33 Facts About Belarus

Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, formerly known by its Russian name Byelorussia or Belorussia, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. 

Belarus has an area of 207,600 square km. 

Minsk is capital and largest city of Belarus. 

Belarusian and Russian are the official languages of Belarus. 

Belarusian ruble (BYN) is its official currency. 

Its five land bordering countries are Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, and Ukraine. 

The people of Belarus are called Belarusians and are often described as warm, friendly, and hospitable. The country’s name is commonly interpreted as meaning “White Rus’,” referring to an old historical region rather than modern Russia.

Archaeological evidence shows that humans lived in what is now Belarus as far back as tens of thousands of years ago, during the Paleolithic period.

Belarus became independent after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Its Independence Day is celebrated on 3 July, marking the liberation of Minsk from Nazi occupation during World War II.

The economy has traditionally relied on manufacturing, agriculture, and state-owned industries, with strong economic ties to Russia.

Belarus’s highest natural point is Dzyarzhynskaya Hara, which rises to about 345 meters above sea level, making the country largely flat.

Alexander Lukashenko has been in power since 1994, making him the country’s longest-serving leader since independence.

Belarus has a flat personal income tax system and a largely state-controlled economic model.

Several Nobel Prize winners have roots in Belarus, including Simon Kuznets (Economics), Svetlana Alexievich (Literature), and others who were born in the territory of present-day Belarus.

The European bison (wisent), Europe’s heaviest land animal, lives in Belovezhskaya Pushcha Forest, a UNESCO-listed primeval woodland shared with Poland.

Belarus maintains close political and economic relations with Russia, which remains its most important partner.

Ice hockey is one of the most popular sports in the country.

The capital city, Minsk, is the most economically developed city in Belarus and serves as its main political and industrial center. It is known for wide avenues, parks, and extensive green spaces.

Minsk has been destroyed and rebuilt many times in its history, most notably during World War II, when large parts of the city were leveled by bombing. For its wartime resistance and reconstruction, Minsk was given the Soviet title of “Hero City.”

Belarus is the birthplace of the video game World of Tanks and the messaging app Viber.

Environmental issues in Belarus include industrial pollution and long-term effects from the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, which contaminated large areas of the south of the country.

During World War II, Belarus suffered enormous losses. Around a quarter of the population died, and hundreds of thousands of Jews were murdered during the Holocaust.

Belarus is known for early printing in Eastern Europe. In 1517, Francysk Skaryna published one of the first printed Bibles in the region, helping spread literacy and learning.

Forests cover about 45 percent of the country, making Belarus one of the most forested nations in Europe.

Pripyatsky National Park protects rare lowland oak forests and wetland ecosystems unique to the region.

The National Library of Belarus in Minsk holds millions of books and documents and is one of the country’s most distinctive modern buildings.

Minsk’s botanical garden is among the largest in Europe.

Belarus has millions of internet users and an extensive network of roads and railways that link it with neighboring countries.

Belarusian athletes have won numerous Olympic medals over the decades, especially in sports such as gymnastics, canoeing, and athletics.

Potatoes are central to Belarusian cuisine, and the country is famous for its many potato-based dishes, including pancakes known as draniki.

Belarus is currently the only country in Europe that still applies the death penalty.

Most of the population is of working age, and the country maintains high levels of literacy and basic education.

Public spending on healthcare is significant, and Belarus has a long tradition of universal education, with literacy rates close to 100 percent.