Regions of Belarus

first level administrative division of Belarus

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)
CategoryUnitary state
LocationBelarus
Created1960
Number7 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)
Governmentprovince government
SubdivisionsRaion

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]

History

change

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:

Regions

change
Regions of Belarus
Flag Region Capital Russian Belarusian Population

(2022)[6]

Area

(km2)

Density Percentage

of Belarus

1  
City of Minsk
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%

Historical division

change
Administrative division of Belarusian SSR by year
1926
1927
1940
1945
1955

References

change
  1. Belarus Regions
  2. Minsk summary Archived 2020-11-24 at the Wayback Machine, at the website of the Belarus embassy in Russia.
  3. "Regions of Belarus". Statoids.
  4. 4.0 4.1 "Regions of Belarus". Statoids.
  5. "Regions of Belarus". Statoids.
  6. Official 2022 census results

Other websites

change