Revision 2488065 of "Korisnik:Palapa/Minsk" on bswiki

{{Geokutija
|settlement_type = [[City]]
|official_name = Minsk
|native_name = Мінск {{·}} Минск
|image_flag = Flag of Minsk, Belarus.svg
|image_shield = Coat of arms of Minsk.svg
|image_skyline = Minsk montage 240513.jpg|300px
|image_caption= Clockwise: [[Holy Spirit Cathedral (Minsk)|Holy Spirit Cathedral]] (Eastern Orthodox), [[Cathedral of Saint Virgin Mary]] (Roman Catholic), [[House of Representatives of Belarus]], [[Independence Square (Minsk)|Independence Square]], "Gates of Minsk" at [[Train Station Square]]
|pushpin_map = Belarus
|map_caption = Location of Minsk, shown within the [[Minsk Voblast]]
|coordinates_region = BY
|subdivision_type = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]<br/>[[Administrative divisions of Belarus|Subdivision]]
|subdivision_name = [[Belarus]]
|leader_title = Mayor
|leader_name = Mikalai Ladutska (acting) (2009–present)
|established_title = Founded
|established_date = 1067
|area_magnitude =
|area_total_km2 = 409.5
|area_land_km2 =
|area_water_km2 =
|population_as_of = 2014
|population_note =
|population_total =1,921,807 {{decrease}}
|population_density_km2 = 5966
|population_urban = 2,101,018
|timezone = [[Eastern European Summer Time|EEST]]
|utc_offset = +3
|timezone_DST = [[Eastern European Summer Time|EEST]]
|utc_offset_DST = +3
|latd=53 |latm=54 |latNS=N
|longd=27 |longm=34 |longEW=E
|elevation_m = 280.6
|postal_code_type = Postal Code
|postal_code = 220001-220141
|area_code = +375 17<br>
+375 29 (mobile Velcom, MTS or Diallog)<br>
+375 25 (mobile Life)<br>
+375 33 (mobile MTS)<br>
+375 44 (mobile Velcom)
|blank_name = License plate
|blank_info = 7
|website = [http://www.minsk.gov.by/en/ www.minsk.gov.by]
|footnotes =
}}
{{Coord|53|54|N|27|34|E|type:city_region:BY|display=title}}
 
'''Minsk''' ({{lang-be|Мінск, Менск}}, {{IPA-be|mʲinsk|pron}}, {{IPA-be|mʲɛnsk|}}; {{lang-ru|Минск}}, {{IPA-ru|mʲinsk|}}, [[Yiddish language|Yiddish]]/{{lang-he|''Minsk'' ,מינסק}}) is the capital and largest city of [[Belarus]], situated on the [[Svislach River|Svislach]] and [[Nyamiha River|Nyamiha]] rivers. It is the administrative centre of the [[Commonwealth of Independent States]] (CIS). As the national capital, Minsk has a special administrative status in Belarus and is the administrative centre of [[Minsk Region]] ([[voblast]]) and Minsk [[raion]] (district). In 2013, it had a population of 2,002,600.

The earliest historical references to Minsk date to the 11th century (1067), when it was noted as a provincial city within the [[principality of Polotsk]]. The settlement developed on the rivers. In 1242, Minsk became a part of the [[Grand Duchy of Lithuania]]. It received [[town privileges]] in 1499.

From 1569, it was a capital of the [[Minsk Voivodeship|Minsk Voivodship]] in the [[Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth]]. It was part of a region annexed by the Russian Empire in 1793, as a consequence of the [[Second Partition of Poland]]. From 1919–1991, after the Russian Revolution, Minsk was the capital of the [[Belorussian Soviet Socialist Republic]] within the [[Soviet Union]].

==Geography==
[[File:Svislach and upper town in Minsk.jpg|thumb|left|250px|View of the [[Svislach River]] and Upper Town of Minsk.]]
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 [[Neman River|Nioman]]) to the northeast&nbsp;– that is, to Lukomskaye Lake in northwestern [[Belarus]]. The average altitude above [[sea level]] is {{convert|220|m}}. The physical geography of Minsk was shaped over the two [[Quaternary glaciation|most recent ice ages]]. The [[Svislach River]], which flows across the city from the northwest to the southeast, is in the ''[[urstromtal]]'', an ancient river valley formed by water flowing from melting [[ice sheet]]s at the end of the last Ice Age. There are six smaller rivers within the city limits, all part of the Black Sea basin.

Minsk is in the area of [[Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests|mixed forest]]s typical of most of Belarus. Pinewood and mixed forests border the edge of the city, especially in the north and east. Some of the forests were preserved as parks (for instance, the [[Chelyuskinites Park]]) as the city grew.

The city was initially built on the hills, which allowed for defensive fortifications, and the western parts of the city are the most hilly.
===Climate===
Minsk has a warm summer [[hemiboreal]] [[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. Its weather is unstable and tends to change often. The average January temperature is {{convert|-4.5|°C}}, while the average July temperature is {{convert|18.5|°C|1|abbr=on}}. The lowest temperature was recorded on 17 January 1940, at {{convert|-40|°C|0|abbr=on}} and the warmest on 29 July 1936, at {{convert|35|°C|0|abbr=on}}. This results in frequent fogs, common in the autumn and spring. Minsk receives annual [[precipitation (meteorology)|precipitation]] of {{convert|690|mm|in}}, of which one third falls during the cold period (as snow and rain) and two thirds in the warm period. Throughout the year, most winds are westerly and northwesterly, bringing cool and moist air from the Atlantic. Similar climatic regimes are found in [[Stockholm]], [[Sweden]] and in [[Halifax Regional Municipality|Halifax]], [[Canada]].

{{-}}{{Weather box|location= Minsk (1981&ndash;2010)
|metric first= Yes
|single line= yes
|Jan record high C= 10.3
|Feb record high C= 13.6
|Mar record high C= 18.9
|Apr record high C= 26.0
|May record high C= 30.9
|Jun record high C= 32.5
|Jul record high C= 35.0
|Aug record high C= 34.6
|Sep record high C= 30.3
|Oct record high C= 24.7
|Nov record high C= 16.0
|Dec record high C= 10.3
|year record high C=35.0
|Jan high C= -2.1
|Feb high C= -1.4
|Mar high C=  3.8
|Apr high C= 12.2
|May high C= 18.7
|Jun high C= 21.5
|Jul high C= 23.6
|Aug high C= 22.8
|Sep high C= 16.7
|Oct high C= 10.2
|Nov high C=  2.9
|Dec high C= -1.2
|year high C=10.6
|Jan mean C = -4.5
|Feb mean C = -4.4
|Mar mean C =  0.0
|Apr mean C =  7.2
|May mean C = 13.3
|Jun mean C = 16.4
|Jul mean C = 18.5
|Aug mean C = 17.5
|Sep mean C = 12.1
|Oct mean C =  6.6
|Nov mean C =  0.6
|Dec mean C = -3.4

|Jan low C= -6.7
|Feb low C= -7.0
|Mar low C= -3.3
|Apr low C=  2.6
|May low C=  8.1
|Jun low C= 11.7
|Jul low C= 13.8
|Aug low C= 12.8
|Sep low C=  8.2
|Oct low C=  3.6
|Nov low C= -1.3
|Dec low C= -5.5
|year low C= 3.1
|Jan record low C= -39.1
|Feb record low C= -35.1
|Mar record low C= -30.5
|Apr record low C= -18.4
|May record low C=  -5.0
|Jun record low C=   0.0
|Jul record low C=   3.8
|Aug record low C=   1.7
|Sep record low C=  -4.7
|Oct record low C= -12.9
|Nov record low C= -20.4
|Dec record low C= -30.6
|year record low C=-39.1
|precipitation colour= green
|Jan precipitation mm= 45
|Feb precipitation mm= 38
|Mar precipitation mm= 44
|Apr precipitation mm= 42
|May precipitation mm= 65
|Jun precipitation mm= 89
|Jul precipitation mm= 89
|Aug precipitation mm= 68
|Sep precipitation mm= 60
|Oct precipitation mm= 53
|Nov precipitation mm= 48
|Dec precipitation mm= 49
|year precipitation mm= 690
|Jan precipitation days= 11
|Feb precipitation days=  9
|Mar precipitation days= 11
|Apr precipitation days= 13
|May precipitation days= 18
|Jun precipitation days= 19
|Jul precipitation days= 18
|Aug precipitation days= 15
|Sep precipitation days= 18
|Oct precipitation days= 18
|Nov precipitation days= 17
|Dec precipitation days= 13
|Jan sun=  46.5
|Feb sun=  70.6
|Mar sun= 127.1
|Apr sun= 177.0
|May sun= 254.2
|Jun sun= 261.0
|Jul sun= 257.3
|Aug sun= 235.6
|Sep sun= 165.0
|Oct sun=  99.2
|Nov sun=  36.0
|Dec sun=  24.8
|source 1= Pogoda & Climate (UN) <ref name=pogoda.ru.net>{{cite web
 |url= http://pogoda.ru.net/climate/26850.htm
 |title= pogoda.ru.net&nbsp;– Minsk 1981–2010
 |accessdate= 26 April 2012
 |publisher= United Nations |date=August 2011}}</ref>
|date=January 2011
|source 2=HKO (sun only, 1961–1990).<ref name="sunhours">[http://www.weather.gov.hk/wxinfo/climat/world/eng/europe/ukr_lith/minsk_e.htm Climatological Information for Minsk, Belarus], accessed 19 March 2012.</ref>
}}

