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2. About Belarus

About Belarus

Belarus is an ancient Slavic country located in the geographical heart of Europe. In the 11th-13th centuries the Grand Duchy of Polotsk emerged on what is now Belarus. Thus, the Belarusian city of Polotsk (862) became the first capital of  the Belarusian lands. During that period St. Sophia Cathedral and other Russian Orthodox churches were built. Today the city of Polotsk, though a district centre, has got the reputation of the spiritual capital of the Republic of Belarus. 

However, it was only in 1919 that the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic was proclaimed. During the Soviet period Belarus was one of the most advanced republics in the USSR. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union the Act on Independence was adopted in 1991. Today the official name of the country is the Republic of Belarus. The name Belarus or Byelorussia, as it was called in the not so distant past, means white Russia (free, independent in the Old Slavonic). One of the beautiful versions is that the majority of our people have been  always fair haired, have blue eyes and fair complexion. “The Land Beneath White Wings” is the title of the book about Belarus written by Vitebsk writer Vladimir Korotkevich. "….. the storks they are flying over our Motherland. There are thousands and thousands of them – who can tell the number”.

As an  independent  state the Republic of Belarus has been demonstrating  steady economic growth and significant success in raising the level of people's well-being and their social security. This is confirmed not only by national statistics, but also by the data of authoritative international organizations.

The most valuable achievement of the post-Soviet period is, most likely, the spiritual sphere: the inhabitants of our country, regardless of nationality and religion, live without national and religious conflicts. Our people have preserved their national identity and revived and preserved their national traditions, customs and culture, as well as all the best that has been accumulated in the history of the formation of our independent state.

There are reasons to choose Belarus a place of destination:

• stable and fast developing economy
• architectural monuments reflecting an interaction
  of various cultures incliding the Slavic, Western and Byzantium
• beautiful landscapes offering nice opportunities for leisure
• hospitality and good nature of Belarusian people
• good roads most of which are highways

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General Facts

Republic of Belarus:

• Territory – 207.6 thousand sq.km (80, 000 miles). The Republic extends 560 km (350 miles) from north to south, 650 km (460 miles).from east to west. 
• Location – Eastern Europe. Belarus borders on Lithuania and Latvia in the North, the Ukraine – in the South, Russian Federation – in the East and Poland – in the West. 
• Population – about 10 million people.
• Capital – Minsk, about 2 million people.
• Nationalities – Belarusians account for 81.2%, Russians — 11%. There are Ukrainians, Poles, Lithuanians, Jews and a small number of other nations.
• Language – Belarusian and Russian.
• Time – GMT + 2 hours.
• Money – Belarusian ruble.
• Climate – is moderately continental with mild and humid winter, warm summer and humid fall. January average temperature is - 8C, July average temperature is + 18°C. The annual precipitation is 550-750 mm.
• Nature – is mostly flat and hilly with a mean elevation above sea level being 160 meters. The highest elevation is 345 m above sea level, 36% of the territory is covered with forests, 45% is agricultural land. 6.1% of the country are natural parks.There are more than 20 thousand rivers and streams, and about 11 thousand lakes.
• Religion – About 50% of Belarusians are atheists. Among the other half 80% claim to belong to Orthodox Church, 15-20% are Catholics, about 2% are Protestants.
• Administrative and Territorial Structure — consists of six regions: Minsk, Brest, Vitebsk, Gomel, Grodno, Mogilev comprising 118 administrative districts.