Мінск Минск Minsk
Flag Seal
Location of Minsk, shown within the Minsk Voblast
Coordinates: 53°54′N 27°34′E / 53.9, 27.567
Country Subdivision	Belarus Minsk
Founded	1067
Government
- Mayor	Mikhail Pavlov
Area
- City	305. Minsk Voblast (Province or Minsk Oblast (Мі́нская во́бласць 'mʲinskaja 'vobɫasʲtsʲ Минская о́бласть Minskaya Oblast) is Wikipedia talkFeatured lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->This list of countries, arranged alphabetically At the top level of administration the Eastern European country of Belarus is divided into six voblasti ' (or voblastsi, meaning "provinces" Belarus ( Belarusian Беларусь / Biełaruś is a Landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the north and east A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning "greater" is a modern title used in many countries for the highest ranking officer in a municipal government Mikhail Pavlov Yakovlevich (Михаи́л Па́влов Я́ковлевич (b Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. 47 km² (117. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 9 sq mi)
Elevation	280. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. The elevation of a Geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point often the mean sea level. 4 m (920 ft)
Population (2007)
- City	1,814,700
- Metro	3,316,700
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
- Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
Area code(s)	+375 17 +375 29 (mobile)
License plate	7
Website: www.minsk.gov.by

Minsk (Belarusian: Мінск IPA: [mʲinsk]; Russian: Минск; IPA: [mʲinsk]), is the capital and largest city in Belarus, situated on the Svislach and Niamiha rivers. The Belarusian language, or Belorussian,(беларуская мова BGN/PCGN: byelaruskaya mova, Scientific: belaruskaja mova Russian ( transliteration:,) is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages Belarus ( Belarusian Беларусь / Biełaruś is a Landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the north and east Svislach (Свíслач Сьвíслач Śvísłač 'sʲvʲisɫatʂ, Сви́слочь Svisloch is a river in Belarus, a right Tributary of the Niamiha (Няміга nʲa'mʲiɣa Немига is a river in Minsk. Minsk is also a headquarters of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). As the national capital, Minsk has a special administrative status in Belarus and is also the administrative centre of Minsk voblast (province) and Minsk raion. Minsk Voblast (Province or Minsk Oblast (Мі́нская во́бласць 'mʲinskaja 'vobɫasʲtsʲ Минская о́бласть Minskaya Oblast) is A province is a territorial unit almost always an Administrative division. For the manufactured regenerated fiber see Rayon A raion (or rayon) (райо́н ra'jon rayon раён რაიონი It has a population of 1,814,700 inhabitants (2007).

The earliest references to Minsk date to the 11th century (1067). In 1242, Minsk became a part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and it received its town privileges in 1499. The Grand Duchy of Lithuania (Lietuvos Didžioji Kunigaikštystė old literary Lithuanian Didi Kunigiste Letuvos, Ruthenian: Wialikaje Kniastwa Litowskaje 'City rights' redirects here See also Municipal charter. Town privileges were important features of European Towns during From 1569, it was a capital of the Minsk Voivodship in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Minsk Voivodeship (Województwo Mińskie was a unit of administrative division and local government in Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413 and later in Polish-Lithuanian The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, officially the Commonwealth of the Crown of the Polish Kingdom and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania also known as the Most Serene Republic It was annexed by Russia in 1793, as a consequence of the Second Partition of Poland. The Partitions of Poland or Partitions of the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth took place in the second half of the 18th century and ended the existence of the From 1919–1991, Minsk was the capital of the Byelorussian SSR. The Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (abbreviated as Byelorussian SSR or BSSR) (Беларуская Савецкая Сацыялістычная Рэспубліка

Geography and climate

Minsk is located on the southeastern slope of the Minsk Hills, a region of rolling hills running from the southwest (upper reaches of the river Nioman) to the northeast - that is, to the Lukomskaye lake in northwestern Belarus. "Nieman" and "Niemen" redirects here For other uses see Neman and Nieman (disambiguation. The average altitude above sea level is 220 m. Mean sea level (MSL is the average (mean height of the Sea, with reference to a suitable reference surface The geography of Minsk was formed during the two most recent Ice Ages. An ice age is a period of long-term reduction in the Temperature of the Earth 's surface and atmosphere resulting in an expansion of continental Ice sheets The Svislach river, which flows across the city from the northwest to the southeast, is located in the urstrohmtal, an ancient river valley formed by water flowing from melting ice sheets at the end of the last Ice Age. Svislach (Свíслач Сьвíслач Śvísłač 'sʲvʲisɫatʂ, Сви́слочь Svisloch is a river in Belarus, a right Tributary of the Minsk was initially founded on the hills. However, in the 20th century, it grew to include the relatively flat plains in the southeast. The western parts of the city are the most hilly.

Satellite view

Minsk is located in the area of mixed forests typical for most of Belarus. Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests temperate deciduous forest) --> are a Temperate and Humid Biome. Belarus ( Belarusian Беларусь / Biełaruś is a Landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the north and east Pinewood and mixed forests are still present at the edge of the city, especially in the north and east. Some of the forests were transformed into parks (for instance, the Chelyuskinites Park) as the city grew. A park is a protected area of Land and Water, usually in its natural or semi-natural (landscaped state and set aside for some purpose often to do with human Chelyuskinites Park ( Парк Чалюскiнцаў, Парк Челюскинцев, park tɕe'lʲʉskʲintsef is an Urban forest Park in

Minsk has a warm summer humid continental climate (Koppen Dfb), owing to its location between the strong influence of the moist air of the Atlantic Ocean and the dry air of the Eurasian landmass. The humid continental climate is a Climate found over large areas of land masses in the temperate regions of the mid-latitudes where there is a zone of conflict between Its weather is, however, unstable and tends to change often. The average January temperature is -6. 1 Celsius (21 °F), while the average July temperature is 17. The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. 8 °C (64 °F). The lowest temperature was recorded on 17 January, 1940 (-40 °C) (-40 °F) and the warmest on 29 July, 1936 (35 °C) (95 °F). The air is often moist, with humidity levels at 80-90%, especially during the cold season. Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air In daily language the term "humidity" is normally taken to mean Relative humidity. There are on average 135 humid days a year, compared with only 6 dry days. This results in frequent fogs, common in the autumn and spring. Minsk receives annual precipitation of 646 mm (25. In Meteorology, precipitation (also known as one class of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric 4 in), of which one third falls during the cold period (as snow and rain) and two thirds in the warm period. "Snowfall" redirects here For other uses see Snow (disambiguation or Snowfall (disambiguation. Rain is Liquid precipitation. On Earth it is the condensation of atmospheric Water vapor into drops heavy enough to fall often making it to Throughout the year, most winds are westerly and northwesterly, bringing cool and moist air from the Atlantic.

History

Main article: History of Minsk

Early history

The Saviour Church (1577) is part of an archaeological reservation in Zaslavl, 23 km northwest of Minsk

The area of today's Minsk was settled by the Early East Slavs by the 9th century. Origins Early East Slavs settled the forested hills of today’s Minsk by the 9th century. The East Slavs are a Slavic ethnic group, the speakers of East Slavic languages. The Svislach River valley was the settlement boundary between two Early East Slavs tribes - the Krivichs and Dregovichs. Svislach (Свíслач Сьвíслач Śvísłač 'sʲvʲisɫatʂ, Сви́слочь Svisloch is a river in Belarus, a right Tributary of the The East Slavs are a Slavic ethnic group, the speakers of East Slavic languages. The Krivichi (Крывічы Kryvičý Кривичи krʲivʲi'tɕi was one of the tribal unions of Early East Slavs between the 6th and the 12th centuries The Dregovichs or more correctly Dregovichi ( Belarusian: дрыгавічы dryhavičy, drɨɣavʲi'tʂɨ дреговичи́ dregovichi By 980, the area was incorporated into the early medieval Principality of Polatsk, one of the earliest East Slav states. The Principality of Polotsk, also known as the Kingdom of Polotsk or the Duchy of Polotsk (Полацкае княства Полоцкое княжество Minsk was first mentioned in the name form Měneskъ (Мѣнескъ) in the Primary Chronicle for the year 1067 in association with the Battle on the river Nemiga. The Primary Chronicle (ѣѣтъ Пóвесть временны́х лет Povest' vremennykh let; Пóвість врéм'яних літ Povist' vremjanykh Battle on the river Nemiga (Сраже́ние на Неми́ге was a Combat of the Russian feudal period that occurred on March 3 1067 on ^[1] 1067 is now widely accepted as the founding year of Minsk. City authorities consider the date of September 2, 1067, to be the exact founding date of the city^[2], though the town (by then fortified by wooden walls) had certainly existed for some time by then.

