Vitebsk Region

Vitebsk Region, Vitsebsk Voblast, or Vitebsk Oblast (Belarusian: Ві́цебская во́бласць, Viciebskaja Vobłasć, pronounced [ˈvʲitsʲɛpskaja ˈvɔblastsʲ]; Russian: Ви́тебская о́бласть, tr. Vitebskaya Oblast; IPA: [ˈvʲitʲɪpskəjə ˈobləsʲtʲ]) is a region (voblast) of Belarus with its administrative center being Vitebsk (Viciebsk). As of a 2011, the region had a population of 1,221,800. It also has the lowest population density in Belarus at 30.6 p/km².

Important cities within the region include Vitebsk, Orsha, and Navapolatsk.

Geography

Map of the administrative subdivisions of the Vitsebsk Voblast.

The Vitsebsk Region covers an area of 40,000 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 Region and by Mogilev Region, on the southwest by Minsk Region and Grodno Region, and on the west and northwest by Vilnius County and Utena County of Lithuania and Daugavpils District of and Latvia.

The northern extreme point of Belarus is situated in Verkhnyadzvinsk Raion of Vitebsk Region, North from 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 (Belarusian: Шо) in the Vitsebsk Voblast. [1][better source needed]

The region is known for its numerous lakes. The largest lakes of the Vitebsk Region are: Osveyskoye (2nd largest in Belarus), Lukomskoye (4th largest), Drivyaty(5th largest in Belarus and the largest of Braslav Lakes), Nescherdo, Snudy, Lisno, Ezerische, Strusto, Richi, Losvido, 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 cover 3,4% of the whole region territory, 22 wildlife preserves of national importance cover 4,1% of the region.

Tourism

The number of travel agencies in Vitebsk Region were growing from 25 in 2000 to 83 in 2010, most of them provide both agent and operator activities. Numerous lake resorts are situated here, that makes tourists stay for few nights. Polotsk and Vitebsk are most popular cultural tourism destinations of the region.