Gomel Region
Gomel Region or Homieĺ Region,[4] also known as Gomel Oblast or Homyel Voblasts (Belarusian: Гомельская вобласць, romanized: Homieĺskaja voblasć; Russian: Гомельская область, romanized: Gomelskaya oblast), is one of the regions of Belarus. Its administrative center is Gomel. The total area of the region is 40,400 square kilometres (15,600 sq mi). As of 2024, it has a population of 1,338,617.[1]
Gomel Region
Its largest settlements include: Gomel, Mazyr, Zhlobin, Svyetlahorsk, Rechytsa, Kalinkavichy, Rahachow and Dobrush.
Both the Gomel Region and the Mogilev Region suffered severely from the Chernobyl disaster.[5] The 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.[6]
Belarusians in the region>95%90–95%85—90%<85%
Russians in the region>10%8–10%5–8%2–5%<2%
Ukrainians in the region>3%2–3%1–2%<1%
Transport[edit]
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[edit]
The number of travel agencies in Gomel Region has grown from 21 in 2000 to 54 in 2010.[11][12] Main tourist destinations of the region are Pripyatsky National Park and Gomel.