Minsk, Belarus
May 18, 1992
Changchun and Minsk City Established Sister City Relationship
[City Profile]
Minsk is located in the east of Europe. It is capital of the Republic of Belarus and the political, economic, technological and cultural center. It is where the headquarters of the Commonwealth of the Independent States (CIS) is located, with an area of 409.5 square kilometers and a population of 1.98 million (2018), 1/5 of the whole population of Belarus. Most of the urban citizens are Belarusians, and other ethnic groups include Russians, Polish, Ukrainians and Jews. Residents mainly believe in Orthodox Christianity, and its official languages are Belarusian and Russian.
The written records about Minsk began in 1067. Historically, it has been subordinated to the Principality of Polotsk, the Principality of Lithuania, the Kingdom of Poland and Lithuania, the Russian Empire and the Russian Soviet Socialist Republic (the Soviet Union). During the Soviet Union era, it was the capital of the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, it became capital of the Republic of Belarus.
[Resources and Industries]
Minsk is the largest transportation and logistics center in Belarus. More than 40% of the country's foreign trade transactions are carried out here. It mainly exports machinery equipment, automobiles, mineral products, chemical products and food.
Minsk is the industrial center of the country, with a total industrial output value accounting for one quarter of the country. Its main industries include machine manufacturing, metal processing, electricity, food, etc.
Minsk is a national cultural and scientific center, with universities, research institutes, and cultural facilities such as theaters, museums, libraries and parks all over the city.
Minsk's is relatively in lack of natural resources, and most of raw materials, especially energy, mainly rely on imports from Russia and Ukraine.
