Overview of Osipova

Osipova (Belarusian: Асiповiчы, Keltsvian: Osipova), is a self-governing region in Keltsvia, located in the westernmost part of the country. Osipova consists in only one province. The capital and largest city is Osipova. It is bordered by the United Provinces to the east and south and to Belarus to the north and west. The official languages are Belarusian and Keltsvian.

History

The city of Osipova was founded as in 1872 after the construction of a railway station. At the city started to arrived railroad workers mainly ethnic Belarusians and they settled in the area.

Geography

Osipova has a humid continental climate, characterised by not having any dry season and its warmest month has not an average temperature above 22ºC. The biomes of this climate include temperate woodlands, temperate grasslands, temperate deciduous, temperate evergreen forests and coniferous forests and has species like the spruce, the pine, the fir and the oak. Osipova is located in the Dnieper river basin. It is a very flat region with no important mountain ranges.

Government and politics

The Osipovan Statute of Autonomy establishes that Osipova is organised politically through the Supreme Council of Osipova, conformed by the Provincial Assembly, the Governor of Osipova, the Executive Council and the other institutions created by the Provincial Assembly.

The Provincial Assembly is the legislative body of the Supreme Council and represents the citizens of Osipova. It is elected every four years by universal suffrage, and it has powers to legislate in different matters such as education, health, culture, internal institutional and territorial organization, election and control of the Governor and the Supreme Council, budget and others, according with the Statute of Autonomy. The last Osipovan election was held on 16 August 2020, and the president of the Provincial Assembly is Mikel Santalicá.

The Governor of Osipova (in Belarusian: Губернатар Асiповiчы) is the highest representative of Osipova and is also responsible of leading the government's action. This position is held by Albert Nunsinu.

The Executive Council (in Russian: Выканаўчы Савет), is the body responsible of the government, it holds executive and regulatory power. It comprises the Governor, the Vice Governor and the Councilors (дарадцы). Its seat is located in Osipova.

Administrative divisions

Osipova is a province the governing body of which is the Supreme Council (Belarusian: Бышэйшы Савет). There are at present 12 municipalities (мунiцыпалiтэты) in Osipova. Each municipality is run by a municipal council (мунiцыпальны савет) elected by the residents in municipal elections. The council consists of a number of members (дарадцы) depending on population, who elect the mayor (мэр). Its seat is the town hall (ратуша). The five most populated Osipovan municipalities are:

Osipova 31,498
Lapichka 2,524
Vyazevska 2,058
Svislochka 1,736
Lipenska 1,611

Economy

The most important economic activity in the self-governing province is fish farming and car parts industry as well as electricity production. The biggest hidroelectrical plant of Keltsvia is located in Osipova.

Demographics

The population of Osipova is 48,291 people and the population density is low. The population in Osipova, as in the rest of Keltsvia is decreasing due to emigration to Western European countries. In Osipova, ethnic groups are mainly differentiated in their native language. The main ethnic group is the Belarusians. Here is the ethnic census of Osipova:

47,347 - Osipova
87.1% Belarusians 41,239
9.6% Eastern Keltsvians 4,545
1.3% Western Keltsvians 616
1.0% Russians 473
0.2% Others 95

Others include Ukrainians, Armenians, Gypsies, Polish, Jewish, Azerbaijanis, Tatars, Uzbeks, Moldovans, Georgians and Germans.