| Gomel region | |
| Native Name: | |
| Flag Size: | 150 |
| Settlement Type: | Region |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Belarus |
| Subdivision Type1: | Administrative center |
| Subdivision Name1: | Gomel |
| Subdivision Type2: | Largest cities |
| Subdivision Name2: | Gomel – 481,200 Mazyr – 111,800 Zhlobin – 72,800 |
| Subdivision Type3: | Districts |
| Subdivision Name3: | 21 Cities – 17 Urban localities – 278 Villages – 2,608 |
| Subdivision Type4: | City districts |
| Subdivision Name4: | 4 |
| Area Total Km2: | 40361.66 |
| Demographics Type1: | GDP |
| Demographics1 Footnotes: | [1] |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Total |
| Demographics1 Info1: | BYN 25.6 billion (€7.2 billion) |
| Demographics1 Title2: | Per capita |
| Demographics1 Info2: | BYN 18,500 (€5,200) |
| Population Total: | 1338617 |
| Population As Of: | 2024 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Population Footnotes: | [2] |
| Leader Title: | Chairman |
| Leader Name: | Ivan Ivanovich Krupko |
| Iso Code: | BY-HO |
| Blank Name Sec2: | HDI (2022) |
| Blank Info Sec2: | 0.801[3] · 2th |
| Website: | www.gomel-region.by |
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.[2]
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.[4] 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.[5]
Gomel region comprises 21 districts and 2 city municipalities. The districts have 278 selsovets, and 17 cities and towns.
| English | Belarusian | Pop. (2023)[6] | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Гомель | 501,802 | ||
| Мазыр | 105,321 | ||
| Жлобін | 77,049 | ||
| Рэчыца | 65,423 | ||
| Светлагорск | 63,202 | ||
| Калінкавічы | 37,050 | ||
| Рагачоў | 32,029 | ||
| Добруш | 18,137 | ||
| Жыткавічы | 15,961 | ||
| Хойнікі | 13,248 | ||
| Петрыкаў | 10,303 | ||
| Чачэрск | 8,885 | ||
| Ельск | 8,864 | ||
| Ветка | 8,625 | ||
| Буда-Кашалёва | 8,618 | ||
| Нароўля | 8,352 | ||
| Брагін | 4,546 | ||
| Васілевічы | 3,285 | ||
| Тураў | 2,766 |
Pripyatsky National Park covers 2% of the territory of the region. Eleven wildlife preserves of national importance cover 2.1% of the region.[7]
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.[8]
The 3rd largest lake in Belarus, Lake Chervonoye, is located in Gomel region, Zhytkavichy District.[9]
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.
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.
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.
The number of travel agencies in Gomel region has grown from 21 in 2000 to 54 in 2010.[10] [11] The main tourist destinations of the region are Pripyatsky National Park and Gomel.
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.[12] The most affected districts are: Brahin, Khoyniki, Narowlya, Vyetka, Dobrush, Chachersk, Karma.[13] 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.[14]
