47 Interesting Facts About Belarus

Last updated on January 12th, 2022

Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, formerly known by its Russian name Byelorussia or Belorussia, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 207,600 square km. Minsk is its capital and largest city. 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 inhabitants or natives of this region are called Belarusian. People from the country are known for being good-humoured, friendly and kind. The country has patiently endured endless war, but it values peace. Let’s explore more about this country with the following 47 interesting facts!

Facts about Belarus’ history, geography, economy, people and sports

1. The term Belarus means ‘White Russia.’

2. The first signs of settlements in ancient Belarus date back approximately 100,000-35,000 years.

3. Belarus became independent on December 26th, 1991. It celebrates its independence day on the 3rd of July.

4. In terms of land area, Belarus occupies the third spot on the list of European countries behind Great Britain and Romania. It is generally flat with a significant amount of marshland.

Belarus on the map

5. The Belarusian economy is mainly dependent on the agriculture and manufacturing industries.

6. The unemployment rate in Belarus is 0.8% (2016 est.)

7. Dzyarzhynskaya Hara is the highest point in Belarus at 345 meters (1,130 ft) above sea level.

8. There is very little protection of property rights and a high level of corruption in Belarus.

9. With the passing of the Constitution of Belarus, the office of the President of Belarus was created in 1994.

10. It is interesting to note that Alexander Lukashenko has served as the president of the country since his election in 1994. Thus, he is the first and only president of Belarus to this day.

11. The personal income tax rate in Belarus is 13%.

12. The country is heavily dependent on subsidized Russian energy.

13. Simon Kuznets became the first Belarusian to win a Nobel Prize. He won the Nobel Prize for Economics in 1971. There are a total of Five Nobel Prize winners from the country, including Simon Kuznets, Svetlana Alexievich, Zhores Ivanovich Alferov, Shimon Peres and Menachem Begin.

14. Białowieża Forest in Belarus is home to 800 European bisons, Europe’s heaviest land animal. The forest is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an EU Natura 2000 Special Area of Conservation.

A European bison
The European bison or wisent (Bison bonasus) is the heaviest of the surviving land animals in Europe, with males growing to around 1,000 kg (2,200 lb). Image credit – Wikipedia.org

15. The forest covers a total area of 141,885 ha.

16. Belarus is the 93rd most-populous country in the world.

17. Russia is the largest political and economic partner of Belarus. Russia accounts for some 48% of Belarus’ external trade, while Belarus accounts for around 6% of Russia’s trade.

18. Athletics, football, gymnastics, skiing, biathlon, ice hockey, tennis, fencing, wrestling, volleyball, handball, swimming, chess, and checkers are among the most popular sports in Belarus.

19. Ice hockey is one of the country’s most popular sports.

Interesting facts about Minsk – the capital of Belarus

20. Minsk—the capital city of Belarus—is the most economically developed city in the country. It is the industrial as well as the educational center of Belarus. The transportation system in the city is well developed and is supported by buses, trams and a metro system.

21. Minsk is a green city with more than 844,000 trees and an area of 72,766 square meter.

22. 54 bridges traverse the Svisloch River, which runs through Minsk.

23. The country’s capital has had to rebuild itself several times, as it has burned down 18 times in its history. Extensive bombing during World War II caused heavy damage to the city’s architecture.

24. The city of Minsk has also been given the title of a “hero city” for its ability to make a comeback every time it’s been devastated.

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