The unemployment rate, according to government statistics, was 1.5% in 2005. [10][11][12][72] The Soviet-controlled Byelorussian People's Council officially took control of the territories, whose populations consisted of a mixture of Poles, Ukrainians, Belarusians and Jews, on 28 October 1939 in Białystok. The 10 Most Densely Populated Countries In The World. The national football team has never qualified for a major tournament; however, BATE Borisov has played in the Champions League. During this period, Anatoly Bogatyrev, creator of the opera In Polesye Virgin Forest, served as the "tutor" of Belarusian composers. Клоков В. Я. Великий освободительный поход Красной Армии. The region was known as Byelorussia SSR until 1991 when the government declared that the newly independent nation would be known as Belarus. An ethno-religious theory suggests that the name used to describe the part of old Ruthenian lands within the Grand Duchy of Lithuania that had been populated mostly by Slavs who had been Christianized early, as opposed to Black Ruthenia, which was predominantly inhabited by pagan Balts. [30] In Lithuanian, besides Baltarusija (White Russia), Belarus is also called Gudija. The Bush administration called him 'Europe's last dictator.' With Latvia in the north and Ukraine to the south, Belarus is also bordered by Russia in the east. [213] Belarusian, although not as widely used as Russian, is the mother tongue of 53.2% of the population, whereas Russian is the mother tongue of only 41.5%.[212]. More than 99% of the residents above the age of 15 are literate. [56] The Rada of the Belarusian Democratic Republic exists as a government in exile ever since then; in fact, it is currently the world's longest serving government in exile. [40] During this time, the Duchy was involved in several military campaigns, including fighting on the side of Poland against the Teutonic Knights at the Battle of Grunwald in 1410; the joint victory allowed the Duchy to control the northwestern borderlands of Eastern Europe. [200] Minsk, the nation's capital and largest city, was home to 1,937,900 residents in 2015[update]. [31][32], From 5000 to 2000 BC, Bandkeramik cultures predominated. [218], The last major revival of Belarusian literature occurred in the 1960s with novels published by Vasil Bykaŭ and Uladzimir Karatkievich. But since the mid-20th century, the number of Jews has been reduced by the Holocaust, deportation, and emigration, so that today it is a very small minority of less than one percent. [139][140] Belarus was a founding member of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). [104][105] The country lies within two ecoregions: Sarmatic mixed forests and Central European mixed forests. These articles were aimed to defend the rights of the nobility of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania nobility against Polish, Prussian and other aristocracy of Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. [171], Belarus is divided into six regions (Belarusian: вобласць, Russian: о́бласть), which are named after the cities that serve as their administrative centers: Brest, Gomel, Grodno, Mogilev, Minsk, and Vitebsk. [74], The German occupation in 1941–1944 and war on the Eastern Front devastated Belarus. n. (Placename) a republic in E Europe; part of the medieval Lithuanian and Polish empires before being occupied by Russia; a Soviet republic (1919–91); in 1997 formed a close political and economic union with Russia: mainly low-lying and forested. [191], A new currency, the new Belarusian ruble (ISO 4217 code: BYN)[192] was introduced in July 2016, replacing the Belarusian ruble in a rate of 1:10,000 (10,000 old rubles = 1 new ruble). Archaeology has provided evidence of Upper Paleolithic (Old Stone Age) cultures, and Neolithic (New Stone Age) remains are widespread. [60] Years earlier interrogation report of 19-year-old revolutionary Pilsudski of 10 March 1887 indicated that he called himself a "Belarusian nobleman". [52], In a Russification drive in the 1840s, Nicholas I prohibited use of the Belarusian language in public schools, campaigned against Belarusian publications and tried to pressure those who had converted to Catholicism under the Poles to reconvert to the Orthodox faith. After Stalin's death in 1953, Nikita Khrushchev continued his predecessor's cultural hegemony program, stating, "The sooner we all start speaking Russian, the faster we shall build communism. [164] The Belarusian government is also criticized for human rights violations and its persecution of non-governmental organisations, independent journalists, national minorities, and opposition politicians. During that time, Germany destroyed 209 out of 290 cities in the republic, 85% of the republic's industry, and more than one million buildings. [232] She also won the gold medal in mixed doubles at the 2012 Summer Olympics with Max Mirnyi, who holds ten Grand Slam titles in doubles. (ed. Belarus is also known for its strong rhythmic gymnasts. Belarus, previously known as Belorussia or Byelorussia, is a landlocked state situated in eastern Europe. In culture and social life, both the Polish language and Catholicism became dominant, and in 1696, Polish replaced Ruthenian as the official language—with the Ruthenian language being banned from administrative use. I am from BELARUS, NOT Russia " by Margadaisy February 12, 2017 [102] It is landlocked, relatively flat, and contains large tracts of marshy land. [162] However, Belarus