In the northern part of Belarus, the city Vitebsk bordering Russia is the 4th most populated city in the country in addition to being the capital of the oblast which has the same name. Geographically, the city has about 2800 lakes and 500 streams and, thus, known as “the region of lakes.” Running along the Dvina River, Vitebsk has a history stretching back to the 1000s.
Witnessing a lot of conquering and wrecking throughout history, the city went from belonging to Lithuania, Poland, and Russia and was destructed by Sweden, French and German army forces. Since 1919, the city continues its existence within the borders of Belarus. One of the country’s important industrial and trade centers, Vitebsk is advanced in the food, electric, and petrochemical industries. Agriculture and farming activities are also important economic sources for the city. The free areas established in 1999 contributed to Vitebsk’s economic development. Also, the work done in the mechanical engineering fields are quite advanced.
