Minsk: The host of the Ice Hockey World Championship 2014
Minsk: The host of the Junior Eurovision 2010 Song Contest
Minsk: the second-largest system of trolleybuses in the world
Minsk: the notable sister-cities are Milan, Nottingham, Sendai, Lyon, Eindhoven, Havana, Ankara, Abu Dhabi, Riga
The largest population of European bisons—zubrs—in the World
Belarusians are quite concerned about sports, and they are one of the best in ice hockey, tennis, table tennis, soccer, basketball, handball, biathlon, athletics
One of the largest Nazi-run ghettos in WW II
The first of the Soviet countries met the attack of the German army in 1941
The majority of Belarusian national dishes are made of potatoes
Every fifth tractor is made in Belarus
The place where the Soviet Union was officially disbanded
Belarusian was the official language of the Great Duchy of Lithuania in the middle ages
Belarus has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the world and one of the highest education level
Most belarusians understand their native language, but more than a half of them speak Russian at home
The population of Belarus is about 10,000,000, and the population of Minsk is about 2,000,000
Minsk is the capital of the Republic of Belarus, its largest political, economic, cultural and scientific center. Minsk is located in the middle of Belarus, it is the centre of the region and district bearing the same name. The city lies along the Svisloch River. Minsk covers an area of 307, 9 square kilometers. The population of Minsk is 1829 thousand people. Minsk is divided into 9 city districts. The city is granted a special status of the capital, its charter, coat of arms and hymn.
Minsk is a city of quite an ancient history. It was first mentioned in chronicles in 1067. In 1974 Minsk was awarded the title of City-Hero in the commemoration of its citizens` services in their struggle against Nazism during World War II. Minsk is a headquarter of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the place where the Parliament and the Government of the Republic of Belarus are located.
Minsk is also the largest cultural centre of The Republic of Belarus. 17 museums, including the National Arts Museum of the Republic of Belarus, the Museum of History and Culture of Belarus, The Museum of History of Great Patriotic War are located in Minsk. There are also 11 theatres in the city, among the most popular are The National Academic Drama Theatre named after Gorky, Republican Theatre of Belarusian Drama, Belarusian State Music Theatre, The National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre of the Republic of Belarus, etc. Besides that there are 20 cinemas, 110 libraries in Minsk. About 300 magazines and more than 700 newspapers are edited there.
Louis Burt Mayer, an American film producer. Napoleon Orda, a musician, pianist, composer and artist. David Sarnoff, an American businessman and pioneer of American commercial radioand television. He founded the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) and throughout most of his career he led the Radio Corporation of America (RCA). Kirk Douglas, an American stage and film actor, film producer and author. The father of Michael Douglas. Paul Baran, an American engineer, one of the three earliest researchers of packet switching and other techniques that are an essential part of the Internet. Michał Kleofas Ogiński, a composer, diplomat and politician. Marc Chagall, an artist, associated with several major artistic styles and one of the most successful artists of the 20th century. Francysk (Georgy) Skaryna, a Belarusian famous as one of the first publishers in Eastern Europe, laying groundwork for the development of the Belarusian language. One of the first to publish in the Cyrillic alphabet Naum Gabo, was a prominent sculptor in the constructivism movement and a pioneer of Kinetic Art. Michel Kikoine, a French painter. Yehudi Menuhin, American violinist and conductor who spent most of his performing career in the United Kingdom. Mikhail Savitsky, a painter. Isaac Asimov, an American author and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books. Maksim Bahdanovich, a poet. Francišak Bahuševič, a Belarusian poet, writer and lawyer, one of the initiators of new Belarusian literature. Uladzimir Karatkievich, a romantic writer. Jakub Kolas, a writer. Janka Kupala, a writer. Michael Alan Weiner (Savage), an American radio host, author, and political commentator.