cannot join NATO because it is a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation. In English, the term "White Russia" is considered archaic and is no longer in use. Its net migration rate is +0.38 per 1,000, indicating that Belarus experiences slightly more immigration than emigration. [151] In addition to the CIS, Belarus is a member of the Eurasian Economic Community, the Collective Security Treaty Organisation,[143] the international Non-Aligned Movement since 1998,[152] and the Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). [37] There are no sources of military seizure, but the annals affirm the alliance and united foreign policy of Polotsk and Lithuania for decades. [201] Gomel, with a population of 481,000, is the second-largest city and serves as the capital of the Homiel Voblast. Is Central America Part Of North America? All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions © 2021 worldatlas.com. Incorporation into the Grand Duchy of Lithuania resulted in an economic, political and ethno-cultural unification of Belarusian lands. Published 1994, amended in 1996", "Section V: Local government and self-government", "The Russian-Belarusian Union and the Near Abroad", "Russia may cut oil supplies to ally Belarus – Putin", "Foreign trade in goods and services in Belarus up by 11.5% in January–October, Council of Ministers", "The EU's Relationship With Belarus – Trade", "No Job? The Belarusian government sponsors annual cultural festivals such as the Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk,[214] which showcases Belarusian performers, artists, writers, musicians, and actors. [210] The Lipka Tatars, numbering over 15,000, are predominantly Muslims. It is an independent European state that occupies an area of about 80,153 square miles, with a population of about 9,491,800 people. After the failed revolt, the Russian government reintroduced the use of Cyrillic to Belarusian in 1864 and no documents in Belarusian were permitted by the Russian government until 1905. The unemployment rate has been in decline since 2003, and the overall rate of employment is the highest since statistics were first compiled in 1995. [90] However, political scientist Mikhail Vinogradov explained that "Lukashenko will play tough to the public while trying to look weak in front of Putin," and the Carnegie Moscow Center's Artyom Shraibman suggested that "Moscow will most likely fail to find its base among Belarusians. Apart from IBB, there are several other institutions working in Belarus. These included a flag of red and white stripes and a coat of arms consisting of a charging knight on horseback. It was a constituent republic of the USSR, known as the Belorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, from 1922 to 1991. ", "Snapshot of the Belarus Country Profile", "Section I: Principles of the Constitutional System. [69] A Belarusian organization, the Belarusian Peasants' and Workers' Union, was banned in 1927, and opposition to Polish government was met with state repressions. [120], The government includes a Council of Ministers, headed by the prime minister and five deputy prime ministers. [63], The western part of modern Belarus remained part of the Second Polish Republic. Belarus - Belarus - History: The Belarusian region has a long history of human settlement. Learn more. Known in Belarusian as беларуская мова ( belaruskaya mova ), this East Slavic language has weathered a turbulent history of late. A country in Europe. Belarus is located between Russia and other members of NATO. [186] Belarus applied to become a member of the World Trade Organization in 1993. [217], By the 16th century, Polotsk resident Francysk Skaryna translated the Bible into Belarusian. Minsk is the most populous and capital city of Belarus. Many Belarusian writers of the time, such as Uładzimir Žyłka, Kazimir Svayak, Yakub Kolas, Źmitrok Biadula, and Maksim Haretski, wrote for Nasha Niva, a Belarusian-language paper published that was previously published in Vilnius but now is published in Minsk. [101], Belarus lies between latitudes 51° and 57° N, and longitudes 23° and 33° E. Its extension from north to south is 560 km (350 mi), from west to east is 650 km (400 mi). [159], Belarus has not expressed a desire to join NATO but has participated in the Individual Partnership Program since 1997,[160] and Belarus provides refueling and airspace support for the ISAF mission in Afghanistan. The Russian Empire was made up of three regions; the White (Belarussians), Little, and Great Russia. "[89] An idea backed by Putin for years, observers have labeled the potential plan a scheme by Putin to remain in power beyond 2024. Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union in 1941. [234], This article is about the Republic of Belarus. [54][62] In the 1920s and 1930s, Soviet agricultural and economic policies, including collectivization and five-year plans for the national economy, led to famine and political repression. During his stay, he worked with Belarusian poet Vintsent Dunin-Martsinkyevich and created the opera Sialanka (Peasant Woman). Over 70% of the residents live in urban areas. The Origin of the Name Belarus The name Belarus is related to the phrase " Belaya Rus " which means "White Rus". [233], Belarus has four UNESCO-designated World Heritage Sites: the Mir Castle Complex, the Nesvizh Castle, the Belovezhskaya Pushcha (shared with Poland), and the Struve Geodetic Arc (shared with nine other countries). Much of the northern section of this area was added to the Byelorussian SSR, and now constitutes West Belarus. [130], Neither the pro-Lukashenko parties, such as the Belarusian Socialist Sporting Party and the Republican Party of Labour and Justice, nor the People's Coalition 5 Plus opposition parties, such as the Belarusian People's Front and the United Civil Party of Belarus, won any seats in the 2004 elections. The election process and events afterwards have been criticized by representatives of many other countries. noun. If it weren’t for the dictionaries. Beltelecom is the only operator licensed to provide commercial VoIP services in Belarus. [172] Each region has a provincial legislative authority, called a region council (Belarusian: абласны Савет Дэпутатаў, Russian: областно́й Сове́т Депутатов), which is elected by its residents, and a provincial executive authority called a region administration (Belarusian: абласны выканаўчы камітэт, Russian: областно́й исполнительный комите́т), whose chairman is appointed by the president. Dallas, TX: SIL International. Developed from the dialects of Ruthenian found on ethnic Belarusian territory at the end of the 18th century, this language … Translation for 'Belarus' in the free German-English dictionary and many other English translations. Belarus is a country located in Eastern Europe with a territory of over 200,000 km2 and a population of nearly 10 million people. The currency was introduced in May 1992 to replace the Soviet ruble and it has undergone redenomination twice since then. [84], A national constitution was adopted in March 1994 in which the functions of prime minister were given to the President of Belarus. Long story short, this is the opinion of those who prefer to ignore the rules of spelling and put their national self-consciousness at the forefront. (Освобождение Западной Украины и Западной Белоруссии).-Воронеж, 1940. What does it mean for somebody like Putin if Belarus ousts Lukashenko? [215] The government's Ministry of Culture finances events promoting Belarusian arts and culture both inside and outside the country. [103] About 70% of the radiation from neighboring Ukraine's 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster entered Belarusian territory, and about a fifth of Belarusian land (principally farmland and forests in the southeastern regions) was affected by radiation fallout. The Belorussian senior group earned bronze at the 2012 London Olympics. [103] About 40% of Belarus is covered by forests. [199] Belarus is relatively flat with vast tracts of marshy land. [88][better source needed], In 2019, Lukashenko had bilateral talks in Sochi with Russian president Vladimir Putin and declared that their two countries "could unite tomorrow, no problem. [107], The highest point is Dzyarzhynskaya Hara (Dzyarzhynsk Hill) at 345 metres (1,132 ft), and the lowest point is on the Neman River at 90 m (295 ft). There is a more plausible explanation: officially reported death numbers are a lie. [197][198], According to the 2019 census the population was 9.41 million[199] with ethnic Belarusians constituting 84.9% of Belarus's total population. [230], Belarus has competed in the Olympic Games since the 1994 Winter Olympics as an independent nation. [81][82], In June 1988, the archaeologist and leader of the Christian Conservative Party of the BPF Zyanon Paznyak discovered mass graves of victims executed in 1937–41 at Kurapaty, near Minsk. The national hockey team finished fourth at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics following a memorable upset win over Sweden in the quarterfinals, and regularly competes in the World Championships, often making the quarterfinals. For other uses, see. Invaders from Asia, among whom were the Huns and Avars, swept through c. 400–600 AD, but were unable to dislodge the Slavic presence. Yoruba Beliefs and Origin. [193][194], The banking system of Belarus consists of two levels: Central Bank (National Bank of the Republic of Belarus) and 25 commercial banks. [182] GDP only began to rise in 1996;[183] the country was the fastest-recovering former Soviet republic in the terms of its economy. [clarification needed], Since 2014, following years of embrace of Russian influence in the country, Lukashenko has pressed a revival of Belarusian identity. [67][68] In 1935, after the death of Józef Piłsudski, a new wave of repressions was released upon the minorities, with many Orthodox churches and Belarusian schools being closed. [199] Minority groups include: Russians (7.5%), Poles (3.1%), and Ukrainians (1.7%). At first, a policy of "Belarusianization" was followed in the newly formed Byelorussian SSR. [168], The judicial system in Belarus lacks independence and is subject to political interference. Трайнин И.Национальное и социальное освобождение Западной Украины и Западной Белоруссии.—М., 1939.