Minsk Region

Minsk Region or Minsk Oblast or Minsk Voblasts (Belarusian: Мі́нская во́бласць, Minskaja vobłasć [ˈmʲinskaja ˈvobɫasʲtsʲ]; Russian: Минская о́бласть, Minskaja oblastj) is one of the regions of Belarus. Its administrative center is Minsk, although it is a separate administrative territorial entity of Belarus. As of 2011, the region's population is 1,411,500.[1]

Minsk Region Мінская вобласць (Belarusian) Минская область (Russian) Minsk Oblast, Minsk Voblasts
Railway Station, Barysaw
Flag Coat of arms
Administrative center	Minsk
Largest cities	Barysaw - 150,400 Salihorsk - 101,400 Maladzyechna - 98,514
Raions	22 Cities - 22 Urban localities - 20
City raions	8
Government
• Chairman	Anatoly Isachenko
Area
• Total	39,912.35 km^2 (15,410.24 sq mi)
Highest elevation	345 m (1,132 ft)
Population  (2011)
• Total	1,411,500[1]
• Density	35/km^2 (90/sq mi)
Area code(s)	+375 17
ISO 3166 code	BY-MI
HDI (2018)	0.834[2] very high · 1st
Website	www.minsk-region.gov.by

Geography

Minsk Region covers a total of 39,900 km²,[1] about 19.44% of the national total area. Lake Narach, the largest lake in the country, is located in the northern part of the region. There are four other large lakes in this region: Svir (8th largest), Myadel (11th largest), Selyava (14th largest) and Myastro (15th largest).[3] It is the only region of Belarus whose border is not part of the international border of Belarus.

History

Beginning the 10th century, the territory of the current Minsk Region was part of Kievan Rus', the Principality of Polotsk, and later it was included in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. With the unification of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland, the territory became part of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.

In 1793, as a result of the second partition of Polish territory, the area was annexed by Russia as the Minsk Region. During the collapse of the Russian Empire due to the Civil War, the western part was annexed to Poland in 1921, while the east became Soviet Belarus.

The Minsk region was established on 15 January, 1938, based on the amendment of the Constitutional Law of the USSR. As of 20 February, 1938, the area included 20 districts. Following the Soviet invasion of Poland on September 17, 1939, the former Eastern lands of the Second Polish Republic were annexed in accordance with the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact partitioning Poland and added to the Minsk Region.

On 20 September 1944, by the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, the Gressky, Kopyl, Krasnoslobodski, Luban, Slutsky, Starobin, Starodorozhski districts and the city of Sluck were removed from the Minsk region and transferred to the newly formed Bobruisk Region.

On 8 January, 1954, by the decree of the USSR Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, the Nesvizhski and Stolbtsovsky districts from the abolished Baranovichi Region, as well as the Glusk, Gressky, Kopyl, Krasnoslobodski, Luban, Slutsky, Starobin, Starodorozhski districts and the city of Sluck from the abolished Bobruisk Region, were added to the Minsk Region.

In 1960, following the abolition of Molodechno Region, its southern part became the northern part of the Minsk Region.

Tourism

The number of travel agencies in Minsk Region grew from twelve in 2000 to seventy in 2010.[4][5] The most popular tourist destinations of the region are Zaslavskoye Lake, the Zhdanovichi area which has health resorts, Nesvizh Palace and its surroundings, as well as the alpine ski resorts of Logoysk and Silichi.

Administrative subdivisions

The Minsk Region comprises 22 districts (raions), 307 selsovets, 22 cities, 8 city municipalities, and 20 urban-type settlements.

Districts of Minsk Region

Barysaw District Byerazino District Chervyen District Dzyarzhynsk District Kapyl District Kletsk District

Krupki District Lahoysk District Lyuban District Maladzyechna District Minsk District Myadzyel District

Nesvizh District Puchavičy District Salihorsk District Slutsk District Smalyavichy District

Staryya Darohi District Stowbtsy District Uzda District Valozhyn District Vileyka District

Cities and towns

Population of cities and towns in Minsk Region

English	Belarusian	Russian	Pop.
Barysaw	Барысаў	Борисов	180,100
Salihorsk	Салігорск	Солигорск	102,335
Maladzyechna	Маладзечна	Молодечно	98,514
Slutsk	Слуцк	Слуцк	62,300
Zhodzina	Жодзiна	Жодино	61,800
Vileyka	Вілейка	Вилейка	30,000
Dzyarzhynsk	Дзяржынск	Дзержинск	24,600
Maryina Horka	Мар'іна Горка	Марьина Горка	23,400
Stowbtsy	Стоўбцы	Столбцы	6,900
Nyasvizh	Нясвіж	Несвиж	14,300
Smalyavichy	Смалявічы	Смолевичи	14,200
Zaslawye	Заслаўе	Заславль	13,500
Fanipal	Фаніпаль	Фаниполь	13,200
Berazino	Беразіно	Березино	13,100
Lyuban	Любань	Любань	11,800
Staryya Darohi	Старыя Дарогі	Старые Дороги	11,700
Valozhyn	Валожын	Воложин	11,400
Lahoysk	Лагойск	Логойск	11,000
Kapyl	Капыль	Копыль	10,700
Kletsk	Клецк	Клецк	10,600
Chervyen’	Чэрвень	Червень	10,500
Uzda	Узда	Узда	10,000
Krupki	Крупкі	Крупки	8,300
Myadzyel	Мядзел	Мядель	7,100

Demographics

• 
  Belarusians in the region

    >95%

    90–95%

    85—90%

    80–85%

    <80%
• 
  Russians in the region

    >10%

    8–10%

    5–8%

    <5%
• 
  Poles in the region

    >15%

    5–15%

    2–5%

    1–2%

    0.5–1%

    <0.5%

See also

• Administrative divisions of Belarus
• Villages in Minsk Region

References

1. "Territory and population density of Belarus by region as of January 1, 2011. Main Geographic Characteristics of the Republic of Belarus". 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. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 30 August 2013.
2. "Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab". hdi.globaldatalab.org. Retrieved 2018-09-13.
3. "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. Archived from the original on 29 September 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
4. 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 Statistical Committee of the Republic of Belarus. Archived from the original on 13 October 2013. Retrieved 9 October 2013.
5. 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 Statistical Committee of the Republic of Belarus. Archived from the original on 13 October 2013. Retrieved 9 October 2013.

External links

Media related to Minsk Region at Wikimedia Commons