Vitebsk region


Vitebsk region, also known as Vitebsk oblast or Vitsyebsk voblasts, is one of the regions of Belarus. Its administrative center is Vitebsk. It is located in the north of the country, and borders Russia.
, it had a population of 1,135,731, the lowest population density in Belarus at 30.6 p/km².
Key cities in the region include Vitebsk, Orsha, Polotsk, and Novopolotsk.

Geography

Vitebsk region covers an area of 40,000 km², which is about 19.4% of the national total. It is bordered to the north by Pskov Oblast of Russia, by Smolensk Oblast of Russia to the east, to the south by Minsk and Mogilev regions, to the southwest by Minsk and Grodno regions, and to the west and northwest by Vilnius and Utena counties of Lithuania and Augšdaugava, Krāslava and Ludza municipalities of Latvia.
The northern extreme point of Belarus is situated in Verkhnyadzvinsk District of Vitebsk region, north of Lake Osveya.
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 in the Vitebsk region.
The region is known for its numerous lakes. The largest lakes of the Vitebsk region are: Osveyskoye, Lukomskoye, Drivyaty. Other lakes are Beloye, Nescherdo, Snudy, Lisno, Ezerische, Strusto, Richi, Losvido and Lepelskoye.
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 comprise 3,4% of the whole region's territory, and 22 wildlife preserves of national importance make up 4,1% of the region.

Economy

The main industry of the region is petrochemical. "Naftan" is one of the biggest oil refineries in Belarus and a major polymer manufacturer, "LLK-Naftan" produces oil additives. Share of the food industry in the regional industrial output is estimated at 14-15%. Share of textile, garment and shoe factories is estimated at 5-6%, the major factories are "Belvest", "Marko", Orsha flax factory, "Vitebsk carpets", "Znamya industrializacyi" garment factory in Vitebsk, "Bell Bimbo". The biggest electrical and machinery plants are "Vityas" in Vitebsk, "Vistan" machine tool factory, Vitebsk factory of electrical measuring instruments, Vitebsk factory of tractor spare parts, "Red fighter" machine tool factory in Orsha.
Lukoml power station is the biggest power plant in Belarus.
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 has been growing from 25 in 2000 to 83 in 2010; most agencies provide both agent and operator services. The numerous lake resorts attract tourists for several-night stays. Polotsk and Vitebsk are the most popular cultural tourism destinations of the region.

Administrative subdivisions

The Vitebsk region is subdivided into 21 districts, 2 cities of oblast subordinance, 19 additional cities, 249 selsovets, and 26 urban-type settlements.

Districts of Vitebsk region

Population of cities and towns in Vitebsk region according to 2023 estimates:
EnglishBelarusianRussianPop.
VitebskВіцебскВитебск359,148
OrshaОршаОрша103,658
NovopolotskНаваполацкНовополоцк96,320
PolotskПолацкПолоцк79,960
PastavyПаставыПоставы18,772
HlybokayeГлыбокаеГлубокое17,707
LyepyelЛепельЛепель17,182
NovolukomlНовалукомльНоволукомль12,048
HaradokГарадокГородок11,570
BaranБараньБарань10,301
TalachynТалачынТолочин9,691
BraslawБраслаўБраслав9,426
ChashnikiЧашнікіЧашники7,843
MioryМёрыМиоры7,815
SyannoСянноСенно7,158
DubrownaДуброўнаДубровно6,909
BeshankovichyБешанковічыБешенковичи6,884
VyerkhnyadzvinskВерхнядзвінскВерхнедвинск6,883
DokshytsyДокшыцыДокшицы6,759
DzisnaДзіснаДисна1,417

Demographics

As of 2008, the birth rate was 9.7 per 1000, while the death rate was 15.5 per 1000. As of 2017, the birth rate was 9.6 and the death rate was 14.4. Rasony District, Shumilina District, Verkhnyadzvinsk District had the highest birth rates, while the city of Navapolatsk, Beshankovichy District, Haradok District had the lowests birth rates. 16.1% of the population were under working age, 56.6% in working age, 27.3% over working age.
In 2017, the region had negative net migration rates for both internal and international migrations. 5,227 of those who departed from the region in 2017 arrived in Minsk, 2,021 in the Minsk region, 1,630 in the Mahilioŭ region, less than 700 – in each of the other regions. 3,858 people arrived in the region from Minsk, 1,731 from the Mahilioŭ region, 1,355 from the Minsk region, less than 750 – from each of the other regions.
As of 2018, 53.7% of the region's population were female, 46.3% were male.
Share of urban population in the region is increasing continuously since 1950.
Year193919501955196019651970197519801985
Population 1,702.51,256.21,243.31,289.91,313.51,368.81,384.11,386.11,402.3
Year199019952000200520062007200820092010
Population 1,415.71,426.31,366.41,289.51,273.81,259.41,247.31,237.51,229.4
Year201120122013201420152016201720182019
Population 1,221.81,214.11,2081,202.11,198.51,193.51,1881,180.21,171.5

Birth & death rates19501960197019801985199019952000200520102011201220132014201520162017
Birth rate2421.614.614.214.813.29.18.58.410.110.110.911.111.111.211.19.6
Death rate7.878.511.312.312.514.915.116.516.716.215.415.414.714.714.614.4

Life expectancy at birth19901995200020052010201520162017
Overall716868.468.169.572.973.373.3
female76.374.975.675.77778.979.479.3
male67.364.464.263.365.169.269.469.4

