Zhodino is an industrial town situated in the Minsk oblast. The name of the town comes from the River Zhodinka. The town is 40 kilometers away from Minsk.
The town has two dates of birth: the first one is historical, 1643; the second one is March 7, 1963 when, the Presidium of the BSSR Supreme Council issued the Decree to award Zhodino the status of an oblast town.
Relying on the historical documents confirmed by the Institute of History of the National Academy of Sciences, the session of the town council of deputies took a decision on November 1, 2007 to recognise the year of 1643 as the date of founding of the town. In 2008, the town will celebrate its 365th anniversary.
The population is 61,662 (29,760 males and 31,902 females).
The Belarusians accounted for 84.7% of the population, Russians for 12.7%, Ukrainians 1.8%, Poles 0.3%, Jews 0.1%, other nations.
Two main major thoroughfares cross the region: Brest-Moscow railway and motorway.
The town’s 14 industrial companies specialize in engineering, wood-processing, light and food industry.
The major industrial companies of Zhodino are Belarusian Autoworks, КЗТШ and Svitanak companies.