minskas

Minskas is a term that may appear in non-English languages as the name of Minsk, the capital and largest city of Belarus. In English-language usage, the city is referred to as Minsk. In Baltic languages such as Lithuanian and Latvian, the city is cited with forms derived from its name root; for example, Lithuanian uses Minskas as the city name in many contexts.

The city of Minsk is located in central Belarus along the Svislach and Niamiha rivers. It serves as the administrative, cultural, and economic center of the country. Minsk has been the capital since 1919, and it played a central role in the history of Belarus, including periods under the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union, and an independent state since 1991.

Etymology: The name Minsk is believed to be derived from an old settlement site and river names; regional language forms such as Minskas and similar variants appear in neighboring languages.

Disambiguation: Because "minskas" can refer to language-specific spellings or toponyms, readers seeking information about Minsk should consider language context or seek the English form Minsk.