 Historically , Białystok has been a destination for internal and foreign immigration , especially from Central and Eastern Europe . In addition to the Polish minority , there was a significant Jewish majority in Białystok . According to Russian census of 1897 , out of the total population of 66 @,@ 000 , Jews constituted 41 @,@ 900 ( around 63 % percent ) . Białystok 's pre @-@ World War II Jewish population constituted about 63 percent of the city 's total population of 107 @,@ 000 . World War II changed all of this , in 1939 , around 107 @,@ 000 people lived in Białystok , but in 1946 – only 56 @,@ 759 , and to this day there is much less ethnic diversity than in the previous 300 years of the city 's history . Currently the city 's population is 97 % Polish , 2 @.@ 5 % Belarusian and 0 @.@ 5 % of a number of minorities including Russians , Lipka Tatars , Ukrainians and Romani . Most of the modern @-@ day population growth is based on internal migration within Poland and urbanization of surrounding areas . 
