Białowieża Primaeval Forest is an ancient woodland straddling the border between Belarus and Poland, located 70 km (43 mi) north of Brest. It is one of the last and largest remaining parts of the immense primeval forest which once spread across the European Plain. This UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve lies in south-western Belarus, in parts of the Brest Voblast (Kamianiec and Pruzhany districts) and Hrodna Voblast (Svislach district), and near the town of Białowieża in the Podlaskie Voivodeship (62 km (39 mi) south-east of Białystok and 190 km (120 mi) north-east of Warsaw) in Poland. On the Polish side it is partly protected as Białowieski Park Narodowy (Białowieża National Park), and occupies over 100 km2 (39 sq mi). On the Belarusian side the Biosphere Reserve occupies 1, 771 km2 (684 sq mi); the core area covers 157 km2 (61 sq mi); the buffer zone 714 km2 (276 sq mi); and the transition zone 900 km2 (350 sq mi); the National Park and World Heritage Site comprises 876 km2 (338 sq mi). The border between the two countries runs through the forest and is closed for large animals and tourists for the time being. The security fence keeps the wisent on either side of it genetically isolated from each other. (source: wikipedia)