In the early 12th century, the Principality of Polatsk disintegrated into smaller fiefs. The Principality of Polotsk, also known as the Kingdom of Polotsk or the Duchy of Polotsk (Полацкае княства Полоцкое княжество The Principality of Minsk was established by one of the Polatsk dynasty princes. Polotsk ( Polatsk, По́лацк Полоцк Polockas Połock is a historical city in Belarus, situated on the Dvina river In 1129, the Principality of Minsk was annexed by Kiev, the dominant principality of Kievan Rus; however in 1146 the Polatsk dynasty regained control of the principality. Kiev, also known as Kyiv ( Ukrainian:, Kyiv, ˈkɪjiw Russian:, Kiyev; see also Cities' alternative names) is the Kievan Rus′ (Ки́евская Русь romanised: Kievskaya Rus', rusʲ also written as Kyivan Rus′ (Ки́ївська Русь or Kievan By 1150, Minsk rivaled Polatsk as the major city in the former Principality of Polatsk. The princes of Minsk and Polatsk were engaged in years of struggle trying to unite all lands previously under the rule of Polatsk.

Lithuanian and Polish rule

Minsk escaped the Mongol invasion of Rus in 1237-1239. The Mongol invasion of Rus' was heralded by the Battle of the Kalka River in 1223 between Subutai 's reconnaissance unit and the combined force However, in later years it was attacked by nomadic invaders from the Golden Horde, who turned many principalities of disintegrated Kievan Rus into their vassal states. This article refers to the medieval Turkic state For the Irish rock band see The Golden Horde (band. Kievan Rus′ (Ки́евская Русь romanised: Kievskaya Rus', rusʲ also written as Kyivan Rus′ (Ки́ївська Русь or Kievan Trying to avoid the Tatar yoke, the Principality of Minsk sought protection from Lithuania from various northern princes, who had been consolidating their power in the region. The Mongol invasion of Rus' was heralded by the Battle of the Kalka River in 1223 between Subutai 's reconnaissance unit and the combined force Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania (Lietuvos Respublika is a Country in Eastern often referred to as Northern Europe or in the In 1242, Minsk became a part of the expanding Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The Grand Duchy of Lithuania (Lietuvos Didžioji Kunigaikštystė old literary Lithuanian Didi Kunigiste Letuvos, Ruthenian: Wialikaje Kniastwa Litowskaje It was joined peacefully and local elites enjoyed high rank in the society of the Grand Duchy. In 1413, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Kingdom of Poland entered into a union. The Grand Duchy of Lithuania (Lietuvos Didžioji Kunigaikštystė old literary Lithuanian Didi Kunigiste Letuvos, Ruthenian: Wialikaje Kniastwa Litowskaje The Kingdom of Poland of the Jagiellons was the Polish state created by the accession of Wladislaus II Jagiełło, Grand Duke of Lithuania, to Minsk became the centre of Minsk Voivodship (province). This article concerns both historical and contemporary voivodeships in various countries In 1441, the Lithuanian prince Kazimierz IV Jagiellon included Minsk in a list of cities enjoying certain privileges, and in 1499, during the reign of his son, Aleksander Jagiellon, Minsk received town privileges under Magdeburg law. Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania (Lietuvos Respublika is a Country in Eastern often referred to as Northern Europe or in the Casimir IV Jagiellon (Kazimierz IV Jagiellończyk; Kazimieras Jogailaitis Kazimir Jahajłavič 30 November 1427 &ndash Alexander Jagiellon ( Lithuanian: Aleksandras Jogailaitis; Polish: Aleksander Jagiellończyk; 5 August 1461 – 19 August 'City rights' redirects here See also Municipal charter. Town privileges were important features of European Towns during Magdeburg Rights (Magdeburger Recht or Magdeburg Law were a set of German town laws regulating the degree of internal autonomy within cities and villages granted with In 1569, after the Union of Lublin, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland merged into a single state, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The Union of Lublin (Liublino unija Belarusian: Лю́блінская ву́нія Polish: Unia The Grand Duchy of Lithuania (Lietuvos Didžioji Kunigaikštystė old literary Lithuanian Didi Kunigiste Letuvos, Ruthenian: Wialikaje Kniastwa Litowskaje The Kingdom of Poland of the Jagiellons was the Polish state created by the accession of Wladislaus II Jagiełło, Grand Duke of Lithuania, to The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, officially the Commonwealth of the Crown of the Polish Kingdom and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania also known as the Most Serene Republic Afterwards, a Polish community including government clerks, officers, and craftsmen settled in Minsk.

The High Square as painted in the 1840s

By the middle of the 16th century, Minsk was an important economic and cultural centre in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, officially the Commonwealth of the Crown of the Polish Kingdom and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania also known as the Most Serene Republic It was also an important centre for the Eastern Orthodox Church. The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world Following the Union of Brest, both the Uniate church and the Roman Catholic Church increased in influence. Union of Brest ( Belarusian: Берасьцейская унія, Ukrainian: Берестейська унія, Unia brzeska refers to the This article refers to Eastern Churches in full communion with the Holy See

In 1654, Minsk was conquered by troops of Tsar Alexei of Russia. Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov (Алексей Михайлович ( March 9, 1629 (O Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Russians governed the city until 1667, when it was regained by Jan Kasimir, King of Poland. For other monarchs with similar names please see John of Poland. Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland By the end of the Polish-Russian war, Minsk had only about 2,000 residents and just 300 houses. The second wave of devastation occurred during the Great Northern War, when Minsk was occupied in 1708 and 1709 by the Swedish army of Charles XII and then by the Russian army of Peter the Great. The Great Northern War (1700-21 was fought between Russia and Sweden for supremacy in the Baltic Sea. The last decades of the Polish rule involved decline or very slow development, since Minsk had become a small provincial town of little economic or military significance. By 1790, however, it had a population of 6,500-7,000 and was slowly re-expanding to the city limits of 1654. Most of the Minsk residents at the time were Jews and Poles, with a minority of Belarusians. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ The Polish people, or Poles, (Polacy) are a Western Slavic Ethnic group of Central Europe, living predominantly in Poland. Belarusians or Belorussians (Беларусы Biełarusy previously also spelled Belarussians, Byelorussians and Belorusians, also

Russian rule

Russian Orthodox church of St. Mary Magdalene (built in 1847)

Minsk was annexed by Russia in 1793 as a consequence of the Second Partition of Poland. The Partitions of Poland or Partitions of the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth took place in the second half of the 18th century and ended the existence of the In 1796, it became the centre of the Minsk guberniya (province). Guberniya (губе́рния) (also gubernia, guberniia, gubernya) was a major administrative subdivision of Imperial Russia, usually All of the Polish street names were replaced by Russian, though the spelling of the city's name remained unchanged.

Throughout the 19th century, the city continued to grow and significantly improve. In the 1830s, major streets and squares of Minsk were cobbled and paved. A first public library was opened in 1836, and a fire brigade was put into operation in 1837. In 1838, the first local newspaper, Minskiye gubernskiye vedomosti (“Minsk province news”) went into circulation. The first theatre was established in 1844. By 1860, Minsk was an important trading city with a population of 27,000. There was a construction boom that led to the building of 2 and 3-story brick and stone houses in Upper Town.

