Vetka
| Vietka | ||
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| Ветка | ||
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 Vietka
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| Coordinates: 52°34′N 31°11′E / 52.567°N 31.183°E | ||
| Country |
 Belarus
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| Voblast | Homiel Voblast | |
| Population (2006) | ||
| • Total | 8,000 | |
| Time zone | EET (UTC+2) | |
| • Summer (DST) | EEST (UTC+3) | |
Vietka (Polish: Wetka) is a small, historical town in Belarus, situated on the bank of the Sozh River. It is the principal centre in Vietka Rajon in Gomel Region.
It was established in 1685 by the Old Believer Priest Group (a branch of the Orthodox Christian Church)) who were known as the Theodesians and who had migrated from Central Russia. At the time it was founded, Vetka was on Lithuanian territory.
The town's prosperity brought on the wrath of the Russian Empire and as result, it was gutted twice (1735 and 1764) by the Tsarist army in the 18th century. Vetka, on the left bank of the Sozh River, is located in an area which was highly radioactive due to the nuclear fallout of the Chernobyl disaster that occurred on April 26, 1986.
The town is named Vietka after an island in the Sozh River. "Vietka" means "branch" in Belarusian language.
The town is located in the Homiel region on the right bank of the Sozh River and is surrounded by forest and marshy land. It is situated 22 kilometres (14 mi) away from Homiel. The Homiel and Dobruš road passes through the town. It has 139 inhabited areas in 57 resettled suburbs in the district which extends over an area of 156.3 km2 (60.3 sq mi).
As of 2003, the population of the district was 19,700. While urban population was 9,000 in 1992, the population of Vietka town was 5,982 (42.6% is Jewish), living in 11 stone and 994 wooden buildings. During this period six rope plants and six windmills, four forges, four stone and 120 wooden shops were reported. The population of Vetka increased to 7,200 in 1997. The main vocations were of jewellery, small trade and handicrafts with the Jews concentrating on timber trading, operating from Vietka wharf.
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