Belgorod

Capital city of Belgorod oblast (region), Russian Federation, on the right bank of the northern Donets River, 120 km/75 mi south of Kursk, near the Ukrainian border; population (1996 est) 326,000. Belgorod lies in an area rich in minerals, and is the site of large cement works and chalk-processing plants.

The city was first chronicled in the 13th century (1237). It was the centre of the Muscovite defence line against the Crimean Tatars in the 17th century. In July–August 1943, Belgorod was the scene of bitter fighting between the German and Soviet armies; the important tank Battle of Kursk was fought near the city.

Belgorod

Oblast (region) in the western Russian Federation near the border with Ukraine; area 27,100 sq km/10,463 sq mi; population (1996) 1,469,000 (65% urban). The main cities are Belgorod (capital) and Mikhaylovka. Situated in the black earth (chernozem) belt, the region has large iron-ore deposits, and forms part of the Kursk Magnetic Anomaly. Other mining products include chalk, clay, and sand; quarrying and mining are the chief industries.