Minsk's development was boosted by improvements in transportation. In 1846, the Moscow-Warsaw road was laid though Minsk. Moscow (Москва́ romanised: Moskvá, IPA: see also other names) is the Capital and the largest city of Warsaw (Warszawa; also known by other names) is the Capital and Largest city of Poland. In 1871, a railway link between Moscow and Warsaw ran via Minsk, and in 1873, a new railway from Romny in Ukraine to the Baltic Sea port of Libava (Liepaja) was also constructed. Moscow (Москва́ romanised: Moskvá, IPA: see also other names) is the Capital and the largest city of Warsaw (Warszawa; also known by other names) is the Capital and Largest city of Poland. Ukraine (Україна Ukrayina, /ukrɑˈjinɑ/ is a country in Eastern Europe. Liepāja (liepaja) is a city in western Latvia on the Baltic sea and the administrative center of Liepāja district. Thus Minsk became an important rail junction and a manufacturing hub. A municipal water supply was introduced in 1872, the telephone in 1890, the horse tram in 1892, and the first power generator in 1894. By 1900, Minsk had 58 factories employing 3,000 workers. The city also boasted theatres, cinemas, newspapers, schools and colleges, as well as numerous monasteries, churches, synagogues, and a mosque. According to the 1897 Russian census, the city had 91,494 inhabitants, with some 47,561 Jews constituting more than half of the city population. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************

20th century

The Jesuit collegium in 1912

In the early years of the 20th century, Minsk was a major centre for the worker's movement in Belarus. Belarus ( Belarusian Беларусь / Biełaruś is a Landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the north and east The 1st Congress of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party, the forerunner to the Bolshevik and eventually the CPSU, was held there in 1898. The 1st Congress of the RSDLP ( Russian: Российская социал-демократическая рабочая партия, РСДРП was held between The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists ( Большевик Большевист (singular, derived from bolshe, "more" were a faction It was also one of the major centres of the Belarusian national revival, alongside Vilnia. However, the First World War affected the development of Minsk tremendously. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All By 1915, Minsk was a battle-front city. Some factories were closed down, and residents began evacuating to the east. Minsk became the headquarters of the Western Front of the Russian army and also housed military hospitals and military supply bases.

The Russian Revolution had an immediate effect in Minsk. See also Russian Revolution (1905 The Russian Revolution of 1916 refers to a series of popular revolutions in Russia, and the events surrounding them A Worker's Soviet was established in Minsk in October of 1917, drawing much of its support from disaffected soldiers and workers. A soviet (сове́т, "council" originally was a workers' local council in late Imperial Russia. After the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, German forces occupied Minsk in February of 1918. Not to be confused with the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (February 9 1918, a similar treaty involving Ukraine and the Central Powers. On 25 March, 1918, Minsk was proclaimed the capital of the Belarusian People's Republic. The Belarusian People's Republic (Белару́ская Наро́дная Рэспу́бліка bʲeɫa'ruskaja na'rodnaja rɛs'publʲika translit The republic was short-lived; in December, 1918, Minsk was taken over by the Red Army. The Red Army ( Russian: Рабоче-Крестьянская Красная Армия R aboche- K rest'yanskaya K rasnaya A rmiya In January, 1919 Minsk was proclaimed the capital of the Byelorussian SSR, though later in 1919 (see Operation Minsk) and again in 1920, the city was controlled by the Second Polish Republic during the course of the Polish-Bolshevik war. The Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (abbreviated as Byelorussian SSR or BSSR) (Беларуская Савецкая Сацыялістычная Рэспубліка Operation Minsk refers to the Polish offensive and capture of Minsk from the Bolshevik control in early August 1919 The Second Polish Republic or interwar Poland is the Republic of Poland between World War I and World War II. Under the terms of the Peace of Riga, Minsk was handed back to the Russian SFSR and became the capital of the Byelorussian SSR, one of the founding republics of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. The Peace of Riga, also known as the Treaty of Riga; (Ри́жский ми́рный договóр -- Romanisation Rízhsky Mírny dogovór --, Rīgas The Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (abbreviated as Byelorussian SSR or BSSR) (Беларуская Савецкая Сацыялістычная Рэспубліка The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991

A programme of reconstruction and development was begun in 1922. By 1924, there were 29 factories in operation; schools, museums, theatres, libraries were also established. Throughout the 1920s and the 1930s, Minsk saw rapid development with dozens of new factories being built and new schools, colleges, higher education establishments, hospitals, theatres, and cinemas being opened. During this period, Minsk was also a centre for the development of Belarusian language and culture.

The monument to the Hero Cities

Before World War II, Minsk had had a population of 300,000 people. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including After Germany invaded the Soviet Union on 22 June, 1941, as part of Operation Barbarossa, Minsk immediately came under attack. Operation Barbarossa ( Unternehmen Barbarossa) was the Codename for Nazi Germany 's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II The city was bombed on the first day of the invasion and was occupied by the German Army four days later. However, some factories, museums and tens of thousands of civilians had been evacuated to the east. The Germans designated Minsk the administrative centre of Reichskomissariat Ostland and treated the local population harshly. Communists and sympathisers were killed or imprisoned; thousands were forced into slave labour, both locally and after being transported to Germany. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Homes were requisitioned to house occupying German forces. Thousands starved as food was seized by the German Army and paid work was scarce. Some residents did support the Germans, especially at the beginning of the occupation, but by 1942, Minsk had become a major centre of the Soviet partisan resistance movement against the occupation, in what is known as the Great Patriotic War. The Soviet partisans were members of a Resistance movement which fought a Guerrilla war against the Axis occupation of the Soviet Union The term Great Patriotic War (Великая Отечественная война Velikaya Otechestvennaya Vojna) is used in Russia and some other For this role, Minsk was awarded the title Hero City in 1974. Hero City ( Russian: город-герой gorod-geroy, Ukrainian: Місто-герой Misto-heroy) is a Soviet Honorary

Minsk was, however, the site of one of the largest Nazi-run ghettos in World War II, temporarily housing over 100,000 Jews. A ghetto is described as a "portion of a city in which members of a minority group live especially because of social legal or economic pressure World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ (See below for the external link on the Minsk Ghetto).

Minsk was liberated by Soviet troops on 3 July, 1944, during Operation Bagration. Operation Bagration (Oперация Багратион Operatsiya Bagration) was the Codename for the Soviet 1944 Belorussian Strategic The city was the centre of German resistance to the Soviet advance and saw heavy fighting during the first half of 1944. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. A soviet (сове́т, "council" originally was a workers' local council in late Imperial Russia. Factories, municipal buildings, power stations, bridges, most roads and 80% of houses were reduced to rubble. In 1944, Minsk's population was reduced to a mere 50,000.

The Railway station square, an example of Stalinist Minsk

After World War II, Minsk was rebuilt, but not reconstructed. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The historical centre was replaced in the 1940s and 1950s by Stalinist architecture, which favoured grand buildings, broad avenues and wide squares. Stalinist architecture (also referred to as Stalin 's Empire style Stalinist Gothic, or Socialist Classicism Subsequently, the city grew rapidly as a result of massive industrialisation. Since the 1960s Minsk's population has also grown apace, reaching 1 million in 1972 and 1. 5 million in 1986. This rapid population growth was primarily driven by mass migration of young, unskilled workers from rural areas of Belarus, as well as by migration of skilled workers from other parts of the Soviet Union. Belarus ( Belarusian Беларусь / Biełaruś is a Landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the north and east The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 To house the expanding population, Minsk spread beyond its historical boundaries. Its surrounding villages were absorbed and rebuilt as mikroraions, districts of high-density apartment housing.

Recent developments

Island of Tears, with a recently constructed memorial monument

Throughout the 1990s, after the fall of Communism, the city continued to change. As the capital of a newly-independent country, Minsk quickly acquired the attributes of a major city. Embassies were opened, and a number of Soviet administrative buildings became government centers. During the early and mid-1990s, Minsk was hit by an economic crisis and many development projects were halted, resulting in high unemployment and underemployment. Since the late 1990s, there have been improvements in transport and infrastructure, and a housing boom has been underway since 2002. On the outskirts of Minsk, new mikroraions of residential development have been built. Microdistrict, or microraion (микрорайо́н is a residential compound—a primary structural element of the Residential area construction in the Metro lines have been extended, and the road system (including the Minsk ring road) has been improved. MKAD is the name of the Beltway that goes around Minsk, Belarus. Owing to the small size of the private sector in Belarus, most development has so far been financed by the government. In January 2008, the city government announced several projects on its official web-site. Among them are the refurbishment of some streets and main avenues, the constructions of more up-to-date hotels (one near the Palace of the Republic and another on the shore of Lake Komsomolkye), the demolition of the out-of-date Belarus hotel and the erection in the same premises of a complex consisting of sport facilities, swimming pool, 2 hotel towers and one business center building with the help of potential foreign investors and the construction of a modern aquatic park in the outskirts of the city. On September 8, 2007, the city of Minsk celebrated 940 years since its founding.