===Ecological situation===
The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Centre of Radioactive and Environmental Control ({{lang-be|Рэспубліканскі цэнтр радыяцыйнага кантролю і маніторынга прыроднага асяроддзя}}).<ref name=eco.1/>

During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 [[Tonne|tons]].<ref name=eco.1>{{cite news|url=http://naviny.by/rubrics/society/2009/09/18/ic_articles_116_164550/|title=Не сосновый бор, но дышать можно смело|language=ru|date=2009-09-18|publisher=naviny.by}}</ref> The change of gas as industrial fuel to [[mazut]] for financial reasons has worsened the ecological situation.<ref name=eco.1/> However, the majority of overall air pollution is produced by cars.<ref name=eco.1/> Belarusian traffic police ''DAI'' every year holds operation "Clean Air" to prevent the use of cars with extremely pollutive engines.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://naviny.by/rubrics/auto/2007/06/09/ic_news_120_272008/|title=Минская ГАИ проводит акцию "Чистый воздух"|language=ru|date=09.06.2007|publisher=naviny.by}}</ref> Sometimes the maximum normative concentration of [[formaldehyde]] and [[ammonia]] in air is exceeded in [[Zavodski District]].<ref name=eco.1/> Other major contaminants are [[Chromium]]-VI and [[nitrogen dioxide]].<ref name=eco.1/> Zavodski, [[Partyzanski District|Partyzanski]] and [[Leninski District|Leninski]] districts, which are situated in the southeastern part of Minsk, are the most polluted areas in the city.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://naviny.by/rubrics/society/2009/06/03/ic_news_116_312342/|title=Самый загрязненный воздух в Минске&nbsp;— на улице Тимирязева|language=ru|date=03.06.2009|publisher=naviny.by}}</ref>

==History==
{{Main|History of Minsk}}

===Early history===
[[File:Царква10.JPG|thumb|175px|The Saviour Church (1577) is part of an archaeological preservation in [[Zaslawye|Zaslavl]], {{convert|23|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} northwest of Minsk.]]
The area of today's Minsk was settled by the [[East Slavs|Early East Slavs]] by the 9th century AD. The [[Svislach River]] valley was the settlement boundary between two Early East Slav tribes&nbsp;– the [[Krivichs]] and [[Dregovichs]]. By 980, the area was incorporated into the [[Early Middle Ages|early medieval]] [[Principality of Polotsk|Principality of Polatsk]], one of the earliest East Slav states. 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]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://litopys.org.ua/ipatlet/ipat08.htm#r1067 |title=Въ лЂто 6563 [1055]&nbsp;– [6579 1071]. Іпатіївський літопис |publisher=Litopys.org.ua |date=|accessdate=5 May 2009}}</ref> 1067 is now widely accepted as the founding year of Minsk. City authorities consider the date of 2 September 1067, to be the exact founding date of the city,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.minsk.gov.by/news/4.09.2007/5/8411/eng |title=The Celebration of the 940th anniversary of Minsk will start with ringing of bells&nbsp;– Minsk City Executive Committee |publisher=Minsk.gov.by |date=|accessdate=5 May 2009}}</ref> though the town (by then fortified by wooden walls) had certainly existed for some time by then. The origin of the name is unknown but there are several theories.

In the early 12th century, the [[Principality of Polotsk|Principality of Polatsk]] disintegrated into smaller fiefs. The [[Principality of Minsk]] was established by one of the [[Polotsk|Polatsk]] dynasty princes. In 1129, the Principality of Minsk was annexed by [[Kiev]], the dominant principality of [[Kievan Rus'|Kievan Rus]]; however in 1146 the Polatsk dynasty regained control of the principality. 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.

===Late Middle Ages===
[[File:Belarus-Minsk-Svislach and Traetskaye Suburb-1.jpg|thumb|left|180px|[[Trayetskaye Pradmestsye]] contains the remains of pre-WWII Minsk on the Svislach bank.]]
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:minsk 1840s.jpg|thumb|180px|left|The High Square as painted in the 1840s.]] -->

Minsk escaped the [[Mongol invasion of Rus'|Mongol invasion of Rus]] in 1237–1239. In 1242, Minsk became a part of the expanding [[Grand Duchy of Lithuania]]. It 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 (1385–1569)|Kingdom of Poland]] entered into a union. Minsk became the centre of [[Minsk Voivodeship|Minsk Voivodship]] (province). In 1441, the Lithuanian prince [[Casimir IV Jagiellon|Kazimierz IV Jagiellon]] included Minsk in a list of cities enjoying certain privileges, and in 1499, during the reign of his son, [[Alexander Jagiellon|Aleksander Jagiellon]], Minsk received [[town privileges]] under [[Magdeburg rights|Magdeburg law]]. In 1569, after the [[Union of Lublin]], the [[Grand Duchy of Lithuania]] and the [[Kingdom of Poland (1385–1569)|Kingdom of Poland]] merged into a single state, the [[Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth]]. Afterwards, a Polish community including government clerks, officers, and craftsmen settled in Minsk.{{citation needed|date=December 2011}}

By the middle of the 16th century, Minsk was an important economic and cultural centre in the [[Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth]]. It was also an important centre for the [[Orthodox Church|Eastern Orthodox Church]]. Following the [[Union of Brest]], both the [[Eastern Catholic Churches|Uniate church]] and the Roman Catholic Church increased in influence. {{citation needed|date=December 2011}}

In 1655, Minsk was conquered by troops of [[Alexis of Russia|Tsar Alexei]] of Russia. Russians governed the city until 1660 when it was regained by [[John II Casimir Vasa|Jan Kasimir]], King of Poland. By the end of the [[Russo-Polish War (1654–1667)|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 army of [[Charles XII of Sweden]] and then by the army of [[Peter I of Russia|Peter the Great]]. {{citation needed|date=December 2011}} 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.

===Russian rule===
{{unreferenced section|date=December 2011}}
[[File:Belarus-Minsk-Church of Mary Magdalene-2.jpg|220px|thumb|Russian Orthodox church of St. Mary Magdalene (built in 1847).]]
[[File:K. Marx street photo.JPG|A street in central Minsk|thumb|200px|right]]

Minsk was annexed by Russia in 1793 as a consequence of the [[Second Partition of Poland]]. In 1796, it became the centre of the [[Minsk Governorate]]. All of the initial [[street or road name|street name]]s were replaced by Russian names, though the spelling of the city's name remained unchanged. It was briefly occupied by [[Grande Armée]] during [[French invasion of Russia]] in 1812.

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 through Minsk. In 1871, a railway link between Moscow and Warsaw ran via Minsk, and in 1873, a new [[Libau–Romny Railway|railway from Romny in Ukraine to the Baltic Sea port of Libava]] ([[Liepāja]]) was also constructed. Thus Minsk became an important rail junction and a manufacturing hub. A [[water supply network|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 Empire Census|Russian census]], the city had 91,494 inhabitants, with some 47,561 Jews constituting more than half of the city population.

===20th century===
[[File:minsk 1912.jpg|thumb|left|180px|The Jesuit collegium in 1912.]]

