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Belarus - Urban Areas

Most Belarusians live in cities. The development of regions has long been a headache for both the authorities and non-capital residents themselves. Belarus is divided into 6 regions, named after the main cities of each of them. Minsk, Vitebsk, Grodno, Gomel, Mogilev and Brest are also the largest settlements of the republic. This does not mean that cities with 10,000 inhabitants or villages cannot be good places to live, but their role in Belarus is small and will become smaller and smaller. Two-thirds of the Belarusian population lives in 40 cities of Belarus, which have from 19,000 to 2 million inhabitants.

All regional cities of Belarus, except Minsk, are located near the borders with other countries. This has left its mark on their history and culture. Therefore, with many common features, each has its own face. Minsk is famous for its Stalinist architecture. Brest is primarily a legendary Brest Fortress and monuments of interwar Polish architecture. People go to Grodno to see the Cathedral Church, Old and New castles and impressive historical buildings of the XVIII-XIX centuries. Vitebsk is famous for its cultural heritage: the Slavyansky Bazar Art Festival and the Marc Chagall Art Center Gomel and Mogilev are parks and monuments of the XIX-XX centuries.

It is interesting that all regional centers are included in the list of the oldest cities in Belarus, first mentioned in the annals 800-1000 years ago. In each of them are found many unique churches, palaces, theaters, sports facilities and other attractions.

The Brest region is the western gate of Belarus and the Eurasian Economic Union. Visiting cards: Brest Fortress-Hero, Belovezhskaya Pushcha, Kossovo Palace, Ruzhany Palace, Belaya Vezha.

Gomel region is the only region in Belarus where oil is produced. Visiting cards: the Rumyantsev and Paskevich Palace, Castle Hill in Turov, Turov crosses, Neglyubsky towels.

Grodno region is a region where a large-scale innovative project has been implemented: the Belarusian NPP. Visiting cards: Mir Castle, Nalibokskaya Pushcha, Struve Geodetic Arc, Kolozha Church, Augustow Canal.

The Minsk region is the largest region of Belarus with a powerful industry. Visiting cards: BELAZ, Nesvizh Castle, memorial complex "Khatyn", ski resorts "Logoisk" and "Silichi". Minsk is the capital of Belarus, one of the oldest cities in Europe, a well-known peacekeeping center of the planet. Visiting cards: Gates of Minsk, Palace of the Republic, Victory Square, National Library.

Mogilev region is the easternmost region of Belarus. Here is the first agricultural university in our country and the oldest in Europe - the Belarusian Agricultural Academy, the first academic center of agricultural science in the CIS countries. Visiting cards: holiday "Alexandria gathers friends", Trofimova krinitsa, Buinichskoye field.

Vitebsk region is the cradle of Belarusian statehood, the oldest city of the country is located here. Visiting cards: festival "Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk", Braslav Lakes, St. Sophia Cathedral in Polotsk.

There are three winners in the "Major League" of Belarusian cities - the capital and the western regional centers. Minsk traditionally ranks first as the city with the highest quality of life, the best job search opportunities and investment in the development of the city.

Grodno and Brest are confidently in the top three. Both cities have a good natural population growth, a high share of their own income in the formation of local budgets, and the volume of investments here exceeds the figure in other regional centers by more than one and a half times. Grodno has the largest number of doctors, the highest score according to the expert rating of attractions, and Brest has a low crime rate.

The second largest city in the country - Gomel, despite its potential, took only sixth place. Vitebsk is the eighth in the ranking, Mogilev is the twelfth. The economies of these cities have stagnated in recent years, they can not boast of high levels of income or investment.

Soligorsk, Zhodino, Novopolotsk, Mozyr and Zhlobin formed a group of fairly successful industrial monocities. It is the presence of local flagships, such as Belaruskali, BelAZ, BMZ or refinery, that attracts specialists to the cities and guarantees a good salary. Zhlobin has the least number of elderly people - 16.4%, as well as good rates of natural population growth.

Cities with a dying industry are in serious condition: Borisov, Baranovichi and Bobruisk. These cities cannot boast of either the level of wages or the quality of life. They have more crimes (12.4 per thousand people in Borisov versus 8.7 in Slonim), fewer doctors, and such a large city as Bobruisk still does not have its own university.

The population of Gomel or Mogilev does not place these cities in second or third place. Many large cities, such as Bobruisk or Baranavichy, clearly lag behind in development. And the regional cities are not equal to each other - Hrodna and Brest are clearly more dynamic and stable than Gomel, Mogilev and Vitsyebsk. This does not mean that the difference between the "locals" is like between heaven and hell, but it exists and, most likely, will increase.

The "west-east" pattern is also revealed: the cities closest to the border with the European Union demonstrate significantly higher development dynamics. The presence of active neighbors forces even the local authorities, stuck in the bureaucracy of decision-making, to move, deal with many issues of improvement of their hometown, not to be afraid of changes and not to shy away from learning from others.