Etymology and historical names

The Old East Slavic name of the town was Мѣньскъ (i. Old East Slavic, also known as Old Russian (древнерусский or Old Ruthenian, was a vernacular literary language used from the 10th to the 14th centuries e. Měnsk < Early Proto-Slavic or Late Indo-European Mēnĭskŭ), derived from a river name Měn (< Mēnŭ, with the same etymology as German Main). Proto-Slavic is the Proto-language from which Slavic languages later emerged The Main (maɪn is a River in Germany, 524 km (329 miles long (including White Main 574 km (357 mi and it is one of the more significant tributaries The direct continuation of this name in Belarusian is Miensk (pronounced [mʲɛnsk], according to the Łacinka alphabet). The Belarusian Latin alphabet (also known as Latsinka (in BGN/PCGN) or Łacinka (in itself from лацінка, informal for the Latin alphabet

Independence Square in the centre of Minsk

In the 16th and 17th centuries, however, the pronunciation of this name in the Ruthenian language common to the ancestors of Belarusians and Ukrainians was influenced by the pronunciation of *ě as i in many Ukrainian dialects. Ruthenian (also Ukrainian (in Ukrainian украї́нська мо́ва ukrayins'ka mova,) is a language of the East Slavic subgroup of the Slavic languages. The resulting form of the name, Minsk (spelled either Минскъ or Мѣнскъ) was taken over both in Russian (modern spelling: Минск) and Polish (Mińsk), and under the influence especially of Russian it also became official in Belarusian. However, some Belarusian-speakers continue to use Miensk (spelled Мeнск) as their preferred name for the city.

When Belarus was under Polish rule, the names Mińsk Litewski 'Minsk of [the Grand Duchy of] Lithuania' and Mińsk Białoruski 'Minsk in Belarus' were used to differentiate this place name from Mińsk Mazowiecki 'Minsk in Masovia'. Highly developed agricultural people have lived in the area that is now Poland for the last 7500 years the Slavic people have settled in this territory for over 1500 years and the The Grand Duchy of Lithuania (Lietuvos Didžioji Kunigaikštystė old literary Lithuanian Didi Kunigiste Letuvos, Ruthenian: Wialikaje Kniastwa Litowskaje Mińsk Mazowiecki (נאוואמינסק is a town in central Poland with 37 138 inhabitants (XII 2005 Masovia or Mazovia (Mazowsze is a geographic and historic region situated in eastern Poland 's Masovian Plain. In modern Polish, Mińsk without an attribute is Minsk, which is about 50 times bigger than Mińsk Mazowiecki; cf. Polish ( język polski, polszczyzna) is the Official language of Poland. Brest-Litovsk and Brześć Kujawski for a similar case). Brześć Kujawski is a town in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, Population - 4521 (2005, Poland.

Demographics

Population growth

* - census

Ethnic groups

During the first centuries of its existence, Minsk was a city with a predominantly Early East Slavic population (the forefathers of modern-day Belarusians). A census is the procedure of acquiring information about every member of a given population The East Slavs are a Slavic ethnic group, the speakers of East Slavic languages. Belarusians or Belorussians (Беларусы Biełarusy previously also spelled Belarussians, Byelorussians and Belorusians, also After the 1569 Polish-Lithuanian union, the city became a destination for migrating Poles (who worked as administrators, clergy, teachers and soldiers) and Jews (who were mainly employed in trade and as craftsmen). The Polish people, or Poles, (Polacy) are a Western Slavic Ethnic group of Central Europe, living predominantly in Poland. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ During the last centuries of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth many locals were polonized and abandoned their Belarusian culture. The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, officially the Commonwealth of the Crown of the Polish Kingdom and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania also known as the Most Serene Republic Polonization (polonizacja is the acquisition or imposition After the Partitions of Poland, Minsk became part of the Russian Empire, the Russians essentially stepping in to the leadership role enjoyed by the Poles in earlier centuries. The Partitions of Poland or Partitions of the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth took place in the second half of the 18th century and ended the existence of the The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya The Russian people (Русские— Russkie) are an East Slavic Ethnic group, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries By the end of the 19th century Minsk was undergoing increasing russification. Russification (in Russian: русификация rusifikátsiya)is an adoption of the Russian language or some other Russian attribute (whether voluntarily Many locals became russified and still claim Russian ethnicity today. Russification (in Russian: русификация rusifikátsiya)is an adoption of the Russian language or some other Russian attribute (whether voluntarily The Russian people (Русские— Russkie) are an East Slavic Ethnic group, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries The Russians restored the Belarusian culture, a culture very similar to Ukraine and Russia.

At the time of the 1897 census, Jews were the largest ethnic group in Minsk (51. The Russian Empire Census of 1897 was the first and the only Census carried out in the Russian Empire. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ 2% of the population). Other substantial ethnic groups were Russians (25. The Russian people (Русские— Russkie) are an East Slavic Ethnic group, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries 5%), Poles (11. The Polish people, or Poles, (Polacy) are a Western Slavic Ethnic group of Central Europe, living predominantly in Poland. 4%) and Belarusians (9%). Belarusians or Belorussians (Беларусы Biełarusy previously also spelled Belarussians, Byelorussians and Belorusians, also The latter figure may be not accurate as some local Belarusians were likely to be counted as Russians. Belarusians or Belorussians (Беларусы Biełarusy previously also spelled Belarussians, Byelorussians and Belorusians, also The Russian people (Русские— Russkie) are an East Slavic Ethnic group, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries There was also a small traditional community of Lipka Tatars living in Minsk for centuries. The Lipka Tatars (also known as Lithuanian Tatars, Belarusian Tatars, Lipkowie or Muślimi) are a group of Tatars living on the lands

Both World War I and World War II affected the demographics of the city. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Jewish community suffered catastrophic losses during the Nazi occupation—very few survived. Nazism, which was a short name for National Socialism (Nationalsozialismus refers primarily to the Ideology and practices of the National Socialist German In the post-war years Minsk's population grew primarily as a result of rural migrants from other parts of Belarus moving to the city.

In 1959 Belarusians made up 63. 3% of the city's residents. Other ethnic groups included Russians (22. 8%), Jews (7. 8%), Ukrainians (3. 6%), Poles (1. 1%) and Tatars (0. Tatars ( Tatar: Tatarlar/Татарлар sometimes spelled Tartars, are a Turkic -speaking ethnic group or multiple ethnic groups 4%). Migration of rural migrants from other parts of Belarus in the 1960s and 1970s changed the ethnic composition further. By 1979 Belarusians made up 68. 4% of the city's residents. Other ethnic groups included Russians (22. 2%), Jews (3. 4%), Ukrainians (3. 4%), Poles (1. 2%) and Tatars (0. Tatars ( Tatar: Tatarlar/Татарлар sometimes spelled Tartars, are a Turkic -speaking ethnic group or multiple ethnic groups 2%).

According to the 1999 census, Belarusians make up 79. 3% of the city's residents. Other ethnic groups include Russians (15. 7%), Ukrainians (2. 4%), Poles (1. 1%) and Jews (0. 6%). The Russian and Ukrainian populations of Minsk peaked in the late 1980s (at 325,000 and 55,000 respectively). After the break-up of the Soviet Union, many of them chose to move to their respective mother countries. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 The Jewish population of Minsk peaked in the early 1970s at 50,000 (according to official figures; independent estimates put the figure at 100-120,000), but then declined as a result of emigration to Israel, the USA and Germany. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Today there are only about 10,000 Jews living in Minsk. The traditional minorities of Poles and Tatars have remained at much the same size (17,000 and 3,000 respectively). The Polish people, or Poles, (Polacy) are a Western Slavic Ethnic group of Central Europe, living predominantly in Poland. Tatars ( Tatar: Tatarlar/Татарлар sometimes spelled Tartars, are a Turkic -speaking ethnic group or multiple ethnic groups There was migration of rural Poles from the western part of Belarus to Minsk, and many Tatars moved to Minsk from Tatarstan. Belarus ( Belarusian Беларусь / Biełaruś is a Landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the north and east Tatars ( Tatar: Tatarlar/Татарлар sometimes spelled Tartars, are a Turkic -speaking ethnic group or multiple ethnic groups Republic of Tatarstan (Респу́блика Татарста́н Татарстан Республикасы|Tatarstan Respublikası is a federal subject of the Russian

