Gomel region, also known as Gomel oblast or Homyel voblasts, is one of the regions of Belarus. Its administrative center is Gomel. The total area of the region is . As of 2024, it had a population of 1,338,617.
Its largest settlements include Gomel, Mazyr, Zhlobin, Svyetlahorsk, Rechytsa, Kalinkavichy, Rahachow and Dobrush.
Both Gomel region and Mogilev region suffered severely from the Chernobyl disaster. Gomel Province borders the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone in places, and parts of it have been designated as mandatory or voluntary resettlement areas as a result of the radioactive contamination.
Administrative territorial entities Gomel region comprises 21 districts and 2 city municipalities. The districts have 278 selsovets and 17 cities and towns.
Districts of Gomel region
Aktsyabrski district Brahin district Buda-Kashalyova district Chachersk district Dobrush district Gomel district Kalinkavichy district Karma district Khoiniki district Lyelchytsy district Loyew district Mazyr district Narowlya district Pyetrykaw district Rahachow district Rechytsa district Svyetlahorsk district Vyetka district Yelsk district Zhlobin district Zhytkavichy district
Cities and towns English Belarusian Pop. (2023) Gomel Гомель 501,802 Mazyr Мазыр 105,321 Zhlobin Жлобін 77,049 Rechytsa Рэчыца 65,423 Svyetlahorsk Светлагорск 63,202 Kalinkavichy Калінкавічы 37,050 Rahachow Рагачоў 32,029 Dobrush Добруш 18,137 Zhytkavichy Жыткавічы 15,961 Khoyniki Хойнікі 13,248 Pyetrykaw Петрыкаў 10,303 Chachersk Чачэрск 8,885 Yelsk Ельск 8,864 Vyetka Ветка 8,625 Buda-Kashalyova Буда-Кашалёва 8,618 Narowlya Нароўля 8,352 Brahin Брагін 4,546 Vasilyevichy Васілевічы 3,285 Turov Тураў 2,766
Geography
Pripyatsky National Park covers 2% of the territory of the region. Eleven wildlife preserves of national importance cover 2.1% of the region.
The southernmost point of Belarus is located in Gomel region, on the Dnieper River to the south of the urban-type settlement of Kamaryn, Brahin District.
The 3rd largest lake in Belarus, Lake Chervonoye, is located in Gomel region, Zhytkavichy District.
Gomel region borders Mogilev region on the north, Brest region on the west, Russia (Bryansk oblast) on the east and Ukraine (Chernihiv oblast, Kyiv oblast and Zhytomyr oblast) on the south and southeast.
Demography
Economy The processing industry is represented by alcoholic beverages, such as wine and beer, soft drinks, as well as the vegetable-drying and canning industries. Mazyr is home to one of Belarus' major oil refineries.
Transport Gomel region is a major transport hub. Major railway junctions include Gomel, Zhlobin, and Kalinkavichy. Gomel is located at the intersection of the highways 95E Odesa–Kyiv–St. Petersburg, Bakhmach–Vilnius, and M10 Bryansk–Brest. River transport is also common in the region with regular navigation on the Pripyat, Dnieper and Berezina rivers.
Tourism The number of travel agencies in Gomel region has grown from 21 in 2000 to 54 in 2010. The main tourist destinations of the region are Pripyatsky National Park and Gomel.
History
As a result of the disaster at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, 20 out of 21 districts of the Gomel region were damaged, 357 settlements ceased to exist, about 40 farms and 216 thousand hectares of agricultural land were taken out of operation, 1127 settlements were contaminated, the number of affected population was 749 thousand people. The most affected districts are: Brahin, Khoyniki, Narowlya, Vyetka, Dobrush, Chachersk, Karma. The Polesie State Radioecological Reserve, which is a radioecological nature reserve, is situated in the southern part of the region. It was created to enclose the territory of Belarus most affected by radioactive fallout from the Chernobyl disaster. Children in the Gomel oblast (region) in Belarus received the highest thyroid doses of radiation in the county.
Notes
References
External links Gomel Oblast Executive Committee Gomel Regional Executive Committee (Archive) (2004) Homel Region: Epicentre of Troubles That Bore Celebrities