Ancestors. National Staistical Committee of the Republic of Belarus. Retrieved 9 October 2013.
- ↑ http://belstat.gov.by/homep/ru/news/news85.php
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vitsebsk province. |
- Viciebsk Region – The Land Of Artists And Terrorists
- (English)/(Russian) Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee
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Coordinates: 55°20′N 29°00′E / 55.333°N 29.000°E