[[File:Belarus-Minsk-Railway Station Square-4.jpg|thumb|left|180px|The Railway station square, an example of Stalinist Minsk.]]
[[File:Belarus-Minsk-House of Government and Vladimir Lenin Monument (perspective corrected).jpg|thumb|left|180px|House of Government in Minsk, with a statue of [[Vladimir Lenin]] in the foreground.]]
[[File:RIAN archive 137811 Children during air raid.jpg|thumb|right|180px|Children during the German bombing of Minsk<br/>June 24, 1941]]

In the early years of the 20th century, Minsk was a major centre for the worker's movement in Belarus. The [[1st Congress of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party]], the forerunner to the [[Bolshevik]]s and eventually the [[Communist Party of the Soviet Union|CPSU]], was held there in 1898. It was also one of the major centres of the Belarusian [[Romantic nationalism|national revival]], alongside [[Vilnius|Vilnia]]. However, the First World War affected the development of Minsk tremendously. 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 [[Western Front (Soviet Union)|the Western Front]] of the Russian army and also housed military hospitals and [[military logistics|military supply]] bases. {{citation needed|date=January 2012}}

The [[Russian Revolution (1917)|Russian Revolution]] had an immediate effect in Minsk. A Worker's [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] was established in Minsk in October 1917, drawing much of its support from disaffected soldiers and workers. After the [[Treaty of Brest-Litovsk]], German forces occupied Minsk in February 1918.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.belintourist.com/eng/learn_about_belarus/region/minsk/|title=History|work=Belarusian Tour operator |date=29 October 2013|accessdate=29 October 2013}}</ref> On 25 March 1918, Minsk was proclaimed the capital of the [[Belarusian People’s Republic|Belarusian People's Republic]]. The republic was short-lived; in December 1918, Minsk was taken over by the [[Red Army]]. In January 1919 Minsk was proclaimed the capital of the [[Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic|Belorussian 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–Soviet War|Polish-Bolshevik war]]. Under the terms of the [[Peace of Riga]], Minsk was handed back to the [[Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic|Russian SFSR]] and became the capital of the [[Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic|Belorussian SSR]], one of the founding republics of the [[Soviet Union|Union of Soviet Socialist Republics]].

[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-137-1010-37A, Minsk, deutsche Truppen vor modernen Gebäuden.jpg|upright|thumb|German troops marching through Minsk.]]

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.

Before World War II, Minsk had had a population of 300,000 people. After Germany invaded the Soviet Union on 22 June 1941, as part of [[Operation Barbarossa]], Minsk immediately came under attack. The city was bombed on the first day of the invasion and came under [[Wehrmacht]] control 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 ''[[Reichskommissariat Ostland|Reichskomissariat Ostland]]''. Communists and sympathisers were killed or imprisoned; both locally and after being transported to Germany. Homes were requisitioned to house invading German forces. Thousands starved as food was seized by the German Army and paid work was scarce. Some anti-soviet residents of Minsk, who hoped that Belarus could regain independence, did support the Germans, especially at the beginning of the occupation, but by 1942, Minsk had become a major centre of the [[Soviet partisans|Soviet partisan]] [[resistance movement]] against the invasion, in what is known as the ''[[Eastern Front (World War II)|German-Soviet War]]''. For this role, Minsk was awarded the title ''[[Hero City]]'' in 1974.

Minsk was, however, the site of one of the largest Nazi-run [[ghetto]]s in World War II, temporarily housing over 100,000 Jews (see [[Minsk Ghetto]]).

{{Main|Minsk Offensive}}

Minsk was recaptured by Soviet troops on 3 July 1944, during [[Operation Bagration]]. The city was the centre of German resistance to the [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] advance and saw heavy fighting during the first half of 1944. Factories, municipal buildings, [[power station]]s, bridges, most roads and 80% of the houses were reduced to rubble. In 1944, Minsk's population was reduced to a mere 50,000. After World War II, Minsk was rebuilt, but not reconstructed. The historical centre was replaced in the 1940s and 1950s by [[Stalinist architecture]], which favoured grand buildings, broad avenues and wide squares. Subsequently, the city grew rapidly as a result of massive industrialisation. Since the 1960s Minsk's population has also grown apace, reaching 1&nbsp;million in 1972 and 1.5&nbsp;million in 1986.
Construction of [[Minsk Metro]] began on 16 June 1977, and the system was opened to the public on 30 June 1984, becoming the ninth metro system in the Soviet Union.
The 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 worker]]s from other parts of the [[Soviet Union]]{{Citation needed|date=August 2010}}. 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===
[[File:Independence Avenue in Minsk.jpg|[[Independence Avenue (Minsk)|Niezalezhnasti avenue]] (Initial part of avenue candidates for inclusion in [[World Heritage Site]])|thumb|300px|right]]
{{unreferenced section|date=November 2011}}
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 centres. During the early and mid-1990s, Minsk was hit by an [[Financial crisis|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 ''[[Microdistrict|mikroraion]]s'' of [[residential area|residential development]] have been built. Metro lines have been extended, and the road system (including the [[MKAD (Minsk)|Minsk BeltWay]]) has been improved. 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 [[Local government|city government]] announced several projects on its official web-site. Among them are the refurbishment of some streets and main avenues, the construction 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 8 September 2007, the city of Minsk celebrated 940 years since its founding.
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:2008 panorama.jpg|175px|thumb|Panorama of Minsk. 2008. Lithography by V. Sharkov {{Deletable image-caption|date=March 2012}}]] -->

==Etymology and historical names==
[[File:Belarus-Minsk-Independence Square-2.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Independence Square in the centre of Minsk.]]

The [[Old East Slavic]] name of the town was Мѣньскъ (i.e. ''Měnsk'' &lt; [[Proto-Slavic language|Early Proto-Slavic]] or [[Proto-Indo-European language|Late Indo-European]] ''Mēnĭskŭ''), derived from a river name ''Měn'' (&lt;&nbsp;''Mēnŭ''). The direct continuation of this name in Belarusian is ''Miensk'' (pronounced {{IPA|[mʲɛnsk]}}).
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 Менск) 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]]'. In modern Polish, ''Mińsk'' without an attribute usually refers to the city in Belarus, which is about 50 times bigger than Mińsk Mazowiecki; (cf. [[Brest, Belarus|Brest-Litovsk]] and [[Brześć Kujawski]] for a similar case).

The Belarusian rock band [[N.R.M.]] have recorded a song titled ''Miensk i Minsk'' (''Miensk and Minsk'') on their 2007 album "06".

==Demographics==

===Population growth===
{|border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="10"
|-
|valign="top" |
{|
! style="background:#efefef;text-align:left;" |Year
! style="background:#efefef;text-align:right;" |Population
|-
|1450 ||style="text-align:right;"|5,000
|-
|1654 ||style="text-align:right;"|10,000
|-
|1667 ||style="text-align:right;"|2,000
|-
|1790 ||style="text-align:right;"|7,000
|-
|1811 ||style="text-align:right;"|11,000
|-
|1813 ||style="text-align:right;"|3,500
|}
|valign="top" |
{|
! style="background:#efefef;text-align:left;" |Year
! style="background:#efefef;text-align:right;" |Population
|-
|1860 ||style="text-align:right;"|27,000
|-
|1897* ||style="text-align:right;"|91,000
|-
|1917* ||style="text-align:right;"|134,500
|-
|1941 ||style="text-align:right;"|300,000
|-
|1944 ||style="text-align:right;"|50,000
|}
|valign="top" |
{|
! style="background:#efefef;text-align:left;" |Year
! style="background:#efefef;text-align:right;" |Population
|-
|1959* ||style="text-align:right;"|509,500
|-
|1970* ||style="text-align:right;"|907,100
|-
|1972 ||style="text-align:right;"|1,000,000
|-
|1979* ||style="text-align:right;"|1,276,000
|-
|1986 ||style="text-align:right;"|1,500,000
|}
|valign="top" |
{|
! style="background:#efefef;text-align:left;" |Year
! style="background:#efefef;text-align:right;" |Population
|-
|1989* ||style="text-align:right;"|1,607,000
|-
|1999* ||style="text-align:right;"|1,680,000
|-
|2007 ||style="text-align:right;"|1,814,000
|-
|2008 ||style="text-align:right;"|1,830,000
|-
|2009* ||style="text-align:right;"|1,837,000
|-
|2012 ||style="text-align:right;"|1,901,700
|-
|2013 ||style="text-align:right;"|2,002,600
|}
|}
<nowiki>*</nowiki> Census

===Ethnic groups===
During its first centuries, Minsk was a city with a predominantly Early East Slavic population (the forefathers of modern-day [[Belarusians]]). After the 1569 [[Polish–Lithuanian union]], the city became a destination for migrating Poles (who worked as administrators, clergy, teachers and soldiers) and Jews (predominately [[Ashkenazim]], who worked in the retail trade and as craftsmen, as other opportunities were prohibited by discrimination laws). During the last centuries of the [[Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth]], many Minsk residents became [[Polonization|polonised]], adopting the language of the dominant Poles and assimilating to its culture.

