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'Blagoveshchensk' () is a city in Russia, the administrative center of Amur Oblast, located 7,985 km east of Moscow. Population: 219,221 (2002 Census); 205,553 (1989 Census). In the Chinese language, the city is also known as 海兰泡 (''Hailanpao'') and 布市 (''Bushi'').
The city lies 110 km off the Trans-Siberian railroad on the left bank of the Amur River, which has formed Russia's border with China since the 1858 Aigun Treaty and 1860 Treaty of Peking. The area north of the Amur had previously belonged to imperial China (''see Nerchinsk Treaty''). It is served by Ignatyevo Airport.

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History

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History

Founded in 1856 as a military outpost of 'Ust'-Zeya', Blagoveshchensk received its current name two years later after the parish church of Annunciation (''Blagoveshchenie'' in Russian). The city's growth was fuelled by a gold rush early in the 20th century and by its position on the Chinese border, just hundreds of metres across from the city of Heihe.
In the course of the Boxer Rebellion, Chinese insurgents shelled the city in July of 1900. According to the Orthodox tradition, the city was saved by a miraculous icon of Our Lady of Albazin, which was prayed to continuously during the shelling which lasted almost two weeks. In those days, the police aided by Cossacks, decided to drive the entire ethnic Chinese community, from the Russian bank of the Amur River over to the Chinese side. Civilians were driven into the river at gunpoint and many of them drowned. In total, about 3,000 people were reported to have died.
During the Cultural revolution the city was subject to the Maoist propaganda blasted from loudspeakers across the river 24 hours a day.
Today Blagoveshchensk and Heihe form a free-trade zone. The city has one of the largest Chinese communities in Russia. It offers easy rules for Chinese for legalization in Russia and builds a lot of new buildings for Russian and Chinese customers. There is a new suburb in Blagoveshchensk—"Severny" which offers low-price new habitation for new citizens of city.
It is home to Blagoveschensk State Pedagogical University and Amur State University.

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