Some more recent ethnic minority communities are establishing themselves in the city. The most prominent are migrants from the Caucasus countries—Georgians, Armenians and Azerbaijanis each numbering about 2,000-5,000. The Caucasus ( also referred to as North Caucasus) is a geopolitical region located between Europe Asia & Middle East The Georgians (ქართველები kartvelebi) are a Nation and Ethnic group originating in the Caucasus, the oldest group of the The Armenians (Հայեր Hayer) are a Nation and Ethnic group originating in the Caucasus and in the Armenian Highlands A large They began migrating to Minsk back in the 1970s, and more migrants have joined them since. Many of them are employed in the retail trade in open-air markets. There is also small but prominent Arab community in Minsk, primarily represented by recent migrants from Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Algeria, etc. The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية Lebanon (ˈlɛbənɒn Arabic: ar لبنان Lubnān) officially the Republic of Lebanon or Lebanese Republic (ar الجمهورية اللبنانية This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. Algeria ( ar [[Arabic]] الجزائر, Al Jaza'ir ælʤæˈzæːʔir Amazigh: ⴷⵥⴰⵢⴻⵔ Dzayer) officially the People's (often graduates of Minsk universities who decide to settle in Belarus and their families). There is also a small community of gypsies, numbering about 2,000, which is settled in suburbs of north-western and southern Minsk. The Romani people (singular Rom, plural Roma as a Noun; also known as Romanies or Roma people) are an ethnic group with origins

Languages

National Library of Belarus in Minsk

Throughout its history Minsk has been a city of many languages. Initially most of its residents spoke Ruthenian (which later developed into modern Belarusian). Ruthenian (also The Belarusian language, or Belorussian,(беларуская мова BGN/PCGN: byelaruskaya mova, Scientific: belaruskaja mova However, after 1569 the official language was Polish. Polish ( język polski, polszczyzna) is the Official language of Poland. By the end of the 18th century most residents of Minsk were Polish-speakers (or Yiddish-speakers among the Jewish community). Yiddish (yi [[wiktייִדיש ייִדיש]] yidish or yi [[wiktאידיש אידיש]] idish, literally "Jewish" is a nonterritorial High Yiddish remained a major language in Minsk until the early 20th century. Yiddish (yi [[wiktייִדיש ייִדיש]] yidish or yi [[wiktאידיש אידיש]] idish, literally "Jewish" is a nonterritorial High In the 19th century Russian became the official language and by the end of that century it had become the language of administration, schools and newspapers. Russian ( transliteration:,) is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages The Belarusian national revival increased interest in the Belarusian language—its use has grown since the 1890s, especially among the intelligentsia. For the coffee shop company often called Intelligentsia for short see Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea. In the 1920s and early 1930s Belarusian was major language of Minsk, including for administration and education (both secondary and tertiary). The Belarusian language, or Belorussian,(беларуская мова BGN/PCGN: byelaruskaya mova, Scientific: belaruskaja mova However, since the late 1930s Russian again began gaining dominance. Russian ( transliteration:,) is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages This process accelerated after World War II —by the mid-1980s Minsk was almost exclusively Russian-speaking. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including A short period of Belarusian national revival in the early 1990s has seen a rise in numbers of Belarusian speakers. The Belarusian language, or Belorussian,(беларуская мова BGN/PCGN: byelaruskaya mova, Scientific: belaruskaja mova However, in 1994 the newly elected president Alexander Lukashenko slowly reversed this trend. Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko (Аляксандр Рыгоравіч Лукашэнка Aljaksandar Ryhoravič Lukašenka/Alyaksandar Ryhoravich Lukashenka; Александр Most residents of Minsk now use Russian exclusively in their everyday lives at home and at work, although Belarusian is understood as well. The Belarusian language, or Belorussian,(беларуская мова BGN/PCGN: byelaruskaya mova, Scientific: belaruskaja mova Substantial number of recent migrants from the rural areas uses Trasyanka (Russo-Belarusian pidgin language) in their everyday lives. Trasianka or trasyanka (трасянка is a Belarusian &ndash Russian Patois or a kind of Interlanguage (from the linguistic point

The most commonly used and understood international language in Minsk, especially among the younger generation, is English. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States The second widely spoken international language is German. The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. French, Spanish and Italian are understood by only a few. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Italian ( or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people as a First language, primarily in Italy.

Religion

There is no reliable statistics on religious affiliations in Minsk or in Belarus. Belarus ( Belarusian Беларусь / Biełaruś is a Landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the north and east According to various estimates, between 30% to 50% of Minsk's population do not practice any religion, while being either atheist, agnostic or simply spiritual, but not attached to a particular formal religious institution. A religion is a set of Tenets and practices often centered upon specific Supernatural and moral claims about Reality, the Cosmos Atheism Agnosticism ( Greek: α- a-, without + γνώσις gnōsis, knowledge after Gnosticism) is the philosophical view that the Spirituality, in a narrow sense concerns itself with matters of the Spirit, a concept closely tied to religious belief and Faith, a transcendent reality Of those Minsk residents who are religious, about 70% consider themselves to be Russian Orthodox, 15-20% - Roman Catholic, and about 5% - Protestants. See also Eastern Orthodox Church Structure and organization The Slavic Orthodox Church is organized in a hierarchical structure Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. Most ethnic Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians from central and eastern parts of Belarus are Russian Orthodox, while Poles and Belarusians from Western Belarus are often Roman Catholic. The Russian people (Русские— Russkie) are an East Slavic Ethnic group, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries Ukrainians (Українці Ukrayintsi,) are an East Slavic Ethnic group primarily living in Ukraine, or more broadly— Citizens Belarusians or Belorussians (Беларусы Biełarusy previously also spelled Belarussians, Byelorussians and Belorusians, also See also Eastern Orthodox Church Structure and organization The Slavic Orthodox Church is organized in a hierarchical structure The Polish people, or Poles, (Polacy) are a Western Slavic Ethnic group of Central Europe, living predominantly in Poland. Belarusians or Belorussians (Беларусы Biełarusy previously also spelled Belarussians, Byelorussians and Belorusians, also West Belarus is the name sometimes used in a historical context to denote the territory of modern Belarus that belonged to the Second Polish Republic between the There are small religious communities of Jews and Muslims (the latter - primarily recent migrants from countries or regions with predominantly Muslim population, such as Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkey, Syria, Iran, Tajikistan, etc). PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion Immigration refers to the movement of people among countries While the movement of people has existed throughout human history at various levels modern immigration implies long-term A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion Azerbaijan ( English; Azərbaycan officially the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azərbaycan Respublikası is the largest and most populous country in the South Kazakhstan, also Kazakstan ( Қазақстан, Qazaqstan, qɑzɑqˈstɑn Казахстан, Kazakhstán,) officially the Uzbekistan, officially the Republic of Uzbekistan ( Uzbek: O‘zbekiston Respublikasi or Ўзбекистон Республикаси is a doubly Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. Tajikistan (təˈdʒɪkɨstæn or /təˈdʒiːkɨstæn/ Тоҷикистон tɔʤikɪsˈtɔn or, Persian تاجیکستان‎ taajikestaan officially the Republic of Total number of religious groups registered in Minsk is 116.

Currently there are 24 churches of various denominations, another 10 are being built or reconstructed.

Government and administrative divisions

In 1938 Minsk was divided into smaller administrative units (raions, or districts) due to rapid population growth. For the manufactured regenerated fiber see Rayon A raion (or rayon) (райо́н ra'jon rayon раён რაიონი On 17 March 1938 three districts were established:

• Stalinski, i. e. , Stalin district, renamed into Zavodzki (Factory/Plant district, after major tractor and automobile plants located there) in 1961
• Varashylauski, i. Joseph Stalin ( ნამდვილი გვარი ჯუღაშვილი|Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili; March 5 1953 was General Secretary of the Communist Party e. , Voroshilov district, renamed into Savetski (Soviet district) in 1961
• Kahanovichski, i. e. , Kaganovich district, renamed into Kastrychnitski (October district) in 1957

Districts

There are now 9 administrative districts:

• Frunzenski, named after Mikhail Frunze
• Kastrychnitski, named after October, i. Mikhail Vasilyevich Frunze ( Russian: Михаил Васильевич Фрунзе Romanian: Mihail Frunză; also known as Арсений Трифоныч– e. , October Revolution
• Leninski, named after Lenin
• Maskouski, named after Moscow
• Partyzanski, named after Soviet partisans
• Pershamayski, named after the 1st of May
• Savetski, or "Soviet District"
• Centralny, or "Central District"
• Zavodzki, or "Factory district" (initially it included major plants, Minsk Tractor Works (MTZ) and Minsk Automobile Plant (MAZ), later the Partyzanski District with MAZ was split off it)

Microraions

A typical microraion

There are also microraions - bedroom community areas of housing development outside the historical centre. The October Revolution (Октябрьская революция Oktyabrskaya revolyutsiya) also known as the Soviet Revolution Moscow (Москва́ romanised: Moskvá, IPA: see also other names) is the Capital and the largest city of The Soviet partisans were members of a Resistance movement which fought a Guerrilla war against the Axis occupation of the Soviet Union May Day occurs on May 1 and refers to any of several Public holidays In many countries May Day is synonymous with International Workers' Day, or Labour A soviet (сове́т, "council" originally was a workers' local council in late Imperial Russia. Minsk Tractor Works ( Belarusian: Менскі трактарны завод Russian: Минский тракторный завод МТЗ, Minsk Automobile Plant ( MAZ, Производственное республиканское унитарное предприятие «Минский автомобильный Microdistrict, or microraion (микрорайо́н is a residential compound—a primary structural element of the Residential area construction in the A commuter town is an urban community that is primarily residential from which most of the Workforce commute out to earn their livelihood Many of them are named after the suburban villages swallowed by the city.