After the second [[Partitions of Poland|Partition of Poland]] in 1793, Minsk and its larger region became part of the [[Russian Empire]].  The [[Russians]] dominated the city's culture as had the Poles in earlier centuries. By the end of the 19th century, residents in Minsk accepted increasing [[russification]] in order to survive{{lopsided|date=June 2012}}. Many locals became russified and continue to claim Russian ethnicity today. {{citation needed|date=November 2011}}

At the time of the [[Russian Empire Census|1897 census]] under the Russian Empire, Jews comprised the largest ethnic group in Minsk, constituting 52% of the population, with 47,500 of the 91,000 residents.<ref>Joshua D. Zimmerman, ''Poles, Jews, and the Politics of Nationality'', Univ of Wisconsin Press, 2004, ISBN 0-299-19464-7, [http://books.google.com/books?id=6sbr9cZyw_4C&pg=PA16&dq=population+Brest+Poles+Jews&lr=&as_brr=3&ei=HS_3SZ2-NITyzQSUtaWtBQ Google Print, p.16]</ref> Other substantial ethnic groups were Russians (25.5%), Poles (11.4%) and Belarusians (9%). The latter figure may be not accurate as some local Belarusians were likely counted as Russians. A small traditional community of [[Lipka Tatars]] had been living in Minsk for centuries.

[[File:Minsk memorial.JPG|thumb|left|200px|Jewish [[Holocaust]] memorial]]
The high mortality of World War I and World War II affected the demographics of the city, particularly the destruction of Jews under the [[Nazism|Nazi]] occupation of World War II.  Working through local populations, Germans instituted deportation of the Jews to concentration camps, murdering most of them there. The Jewish community of Minsk suffered catastrophic losses in [[the Holocaust]]. From more than half the population of the city, the percentage of Jews dropped to less than 10 percent more than a decade after the war. After its limited population peaked in the 1970s, continuing anti-Semitism under the Soviet Union and increasing nationalism in Belarus caused most Jews to emigrate to Israel and western countries in the 1980s; by 1999, less than one percent of the population of Minsk was Jewish.

In the first three decades of the post-war years, the most numerous new residents in Minsk were rural migrants from other parts of Belarus; the proportion of ethnic [[Belarusians]] increased markedly. Numerous skilled [[Russians]] and other migrants from other parts of the [[Soviet Union]] migrated for jobs in the growing manufacturing sector.<ref name="Zimmerman 2004">Zimmerman (2004), ''Poles, Jews, and Politics''</ref> 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]] (0.4%). Continued migration from rural 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 (0.2%).<ref name="Zimmerman 2004"/>

According to the 1989 census, 82% percent of Minsk residents have been born in Belarus. Of those, 43% have been born in Minsk and 39%&nbsp;– in other parts of Belarus. 6.2% of Minsk residents came from regions of western Belarus (Grodno and Brest Regions), and 13%&nbsp;– from eastern Belarus (Mogilev, Vitebsk and Gomel Regions). 21.4% of residents came from central Belarus (Minsk Region).

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]] and increased nationalism in Belarus creating hostility to ethnic Russians and Ukrainians, many of them chose to move to their respective mother countries, although some families had been in Minsk for generations. Another factor in the shifting demographics of the city was the changing self-identification of Minsk residents of mixed ancestry&nbsp;– in independent Belarus they identify as Belarusians.

The [[Jewish population]] of Minsk peaked in the early 1970s at 50,000 according to official figures; independent estimates put the figure at between 100,000 and 120,000. Beginning in the 1980s, there has been mass-scale emigration to [[Israel]], the USA and Germany. Today only about 10,000 Jews live in Minsk. The traditional minorities of Poles and Tatars have remained at much the same size (17,000 and 3,000 respectively). Rural Poles have migrated from the western part of Belarus to Minsk, and many Tatars have moved to Minsk from [[Tatarstan]].

Some more recent [[minority group|ethnic minority]] communities have developed as a result of immigration. The most prominent are immigrants from the [[Caucasus]] countries &ndash; [[Georgians]], [[Armenians]] and [[Azerbaijani people|Azerbaijani]]s, each numbering about 2,000 to 5,000. They began migrating to Minsk in the 1970s, and more immigrants have joined them since. Many work in the [[retailing|retail trade]] in open-air markets. A small but prominent Arab community has developed in Minsk, primarily represented by recent economic immigrants from [[Syria]], [[Lebanon]], [[Egypt]], [[Algeria]], etc. (In many cases, they are graduates of Minsk universities who decide to settle in Belarus and bring over their families). A small community of [[Romani people|gypsies]], numbering about 2,000, are settled in suburbs of north-western and southern Minsk.

===Languages===

Throughout its history Minsk has been a city of many languages. Initially most of its residents spoke [[Ruthenian language|Ruthenian]] (which later developed into modern [[Belarusian language|Belarusian]]). However, after 1569 the [[official language]] was Polish. {{citation needed|date=December 2011}} 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. The Belarusian national revival increased interest in the Belarusian language &ndash; its use has grown since the 1890s, especially among the [[intelligentsia]]. In the 1920s and early 1930s Belarusian was the major language of Minsk, including use for administration and education (both secondary and tertiary). However, since the late 1930s Russian again began gaining dominance. {{citation needed|date=December 2011}}

A short period of Belarusian national revival in the early 1990s saw a rise in the numbers of Belarusian speakers. However, in 1994 the newly elected president [[Alexander Lukashenko]] slowly reversed this trend. Most residents of Minsk now use Russian exclusively in their everyday lives at home and at work, although Belarusian is understood as well. Substantial numbers of recent migrants from the rural areas use [[Trasianka|Trasyanka]] (a Russo-Belarusian mixed language) in their everyday lives. {{citation needed|date=December 2011}}

The most commonly used and understood [[foreign language]] in Minsk, especially among the younger generation, is English. <ref group="<ref group=http://fryday.net/languages/">{{cite journal|last=Östlund|first=Anders|title=LANGUAGES|date=13 July 2013|url=http://fryday.net/languages/|accessdate=29 October 2013}}</ref>

===Religion===
There are no reliable statistics on the religious affiliations of those living in Minsk, or among the population of Belarus generally. The majority of Christians belong to the [[Belarusian Orthodox Church]], which is the exarchate of the [[Russian Orthodox Church]] in Belarus. There is a a significant minority of [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholics]].

Currently, there are 24 churches of various denominations in Minsk, with another 10 under either construction or renovation.{{citation needed|date=August 2013}}

===Crime===
Minsk has the highest crime rate in Belarus&nbsp;&ndash; 193.5 crimes per 10,000 citizens.<ref name=prest.3/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.tut.by/society/212780.html|title=Уровень преступности в Минской области&nbsp;– один из самых высоких в стране|date=25 January 2011|publisher=TUT.BY|language=Russian}}</ref> 20–25% of all serious crimes in Belarus, 55% of bribes and 67% of mobile phone thefts are committed in Minsk.<ref name=prest.3>{{cite news|url=http://news.tut.by/society/175052.html|title=Лукашенко недоволен минскими властями|date=29 June 2010|publisher=TUT.BY|language=Russian}}</ref><ref name=prest.2>{{cite news|url=http://news.tut.by/society/223781.html|title=Кражи составляют в Минске около 70% преступлений|date=18 April 2011|publisher=TUT.BY|language=Russian}}</ref> However, attorney general Grigory Vasilevich stated that homicide rate in Minsk in 2008 was "relatively fine".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.interfax.by/news/belarus/46593|title=Генпрокуратура анализирует состояние с преступностью в Беларуси по коэффициенту преступности|date=2 October 2008|publisher=interfax.by|language=Russian}}</ref>

Crime rate grew significantly in 2009 and 2010:<ref name=prest.3/> for example, number of corruption crimes grew by 36% in 2009 alone.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.interfax.by/news/belarus/68970|title=В Минске увеличивается число выявленных коррупционных преступлений&nbsp;– Генпрокуратура|date=10 March 2010|publisher=interfax.by|language=Russian}}</ref> Crime detection level varies from 13% in burglary<ref name=prest.1>{{cite news|url=http://www.interfax.by/article/36323|title=Я из ЖЭСа. Разрешите вас обокрасть!|date=2 January 2009|publisher=interfax.by|language=Russian}}</ref> to 92% in homicide<ref name=prest.4/> with an average 40.1%.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.interfax.by/news/belarus/62597|title=В Минске снижается число хищений сотовых телефонов&nbsp;– Генпрокуратура|date=27 October 2009|publisher=interfax.by|language=Russian}}</ref> Many dwellers are concerned for their safety at night and the strongest concern was expressed by residents of Chizhovka and Shabany [[microdistrict]]s (both in [[Zavodski District]]).<ref name=prest.4>[http://www.pravo.by/showtext.asp?1139568277743 Рейтинг всех служб и подразделений ГУВД Мингорисполкома вырос], ''National Law Portal of Belarus'' (10 February 2006).</ref>

