The Mogilev Region. Map of the Mogilev Region

The Mogilev region is the easternmost region of Belarus bordering with the Russian Federation. In the north, it borders Vitebsk, in the south - with Gomel, in the west - with Minsk. Eastern neighbors are the Bryansk and Smolensk regions of Russia. More than 37 percent of the territory is covered by forests, 50 percent is farmland. The map of the Mogilev region, given in the article, clearly demonstrates the outlines of this region of Belarus.

History of the region

According to archaeological data, near the Ola River the first people lived since the Stone Age. And near the village of Bolshie Bortnik, archaeologists managed to find in the peat deposits perfectly preserved household objects and tools made of bone and horn. This gives an idea to the scientific historians about how people lived four or five thousand years ago. In the times of Kievan Rus in the Mogilev region (it was part of this state) on the bank of the Dnieper appeared the first cities that exist today: Mstislavl (founded in 1135), Krichev (1136), Propoysk, modern name - Slavgorod (1136 year) ), Mogilev (1267). In the period from the 12th to the 16th century, this region was a part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Russian and Zhemotsky. At this time, the cities grew significantly, they became major trading centers. Warriors of the Mstislavl banners forever entered their names in the history of Europe, standing in 1410 in a bloody battle against the Knights of the Teutonic Order at Grunwald. Since the middle of the 16th century these lands have become part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. During the Russo-Polish war, the population of the region was halved. And during the confrontation with the Swedes near the village of Lesnaya an important battle took place, which ended in the victory of the Russian army. When partitioning the Commonwealth, these lands became the property of Russia. Empress Catherine II presented the city of Krychev to Prince Potemkin, and Golitsyno - the town of Propoysk. During the Russo-French war, Mogilev region became the arena of military operations, and in the First World War the rate of the last Russian Tsar Nicholas II was here.

The Mogilev region was formed in January 1938. During the Second World War, Soviet soldiers held Mogilev 23 days from the onslaught of German invaders. In this war the region lost a quarter of its population.

Population of the region

In Mogilev region there are 1 million 76 thousand people. Of these, more than 75 percent - in cities and towns, the rest - in villages and villages. Almost 90 percent of the population is Belarusians. The following ethnic minorities live in the region: Russians (132,000 people), Ukrainians (21,100), Jews (3,500), Poles (2,8 thousand), Armenians (1,1 thousand). And also Tatars, Gypsies, Lithuanians, Azeris, Germans and Moldovans.

Religion

In the region, 17 religions profess, the main is Orthodox Christianity. In general, Belarus (Mogilev region is not an exception) is characterized by loyalty and tolerance to various religious denominations. It is easy to get along with mosques, churches, Christian churches and many others. So, on the territory of the region there are 157 different religious communities. Of these, 69 are Orthodox Christian churches, 29 are Evangelical Christian Baptists, 17 are Roman Catholic, 6 are Old Believer churches, and other Christian movements. In addition, there are Jewish, Muslim, Krishna communities here.

Human settlements and districts of Mogilev region

This region (total area is 29.1 thousand km ² ) is divided into administrative regions. They are 21: Belynichsky (area of 1419 square kilometers), Bobruisk (1599), Bykhovsky (2263), Glusk (1335), Goretsky (1284), Dribinsky (767), Kirovsky (1295), Klimovichy (1543), Klichevsky (1800) , Krasnopolsky (1223), Krichevsky (778), Kruglyansky (882), Kostyukovichsky (1494), Mogilevsky (1895), Mstislavsky (1333), Osipovichsky (1947), Slavgorod (1318), Khotimsky (859), Chausky (1471) , Cherikovsky (1020), Shklovsky (1334).

Osipovichi, Bobruisk, Kirovsk, Mogilev, Shklov, Bykhov, Gorki, Chausy, Slavgorod, Cherikov, Mstislavl, Krichev, Kostyukovichi, Klimovichi are the cities of the Mogilev region. The administrative centers of the region are fifteen cities, six urban-type settlements. In addition, it consists of three workers' settlements, 194 village councils. The total villages and villages of the Mogilev region number 3120 settlements.

Transport connection

Belarus is an important transit route between Europe and the Russian Federation, and the Mogilev region is characterized by a developed road infrastructure. The railway junctions directly connect it with all the regions of Belarus, with Moldova, Ukraine, the Baltic countries, as well as with a number of regions of Russia. In addition, direct bus connections connect the region with Novogrudok, Gomel, Vitebsk, Orsha, Minsk, Novopolotsk, St. Petersburg, Smolensk, Moscow and others. In addition, this region is crossed by the middle currents of Europe's major waterways, such as Sozh, Berezina and Dnepr.

Industry

Mogilev region is one of the main industrial regions of Belarus. It is represented by more than 240 enterprises. The region occupies the first positions in the production of underground trains and self-propelled scrapers, passenger elevators, trailed agricultural machinery in the CIS countries. In Belarus, Mogilev region is the main producer of tires, centrifugal pumps, cement, electric motors, soft roofing, textile haberdashery, dressings, silk fabrics, rubber shoes and others. The main industrial centers are Bobruisk and Mogilev. In the latter there is an industrial park "Mogilev" and a free economic zone.

Natural resources

Mogilev region is very rich in minerals and natural resources. There are more than 1,800 deposits, including cement raw materials (the largest reserves of marl, clay, chalk and loam of cement in the country), phosphorites (unique for Belarus), sand and gravel mixtures, construction and silicate sand, peat, sapropels, mineral waters, Trepela (the largest in the country) and oil.

Agriculture

The agricultural lands of the region occupy more than 50 percent of the territory, including arable land (33.1 percent), pastures (9.1 percent), hayfields (8.1 percent). The leading role in the agrarian complex of the region is occupied by plant growing. Legumes and grains are common everywhere. In 70 percent of the areas they provide forage grains and for 30 percent - food. Livestock breeding has, in the main, a milky and meat direction. A number of districts of the region contain specialized farms that are engaged in breeding fur-bearing animals, horses, and fish production. One of the most important environmental problems here is radioactive contamination after the 1986 accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. In total, about 35 percent of the territories are classified as contaminated.

Culture

The rich history and artistic culture of the region is reflected in many monuments of archeology, decorative and applied art and monumental art, original architectural heritage. Among the main attractions can be identified 27 museums, three professional theaters and the Philharmonic. In the Mogilev region, several international theater and music festivals are held annually. Three regional and 21 local newspapers are published in the region. There are city and regional TV and radio channels.