Marriages and divorces195019601970198019901995200020052010201520162017
Marriages 11,58915,27512,64513,90813,48010,5717,9369,0379,5429,8037,5367,582
Marriages 9.211.99.2109.57.45.87.17.88.26.36.4
Divorces 1598722,8354,6415,0066,4656,3394,2094,8004,0074,2053,983
Divorces 0.10.72.13.33.54.54.73.33.93.43.53.4

Notable people

People from Vitebsk region:
  • Elvin Mohhubat oglu Aliyev, Azerbaijani footballer
  • Tamara Alpeyeva, Belarusian philosopher
  • Andrey Arkhipaw, Belarusian footballer
  • Zair Azgur, Soviet and Belarusian sculptor
  • Mikhail Babichev, Belarusian footballer
  • Jan Barszczewski, Polish and Belarusian poet
  • Dzmitry Barysaw, Belarusian footballer
  • Vladimir Beneshevich, Russian scholar
  • Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, Belarusian lexicographer of the first Hebrew dictionary
  • Mikhail Borodin, Belarusian bolshevik revolutionary
  • Celine Borzecka, Belarusian Catholic nun
  • Reuben Brainin, Russian Jewish publicist
  • Petrus Brovka, Soviet Belarusian poet
  • Hienadz Buraukin, Belarusian poet and diplomat
  • Kirill Chernook, Belarusian footballer
  • Jan Czerski, Polish geographer
  • Klawdziy Duzh-Dushewski, Belarusian civil engineer, architect, diplomat and journalist
  • Viktar Dashkevich, Belarusian stage actor
  • Uladzimir Dubouka, Belarusian poet
  • Vladislav Glinsky, Belarusian footballer
  • Dzmitry Girs, Belarusian footballer
  • Aleksandr Titovich Golubev, Soviet and Russian intelligence officer
  • Lyudmila Gubkina, Belarusian hammer thrower
  • Yefim Fomin, Soviet political commissar
  • Shneur Zalman Fradkin, Belarusian rabbi
  • Aleksandr Frantsev, Belarusian footballer
  • Alesia Furs, Belarusian independence movement member and Gulag prisoner
  • Yevgeny Ivanovsky, Soviet Army general
  • Charles Jaffe, Belarusian-American chess master
  • Dzmitry Kamarowski, Belarusian footballer
  • Bronislav Kaminski, Russian anti-communist collaborationist
  • Vladislav Kalinin, Belarusian footballer
  • Yawhen Kalinin, Belarusian footballer
  • Uladzislaw Kasmynin, Belarusian footballer
  • Dzyanis Kavalewski, Belarusian footballer
  • Viktor Kazantsev, Russian Presidential envoy
  • Volha Khizhynkova, Belarusian beauty pageant contestant
  • Nastassia Kinnunen, Finnish biathlete and cross-country skier
  • Georgy Kondratyev, Belarusian football coach
  • Roman Krivulkin, Belarusian footballer
  • Viktor Kurentsov, Soviet weightlifter
  • Yuri Kurilsky, Belarusian serial killer and rapist
  • Syarhey Kuzminich, Belarusian football coach
  • Yuliy Kuznetsov, Belarusian footballer
  • Nadia Khodasevich Léger, French artist
  • Andrei Lodis, Belarusian former footballer
  • Pyotr Lysenko, Belarusian archeologist
  • Henadzi Makhveyenia, Belarusian weightlifter
  • Tatyana Marinenko, Soviet NKVD intelligence officer
  • Yaakov Ben Zion Mendelson, Latvian Jewish scholar
  • Helen Michaluk, only female head of the Association of Belarusians in Great Britain
  • Gennady Mikhasevich, Soviet serial killer and rapist
  • Anna Missuna, Russian-born Polish geologist
  • Roman Pasevich, Belarusian footballer
  • Vladimir Platonov, Soviet mathematician
  • Yevgeniy Prokopchik, Belarusian footballer
  • Anton Putsila, Belarusian footballer
  • Andrei Ravkov, Lt. General of the Armed Forces of Belarus
  • Alexander Lukashenko, President of Belarus
  • Aleksander Rayevsky, Russian test pilot
  • Lavon Rydleŭski, Belarusian independence movement participant
  • Aliaksandr Shakutsin, Belarusian businessman
  • Syarhey Shastakow, Belarusian footballer
  • Terenty Shtykov, Soviet general
  • Paval Sieviaryniec, Belarusian journalist and Christian democrat
  • Ceslaus Sipovich, bishop of BHKC
  • Yan Skibsky, Belarusian footballer
  • Uladzimir Syanko, Belarusian diplomat
  • Zachar Šybieka, Belarusian historian and professor
  • Mariya Trubach, Belarusian rhythmic gymnast
  • Tamara Tyshkevich, Soviet shot putter
  • Dzianis Urad, Belarusian former Armed Forces special liaison officer
  • Artur Vader, Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic
  • Dmitry Vashkel, Belarusian footballer
  • Boris Volin, Soviet historian
  • Syarhey Volkaw, Belarusian footballer
  • Roman Volkov, Belarusian footballer
  • Rostislav Vovkushevsky, Soviet realist painter
  • Pavel Yaguzhinsky, Russian statesman
  • Gleb Zheleznikov, Belarusian footballer
  • Chaim Zhitlowsky, Belarusian writer and philosopher
  • Solomon Zeitlin, Belarusian historian
  • Yefrosinya Zenkova, Soviet secretary of the "Young Avengers"