Mazyr

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Mazyr, also Mozyr (Belarusian: Мазы́р, IPA: [ma'zɨr]; Russian: Мо́зырь) is a city in the Homiel Province of Belarus on the Pripyat River about 210 km east of Pinsk and 100 km northwest of Chernobyl and is located at approximately 52°03′N, 29°15′E. The population is 111,770 (2004 estimate). The total urban area including Kalinkavičy across the river has a population of 150,000. Mazyr is known as a center of oil refining, machine building, and food processing in Belarus. It is home to one of the largest oil refineries in Belarus, pumping out 18 million metric tons per year. The Druzhba pipeline carries crude oil from Russia splitting in two at Mazyr. One pipeline branch is directed into Poland and the other one to Ukraine.

The right bank of the Pripyat River, where the city is located, is elevated above the left bank at substantial heights (up to 80 m). The overfall of surface of that scale is assumed to be a consequence of a glaciation: the Pripyat River is running right along the edge where an ancient glacier was located. Since both banks of the river are sandy, the right bank is cut through by a number of great ravines (more than 2.5 km length, up to 200 m width). The city is also located on the ravines, so its streets look much like streets of a mountain town. One of the ravines is proclaimed a reserve. Some of the nearby ravines are currently also equipped with ski lifts and transformed into skiing winter resorts.

Mozyr once had a sizable Jewish population. During World War II, many Jews were executed by the Nazis in Mazyr. There are several memorials devoted to this in the modern city. As with other Soviet cities, during approximately the last 15 years of the Communist control, a large proportion of the remaining Jews have relocated abroad, mostly to Israel and USA.

In 1986, the city suffered from heavy radioactive fallout from the Chernobyl accident.

[edit] Population

Year	Jewish population	Total Population	% Jewish	Notes
1897	5631	8076	69.73%	Russian Census of 1897
1927	~6000	14300	42%	Soviet Census of 1927[1]
1939	6307	17500	36.04%	Jewish population just before World War II[2]
1970	4300	48000	8.96%	Soviet Census of 1970. Population fell due to Holocaust and migration to bigger cities as Minsk, Moscow and Leningrad after WWII [3]
1979	3600	105882	3.40%	Soviet Census of 1979. Jewish population fell due to Emigration of Soviet Jews to Israel and USA[4]
1989	3200	128000	2.50%	Soviet Census of 1989. Jewish population fell due to Emigration of Soviet Jews to Israel and USA[5]
1999	565	114000	0.50%	Jewish population fell due to Emigration of Soviet Jews to Israel and USA[6]
2004	<500	111500	0.45%

[edit] External links

• Satellite photo of Mazyr (from Google Maps). Ravines can be seen very clearly.
• FC Slavia - www.slavia-mozyr.com
• Сайт горада Мазыр

[edit] Notes

v • d • e Subdivisions of Homiel Voblast, Belarus Raions Aktsyabar Raion • Brahin Raion • Buda-Kashalyowa Raion • Chachersk Raion • Dobrush Raion • Homiel Raion • Kalinkavichy Raion • Khoiniki Raion • Karma Raion • Lyelchytsy Raion • Loyew Raion • Mazyr Raion • Narowla Raion • Petrykaw Raion • Rahachow Raion • Rechytsa Raion • Svetlahorsk Raion • Vetka Raion • Yelsk Raion • Zhlobin Raion • Zhytkavichy Raion Cities Buda-Kashalyova • Chachersk • Dobrush • Homiel • Kalinkavichy • Khoiniki • Mazyr • Narowla • Petrykaw • Rahachow • Rechytsa • Svetlahorsk • Turaw • Vassilyevichy • Vetka • Yelsk • Zhlobin • Zhytkavichy

Coordinates: 52°03′N, 29°16′E