Minsk, Belarus

 Minsk is the capital of Belarus and is situated on the Svislach and Niamha rivers. As the national capital, Minsk has a special administrative status in Belarus and is also the administrative centre of Minsk region. It has a population of 1,836,808 inhabitants (2009). The earliest references to Minsk date to the 11th century (1067), when it was a provincial city within the principality of Polotsk.