Regions of Belarus

Belarus is divided into six oblasts (voblasts or provinces). These oblasts are the first-level subdivisions of Belarus. The city of MinskBelarus Regions has a special status as the capital of Belarus. Minsk is also the capital of Minsk Region.Minsk summary , at the website of the Belarus embassy in Russia.

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 
+Regions of BelarusFlagRegionCapitalRussianBelarusianPopulation
(2022)Official 2022 census resultsArea
(km2)DensityPercentage
of Belarus1City of MinskМинскМінск1,987,000305.506,606.4821.44%2border|45x45pxBrestBrestБрестскаяБрэсцкая1,356,00032,790.6841.1114.32%3border|45x45pxGomelGomelГомельскаяГомельская1,380,00040,361.6634.4014.75%4border|45x45pxGrodnoGrodnoГродненскаяГродзенская1,037,00025,118.0740.8810.91%5border|45x45pxMogilevMogilevМогилёвскаяМагілёўская1,018,00029,079.0135.2410.89%6border|45x45pxMinskMinskМинскаяМінская1,464,00039,912.3536.8615.63%7border|45x45pxVitebskVitebskВитебскаяВiцебская1,128,00040,049.9928.3612.06%BelarusMinskБеларусь9,370,000207,617.2645.34100.00%

 Historical division 

 References 

 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

Category:Regions of Belarus
Category:Belarus-related lists