The SIZO-1 detention center, IK-1 general prison, and the [[State Security Committee of the Republic of Belarus|KGB]] special jail called "''Amerikanka''" are all located in Minsk. [[Alexander Lukashenko]]'s rivals in the [[Belarusian presidential election, 2010|2010 presidential election]] were imprisoned in the KGB jail<ref>[http://naviny.by/rubrics/english/2010/12/21/ic_articles_259_171752/ Lukashenka`s presidential rivals held in KGB jail], ''Belarus News'' (21.12.2010)</ref> and other prominent politicians and civil activists. [[Ales Michalevic]], who was kept in this jail, accused the KGB of using torture.<ref>[http://naviny.by/rubrics/english/2011/02/28/ic_news_259_362284/ Mikhalevich to complain to UN Committee Against Torture about his detention conditions in KGB jail], ''Belarus News'' (28.02.2011)</ref><ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12606265 Belarus 'tortured protesters in jail'], [[BBC News]] (1 March 2011)</ref>

==Government and administrative divisions==

{{Main|Administrative subdivisions of Minsk}}

[[File:Minsk all districts color-2011-05-02.png|right|260px|Raions of Minsk]]
Currently Minsk is subdivided into 9 ''[[raion]]s'' (districts):
# {{legend|#E3D2E3|'''[[Tsentralny District (Minsk)|Tsentralny]]''' ({{lang-be|Цэнтральны}}, {{lang-ru|Центральный}}), or "Central District"}}
# {{legend|#FDFD5D|'''[[Savetski District (Minsk)|Savetski]]''' ({{lang-be|Савецкі}}, {{lang-ru|Советский}}, Sovetsky), or "[[Soviet (council)|Soviet]] District"}}
# {{legend|#7EDBEF|'''[[Pershamayski District|Pershamayski]]''' ({{lang-be|Першамайскі}}, {{lang-ru|Первомайский}}, Pervomaysky), named after [[May Day|1 May]]}}
# {{legend|#EFDB72|'''[[Partyzanski District (Minsk)|Partyzanski]]''' ({{lang-be|Партызанскі}}, {{lang-ru|Партизанский}}, Partizansky), named after the [[Soviet partisans]]}}
# {{legend|#CFDBFD|'''[[Zavodski District (Minsk)|Zavodski]]''' ({{lang-be|Заводскі}}, {{lang-ru|Заводской}}, Zavodskoy), or "Factory district" (initially it included major plants, [[Minsk Tractor Works]] (MTZ) and [[Minsk Automobile Plant]] (MAZ), later the Partyzanski District with MTZ was split off it)}}
# {{legend|#5DFB5D|'''[[Leninski District (Minsk)|Leninski]]''' ({{lang-be|Ленінскі}}, {{lang-ru|Ленинский}}, Leninsky), named after [[Vladimir Lenin|Lenin]]}}
# {{legend|#F1FBC8|'''[[Kastrychnitski District|Kastrychnitski]]''' ({{lang-be|Кастрычніцкі}}, {{lang-ru|Октябрьский}}, Oktyabrsky), named after the [[October Revolution]]}}
# {{legend|#F68282|'''[[Maskouski District|Maskouski]]''' ({{lang-be|Маскоўскі}}, {{lang-ru|Московский}}, Moskovsky), named after Moscow}}
# {{legend|#6FA3F1|'''[[Frunzenski District (Minsk)|Frunzenski]]''' ({{lang-be|Фрунзенскі}}, {{lang-ru|Фрунзенский}}, Frunzensky), named after [[Mikhail Frunze]]}}

In addition, a number of residential neighbourhoods are recognised in Minsk, called [[microdistrict]]s, with no separate administration.

==Economy==
Minsk is the [[economic capital]] of Belarus. It has developed industrial and services sectors which serve the needs not only of the city, but of the entire nation. Minsk's contributions form nearly 46% of Belarusian budget.<ref>[http://afn.by/news/i/131974 Четвертую часть поступлений в бюджет Минска обеспечили 5 плательщиков] {{ref-ru}}</ref> According to 2010 results, Minsk paid 15 trillion BYR to state budget while the whole income from all other regions was 19.9 trillion BYR.<ref>[http://bdg.by/news/finance/13645.html Минск&nbsp;– основной плательщик НДС] {{ref-ru}}</ref> In the period January 2013 to October 2013, 70.6% of taxes in the budget of Minsk were paid by non-state enterprises, 26.3% by state enterprises, and 1.8% by individual entrepreneurs. Among the top 10 taxpayers were five oil and gas companies (including two [[Gazprom]]'s and one [[Lukoil]]'s subsidiaries), two mobile network operators ([[MTS (network provider)|MTS]] and [[Velcom]]), two companies producing alcoholic beverages (Minsk-Kristall and Minsk grape wines factory) and one producer of tobacco goods.<ref>[http://www.nalog.gov.by/ru/news_ministerstva_minsk_ru/view/737-postuplenij-v-konsolidirovannyj-bjudzhet-goroda-minska-za-10-mesjatsev-2013-goda-obespecheno-9443/ 73,7 % поступлений в консолидированный бюджет города Минска за 10 месяцев 2013 года обеспечено негосударственным сектором экономики]</ref>

In 2012, [[Gross Regional Product]] of Minsk was formed mainly by industry (26.4%), wholesale (19.9%), transportation and communications (12.3%), retail (8.6%) and construction (5.8%). GRP of Minsk measured in rubles was nearly 120×10<sup>12</sup> (trillions<!--short scale--> or millions of millions; BYR 120 trillion ≈ USD 12.76 billion<!--06-07.XII.13: 9400 BYR per 1 USD-->), or 23.7% of [[Gross domestic product]] of Belarus.<ref>[http://belstat.gov.by/homep/ru/indicators/doclad/2013_10.php Социально-экономическое положение Республики Беларусь в январе-октябре 2013 г.] {{ref-ru}}</ref>

===Industry===

Minsk is the major industrial centre of Belarus. According to 2012 statistics, Minsk-based companies produced 21.5% of electricity, 76% of trucks, 15.9% of footwear, 89.3% of television sets, 99.3% of washing machines, 30% of chocolate, 27.7% of distilled alcoholic beverages and 19.7% of tobacco goods in Belarus.<ref>[http://belstat.gov.by/homep/en/indicators/regions/i2.php Shares of region and Minsk City in the national output of selected industrial products in 2012]</ref>

Today 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. After the last war the development of the city was linked to the development of industry, especially of [[Research and development|R&D]]-intensive sectors (heavy emphasis of R&D intensive industries in [[urban planning|urban development]] in the USSR is known in Western geography as 'Minsk phenomenon'). {{citation needed|date=November 2011}} 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. {{citation needed|date=November 2011}}

However, since the adoption of the neo-Keynesean policies under [[Alexander Lukashenko]]'s government in 1995, much of the gross industrial production was regained. Unlike many other cities in the CIS and Eastern Europe Minsk was not heavily de-industrialised in the 1990s. About 40% of the work force is still employed in the [[Secondary sector of the economy|manufacturing sector]]. Over 70% of produced goods are exported from Belarus, especially to Russia and other members of the [[Commonwealth of Independent States]]{{Citation needed|date=August 2010}}. However, the recent industrial revival did not lead to updating technologies and equipment (as [[Foreign direct investment|FDI]] was discouraged), therefore much of the local industry is not highly competitive by international standards. {{citation needed|date=November 2011}}

Major industrial employers include:
*[[Minsk Tractor Works|Minsk Tractor Plant]]&nbsp;– specialised in manufacturing tractors. Established in 1946 in eastern Minsk, is among major manufacturers of wheeled tractors in the CIS. Employs about 30,000 staff.
*[[Minsk Automobile Plant]]&nbsp;– specialising in producing trucks, buses and mini-vans. Established in 1944 in south-eastern Minsk, is among major vehicle manufacturers in the CIS.
*[[Minsk Refrigerator Plant]] (also known as Atlant)&nbsp;– specialised in manufacturing household goods, such as refrigerators, freezers, and recently also of [[washing machine]]s. Established in 1959 in north-west of the city.
*[[Horizont]]&nbsp;– specialised in producing TV-sets, audio and video electronics. Established in 1950 in north-central Minsk.

===Unemployment===
Official statistics quote unemployment in Minsk at 0.3%.
<ref name=nav.2302>[http://naviny.by/rubrics/society/2011/02/23/ic_articles_116_172587/ Сколько реально безработных в Минске?] {{ref-ru}}</ref> During 2009 census 5.6% of Minsk residents of employable age called themselves unemployed.<ref name=nav.2302/>
The government discourages official unemployment registration with tiny unemployment benefits (70 000 BYR ≈ $14 per month) and obligatory public works.

==Transport==

===Local transport===
[[File:Minsk 031 20070803 0170.jpg|thumb|230px|Tram in Minsk.]]
Minsk has an extensive [[public transport]] system.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.apartmentinminsk.com/news-blog/public-transport.htm |title=Public transport in Minsk |publisher=D-Minsk |date=2012-10-04 |accessdate=2012-10-04}}</ref> Passengers are served by 8 tramway lines, over 70 [[trolleybus]] lines, and over 100 bus lines. Trams were the first public transport used in Minsk (since 1892&nbsp;– the horse-tram, and since 1929&nbsp;– the electric tram). Public buses have been used in Minsk since 1924, and trolleybuses since 1952.

