Large cities of Belarus. The population of the cities of Belarus

The Republic of Belarus is a country located in Eastern Europe. The capital is Minsk. Belarus in the east borders with Russia, in the south with Ukraine, in the west with Poland, in the northwest with Lithuania and Latvia.

A bit about the country

The state is divided into six regions and 117 districts. The number of cities in Belarus is 102, in addition, there are 109 urban-type settlements. The population of the country, according to the census conducted in 2003, was 10.3 million people. 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 the tributaries Sozh, Pripyat, Berezina), the Western Dvina (the tributary of Viliya) and the Western Bug. There are more than ten thousand lakes here, the largest are Naroch, Lukomlskoye, Drisvyaty and Osveiskoye. More than a third of the territory is occupied by swamps. A third of the country is covered with forests, mostly 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 major cities of Belarus: Brest, Vitebsk, Grodno, Gomel and Mogilev. Here we consider the settlements by their occupied area, however the gradation by population may differ. For example, the city of Brest is second only to Minsk - its territory is 146 square kilometers. However, in terms of population, it is only in sixth place and is inferior to the capital, Gomel, Mogilev, Vitebsk and Grodno. So, the largest city of this country is Minsk, its area is 348 km ² . The next five is in the range from 118 to 146 km ² . The following applicants did not exceed 90 km ² in the list of the largest cities: 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 cited 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). Then come Bobruisk and Baranovichi - 217 thousand and 177 thousand respectively.

Now we will examine in more detail the largest cities of Belarus.

Minsk

Evil tongues say that two days are enough to inspect the whole of Minsk. And in fact, there is no need to pursue sightseeing in this city. On the first day it is recommended to simply walk along the avenues, you can even not take a map with you, because Minsk is a monument in itself - a monument of Soviet architecture. It may take a very short time, and this city will be viewed 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, the history of which is more than nine hundred years old. Lovers of antiquities will be able to visit the cathedral and the town hall, see the ancient buildings. The peculiarity of Minsk can be called incredible purity, friendliness of passers-by and the unhurried rhythm of life, here there is truly cosmic calm.

Brest

This city-hero and Soviet soldiers who died defending the fortress of the same name with him in the first days of the Great Patriotic War, every schoolboy of the Soviet Union knew. Brest is a long-suffering suburb 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 in its history. He was literally torn to pieces, destroyed, burned and even moved from one place to another. As a result, Brest can not boast of architectural masterpieces, the oldest buildings date back to the 19th century. But on the part of all kinds of myths and secrets, the city has greatly succeeded. What are the only remnants of the remnants of a miracle of the ancient wooden child preserved to this day (how could he survive WWII?) Or the secret passages dug under the fortress. The first mention of Brest as a well-developed settlement, found in the "Tale of Bygone Years" (1019). This date is today considered the year of the founding of the city.

Vitebsk - Shagalovsky Paris

It is under this name that Vitebsk is known throughout the world. Here was born world-famous avant-garde artist. He studied Chagall in St. Petersburg, for a long time he lived in Paris. However, he returned to his native penates and even organized a city art school here.

Studying the cities of Belarus, you can not ignore Vitebsk, because it can safely be called the soul of this country. Here the fragrance of antiquity and national color are preserved. According to the legend, the city was founded by the order of Princess Olga in 974. It was located on a busy trade route "from the Varangians to the Greeks". Olga was captivated by the extraordinary beauty of the merger of the Vitba River and the Western Dvina. This beauty impressed her so much that she exclaimed: "Let the city of Vitebsk stand here." Now he is leading his story from this event. Although it would be superfluous to note that there are references to settlements here Krivichi back in the ninth century. The successful trade location of the city served him poorly militarily. He, like Brest, was repeatedly attacked by enemy armies, but he was able to survive all the adversities and is now on the list of "The Most Beautiful Cities of Belarus".

Grodno

It is a calm and quiet city. It is famous for its grandiose fortress walls, erected long before the appearance of the present capital of Belarus. The share of Grodno was, perhaps, the most adversity compared to other cities in the republic. And only thanks to the Old Castle with its reliable walls the city managed to survive. During the Northern War, Grodno still fell. The castle was literally wiped off the face of the earth. Later in its place was erected no less magnificent and beautiful New Castle, adorning the city to this day.

Studying the cities of Belarus, an attentive person can notice one feature of Grodno, characteristic of the whole country, but it is especially noticeable here. This land has always been multi-confessional - here peacefully in the neighborhood live together Jews, Catholics, Muslims, Lutherans, Orthodox and even Old Believers. In Grodno one can observe the neighboring Lutheran church and synagogue, a mosque and a Christian church.

Gomel

Like most ancient cities, Gomel does not remember his birth year. 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, it is not known. His detinets were on the headland, which is formed by the right bank of the Sozh River and the left bank of the Gomiuk Creek, now it is the territory of the Gomel Park. According to archaeological data, in the 11th century, jewelry-bronze casting, ironworking, pottery, woodworking, weapons and bone-cutting 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, possessing the richest cultural, historical and scientific potential, which has a unique style and appearance. Today's Gomel has developed industry, culture, science; It is a socio-political center and an important transport 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. It is a city of shady avenues, ancient buildings, openwork chestnuts, wide avenues and extraordinary people who have made history of it.

Mogilev

For the first time this city is mentioned in the "List of Russian cities, far and near" (14th century). Since this period, Mogilev is part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and at the end of the century it passes into the possession of Jadwiga - the wife of the Polish king and part-time prince of Lithuanian Jagiello. There are many legends describing the origin of this settlement.

Modern Mogilev is rich in architectural monuments, for example, the complex of St. Nicholas' nunnery. Here is an old Christian church from the beginning of the 16th century. In the center of the city you can see the church of St. Stanislaus, built in 1752. Initially, it belonged to the Order of the Carmelites, but under the decree of Catherine the Great was transferred to the residence of the bishop. In 1785, on the high city rampart was built the most beautiful palace of the 18th century Orthodox figure - George Konissky. In addition, many buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries and the memorial arch of that period, the building of the regional theater and the former City Council were preserved here.

Belarus is an appendage of Russia?

The majority of Russians perceive this country as a kind of "province" of the once great Russian empire, which is inferior to Russia both on the territorial borders, and on cultural and historical significance. If you ask the younger generation what cities in Belarus, few people will be able to name even two or three settlements, except the capital of this republic. However, this attitude to this state is unfair, and the statements about the "provinces" can not withstand any criticism. It was here that the Lithuanian principality was and developed for many centuries, castles, beautiful cultural and architectural monuments were created, many of which can still be seen today. This is such a nice country - Belarus. Cities (the list of which was cited above, and other, smaller in size, but not historically significant) republics confirm this. Any of them, upon close examination, is able to open the deepest historical layers. So the question of "provinciality" of Belarus is at least incorrect.