Minsk (Minsk, Минск) is the capital of Belarus. It is located in eastern Europe, on the banks of the Svisloch River, a tributary of the upper reaches of the Dnieper River, and in the southern part of the Minsk Highlands in the Belarusian hills. It is the capital of the Republic of Belarus and the political, economic, scientific and cultural center. It is the headquarters of the Commonwealth of Independent States. It covers an area of 409.5 square kilometers and has a population of 1.98 million (2018). The residents mainly believe in Orthodox Christianity. The official languages are Belarusian and Russian. In the 14th century, Minsk belonged to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and later to the Kingdom of Poland and Lithuania. In 1793, it was occupied by Russia again. After the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991, it returned to Belarus. The main attractions in Minsk include Belarusian State University, Victory Square, Island of Tears, Holy Spirit Cathedral, Forest Park, Hill of Glory, Museums, etc. On January 22, 2014, Minsk and Shenzhen, China became sister cities. In April 2020, Minsk was selected into the "2020 Global Summer Resort City List".