The Miory region was founded on January 15, 1940. It is located in the north-west of the Vitebsk oblast of the Republic of Belarus and borders on the Braslav, Sharkovshchina, Glubokoye and Polotsk regions of Belarus and the Republic of Latvia.
The total area of the region makes up 1780 km2. Some 20 per cent of the region is covered by forests. The Pure Oak Forest in Yazno is a natural monument of national importance.
The Miory region is very beautiful with its 96 reservoirs and 83 lakes, the largest of them is Obsterno (9.35 km2), and the deepest is Rumovka (29m). The most important river is the Western Dvina and its tributary Dysna.
Bogs occupy nearly 17% of the territory of the region. The biggest high bog in Europe is Yelnya with the area of 20,000 hectares. The region is famous for the remains of post-glacial fenland. The region is a natural habitat to more than 30 species of plants and animals which have been included in the Red Book of Belarus. The bogs Yelnya and Boloto-Mokh are the protected areas.
