Vitsebsk Voblast

Infobox Voblasts
Name = Vitsebsk Voblast
Englishname = Vitsebsk Voblast
Belarusianname = Ві́цебская во́бласць
Englishname2 = Vitebsk Oblast
Russianname = Ви́тебская о́бласть


Flaglink = Flag
COA = Coat of Arms of Viciebsk, Belarus.pngCOAlink = Coat of arms


Capital = Vitsebsk
LargestCities = Vitsebsk - 342,400 Orsha - 125,300 Navapolatsk - 101,300
Chairman = "N/A"
Raions = 21
CityRaions = 5
Cities = 19
SMT = 26
Villages = "N/A"
AreaRank =
PCNationaltotal1 = 19.4
TotalArea = 40,100
LandArea = "N/A"
WaterArea = "N/A"
PCWater = "N/A"
PopRank = "N/A"
Population = 1,294,700
PCNationaltotal2 = "N/A"
Density = 34
Latitude = "N/A"
Longitude = "N/A"
Width = "N/A"
Length = "N/A"
HighestPoint = "N/A"
HighestElev = "N/A"
LowestPoint = "N/A"
LowestElev = "N/A"
ISOCode = BY-VI
Website = www.regadmin.vitebsk.by

Vitsebsk Voblast (Province) or Vitebsk Oblast ( _be. Ві́цебская во́бласць; "Vitsebskaya Voblast"; _ru. Ви́тебская о́бласть; "Vitebskaya Oblast") is a province (voblast) of Belarus with its administrative center being Vitebsk. As of a 2005 estimate, the voblast has a population of 1,294,700. It also has the lowest population density in Belarus at 32 p/km².

Important cities within the voblast' include: Vitebsk, Orsha, and Navapolatsk.

Geography

The Vitsebsk Voblast covers an area of 40,100 km², which is about 19.4 % of the national total. It is bordered on the north by Pskov Oblast of Russia, by Smolensk Oblast of Russia on the east, on the south by Minsk and Mahilyow Voblasts, on the southwest by Minsk and Hrodna Voblasts, and on the west and northwest by Vilnius County and Daugavpils District of Lithuania and Latvia.

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 ( _be. Шо) in Vitsebsk Voblast. [http://belarus-magazine.by/en.php?subaction=showfull&id=1178358210&archive=1183809402&start_from=&ucat=4&do=archives]

Economy

The Vitebsk Voblast has a number of important transport connections with Russia, Ukraine, the Baltic countries, and Poland. Having strong economic ties with the neighboring Baltic countries and Russia, the voblast tries to maintain a free trade area around its administrative center, Vitsebsk, now attracting foreign investments.

Administrative subdivisions

The Vitsebsk Voblast is subdivided into 21 raions, 5 cities of oblast subordinance, 19 additional cities, 249 selsovets, and 26 urban-type settlements.

* Vitsebsk ( _be. Ві́цебск; _ru. Ви́тебск) - 342,400
* Orsha ( _be. О́рша; _ru. О́рша) - 125,300
* Navapolatsk ( _be. Наваполацк; _ru. Новополоцк) - 101,300
* Polatsk ( _be. По́лацк; _ru. По́лоцк) - 82,800
* Pastavy ( _be. Паставы) - 20,500
* Hlybokaye ( _be. Глыбокае)- 19,600
* Lepel ( _be. Ле́пель; _ru. Ле́пель) - 18,800
* Navalukoml - 14,900
* Haradok ( _be. Гарадок; _ru. Городок) - 14,000
* Baran - 12,300
* Talachyn ( _be. Талачын) - 10,500
* Braslaw ( _be. Браслаў; _ru. Браслав) - 10,100
* Chashniki ( _be. Чашнікі) - 9,800
* Dubrowna ( _be. Дуброўна) - 9,100
* Myory ( _be. Мёры) - 9,000
* Syanno ( _be. Сянно)- 8,400
* Beshankovichy ( _be. Бешанко́вічы) - 8,200
* Vyerhnyadzvinsk _be. Верхнядзвінск) - 7,900
* Dokshytsy ( _be. Докшыцы)- 7,000
* Disna - 2,400

ee also

* Subdivisions of Belarus

External links

*/ru icon [http://www.regadmin.vitebsk.by/index-e.html Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee]