Vitebsk Oblast is located in the North-East of the country and borders on Lithuania, Latvia and Russia. It occupies 19.3% of the Republic’s territory. 13.8% of the population resides there. The city of Vitebsk is the center (with a population of 367 thousand). The Oblast comprises 21 districts, 249 rural councils, 19 towns (including 5 towns of Oblast jurisdiction), and 26 urbanized settlements.

Vitebsk Oblast is an industrially developed area of the country. Electric energy production occupies a leading place within the industry structure. Lukoml hydro-electric station and Novopolotsk heat and energy power station are located there. Apart from electric energy production, special industries include food, light, fuel and chemical industries.

Most agricultural districts specialize in milk and meat production, pig breeding, flax growing, and, in the vicinity of Vitebsk, Orsha and Polotsk produce poultry, vegetable and fruit.

The Oblast possesses a unique natural complex, most of the Belarusian Pooseriye (Lake District) is located there. Of 19 major lakes in Belarus, 11 are located in Vitebsk Oblast. The Braslav lakes are unique to the region. In the basin of the river Zapadnaya Dvina in Braslav district there are 50 lakes with the total area of 130 km2. The lakes are populated by rare species of animals and plants put on the Red Book of Belarus. The territory is of great interest for emerging tourist and recreation facilities.

The Oblast boasts numerous historical monuments. Polotsk, one of the oldest towns of eastern Slavs, has preserved a lot of historical and cultural memorials of the Slavonic people (such as Sofia Cathedral, Savior and Yefrosinya Church, Christophany Church, etc.).

Vitebsk Oblast holds specific advantages for the transport system potentially as its territory is crossed by two trans-European corridors (Paris-Moscow, Helsinki-Vitebsk-Gomel-Kyiv-Plovdiv), and Yamal-Europe gas pipeline.

For more information please visit the website of Vitebsk Oblast Executive Committee