What is the capital of Belarus?
Minsk lies on the Svislach and the now largely underground Nyamiha rivers, on gently rolling terrain in the centre of Belarus.
Minsk is the capital and seat of government of Belarus, a role it has held since 1919. Belarus itself has an estimated population of 9,085,991 (2025).
Minsk is also the largest city in Belarus, which is the usual arrangement, though it is far from universal: see the countries where capital and largest city differ.
Minsk at a glance
| City population | 1,995,091 (2024 estimate) |
|---|---|
| Country | 🇧🇾 Belarus |
| Founded | 1067 |
| Capital since | 1919 |
| Largest city in Belarus | Minsk |
| Time zone | UTC+03:00 (MSK) |
| Currency | Belarusian ruble (BYN) |
About Minsk
Minsk was first mentioned in written records in 1067.
Minsk has been the capital of Belarus since 1919, when it became the capital of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic; it has remained the capital of independent Belarus since 1991.
Minsk is Belarus's largest city and its political, economic and cultural centre.
Much of the city was destroyed in the Second World War and rebuilt afterwards on a monumental Soviet plan.
City facts sourced from Wikipedia: Minsk.
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Belarus?
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Capitals of neighbouring countries
See the full profile of Belarus on its country page, or browse every capital city.
Capital and country data from open datasets; city and metropolitan populations are hand-curated per city and cited where they are shown. Populations of countries come from the World Bank (SP.POP.TOTL). Full sources and vintage on the data page. Last updated . Report a correction.