Regions of Belarus

Belarus is divided into six _oblasts_ (_voblasts_ or provinces). These oblasts are the first-level subdivisions of Belarus. The city of Minsk has a special status as the capital of Belarus. Minsk is also the capital of Minsk Region.

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.

## History

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). 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.

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.

At different times between 1938 and 1960, the following _oblasts_ existed:

- Babruysk Oblast, created 1944, deleted 1954
- Baranavichy Oblast, created 1939, deleted 1954
- Belastok Oblast, created 1939, deleted 1944 (now Białystok in Poland)
- Brest Oblast, created 1939
- Gomel Oblast, created 1938
- Grodno Oblast, created 1944
- Maladzyechna Oblast renamed from Vileyka Oblast 1944, deleted 1960
- Mogilev Oblast, created 1938
- Minsk Oblast, created 1938
- Navahrudak Oblast, created 1939, renamed Baranavichy Oblast December 1939
- Pinsk Oblast, created 1939, deleted 1954
- Polatsk Oblast, created 1944, deleted 1954
- Polesia Oblast, created 1938, deleted 1954
- Vitebsk Oblast, created 1938
- Vileyka Oblast, created 1939, renamed to Maladzyechna Oblast 1944

## Regions

|scope="col"||scope="col" class="unsortable"|Flag|scope="col"|Region|scope="col"|Capital|scope="col"|Russian|scope="col"|Belarusian|scope="col"|Population (2022)|scope="col"|Area (km<sup>2</sup>)|scope="col"|Density|scope="col"|Percentage of Belarus|
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
|1||colspan="2"|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**|colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|**Беларусь**|**9,370,000**|**207,617.26**|**45.34**|**100.00%**|||||||||||

## Other websites

- Interactive map of Belarus
- Regions (oblasts) of Belarus, The official President's website
- Geography of Belarus, The official website of Belarus
- Belarusian regions, towns and villages
- Current Status of United Nations Romanization Systems for Geographical Names of Belarus

## Infobox (subdivision type)

- **name**: Regions and the Special administrative district of Belarus

- **map**:
- **category**: Unitary state
- **territory**: Belarus
- **start date**: 1960
- **current number**: 7 regions
- **population range**: **(Regions only)**: 1,018,000 (Mogilev Region, Mogilev) – 1,987,000 (Minsk)
- **area range**: **(provinces only)**:  (Grodno Region, Grodno) –  (Gomel Region, Gomel)
- **government**: province government
- **subdivision**: Districts of Belarus, Raion