first level administrative division of Belarus From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Belarus is divided into six oblasts (voblasts or provinces). These oblasts are the first-level subdivisions of Belarus. The city of Minsk[1] has a special status as the capital of Belarus. Minsk is also the capital of Minsk Region.[2]
| Regions and the Special administrative district of Belarus Рэгіёны і Спецыяльны адміністратыўны раён Беларусі (in Belarusian) Регионы и Специальный административный район Беларуси (in Russian) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Category | Unitary state |
| Location | Belarus |
| Created | 1960 |
| Number | 7 regions |
| Populations | (Regions only): 1,018,000 (Mogilev) – 1,987,000 (Minsk) |
| Areas | (provinces only): 25,118.1 km2 (9,698.14 sq mi) (Grodno) – 40,361.6 km2 (15,583.72 sq mi) (Gomel) |
| Government | province government |
| Subdivisions | Raion |
The regions of Belarus are divided into raions (districts).
The layout and size of the regions were created in 1960 when Belarus (then the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic) became a republic of the Soviet Union.[3]
At the start of the 20th century, the borders of the Belarusian lands in the Russian Empire were still being made. In 1900 it was made of the entire Minsk Governorate and Mogilev Governorate, most of Grodno Governorate, parts of Vitebsk Governorate, and parts of Vilna Governorate (Vilna Governorate is now in Lithuania).[4] World War I, the independence of Poland, and the 1920-1921 Polish–Soviet War changed the borders. In 1921, Belarus had what is now all of Minsk Region except for the western fringe, the western part of Gomel Region, a western slice of Mahilyow Region, and a small part of Vitebsk Region. In 1926, the eastern part of Gomel Region was added.[4]
In Soviet Belarus, new administrative units, called oblast or voblast were created in 1938. And again, during World War II, the borders changed. In 1939 they were reset with Belarus gaining territory to the west, Baranavichy, Belastok (Białystok), Brest, Pinsk, and Vileyka oblasts. In 1944 Belastok was removed and the new oblasts of Babruysk, Grodno, and Polotsk were created. At the same time, Vileyka Oblast was renamed Molodechno Oblast.[5]
At different times between 1938 and 1960, the following oblasts existed:
| Flag | Region | Capital | Russian | Belarusian | Population
(2022)[6] |
Area
(km2) |
Density | Percentage
of Belarus | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Минск | Мінск | 1,987,000 | 305.50 | 6,606.48 | 21.44% | ||
| 2 |  |
Brest | Brest | Брестская | Брэсцкая | 1,356,000 | 32,790.68 | 41.11 | 14.32% |
| 3 |  |
Gomel | Gomel | Гомельская | Гомельская | 1,380,000 | 40,361.66 | 34.40 | 14.75% |
| 4 |  |
Grodno | Grodno | Гродненская | Гродзенская | 1,037,000 | 25,118.07 | 40.88 | 10.91% |
| 5 |  |
Mogilev | Mogilev | Могилёвская | Магілёўская | 1,018,000 | 29,079.01 | 35.24 | 10.89% |
| 6 |  |
Minsk | Minsk | Минская | Мінская | 1,464,000 | 39,912.35 | 36.86 | 15.63% |
| 7 |  |
Vitebsk | Vitebsk | Витебская | Вiцебская | 1,128,000 | 40,049.99 | 28.36 | 12.06% |
| Belarus | Minsk | Беларусь | 9,370,000 | 207,617.26 | 45.34 | 100.00% | |||
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