Belarus (also in German Language area is sometimes called Belarus) is located in Eastern Europe. The state borders on Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Latvia and Lithuania. The capital is Minsk. Belarus is in the Eastern European Plain and is traversed by ridges of the Ice Age terminal moraines (Belarusian ridges) and broad, natural rivers. In the south are the Palessye swamps. Almost a third of the country is forested. The largest rivers of Belarus are the Dnepr, Berezina, Prypiat and Memel. The largest lake is the Naratsch in the north of the country near the border with Lithuania.

Belarus belonged to the Polish-Lithuanian aristocratic republic, which numerous cultural assets still bear witness to today. Several castles in the western part of the country and churches in the baroque style are particularly impressive. UNESCO included several buildings in Belarus in the world cultural heritage, including the Mir Castle and the Radziwill family residence in Nyasvish.

Culturally, Belarus can be said to be a multi-ethnic and multi- confessional country. Over 100 nationalities and religions live here together. This constellation results in a unique cultural diversity that is also noticeable in everyday life. Many Russians immigrated to Belarus

under Stalin. Tens of thousands of Belarusians were deported at the same time. However, Belarusians still make up the largest proportion of the population in the country. Over 81 percent of the total population are Belarusians. Russians make up about 11 percent here, other population groups are Poles, Ukraine and Tatars.
religion is also of great importance for everyday life in Belarus. 80 percent of the total population of Belarus are Orthodox Christians. The remaining 20 percent are Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish or Muslim.

Belarus climate

Belarus has a continental climate. The average temperatures in January are between -4 and -8 ° C,frost can occur in five to six months of the year. The warmest month is July, when temperatures reach 30 ° C, the average July temperature is 18 ° C. June and August are the wettest months in Belarus.

Best travel time for Belarus

Since Belarus is not of many Touristsis visited, you don’t have to worry about avoiding the tourist crowds. A good time to travel to Belarus is spring and autumn, when it’s not too hot or toocold is.

If you don’t mind the cold, the snowy winters in Belarus can be very beautiful, especially on sunny days of course.

Belarus – key data

Area: 207,600 km² (of which land: 202,900 km², water: 4,700 km²)

Population: 9.6 million (July 2011 estimate, CIA). Composition: Belarusians 81.2%, Russians 11.4%,Poland 3.9%, Ukrainians 2.4%, others 1.1% (1999 census).

Population density: 46 people per km²

Population growth: -0.363% per year (2011, CIA)

Capital: Minsk (1.83 million residents, March 2009,Metropolitan area 2.65 million residents, March 2009)

Highest point: Dzyarzhynskaya Hara, 346 m

Lowest point: Nyoman River, 90 m

Form of government: According to a2zdirectory, Belarus has been a presidential republic since 1991. The Belarusian constitution dates from 1994, the last constitutional amendment was made in 1996. The Belarusian houses of Parliament consists of two chambers, the House of Representatives (110 members) and the Republic Council (64 regional members and 8 members who are selected by the head of state). Belarus has been independent from the former Soviet Union since August 25, 1991.

Administrative division: 6 administrative districts (voblasts, plural: voblastsi): Brest, Homyel, Hrodna, Mahilyow, Minsk and Vitsyebsk

and a city with a special status (horad): Minsk

Head of State: President Aljaksandr Lukashenka, since July 20, 1994

Head of Government: Prime Minister Mikhail Myasnikovich, since December 28, 2010

Language: the official languages ​​in Belarus are Belarusian and Russian. Ukrainian and Polish are also spoken in the country.

Religion: Orthodox 80%, other (Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish and Muslim) 20% (1997 estimate)

Local time: CET + 1 h. Between the last Sunday in March and the last Sunday in October there is summer time in Belarus (CET + 2 hours).
The time difference to Central Europe is + 1 hour in both winter and summer.

International phone code: +375

Internet identifier:.by

Mains voltage: 220 V, 50 Hz

Belarus Geography

The Republic Belarusis a state in the east of Europe. It borders on Russia to the north and east, Ukraine to the south-east and south, Poland and Lithuania to the west, and Latvia to the north-west. The total area of ​​Belarus is 207,600 square kilometers. Thus Belarus is the largest landlocked country on European floor. The west-east extension of Belarus amounts to 650 kilometers, while the country extends from north to south for about 560 kilometers.

The border with the neighboring countries Russia and Ukraine runs for a total of 1,000 kilometers. This corresponds to about two thirds of the entire borderline. The remaining third is spread over the borders with Poland, Lithuania and Latvia.

Belarus is part of the Eastern European level and its landscape is largely shaped by Pleistocene deposits. The north-west and the central part of the country are formed by flat, up to 350 meters high terminal moraine ridges, the Belarusian ridges, traversed, crossing Belarus from southwest to northeast. Broad rivers with a natural course flow through this part of the country and about 70% drain into the Pripyat and Dnepr rivers in the south.
The south of the country is dominated by the northern marshland of the Polesje river.
About 30% of the total area of ​​Belarus is covered by forests. In the Byelorussian ridge, the 346-meter-high Dzjarshynskaya Hara rises as the highest “mountain” in Belarus. At around 90 meters above sea level, river valleys form the lowest points in the country.

Among the largest and most important Rivers in Belarus include Dnepr, Berezina, Prypiat and Memel. The Bug is not particularly important in terms of its size, but it is given a certain importance as a border river to Poland. Narach, located in the north of Belarus near Lithuania, is the country’s largest lake.