<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:1934 tram 2.jpg|175px|thumb|left|Tram in Minsk. 1934. Lithography by V. Sharkov {{Deletable image-caption|date=March 2012}}]] -->
All public transport is operated by Minsktrans, a government-owned and -funded transport [[Non-profit organisation|not-for-profit]] company. As of January 2008, Minsktrans used 1,420 buses, 1,010 trolleybuses and 153 tramway cars in Minsk.

The Minsk city government in 2003 decreed that local transport provision should be set at a minimum level of 1 vehicle (bus, trolleybus or tram) per 1,500 residents. Currently the number of vehicles in use by Minsktrans is 2.2 times higher than the minimum level. {{citation needed|date=November 2011}}

Public transport fares are controlled by ''city's executive committee'' (city council). Single trip ticket for bus, trolleybus, tramway or metro costs 3000 [[BYR]] (≈USD 0.3)<ref name=t.1>[http://www.minsktrans.by/tariff Тарифы / Минсктранс] {{ref-ru}}</ref> and 4300 BYR for express buses.<ref name=t.1/> Monthly ticket for one kind of transport costs 135 000 BYR and 243 000 BYR for all four.<ref name=t.1/> Commercial [[marshrutka]]'s prices varies from 6000 to 7000 BYR.

===Rapid transit===
[[File:Minsk-Metro-Uruch'e-04.jpg|thumb|right|225px|Uruchye station in the [[Minsk Metro]].]]
{{Main|Minsk Metro}}
Minsk is the only city in Belarus with an underground [[rapid transit|metro]] system. 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 Line|Moskovskaya]] and [[Avtozavodskaya Line|Avtozavodskaya]], which are {{convert|18.1|and|17.3|km|mi|abbr=on}} long with 14 and 14 stations, respectively. On 7 November 2012, three new stations on the Moskovskaya Line were opened; work continues on a {{convert|1.8|km|mi|abbr=on}} extension, with one more station slated to open in 2014.

There are plans for a network with three lines totalling (based on present expansion plans) {{convert|58.3|km|mi|abbr=on}} 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 2013 Minsk metro had 28 stations and {{convert|35.5|km|0|abbr=off}} of tracks. Trains use 243 standard Russian metro-cars. On a typical day Minsk metro is used by 800,000 passengers. In 2007 ridership of Minsk metro was 262.1&nbsp;million passengers,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mrl.ucsb.edu/~yopopov/rrt/maps/statistics.html |title=CIS Metro Statistics |publisher=Mrl.ucsb.edu |date=21 June 2010 |accessdate=4 July 2010}}</ref>
making it the 5th busiest metro network in the [[Post-Soviet states|former USSR]] (behind Moscow, [[Saint Petersburg|St. Petersburg]], [[Kiev]] and [[Kharkiv]]). 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. For instance, all metro stations built since 2001 have passenger lifts from platform to street level, thus enabling the use of the newer stations by disabled passengers.

===Railway and intercity bus===

<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:1964 railway station.jpg|thumb|right|1964 railway station square in Minsk. Lithography by V. Sharkov {{Deletable image-caption|date=March 2012}}]] -->

[[File:Stadler FLIRT Minsk.jpg|thumb|Electric Minsk city Stadler FLIRT trains at the railway station of Minsk-Passenger]]

Minsk is the largest transportation hub in Belarus. Minsk is located at the junction of the [[Warsaw]]-Moscow railway (built in 1871) running from the southwest to the northeast of the city and the [[Liepāja|Liepaja]]-[[Romny]] railway (built in 1873) running from the northwest to the south. The first railway connects Russia with Poland and Germany; the second connects Ukraine with Lithuania and Latvia. They cross at the [[Minsk Passazhirsky railway station|Minsk-''Passazhyrski'']] railway station, the main railway station of Minsk. 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 the Minsk railway station was completely destroyed. It was rebuilt in 1945 and 1946 and served until 1991. The new building of the Minsk-''Passazhyrski'' railway station was built during 1991–2002. Its construction was delayed due to financial difficulties; now, however, Minsk boasts one of the most modern and up-to-date railway stations in the CIS. There are plans to move all [[Regional rail|suburban rail]] traffic from Minsk-''Passazhyrski'' to the smaller stations, Minsk-
''Uskhodni'' (East), Minsk-''Paudnyovy'' (South) and Minsk-''Paunochny'' (North), by 2020.

There are three intercity bus stations that link Minsk with the suburbs and other cities in Belarus and the neighbouring countries. Frequent schedules of bus routes connect Minsk to Moscow, [[Smolensk]], [[Vilnius]], [[Riga]], [[Kiev]] and [[Warsaw]].

===Airports===

[[File:BNTU ship.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Belarusian National Technical University branch]]

[[Minsk International Airport]] is located {{convert|42|km|mi|abbr=on}} to the east of the city. It opened in 1982 and the current [[railway station]] opened in 1987. It is an [[international airport]] with flights to Europe and Middle East.

'''[[Minsk-1 Airport|Minsk-1]]''' opened in 1933 a few kilometres to the south of the historical centre. In 1955 it became an international airport and by 1970 served over 1&nbsp;million passengers a year.

From 1982 it mainly served domestic routes in Belarus and short-haul routes to Moscow, [[Kiev]] and [[Kaliningrad]]. Minsk-1 was expected to be closed in 2008 because of the noise pollution in the surrounding residential areas, but in the mid-2010 it is still functioning. The land of the airport is planned to be redeveloped for residential and commercial real estate, currently branded as [[Minsk-City]].

==Education==
Minsk is the major educational centre of Belarus. It has about 500 [[kindergarten]]s, 258 schools, 28 [[further education|further education colleges]], and 36 higher education institutions, including 12 major national universities. {{citation needed|date=November 2011}}

===Major higher educational institutions===

*[[Academy of Public Administration (Belarus)|Academy of Public Administration under the aegis of the President of the Republic of Belarus]]. The Academy was established in 1991 and it acquired the status of a presidential institution in 1995. In structure of Academy 3 institutes: ''Institute of Administrative Personnel'' has 3 departments, ''Institute of Civil Service'' has also 3 departments and ''Research Institute of the Theory and Practice of [[Public administration|Public Administration]]''.
*[[Belarusian State University]]. Major Belarusian universal university, founded in 1921. In 2006 had 15 major departments (Applied Mathematics and Informatics; Biology; Chemistry; Geography; Economics; [[International relations|International Relations]]; Journalism; History; Humanitarian Sciences; Law; Mechanics and Mathematics; Philology; Philosophy and [[Social sciences|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 PhD or Dr. Sc. degrees. There are 16,000 undergraduate students at the university, as well as over 700 PhD students.
*[[Belarusian State University of Agricultural Technology]]. Specialised in [[agricultural machinery|agricultural technology]] and agricultural machinery.
*[[Belarusian National Technical University]]. Specialised in technical disciplines.
*[[Belarusian State Medical University]]. Specialised in Medicine and Dentistry. Since 1921&nbsp;– 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.
*[[Maxim Tank Belarusian State Pedagogical University]]. Specialised in [[teacher education|teacher training]] for secondary schools.
*[[Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics]]. 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]]. Specialised in chemical and [[pharmaceutics|pharmaceutical technology]], in printing and forestry. Founded in 1930 as ''Forestry Institute'' in [[Gomel|Homel]]. In 1941 evacuated to Sverdlovsk, now [[Yekaterinburg]]. 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 language]]s. Founded in 1948 as ''Minsk Institute for Foreign Languages''. In 2006 had 8 departments. Major focus on English, French, German and Spanish.
*[[Belarusian State University of Culture and Arts]]. Specializes in [[cultural studies]], visual and [[Performing arts|Performing Arts]]. Founded in 1975 as ''Minsk Institute of Culture''. Reorganized in 1993.
*[[International Sakharov Environmental University]]. Specialised in environmental sciences. Established in 1992 with the support from the United Nations. Focus on study and research of radio-ecological consequences of the [[Chernobyl disaster|Chernobyl nuclear power station disaster]] in 1986, which heavily affected Belarus.
*[[International Institute of Labour and Social Relations]]. Specializes in [[International Economic Relations]], [[International Law]], Marketing, Finance and Management. It is established by Federations of Trade Unions of Belarus.
*[[Minsk Institute of Management]]. The largest private higher educational institution in Belarus. Established in 1991. Specializes in [[Economics]], [[Management]], [[Marketing]], [[Finance]], [[Psychology]] and [[Information technology]].

<div class="center"><gallery>
File:Belarus-Minsk-BSU_Branch-Biology_Faculty.jpg|Building of the Department of Biology, Belarusian State University.

File:Belarus-Minsk-BSUIR.jpg|University of Informatics and Radioelectronics
File:Belarus-Minsk-BSPU-Main_Building.jpg|Pedagogical University.
</gallery></div>

==Culture and religion==

Minsk is the major cultural centre of Belarus. 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 [[Belarusian Orthodox Church|Orthodox]] Cathedral of the Holy Spirit is actually the former church of the [[Cistercians|Bernardine]] convent. It was built in the simplified [[Baroque]] style in 1642–87 and went through renovations in 1741–46 and 1869.
*The [[Cathedral of Saint Virgin Mary|Cathedral of Saint 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 [[Saint 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 [[Church of Saints Simon and Helena|Red Church]] (Cathedral of Sts. 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 [[History of the Soviet Union (1985–1991)|dissolution of the USSR]] in a variety of styles, although most remain true to the Neo-Russian idiom. A good example is St. Elisabeth's Convent, founded in 1999.

<gallery>
File:Holy Spirit Cathedral (Minsk).JPG|Cathedral of the Holy Spirit ([[Belarusian Orthodox Church|Russian Orthodox]]).
File:Minsk Catholic Mary church.jpg|[[Cathedral of Saint Virgin Mary]] (Roman Catholic).
File:Kaścioł śv. Jazepa - 6.jpg|Church of St.Joseph (formerly [[Uniate]], currently used as an archive).
File:Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral.jpg|Church of Sts. Peter and Paul (Russian Orthodox).
File:Belarus-Minsk-Church of Simon and Helena-7-2.jpg|The [[Church of Saints Simon and Helena|Red Church]] (Roman Catholic).
File:Belarus-Minsk-Church of Mary Magdalene-8.jpg|Church of St. Mary Magdalene (Russian Orthodox).
File:Belarus-Minsk-Church of Exaltation of the Holy Cross-8.jpg|Church of [[Feast of the Cross|Exaltation of the Holy Cross]] (Roman Catholic).
File:Belarus-Minsk-Holy Trinity Church-1.jpg|Church of [[Trinity|Holy Trinity]] (Saint Rochus) (Roman Catholic).
File:Vsekh svyatykh sobor 1998.jpg|Church of All Saints (Russian Orthodox).
File:Yevfrosinyi Polotskoy sobor, 1995.jpg|Church of St.Yevfrosinya of Polotsk (Russian Orthodox).
File:St Elizabeth Monastery 1997 1.jpg|Church of St. Elizabeth Convent (Russian Orthodox)
</gallery>

===Cemeteries===
*[[Kalvaryja]] (Calvary Cemetery) is the oldest surviving cemetery in the city. Many famous people of Belarus are buried here. The cemetery was closed to new burials in the 1960s.
*[[Military Cemetery (Minsk)|Military Cemetery]]
*[[Eastern Cemetery (Minsk)|Eastern Cemetery]]
*[[Chizhovka Cemetery (Minsk)|Chizhovka Cemetery]]
*[[Northern Cemetery (Minsk)|Northern Cemetery]]

===Theatres===
Major theatres are:
*[[National Opera and Ballet of Belarus|National Academic Grand Opera and Ballet Theatre of the Republic of Belarus]] [[File:Theatre opera&ballet, Minsk.JPG|thumb|220px|National Academic Grand Opera and Ballet Theatre of the Republic of Belarus]]
* Belarusian State Musical Theatre (performances in Russian)
*[[Maxim Gorky National Drama Theatre]] (performances in Russian)
*[[Yanka Kupala National Drama Theatre]](performances in [[Belarusian language|Belarusian]])

===Museums===
[[File:Belarus Minsk Archcathedral Virgin Mary.jpg|thumb|220px|The [[Minsk City Hall|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]]
*[[Maksim Bahdanovič Literary Museum]]
*[[Old Belarusian History Museum]]
*[[Yanka Kupala Literary Museum]]

===Recreation areas===
*[[Chelyuskinites Park]]
*[[Children's Railroad (Minsk)|Children's Railroad]]
*[[Gorky Park (Minsk)]]
*[[Forest Park (Minsk)|Forest Park]]
*[[Yanka Kupala Park]]

==Sports==
*[[FC Dinamo Minsk]]
*[[FC Minsk]]
*[[HC Dynamo Minsk|HC Dinamo Minsk]]
*[[Yunost Minsk|HC Yunost Minsk]]
*[[HC Keramin Minsk]]
*[[Minsk (bandy club)]]

Minsk will host [[2014 IIHF World Championship]].

==Tourism==
There are more than 400 travel agencies in Minsk, about a quarter of them provide agent activity, and most of them are tour operators.<ref name=agencies-regions>{{cite web |url = http://landofancestors.com/travel/statistics/250-number-of-organizations-engaged-in-tourist-activities-in-2010-in-belarus.html |title = Number of organizations engaged in tourist activities in 2010 in Belarus |publisher = National Statistical Committee of the Republic of Belarus |author= Ministry of Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Belarus. |year = 2011 |website = Land of Ancestors |accessdate= 9 October 2013 }}</ref><ref name=agencies-activiry>{{cite web |url = http://landofancestors.com/travel/statistics/252-number-of-organisations-engaged-in-tourist-activities-in-belarus-by-region.html |title = Number of organisations engaged in tourist activities in Belarus by region |publisher = National Statistical Committee of the Republic of Belarus |author= Ministry of Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Belarus. |year = 2011 |website = Land of Ancestors |accessdate= 9 October 2013 }}</ref>

==International relations==
{{također pogledati|List of twin towns and sister cities in Belarus}}

===Twin towns and Sister cities===
Minsk is [[Twin towns and sister cities|twinned]] with:<ref name="Minsk">{{cite web|url=http://minsk.gov.by/ru/city/|archiveurl=//web.archive.org/web/20130502075333/http://minsk.gov.by/ru/city/|title=Twin towns and Sister cities of Minsk ''[via WaybackMachine.com]''|publisher=The department of protocol and international relations of Minsk City Executive Committee|archivedate=2 May 2013|accessdate=2013-07-21|language=Russian}}</ref>
{|class="wikitable"
|- valign="top"
|
*{{flagicon|ITA}} [[Milan]], Italy
*{{flagicon|VEN}} [[Caracas]], Venezuela
*{{flagicon|UK}} [[Nottingham]], United Kingdom <small>''(since 1957)''<ref name="Minsk"/><ref name="Nottingham twinnings">{{cite web|url=http://nottinghamcity.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=16599 |title=European networks and city partnerships|publisher=Nottingham City Council|date=11 March|accessdate=2013-07-20}}</ref></small>
*{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Sendai]], Japan <small>''(since 1973)''<ref name="Minsk"/></small>
*{{flagicon|IND}} [[Bangalore]], India <small>''(since 1973)''<ref name="Minsk"/></small>
*{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Lyon]], France <small>''(since 1976)''<ref name="Minsk"/><ref name="Lyon">{{cite web|url=http://www.lyon.fr/vdl/sections/en/villes_partenaires/villes_partenaires_2/?aIndex=1|title=''Partner Cities of Lyon and Greater Lyon'' |publisher=2008 Mairie de Lyon|accessdate=17 July 2009}}</ref>
</small>
*{{flagicon|BRA}} [[Belo Horizonte]], Brazil <small>''(since 1987)''<ref name="Belo Horizonte twinning">{{cite web |url=http://www.pbh.gov.br/bh-internacional/bhz-acordos_irmas.htm |archiveurl=//web.archive.org/web/20071223020811/http://www.pbh.gov.br/bh-internacional/bhz-acordos_irmas.htm |archivedate=2007-12-23 |title=Mayor's International Council Sister Cities Program|publisher=Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais|accessdate = 2008-08-18}}</ref></small>
*{{flagicon|USA}} [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]], United States<ref>{{cite web|title=City of Detroit website|url=http://www.detroitmi.gov/DepartmentsandAgencies/SisterCitiesProgram/tabid/710/Default.aspx|work=City of Detroit|accessdate=3 September 2011}}</ref>
||
*{{flagicon|PRC}} [[Changchun]], China <small>''(since 1992)''<ref name="Minsk"/></small>
*{{flagicon|POL}} [[Łódź]], Poland <small>''(since 1993)''<ref name="Minsk"/><ref name="Łódź twinning">{{cite web|url=http://www.uml.lodz.pl/samorzad/miasta_partnerskie_lodzi/tabelka|archiveurl=//web.archive.org/web/20130624211727/http://www.uml.lodz.pl/samorzad/miasta_partnerskie_lodzi/tabelka/|title=Miasta partnerskie - Urząd Miasta Łodzi ''[via WaybackMachine.com]''|accessdate=2013-07-21|archivedate=24 June 2013|work=City of Łódź|language=Polish}}</ref></small>
*{{flagicon|GER}} [[Bonn]], Germany <small>''(since 1993)''<ref name="Minsk"/><ref name="Bonn twinning">{{cite web|url=http://www.bonn.de/wirtschaft_wissenschaft_internationales/internationale_aktivitaeten/staedtepartnerschaften/index.html?lang=en |title=City Twinnings and Project Partnerships |publisher=Bonn.de |date=2008-06-23 |accessdate=2010-08-13}}</ref></small>
*{{flagicon|NED}} [[Eindhoven]], Netherlands <small>''(since 1994)''<ref name="Minsk"/></small>
*{{flagicon|TJK}} [[Dushanbe]], Tajikistan <small>''(since 1998)''<ref name="Minsk"/><ref name="Dushanbe twinning">{{cite web|url=http://www.visittajikistan.tj/en/regions/dushanbe.php|title=Regions: Dushanbe & Surroundings|work=Official Website of the  Tourism Authority of Tajikistan|publisher=Committee of Youth Affairs, Sports and Tourism|accessdate=10 May 2013}}</ref></small>
*{{flagicon|MDA}} [[Chișinău]], Moldova <small>''(since 2000)''<ref name="Minsk"/><ref name="Chișinău twinnings">{{cite web|url=http://www.chisinau.md/tabview.php?l=ro&idc=526|archiveurl=//web.archive.org/web/20120903122220/http://www.chisinau.md/tabview.php?l=ro&idc=526|title=Oraşe înfrăţite (Twin cities of Minsk) ''[via WaybackMachine.com]''|publisher=Primăria Municipiului Chişinău|archivedate=3 November 2012|accessdate=2013-07-21|language=Romanian}}</ref></small>
*{{flagicon|CUB}} [[Havana]], Cuba <small>''(since 2005)''<ref name="Minsk"/></small>
*{{flagicon|IRN}} [[Tehran]], Iran <small>''(since 2006)''<ref name="Minsk"/></small>

||
*{{flagicon|UAE}} [[Abu Dhabi]], United Arab Emirates <small>''(since 2007)''<ref name="Minsk"/></small>
*{{flagicon|TUR}} [[Ankara]], Turkey <small>''(since 2007)''<ref name="Minsk"/><ref name="Ankara twinnings">{{cite web|url=http://www.ankara-bel.gov.tr/AbbSayfalari/hizmet_birimleri/dis_dairesi_baskanligi/avrupa_gunu_kutlamasi.aspx|archiveurl=//web.archive.org/web/20090114033014/http://www.ankara-bel.gov.tr/AbbSayfalari/hizmet_birimleri/dis_dairesi_baskanligi/avrupa_gunu_kutlamasi.aspx|title=Kardeş Kentleri Listesi ve 5 Mayıs Avrupa Günü Kutlaması ''[via WaybackMachine.com]''|publisher= Ankara Büyükşehir Belediyesi - Tüm Hakları Saklıdır|archivedate=14 January 2009|accessdate=2013-07-21|language=Turkish}}</ref></small>
*{{flagicon|KGZ}} [[Bishkek]], Kyrgyzstan <small>''(since 2008)''<ref name="Minsk"/></small>
*{{flagicon|VIE}} [[Ho Chi Minh City]], Vietnam <small>''(since November 4, 2008)''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mofahcm.gov.vn/vi/hoptac_qt/nr041014110554/#2O2JGVsVDHhB |title=CÁC ĐỊA PHƯƠNG NƯỚC NGOÀI ĐÃ THIẾT LẬP QUAN HỆ HỮU NGHỊ HỢP TÁC VỚI TPHCM |publisher=www.mofahcm.gov.vn |date=2010-10-09 |accessdate=2011-01-08}}</ref></small>
*{{flagicon|LVA}} [[Riga]], Latvia <small>''(since 2009)''<ref name='"Riga">{{cite web|url=http://www.riga.lv/EN/Channels/Riga_Municipality/Twin_cities_of_Riga/default.htm |title=Twin cities of Riga |publisher=[[Riga City Council]] |accessdate=27 July 2009}}</ref></small>
*{{flagicon|ARM}} [[Yerevan]], Armenia<ref name="Yerevan partnerships">{{cite web|url=http://www.yerevan.am/3-233-233.html|title=Yerevan - Partner Cities|accessdate=2013-11-04|work=Yerevan Municipality Official Website|publisher=© 2005—2013 www.yerevan.am}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|NEP}} [[Kathmandu]], Nepal
|}

==Honors==
A [[minor planet]] [[3012 Minsk]] discovered by Soviet astronomer [[Nikolai Chernykh|Nikolai Stepanovich Chernykh]] in 1979 is named after the city.<ref>{{cite book|url=http://books.google.com/books?hl=ru&q=3012+minsk+1979+QU9 |title=Dictionary of Minor Planet Names&nbsp;– p.248 |publisher=Books.google.com |date=|accessdate=4 July 2010}}</ref>

==Notable residents==
{{main category|People from Minsk}}
*[[Andrei Arlovski]], grew up and lived in Minsk before moving to the US to fight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship 
*[[Victoria Azarenka]], former World No. 1 tennis player and 2012 and 2013 Australian Open winner, born in Minsk moving to [[Arizona]] at 16
*[[Yuri Bessmertny]], kickboxer
*[[Svetlana Boginskaya]], gold medal winning gymnast at the 1988 and [[1992 Summer Olympics|1992 Olympics]], birthplace
*[[Isaac Boleslavsky]], chess grandmaster
*[[Masha Bruskina]], World War II partisan
* Dmitri Romankov, Fencing Coach. Coach of many athletes that have achieved high rankings at local, national, and international levels.
*[[Dimitry Elyashkevich]], producer and camera operator, birthplace
*[[Avraham Even-Shoshan]] (1906–84), Israeli linguist and lexicographer
*[[Sophie Fedorovitch]], ballet, opera and theatre designer, birthplace
*[[Boris Gelfand]], chess Grandmaster
*[[Moisei Ginzburg]], constructivist architect
*[[Marina Gordon]], soprano, birthplace
*[[Oleg Karavayev]], wrestler and Olympic champion
*[[Boris Khaykin]], conductor
*[[Graeme Mitchell]], architect
*[[Maryna Linchuk]], fashion model
*[[Louis B. Mayer|Louis Burt Mayer]], American film producer, one of the founders of [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]]
*[[Isaak Mazel]], chess master
*[[Max Mirnyi]], tennis player
*[[Lee Harvey Oswald]], assassin of US President [[John F Kennedy]], resided in Minsk from January 1960 - June 1962.
*[[Yulia Raskina]], individual rhythmic gymnast, won the All-Around Silver at the 2000 Sydney Olympics
*[[Alexander Rybak]], winner of the [[Eurovision Song Contest 2009]] for Norway, birthplace
*[[Artiom Savitsky]], highly regarded banker and businessman
*[[Yuri Shulman]], chess grandmaster
*[[Vanda Skuratovich]], Roman Catholic activist
*[[Mark Slavin]], Israeli Olympic Greco-Roman wrestler and victim of the [[Munich massacre]] at the 1972 Summer Olympics
*[[Anna Smashnova]], tennis player
*[[Rachel Wischnitzer]], architect and art historian
*[[Simcha Zorin]], World War II partisan

==References==
;Notes
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.belarus.by/en/about-belarus/geography/minskcity Minsk city] on the official website of Belarus
* [http://www.minskherocity.com Minsk Hero City - The Travel Guide To Minsk Written By Expats]
* [http://34mag.net/post/minsk/ Minsk city guide on English]
* [http://belarusdigest.com/story/why-minsk-not-other-capitals-16858/ Why Minsk Is Not Like Other Capitals.]
* [http://belarusdigest.com//story/lost-translation-minsk-real-belarus-travel-tips-7402/ Lost In Translation In Minsk - The "Real Belarus" Travel Tips.]

{{Districts of Minsk}}
{{Minsk Raion}}
{{Minsk Voblast}}
{{Belarus Seats}}
{{First-level administrative divisions of Belarus}}
{{Hero Cities}}
{{List of European capitals by region}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2011}}

[[Kategorija:Minsk| ]]<!--leave the empty space as standard-->
[[Kategorija:Cities in Belarus]]
[[Kategorija:Capitals in Europe]]
[[Kategorija:Hero Cities of the Soviet Union]]
[[Kategorija:Populated places established in the 11th century]]
[[Kategorija:Subdivisions of Belarus]]
[[Kategorija:Populated places in Minsk Region]]
[[Kategorija:Minsk Governorate]]
[[bn:মিনস্ক]]
{{Link FA|be-x-old}}