Economy

Minsk is the economic capital of Belarus. Belarus ( Belarusian Беларусь / Biełaruś is a Landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the north and east It has developed industrial and services sectors which serve the needs not only of the city, but of the entire nation. For other uses of this term see Industry (disambiguation An industry (from Latin industrius, "diligent industrious"

Industry

Minsk Tractor Works, main entrance

Minsk is the major industrial centre of Belarus. Belarus ( Belarusian Беларусь / Biełaruś is a Landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the north and east The city has over 250 factories and plants. Its industrial development started in the 1860s and was facilitated by the railways built in the 1870s. However, much of the industrial infrastructure was destroyed during World War I and especially during World War II. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including After the last war the development of the city was linked to the development of industry, especially of R&D-intensive sectors (heavy emphasis of R&D intensive industries in urban development in the USSR is known in Western geography as 'Minsk phenomenon'). The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 Minsk was turned into a major production site for trucks, tractors, gears, optical equipment, refrigerators, television sets and radios, bicycles, motorcycles, watches, and metal-processing equipment. Outside machine-building and electronics, Minsk also had textiles, construction materials, food processing, and printing industries. During the Soviet period, development of the industries was linked to suppliers and markets within the USSR, and the break-up of the union in 1991 led to a serious economic meltdown in 1991-1994. However, since the adoption of the neo-Keynesean policies under Alexander Lukashenko's government in 1995, much of the gross industrial production was regained. Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko (Аляксандр Рыгоравіч Лукашэнка Aljaksandar Ryhoravič Lukašenka/Alyaksandar Ryhoravich Lukashenka; Александр Unlike many other cities in the CIS and Eastern Europe Minsk was not heavily de-industrialised in the 1990s. Eastern Europe is a general term that refers to the Geopolitical region encompassing the easternmost part of the European continent. About 40% of the labour force is still employed in the manufacturing sector. Over 70% of produced goods are exported from Belarus, especially to Russia and other members of the Commonwealth of Independent States. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending However, the recent industrial revival did not lead to updating technologies and equipment (as FDI was discouraged), therefore much of the local industry is not highly competitive by international standards.

Transport and infrastructure

Local Transport

Minsk has an extensive public transport system. Passengers are served by 8 tramway lines, over 70 trolleybus lines, and over 100 bus lines. A tram, tramcar, trolley, trolley car, or streetcar is a railborne vehicle, of lighter weight and construction than a Train

Rapid Transit

A subway station

Main article: Minsk Metro

Minsk is the only city in Belarus with an underground metro system. The Minsk Metro (Мінскае метро Минское метро is a Rapid-transit system that serves the capital of Belarus, Minsk. Belarus ( Belarusian Беларусь / Biełaruś is a Landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the north and east A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway or metro(politan system is an electric passenger railway Construction of the metro began in 1977, soon after the city reached over a million people, and the first line with 8 stations was opened in 1984. Since then it has expanded into two lines: Moskovskaya and Avtozavodskaya, which are 12. The Moskovskaya Line (Маскоўская Московская is a line of the Minsk Metro. Avtozavodskaya Line (Аўтазаводская Автозаво́дская is a line of the Minsk Metro. 2 and 18. 1 kilometres long with 11 and 14 stations, respectively. On November 7, 2007, two new stations on the Moskovskaya Line were opened; work continues on a 5. 2 km extension, with 3 more stations slated to open in 2011. There are plans for a network with three lines totalling (based on present expansion plans) 58. 3 km of track with 45 stations and 3 train depots. For this to happen the third line should cut the city on a north-south axis crossing the existing two and thus forming a typical Soviet triangle layout; construction of the third line is expected to begin in 2011 and for the first stage to be delivered in late 2010s. Some layout plans speculate on a possible fourth line running from Vyasnyanka to Serabranka micro-rayons.

As of 2007 Minsk metro had 25 stations and 33 km. Trains use 223 standard Russian metro-cars. On a typical day Minsk metro is used by 800,000 passengers. During peak hours trains run each 2-2. 5 minutes. The metro network employs 3,200 staff.

Currently most of the urban transport is being actively renovated and upgraded to modern standards.

Railway and intercity bus

The new Railway terminal

Minsk is the largest transportation hub in Belarus. It is located on the junction of Warsaw-Moscow railway (built in 1871) running from the south-west to the north-east of the city and Liepaja-Romny railway (built in 1873) running from the north-west to the south. Warsaw (Warszawa; also known by other names) is the Capital and Largest city of Poland. Moscow (Москва́ romanised: Moskvá, IPA: see also other names) is the Capital and the largest city of Liepāja (liepaja) is a city in western Latvia on the Baltic sea and the administrative center of Liepāja district. Romny (Ромни Ро́мны is a city in the northern Ukrainian Oblast of Sumy. The first railway connects Russia with Poland and Germany, the second connects Ukraine with Lithuania and Latvia. They cross at the Minsk-Passazhyrski railway station, main railway station of Minsk. Minsk railroad terminal, Minsk passenger station (Мінск-Пасажырскі Минск-Пассажирский is the main passenger terminal in Belarus. The station was built in 1873 as Vilenski vakzal. The initial wooden building was demolished in 1890 and rebuilt in stone. During World War II Minsk railway station was completely destroyed. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including It was rebuilt in 1945-1946 and served until 1991. The new building of Minsk-Passazhyrski railway station was built in 1991-2002. Its construction was delayed due to financial difficulties. However now Minsk boasts one of the most modern and up-to-date railway stations in the CIS. There are plans to move all suburban rail traffic from Minsk-Passazhyrski to smaller stations Minsk- Uskhodni (East), Minsk-Paudnyovy (South) and Minsk-Paunochny (North) by 2020.

There are three intercity bus stations, linking Minsk with suburbs, other cities in Belarus and in the neighbouring countries. Belarus ( Belarusian Беларусь / Biełaruś is a Landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the north and east Frequent schedules bus routes connect it to Moscow, Vilnius, Riga, Kiev and Warsaw. Moscow (Москва́ romanised: Moskvá, IPA: see also other names) is the Capital and the largest city of Riga (Rīga riːga) the Capital of Latvia, is situated on the Baltic Sea coast on the mouth of the river Daugava. Kiev, also known as Kyiv ( Ukrainian:, Kyiv, ˈkɪjiw Russian:, Kiyev; see also Cities' alternative names) is the Warsaw (Warszawa; also known by other names) is the Capital and Largest city of Poland.

Airports

Minsk International Airport is located 42 km to the east of the city. Minsk International Airport ( Belarusian: Нацыянальны аэрапорт Мiнск natsɨja'nalʲnɨ aera'port mʲinsk Национальный It opened in 1982 (passenger terminal - in 1987. ) It is an international airport undergoing modernisation with flights to Austria, Cyprus, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Iran, Latvia, Poland, Russia, Turkey, United Kingdom, and other countries, operated by the national carrier Belavia and the German airline Lufthansa, AirBaltic of Latvia, as well as Austrian airline Austrian Airlines Group. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich Cyprus (Κύπρος transliterated: Kýpros,; Kıbrıs officially the Republic of Cyprus (Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία Kypriakī́ Dīmokratía This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. Latvia ( Latvija officially the Republic of Latvia (Latvijas Republika is a Country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region. Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Belavia Belarusian Airlines ( Belarusian: "Белавія", Russian: "Белавиа") is the national Airline A/S Air Baltic Corporation, operating as airBaltic, is the Latvian national Airline, based in the capital of Latvia, Riga. Austrian Airlines AG is the flag carrier Airline of Austria, headquartered in Vienna.

