Gomel

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Гомель Gomel
nickname =

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imagesize = 250px


image_

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map_caption = Location of Homel, shown within the Homiel Voblast
subdivision_type = Country Subdivision
subdivision_name = Belarus Homiel
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Alexander Belyev
established_title = Founded
established_date = 1142
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 113
area_land_km2 =
area_water_km2 =
population_as_of = 2004
population_note =
population_total = 481197
population_metro =
population_density_km2 = 4258.4
timezone = EET
utc_offset = +2
timezone_DST = EEST
utc_offset_DST = +3
latd=52 |latm=25|latNS=N
longd=30|longm=29|longEW=E
elevation_m =
postal_code = 246xx, 247xxx
area_code = +375 232(2)
blank_name = License plate
blank_info = 3
website = [http://www.gorod.gomel.by/page.aspx?module=text&section_id=204 www.gorod.gomel.by]
footnotes

Gomel (pronEng|ˈɡoʊmel) [http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/homyel' Definition of Homyel' - Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary] ] , also Homel, Homiel ( _be. Гомель, IPA2|ˈɣomʲelʲ, translit: "Hómiel'"; is the administrative center of Homiel Voblast and the second-largest city in Belarus. It has a population of 479,935 (2006 estimate). Homel is situated in the southeastern part of the country, on the right bank of Sozh river, close to the border with Ukraine, in close proximity to Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Although it has been heavily contaminated with radioactive debris following the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, residents were never evacuated from Homel and general population continued to grow. The city is serviced by Gomel Airport.

History

The exact date when Homel was founded is not known. Homel was first mentioned in the chronicles in the first half of the 12th century; the officially accepted date is 1142. In 1854 Homel merged with the neighbouring town of Bielica located across Sozh, on the left bank of the river. Now Bielica is one of four boroughs of Homel. [ [http://gomel.lk.net/history.html Gomel: History] ]

In the 19th century Jewish residents comprised more than 50% of the city's total population and had twenty-four synagogues. On the eve of World War II about fifty thousand Jews lived in Homel (one-third of total population). Some Jewish residents escaped in the early months of the war but those who remained were later confined to ghettos and were eventually executed by the Nazis, suffering the fate of millions of Jews who perished in the Holocaust.

Transportation

Public transportation is represented by over 1,000 city buses and trolleybuses. Public transportation is generally inexpensive ($14 monthly). Over 210 million passenger rides were registered in 2006. [ [http://www.gorod.gomel.by/page.aspx?module=text&page_id=70&section_id=97 Homel Transportation Statistics (Russian language)] ] Taxi services ($10 for a one-way intra-city ride) are available 24 hours a day. The city is an important railroad hub in the southeastern part of Belarus being positioned midway on the Minsk-Kiev railroad link. Strategic location of Homel near the border with Russia and Ukraine provides a direct connection to the vast railroad network.

Gomel Airport is located 8 kilometers north-east from the city.

Educational center

Homel is a well-known educational center. The following universities are located in Homel:
*Francysk Skaryna Homiel State University
*Homiel State Medical University
*P.O. Sukhoy Homiel State Technical University
*Belarusian State University of Transport
*Belarusian Trade-Economic University of Consumer Cooperation (private school)

Since 1990, P.O. Sukhoy Homiel State Technical University and Homiel State Medical University have been attracting many international students from countries around world, including United States, Germany, China, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Syria, Russia, Ukraine, Egypt, Iran and Latin America. Homiel State Medical University provides classes in both English and Russian. Many famous scientists work here as senior lecturers.

People

*Avrohom Elyashiv, rabbi of Homel and Jerusalem
*Aaron Lebedeff, Yiddish tenor
*Lev Schnirelmann, Soviet mathematician
*Marek Edelman, political and social activist
*Iryna Yatchenko, Belarusian Olympic medal winner, discus thrower
*Sergey Sidorsky, Belarusian prime-minister (2003 to present time)
*Seryoga, Russian rapper (who once challenged Eminem to a one-on-one rap competition)
*Igor Polotsky, famous watchmaker
*Kanstantsin Siutsou, professional road cyclist

ister cities

* Chernihiv, Ukraine
* Aberdeen, Scotland (since 1990) [citeweb|url=http://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/ACCI/web/site/Tourism/SL/tur_TownTwinning.asp|title=Twinning|publisher=Aberdeen City Council|accessdate=2008-03-02]
* České Budějovice, Czech Republic
* Clermont-Ferrand, France
* Liepāja, Latvia
* Radom, Poland

References

External links

* [http://img.tfd.com/thumb/4/41/Gomel_coat_of_arms.gifCoat of Arms]
* [http://radzima.org/pub/miesta.php?lang=en&miesta_id1=hohohome Photos on Radzima.org]
* [http://gomel.lk.net/history.html History of Homiel]
* [http://www.gorod.gomel.by/page.aspx?module=text&page_id=157&section_id=206 Statistical information about Homiel]
* [http://www.gomel.map.by/ Map of Gomel]

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