Homiel Voblasts

Homiel Voblasts or Gomel Region (Го́мельская во́бласць, Гомельская область) is one of the regions of Belarus. Its administrative center is [Homiel]]. The total area of the region is 40400 km2, the population in 2011 stood at 1,435,000 with the number of inhabitants per km2 at 36.

Important cities within the region include: Homiel, Mazyr, Zhlobin, Svietlahorsk, Rechytsa, Kalinkavichy, Rahačoŭ, Dobruš.

Both the Gomel Region and the Mogilev Region suffered severely after the Chernobyl nuclear reactor catastrophe. The Gomel Province borders the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone in places, and parts of it is designated as mandatory or voluntary resettlement areas as a result of the radioactive contamination.

Administrative subdivision
Gomel Region comprises 21 districts and 2 city municipalities. The districts comprise 278 selsovets, 17 cities and towns.

Cities and towns

 * Gomel (Го́мель) – 481,200
 * Mazyr (Мазы́р) – 111,800
 * Zhlobin (Жло́бін) – 72,800
 * Svietlahorsk (Светлаго́рск) – 71,700
 * Rechytsa (Рэчыца) – 66,200
 * Kalinkavichy (Калінкавічы) – 37,900
 * Rahachow (Рагачоў) – 34,700
 * Dobrush (Добруш) – 19,300
 * Zhytkavichy (Жыткавічы) – 16,900
 * Khoyniki (Хойнікі) – 14,200
 * Pietrykaw (Петрыкаў) – 10,600
 * Yel’sk (Ельск) – 10,000
 * Buda-Kashalyova (Буда-Кашалёва) – 9,500
 * Naroulia (Нароўля) – 8.200
 * Vietka (Ветка) – 7,800
 * Chachersk (Чачэрск) – 7,700
 * Vasilievichy (Васілевічы) – 4,500
 * Brahin (Брагін) –- 3,700
 * Turov (Ту́раў) – 3,200

City municipalities: Gomel, Mazyr.

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 extreme southern point of Belarus is located in Gomel Region, on the Dnieper River to the south of the urban-type settlement of Kamaryn, Brahin District.

3rd the largest lake in Belarus, Lake Chervonoye is situated in Gomel Region, Zhytkavichy District.



Economy
The processing industry is represented by alcohol, alcoholic beverage, wine, beer and soft drinks, vegetable-drying and canning industries.

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 Odessa – Kiev – 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. Main tourist destinations of the region are Pripyatsky National Park and Gomel.