Minsk region, also known asMinsk oblast[a] orMinsk voblasts,[b] is one of the sixregions of Belarus. Itsadministrative center isMinsk, although it is a separate administrative territorial entity of Belarus. The region's population was recorded at 1,411,500 in 2011.[3]
Minsk region covers a total area of 39,900 square kilometres (15,400 sq mi),[3] about 19.44% of the total area of the entire country.Lake Narach, the largest lake in the country, is located in the northern part of the region. There are four other large lakes in this region:Svir (8th largest),Myadel (11th largest),Syalyava (14th largest) andMyastro (15th largest).[4] It is the only region ofBelarus whose border is not part of the international border of Belarus.
In 1793, as a result of theSecond Partition of Poland, the area was annexed byRussia as the Minsk region. During the collapse of theRussian Empire due to the Civil War, the western part was annexed to Poland in 1921, while the east becameSoviet Belarus. ThePolish National District with its capital inDzyarzhynsk was located in the Soviet-controlled part of the current oblast in the interwar period.
The Minsk region was established on 15 January 1938, based on the amendment of theConstitutional Law of the USSR. As of 20 February 1938, the area included 20 districts. Following the Soviet invasion of Poland on September 17, 1939 at the start ofWorld War II, the former eastern lands of the Second Polish Republic were annexed in accordance with theMolotov–Ribbentrop Pact partitioning Poland and added to the Minsk region.
On 20 September 1944, by the decree of thePresidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, the Gressky, Kopyl, Krasnoslobodski, Luban, Slutsky, Starobin, Starodorozhski districts and the city of Sluck were removed from the Minsk region and transferred to the newly formedBobruisk region.
On 8 January 1954, by the decree of the USSR Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, theNesvizhski andStolbtsovsky districts from the abolishedBaranovichi region, as well as theGlusk,Gressky, Kopyl, Krasnoslobodski, Luban, Slutsky, Starobin, Starodorozhski districts and the city of Sluck from the abolishedBobruisk region, were added to the Minsk region.
In 1960, following the abolition ofMolodechno region, its southern part became the northern part of the Minsk region.
The number of travel agencies in Minsk region grew from twelve in 2000 to seventy in 2010.[5][6] The most popular tourist destinations of the region areZaslavskoye Lake, the Zhdanovichi area which has health resorts,Nesvizh Palace and its surroundings, as well as the alpine ski resorts ofLogoysk andSilichi.
.png)
.png)
.png)