Airport Minsk-1

Minsk-1 opened in 1933 a few kilometres to the south of the historical centre. Minsk-1 Airport is an Airport located within the city limits of Minsk, Belarus, just a few kilometres south from the centre In 1955 it became an international airport and by 1970 served over 1 million passengers a year. From 1982 it mainly served domestic routes in Belarus and short-haul routes to Moscow, Kiev and Kaliningrad. Belarus ( Belarusian Беларусь / Biełaruś is a Landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the north and east Moscow (Москва́ romanised: Moskvá, IPA: see also other names) is the Capital and the largest city of Kiev, also known as Kyiv ( Ukrainian:, Kyiv, ˈkɪjiw Russian:, Kiyev; see also Cities' alternative names) is the Kaliningrad (Калининград is a Seaport and the administrative center of Kaliningrad Oblast, the Russian Exclave between Poland Minsk-1 is expected to be closed in 2008 because of the noise pollution in the surrounding residential areas. The land of the airport will be re-developed for residential and commercial real estate, currently branded as Minsk-City.

Education

Minsk is the major educational centre of Belarus. It has over 500 nursery schools, 258 schools, 28 further education colleges, and 36 higher education institutions, including 12 major national universities (most specialising in certain areas of science and technology).

Major universities

• Belarusian State University. Belarusian State University ( BSU) (Белару́скі Дзяржа́ўны Унівэрсытэ́т Белору́сский Госуда́рственный Университе́т Major Belarusian universal university, founded in 1921. In 2006 had 15 major departments (Applied Mathematics and Infoscience; Biology; Chemistry; Geography; Economics; International Relations; Journalism; History; Humanitarian Sciences; Law; Mechanics and Mathematics; Philology; Philosophy and Social Sciences; Physics; Radiophysics and Electronics). It also included 5 R&D institutes, 24 Research Centres, 114 R&D laboratories. The University employs over 2,400 lecturers and 1,000 research fellows; 1,900 of these hold Ph. D. or Dr. Sc. degrees. There are 16,000 undergraduate students at the university, as well as over 700 Ph. D. students.
• Belarusian State University of Agricultural Technology. Specialised in agricultural technology and agricultural machinery.
• Belarusian National Technical University. Belarusian National Technical University ( BNTU) is the major technical university in Belarus Specialised in technical disciplines.
• Belarusian State Medical University. Specialised in Medicine and Dentistry. Since 1921 - Medicine Department of the Belarusian State University. In 1930 becomes separate as Belarusian Medical Institute. In 2000 upgraded to university level. Currently has 6 departments.
• Belarusian State Economic University. Specialised in Finance and Economics. Founded in 1933 as Belarusian Institute for National Economy. Upgraded to university level in 1992.
• Belarusian State University of Culture and Arts. Specialised in cultural studies, visual and performing arts.
• Maxim Tank Belarusian State Pedagogical University. Specialised in teacher training for secondary schools.
• Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics. The Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics also known as BSUIR ( Belarusian: Белару́скі Дзяржа́ўны Унівэрсытэ́т Specialised in IT and radioelectronic technologies. Established in 1964 as Minsk Institute for Radioelectronics.
• Belarusian State University of Physical Training. Specialised in sports, coaches and PT teachers training.
• Belarusian State Technological University. Structure 47 departments 9 faculties Dean's office for foreign students Pre-University courses Negoreloe forestry experimental Specialised in chemical and pharmaceutical technology, in printing and forestry. Founded in 1930 as Forestry Institute in Homel. Gomel (ˈɡoʊmel also Homel, Homiel (Гомель ˈɣomʲelʲ In the 19th century Jewish residents comprised more than 50% of the city's total population In 1941 evacuated to Sverdlovsk, now Yekaterinburg. Yekaterinburg (Екатеринбу́рг also romanized Ekaterinburg, formerly Sverdlovsk) is a major city in the central part of Russia Returned to Gomel in 1944, but in 1946 relocated to Minsk as Belarusian Institute of Technology. Upgraded to university level in 1993. Currently has 9 departments.
• Minsk State Linguistic University. Specialised in foreign languages. Founded in 1948 as Minsk Institute for Foreign Languages. In 2006 had 8 departments. Major focus on English, French, German and Spanish.
• Andrei Sakharov International State Environmental University. Specialised in environmental sciences. Established in 1992 with the support from the United Nations. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security Focus on study and research of radio-ecological consequences of the Chernobyl nuclear power station disaster in 1986, which heavily affected Belarus. The Chernobyl disaster was a nuclear reactor accident in the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in the Soviet Union. Belarus ( Belarusian Беларусь / Biełaruś is a Landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the north and east

Building of the Department of Biology, Belarusian State University

National Technical University

University of Informatics and Radioelectronics

Pedagogical University

Culture and religion

Minsk is the major cultural centre of Belarus. Belarus ( Belarusian Беларусь / Biełaruś is a Landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the north and east Its first theatres and libraries were established in the middle of the 19th century. Now it has 11 theatres and 16 museums. There are 20 cinemas and 139 libraries.

Churches

• The Orthodox Cathedral of the Holy Spirit is actually the former church of the Bernardine convent. The term Franciscan is commonly used to refer to members of Catholic It was built in the simplified Baroque style in 1642-87 and went through renovations in 1741-46 and 1869. Baroque art redirects here Please disambiguate such links to Baroque painting, Baroque sculpture, etc
• The Cathedral of Saint Virgin Mary was built by the Jesuits as their monastery church in 1700-10, restored in 1951 and 1997; it overlooks the recently restored 18th-century city hall, located on the other side of the Independence Square;
• Two other historic churches are the cathedral of St. Cathedral of Saint Virgin Mary (Архікатэдральны касцёл Імя Найсвяцейшай Панны Марыі is a Roman Catholic Baroque Joseph, formerly affiliated with the Bernardine monastery, built in 1644-52 and repaired in 1983, and the fortified church of Sts. Peter and Paul, originally built in the 1620s and recently restored, complete with its flanking twin towers.
• The impressive Neo-Romanesque Roman Catholic Red Church (Cathedral of Sts. Church of Saints Simon and Helena Minsk (Касцёл святых Сымона і Алены also known as the Red Church (Чырвоны касцёл is a Roman Simeon and Helene) was built in 1906-10, immediately after religious freedoms were proclaimed in Imperial Russia and the tsar allowed dissidents to build their churches;
• The largest church built in the Russian imperial period of the town's history is dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene;
• Many Orthodox churches were built after the dissolution of the USSR in a variety of styles, although most remain true to the Neo-Russian idiom. Saint Mary Magdalen or Mary Magdalene is described both in the canonical New Testament and in the New Testament apocrypha, as a devoted A good example is St. Elisabeth's Convent, founded in 1999.

Cathedral of the Holy Spirit	Cathedral of Saint Virgin Mary	Church of St. Cathedral of Saint Virgin Mary (Архікатэдральны касцёл Імя Найсвяцейшай Панны Марыі is a Roman Catholic Baroque Joseph	Church of Sts. Peter and Paul
The Red Church	Church of St. Church of Saints Simon and Helena Minsk (Касцёл святых Сымона і Алены also known as the Red Church (Чырвоны касцёл is a Roman Mary Magdalene	Church of Exaltation of the Holy Cross	Church of Holy Trinity (Saint Roh)
Church of St. Alexander Nevsky

Theatres

Major theatres are:

• National Academic Big Opera and Ballet Theatre of the Republic of Belarus
• Belarusian Musical Comedy Theatre
• Maxim Gorky National Drama Theatre (performances in Russian)
• Yanka Kupala National Drama Theatre (performances in Belarusian)

Museums

The city hall (rebuilt in 2003) overlooks the Cathedral of Saint Virgin Mary

Major museums include:

• Belarusian Great Patriotic War Museum
• Belarusian National Arts Museum
• Belarusian National History and Culture Museum
• Belarusian Nature and Environment Museum
• Ethnography and Folklore Museum
• Maksim Bahdanovich Literary Museum
• Old Belarusian History Museum
• Yanka Kupala Literary Museum

Recreation areas

• Chelyuskinites Park
• Children's Railroad
• Gorky Park (Minsk)
• Forest Park
• Yanka Kupala Park

