Grodno region

Grodno

The Grodno region lies in the west of Belarus. It is one of the six administrative regions (or oblasts) which make up the country.

The Grodno region of Belarus borders Poland in the west and the Lithuania in the north. It's a popular international trading partner with both Europe and Russia.

The people of the Grodno region

992,6 thousand people live in the Grodno region (on 1 January 2024)
66.7% of the population are Belarusians
21.5% are Poles
8.15% are ethnic Russians
1.4% are Ukrainians

Orthodox Christianity and Catholicism are the main religions.

There are 498 cultural and historical buildings in the region, including 248 Orthodox temples, 228 Catholic churches, 17 Protestant churches, 4 mosques and 1 synagogue.

Towns and cities in the Grodno region

Grodno is the main city in the region. There are a further 17 districts, 12 cities – of which 6 have their own regional administrations – and 21 towns.

Transport links in the Grodno region

The Grodno region has a very good transport infrastructure.

Major international motorways between Europe and the CIS states run through the region. The main highways run to Minsk, Vilnius, Baranovichi and Brest.

The Grodno region also has a good rail network, with international lines to Poland and Lithuania.

There is also a well-developed water transport network in the Grodno region, over the River Neman and the River Shchara.

Industry in the Grodno region

The chemical industry dominates production in the Grodno region, with large production facilities in Grodno and Lida.

Other significant industries include:

food processing
machine building
metal working
production of building materials

The main industrial area centres around Grodno city, which is also home to the Grodnoinvest free economic zone.

Agriculture in Grodno region

The agricultural sector is highly developed in the Grodno region. Cattle-breeding for the meat and dairy markets is important, as are pig-breeding and poultry farming. Cattle-breeding production accounts for 57.5% of all manufacturing.

Arable farming is also significant in the region. The main crops include:

grain
potatoes
flax
sugar beet
oilseed rape

Culture and media in Grodno region

The Grodno region has a rich cultural heritage. Its many attractions include:

3 major theatres
a philharmonic society
19 museums
2 music colleges

Tens international, republic and regional festivals and competitions take place in the Grodno region annually. The most popular of them include the Republican Festival of National Cultures and the Mir Castle Regional Festival of Arts.

The Grodno region’s many well-developed sports facilities include a national Neman Olympic training centre.

Places to visit in the Grodno region

Grodno is one of the most beautiful cities in Belarus, with castles and architectural monuments.

The St. Uspensky Zhirovichi men`s monastery is one of the most important tourist and pilgrim destinations in Belarus. In one of the monastery temples the Zhirovichi Mother of God icon can be found.

The region’s main attractions include: