The Republic of Belarus is a state located in Eastern Europe. The capital is the city of Minsk. Belarus in the east borders with Russia, in the south with Ukraine, in the west with Poland, in the north-west with Lithuania and Latvia.
A little bit about the country
The state is divided into six regions and 117 districts. The number of cities in Belarus reaches 102, in addition, there are 109 urban-type settlements. According to the 2003 census, the country's population was 10.3 million. Of these, 80% of Belarusians, 12% of Russians, 5% of Poles, 2.5% of Ukrainians. The population of the cities of Belarus is 71% of the total.
The main waterways are the Dnieper (with tributaries of the Sozh, Pripyat, Berezina), the Western Dvina (tributary of the Viliya) and the Western Bug. There are over ten thousand lakes here, the largest are Naroch, Lukomlskoye, Drysvyaty and Osveyskoye. More than a third of the territory is swamps. A third of the country is covered with forests, mainly coniferous, but in the south there are hornbeam, maple, oak, ash.
Big Cities Of Belarus
Let's get acquainted with the largest settlements of the country. In addition to the capital, there are only five. So, the large cities of Belarus: Brest, Vitebsk, Grodno, Gomel and Mogilev. Here we consider the settlements according to their occupied area, however, the gradation in population may vary. For example, the city of Brest takes second place after Minsk - its territory is 146 square kilometers. However, in terms of population, it is only in sixth place and inferior to the capital, Gomel, Mogilev, Vitebsk and Grodno. So, the largest city in this country is Minsk, its area is 348 km 2 . The next five are in the range from 118 to 146 km 2 . The following applicants to the list of largest cities have not even exceeded 90 km 2 abroad - these are Bobruisk and Baranovichi.
Cities of Belarus by population
Now we will get acquainted with the list of the largest settlements of the country by the number of people living in them. We have already given an example of the fact that a large area does not necessarily correspond to a higher density of citizens. So, the cities of Belarus in terms of population: Minsk (1 million 900 thousand people), Gomel (512 thousand), Mogilev (370 thousand), Vitebsk (363 thousand), Grodno (356 thousand), Brest (330 thousand). This is followed by Bobruisk and Baranovichi - 217 thousand and 177 thousand, respectively.
Now consider in more detail the largest cities in Belarus.
Minsk
Evil tongues say that two days are enough to inspect the whole of Minsk. And in fact, chasing the sights in this city is not necessary. On the first day, it is recommended to just walk along the avenues, you can not even take a map with you, because Minsk is a monument in itself - a monument of Soviet architecture. Perhaps a little time will pass, and this city will be considered as an open-air museum, personifying the era of developed socialism. However, all these words refer only to the center of Minsk. There is also an "old" city, whose history goes back more than nine hundred years. Lovers of antiquities will be able to visit the cathedral church and the town hall, to see the ancient buildings. The peculiarity of Minsk can be called incredible cleanliness, friendliness of passers-by and an unhurried rhythm of life, a truly cosmic calm reigns here.
Brest
Every hero of the Soviet Union knew about this hero city and Soviet soldiers who died defending a fortress of the same name in the first days of World War II. Brest is the long-suffering outskirts of the Republic of Belarus. This ancient city, located on the border of three states - Russia, Poland and Lithuania, has been repeatedly attacked by enemies repeatedly in its history. He was literally torn to pieces, destroyed, burned and even moved from one place to another. As a result, Brest cannot boast of architectural masterpieces, the oldest buildings date from the 19th century. But on the part of all kinds of myths and secrets, the city greatly succeeded. What remains of the remains is incomprehensible by some miracle of an ancient wooden kid who has survived to this day (how could he survive the Second World War?) Or secret passages dug under the fortress. The first mentions of Brest as a well-developed settlement are found in The Tale of Bygone Years (1019). This date today is considered the year the city was founded.
Vitebsk - Shagalovsky Paris
It is under this name that Vitebsk is known throughout the world. The world-famous avant-garde artist was born here. Studied Chagall in St. Petersburg, for a long time lived in Paris. However, he still returned to his native land and even organized a city art school here.
Studying the cities of Belarus, you can not ignore Vitebsk, because he can safely be called the soul of this country. Here the aroma of antiquity and national flavor have been preserved. According to legend, the city was founded by order of Princess Olga in 974. It was located on a busy trade route "from the Vikings to the Greeks." Olga was captivated by the extraordinary beauty of the confluence of the Vitba River and the Western Dvina. This beauty so impressed her that she exclaimed: “May the city of Vitebsk stand here.” So now he leads his story from this event. Although it will be worthwhile to note that there are references to settlements here by the Krivichs back in the ninth century. The successful commercial location of the city served him poorly militarily. Like Brest, he was repeatedly attacked by enemy armies, but he was able to survive all the hardships and today is on the list of “The Most Beautiful Cities of Belarus”.
Grodno
It is a calm and quiet city. It is famous for the grandiose fortress walls erected long before the appearance of the current capital of Belarus. The share of Grodno is perhaps the most adversity in comparison with other cities of the republic. And only thanks to the Old Castle with its reliable walls the city managed to survive. During the Northern War, Grodno nevertheless fell. The castle was literally wiped off the face of the earth. Later, no less majestic and beautiful New Castle was erected in its place, adorning the city to this day.
When studying the cities of Belarus, an attentive person can notice one feature of Grodno that is characteristic of the whole country, but it is especially clearly visible here. This land has always been multiconfessional - here Jews, Catholics, Muslims, Lutherans, Orthodox and even Old Believers coexist peacefully in the neighborhood. In Grodno, you can observe the neighboring Lutheran church and synagogue, mosque and Christian church.
Gomel
Like most ancient cities, Gomel does not remember his year of birth. The first mention of it was found in the annals of the twelfth century. However, we are told that the city already existed, and when it was founded, this is not known. His child was on the cape, which is formed by the right bank of the Sozh River and the left bank of the Gomiyuk stream, now it is the territory of the Gomel Park. According to archaeological data, in the 11th century, bronze jewelry, ironworking, pottery, woodworking, weapons and bone carving crafts were developed here. Through trade routes, Gomel was connected with Kiev, Chernigov, Northern Russia, Smolensk, Volyn and Byzantium. Today this city is one of the most beautiful in the country, having the richest cultural, historical and scientific potential, having a unique style and appearance. Today's Gomel has a developed industry, culture, science; it is a socio-political center and an important transportation hub. Its very advantageous geographical position contributes to the development of the national economy. Among other things, Gomel is the intellectual center of the republic, as well as the venue for the largest sports and cultural events. This is a city of shady alleys, ancient buildings, openwork chestnuts, wide avenues and extraordinary people who made its history.
Mogilev
For the first time this city is mentioned in the "List of Russian cities, distant and close" (14th century). Starting from this period, Mogilev became part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and at the end of the century it passed into the possession of Jadwiga - the wife of the Polish king and part-time Prince of Lithuania Jagiello. There are many legends describing the emergence of this locality.
Modern Mogilev is rich in architectural monuments, for example, the complex of St. Nicholas Convent. Here is an old Christian church of the early 16th century. In the center of the city you can see the church of St. Stanislav, built in 1752. Initially, it belonged to the Order of the Carmelites, however, by decree of Catherine the Great, it was transferred to the residence of the bishop. In 1785, on the high city rampart, the most beautiful palace of the 18th-century Orthodox figure - George of Konis, was built. In addition, many buildings of the 18-19th centuries and the memorial arch of that period, the building of the regional theater and the former City Council were preserved here.
Is Belarus an appendage of Russia?
Most Russians perceive this country as a kind of “province” of the once great Russian Empire, inferior to Russia both in territorial borders and in cultural and historical significance. If you ask the younger generation which cities are in Belarus, few will be able to name even two or three settlements, except for the capital of this republic. However, such an attitude towards this state is unfair, and allegations of a "province" do not hold water. It was here that the Principality of Lithuania was located and developed for many centuries, castles and beautiful cultural and architectural monuments were created, many of which can be observed today. This is such a glorious country - Belarus. Cities (the list of which was given above, and others, smaller in size, but not in historical significance) of the republic confirm this. Any of them, with careful consideration, is able to discover the deepest historical strata. So the question of the "provinciality" of Belarus is at least incorrect.