Sport

• FC Dinamo Minsk
• FC MTZ-RIPO
• FC Minsk
• FC Lokomotiv Minsk
• HC Dinamo Minsk
• HC Junost Minsk
• HC Keramin Minsk

The Strategic Plan of Minsk Development by the Year 2020

The latest research of many scientific centers proved that the tendency towards the transfer to large cities and metropolises of the key efforts aimed at improving living standards and environment, increasing the competitive potential of economy and struggle for outlets will prevail in the 21^st century. The National Academic Big Opera and Ballet Theatre of the Republic of Belarus is located in a park in the historic part of the city of Minsk Aleksey Maksimovich Peshkov ( In Алексе́й Макси́мович Пешко́в ( &ndash June 18, 1936) better known as Maxim Gorky (Максим Russian ( transliteration:,) is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages Yanka Kupala ( Janka Kupała, Я́нка Купа́ла; &ndash June 28, 1942) &mdash penname of Ivan Lutsevich (Ivan Daminikavič Łucevič The Belarusian language, or Belorussian,(беларуская мова BGN/PCGN: byelaruskaya mova, Scientific: belaruskaja mova The term Great Patriotic War (Великая Отечественная война Velikaya Otechestvennaya Vojna) is used in Russia and some other Maksim Bahdanovič ( Belarusian language: Максім Багдановіч December 9, 1891 – May 25, 1917) was Yanka Kupala ( Janka Kupała, Я́нка Купа́ла; &ndash June 28, 1942) &mdash penname of Ivan Lutsevich (Ivan Daminikavič Łucevič Chelyuskinites Park ( Парк Чалюскiнцаў, Парк Челюскинцев, park tɕe'lʲʉskʲintsef is an Urban forest Park in K S Zaslonov Children's Railroad in Minsk ( Дзiцячая чыгунка (Dzitsyachaya chyhunka; Минская детская железная дорога имени Gorky Park (парк Горького центральный детский парк им Football Club Dinamo Minsk (Футбольны клуб Дынама Мiнск is a Belarusian football club playing in Minsk. FC MTZ-RIPO (ФК МТЗ-РІПА is a Belarusian Premier League football team (formerly known as FC Traktor and FC MTZ) part FC Minsk is an Belarusian football club based in Minsk. They play in the Belarusian First League, the second division in Belarusian football FC Lakamatyu Minsk (ФК Лякаматыў Менск is an Belarusian football club based in Minsk. The globalization process will facilitate the creation of global cities, the centers managing the world economy, financial markets and science intensive productions. These tendencies prompted the necessity to elaborate the concept and strategic plan of a sustainable development of the city of Minsk by 2020.

The Minsk development concept fits in the formula ”Five cities in one”. The first component of the concept is “The city of health and high social standards”. It means the top priority of the sci-tech and socio-economic progress in Belarus’ capital city is not the development of production or technological values, but the Human Being and his/her physical and spiritual health in a safe and favorable environment. The following conditions are to be met to ensure this component: “clean water”, “clean air”, “warmth in houses”, “good nutrition”, etc.

The second part of the concept – “The city of knowledge and science intensive technologies” – includes the development of the educational, science-innovation complex, creation of a state-of-the-art information structure, restructuring of the industrial complex, technological upgrade of construction and power engineering and encouragement of foreign economic activity.

The third basis of the sustainable development of the city of Minsk is “The city is the center of international communication”. It envisages further development of external transport functions, the culture component, tourism, and city media. Besides the economic benefit the communication progress results in a huge advantage for international and human communication in the modern integrated world.

Lenina Street in the very center of Minsk

The fourth strategy of Minsk’s sustainable development - “The city favorable for business and attractive for investments” – envisages the creation of such conditions as a favorable tax climate, land relations that correspond to market relations and establishment of the real estate market.

The fifth component of the Minsk development concept is “The city developing democracy with a wide representation of citizens”. It aims at elaborating the rules of living in the city, methods of city administration and the interaction between the city authorities, population, companies and organizations, as well as ways to effectively perform the functions of the capital of the country.

“Sustainable development of the city” is not a new tag for old ideas, but a completely new approach directed towards the next generation. Sustainable development is necessary not only for regional, but also for global development, because the ultimate goal is to coordinate the interests of generations, develop social cooperation, improve living standards and become more responsible on a global scale.

Sister cities

Minsk maintains cultural links to twenty-one twin cities in various countries:

• Abu Dhabi, UAE (since 2006)
• Ankara, Turkey (since 2006)
• Bangalore, India (since 1982)
• Beijing, People's Republic of China
• Belo Horizonte, Brazil (since 1987)
• Caracas, Venezuela (since 2006)
• Changchun, People's Republic of China
• Detroit, USA
• Eindhoven, Netherlands (since 1995)
• Havana, Cuba (since 2005)
• Kathmandu, Nepal
• Lodz, Poland
• Lyon, France
• Murmansk, Russia (since 1995)
• Nottingham, UK (since 1957)
• Novosibirsk, Russia
• Odessa, Ukraine
• Potsdam, Germany
• Sendai, Japan (since 1972)
• Tehran, Iran (since 2006)
• Yerevan, Armenia

Honors

A minor planet 3012 Minsk discovered by Soviet astronomer Nikolai Stepanovich Chernykh in 1979 is named after the city. Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after İstanbul. Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches Bangalore ( officially Bengaluru ( Kannada: ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು) is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Belo Horizonte ( Portuguese for "beautiful horizon", (bɛloɾiˈzõtʃi) is the capital of Minas Gerais state located in the |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld Caracas (kaˈɾakas is the Capital and largest city of Venezuela. Venezuela (ˌvɛnəˈzweɪlə) officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish República Bolivariana de Venezuela) is a country on the Changchun ( is the capital and largest city of Jilin province, located in the northeast of the People's Republic of China, in the centre of the Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Eindhoven ( is a Municipality and a city located in the province of Noord-Brabant in the south of the Netherlands, originally at the confluence The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands Havana ( IPA: aˈβana officially Ciudad de La Habana, is the Capital city, major port and leading The Republic of Cuba (ˈkjuːbə or) consists of the island of Cuba (the largest and second-most populous island of the Greater Antilles) Isla de la Kathmandu (काठमांडौ येँ is the Capital and the largest city of Nepal. Nepal (नेपाल) is a Landlocked country in South Asia. Łódź is Poland 's third largest city with population of 753192 in 2007 (lost its second rank to Krakow in 2007 Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland ||-||} Lyon, also known as Lyons in English is a city in east-central France. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Murmansk (Му́рманск Murmanska Muurman is a city and Seaport in the extreme northwest part of Russia, on the Kola Bay, 12 km Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Nottingham ( is a city in the Ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire, England. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located History The city was founded in 1893 as the future site of the Trans-Siberian Railway bridge crossing the great Siberian river Ob, and was known as Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending ODESSA which stands for the German phrase O rganisation d er e hemaligen SS - A ngehörigen which in turn translates Ukraine (Україна Ukrayina, /ukrɑˈjinɑ/ is a country in Eastern Europe. Also see Potsdam New York (in the USA For the Potsdam Conference see Potsdam Conference. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. is the capital city of Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, and the largest city in the Tōhoku (northeast region For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Tehran (or Teheran) ( Persian: تهران Tehrān) is the capital and largest City of Iran, and the administrative center of For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. Yerevan (Երևան Երեւան or Երեվան ˌjɛrəˈvɑːn sometimes written as Erevan, Iravan, Erewan, Ayrivan, and Erivan Armenia (Հայաստան transliterated: Hayastan,) officially the Republic of Armenia (Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն Hayastani Minor planet is a term used since the 19th century to describe objects such as Asteroids that are in Orbit around the Sun but are not Planets 3012 Minsk (1979 QU9 is a Outer Main-belt Asteroid discovered on August 27, 1979 by N The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 Nikolay Stepanovich Chernykh (Николай Степанович Черных ( October 6 1931 – May 26, 2004) was a Soviet and ^[2]

References

External links

• Photos of Minsk, Belarus on GOMINSK.ORG
• Minsk Entertainment, Nightlife
• WikiSatellite view of Minsk at WikiMapia
• Minsk City Executive Committee
• Photos on Radzima.org
• Photos on Globus.tut.by
• Dima Bartalevich's photos of Minsk
• ChatMinsk.com - Youth information portal Minsk
• Photos of Minsk 2007-2008