The origin of Baranovichi is connected with the construction of the Moscow-Brest Railway. The station Baranovichi (from the name of the village in Novogrudok’s district), that was commissioned in November, 1871, marks the beginning of the city. A small village of 120 houses that had about 1500 habitants in the middle of 1880s appeared around the station.
In May, 1884 it was assigned as borough named as Razvodovo (from the surname of Razvodovskaya, the owner of the local manor). In December, 1884 the part of the Vilna-Luninets-Pinsk railway had started working. The new station Baranovichi of the Polesia’s Railway became the second center of forming the city. The settlement, that started to form around the station was named New Baranovichi. The part Baranovichi-Vawkavysk-Białystok started working in 1886. In 1890s the villages were consolidated in Baranovichi. According to the census of 1897, there were 8718 habitants, 834 buildings, 4 enterprises, two-classroom schools in Baranovichi.
On the eve of World War I there were 3 brickworks, 2 sawmill, oil mill, tallow mill, iron foundry and dry mill, 3 millstone factories and 2 mills in Baranovichi. The local telephone circuit, that  was the pride of the natives started working in 1991. Early in World War I the Rate of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian army was settled down in Baranovichi.  In 1921-1939 – a part of Poland, the center of the Novogrudok voivodship district. Since September 1939 – a part of  BSSR, Since December 4, 1939 – center of Baranovichi region, city of the oblast subordination.
June 27, 1941 Baranovichi was occupied by Nazis, who massacred 127.500 people in town and surroundings, reduced to ruins 80% of enterprises, educational and social institutions, 2500 homes.

Baranovici now is an administrative, economic and cultural center of the same name region. Has the eighth largest population in republic – about 173.000 people.
About four dozen enterprises of machinery and machine tools, construction industry, light and fishing industry operate here and their products are well known not only in CIS but also in more than 50 foreign countries. Products of the auto aggregate enterprise is  a part of the most heavy-duty trucks of MAZ and tractors “Belarus”, machine-tool plant produces compressor for the “Atlant” refrigerators.
Baranovichi knittors were the first in USSR who were entitled to use an international quality mark “Woolmark” for their goods of natural wool.