—80 с. Гiсторыя Беларусі. The Soviets invaded and annexed much of eastern Poland, which had been part of the country since the Peace of Riga two decades earlier. [205], Belarus's Catholic minority is concentrated in the western part of the country, especially around Hrodna, is made up of a mixture of Belarusians and the country's Polish and Lithuanian minorities. The contested lands were divided between Poland and the Soviet Union after the war ended in 1921, and the Byelorussian SSR became a founding member of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in 1922. [42], On 2 February 1386, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland were joined in a personal union through a marriage of their rulers. [47] The Belarusian territories acquired by the Russian Empire under the reign of Catherine II[48] were included into the Belarusian Governorate (Russian: Белорусское генерал-губернаторство) in 1796 and held until their occupation by the German Empire during World War I. The republic was created in 1920 following the staged rebellion of soldiers of the 1st Lithuanian–Belarusian Division of the Polish Army under Lucjan Żeligowski. Lukashenko has ruled there since the breakup of the Soviet Union. [223] Rock music has become increasingly popular in recent years, though the Belarusian government has attempted to limit the amount of foreign music aired on the radio in favor of traditional Belarusian music. Belarus A country which is sick and tired off being associated with Russia because they are way cooler although not well known. " [41], The Muscovites, led by Ivan III of Moscow, began military campaigns in 1486 in an attempt to incorporate the former lands of Kievan Rus', specifically the territories of modern Belarus, Russia and Ukraine. [84] Stanislav Shushkevich, the chairman of the Supreme Soviet of Belarus, met with Boris Yeltsin of Russia and Leonid Kravchuk of Ukraine on 8 December 1991 in Belavezhskaya Pushcha to formally declare the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the formation of the Commonwealth of Independent States. The takeover was partially due to the lack of military coordination of the Balts but the gradual assimilation of the Balts into Slavic culture was peaceful in nature.[35]. [176] From Slavic *bělъ (“white”) + -a- (connecting morpheme) + Русь (Rusĭ, “Ruthenia”); The stem bel- is cognate with Balt- (Baltic), from Lithuanian baltas (“white”). In 2015, 39.3% of Belarusians were employed by state-controlled companies, 57.2% were employed by private companies (in which the government has a 21.1% stake) and 3.5% were employed by foreign companies. Belarusian literature[216] began with 11th- to 13th-century religious scripture, such as the 12th-century poetry of Cyril of Turaw. Over 69.9% of the residents were aged between 14 to 64, 14.6% over 14 years old, and 15.5% below the age of 14 by 2015. [citation needed] The borders of the Byelorussian SSR and Poland were redrawn, in accord with the 1919-proposed Curzon Line. Belarus is dependent on Russia for imports of raw materials and for its export market. [156], Most of Belarus's service members are conscripts, who serve for 12 months if they have higher education or 18 months if they do not. "Rus" is an antiquated term for pre-modern Russia. [174] It is run by an executive committee and has been granted a charter of self-rule. [202], Like many other Eastern European countries, Belarus has a negative population growth rate and a negative natural growth rate. [67][68] The polonization drive was inspired and influenced by the Polish National Democracy, led by Roman Dmowski, who advocated refusing Belarusians and Ukrainians the right for a free national development. In the 19th century, Polish composer Stanisław Moniuszko composed operas and chamber music pieces while living in Minsk. New Jersey had the highest population of Belarus … It allowed the right to own land within the Grand Duchy of Lithuania to only its own families. "Национальный состав населения Республики Беларусь", "CIA World Factbook (2007) – Belarus – People", "International Programs: International Data Base", "Religion and denominations in the Republic of Belarus", "Belarusian Religion statistics, definitions and sources", "Belarus, Roman Catholic Church may ink cooperation agreement", "Population classified by knowledge of the Belarusian and Russian languages by region and Minsk City", "The Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk amazes with its artistic atmosphere, popular artistes, hundreds of events and thousands of reasons to enjoy", https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/literature/2015/alexievich/biographical/, "Belarus entry to the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest", "Шагал в Беларуси: игнорируемый, забытый и снова открытый", Cultures Profile Project – Eating the Belarusian Way, "Queen Victoria takes the throne determined to court further success", "The European Union and Belarus: Democracy Promotion by Technocratic Means? Anyone from outside the Duchy gaining rights to a property would actually own it only after swearing allegiance to the Grand Duke of Lithuania. The holiest place of the Russian Orthodox Church is the Garbarka Hill, in eastern Poland. [157] Demographic decreases in the Belarusians of conscription age have increased the importance of contract soldiers, who numbered 12,000 in 2001. However, many other languages continue to use a direct translation of "White Russia" to reference Belarus. At the time of the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Belarus was one of the world's most industrially developed states by percentage of GDP as well as the richest CIS member-state. Belorussia. [165][166] Similar regulations were introduced for the forestry industry in 2012. "About the Origins of the Names of White and Black Ruthenia"), Язэп Юхо (Joseph Juho), 1956. Belarus has a population density of about 50 people per square kilometer (127 per sq mi); 70% of its total population is concentrated in urban areas. The transformation of the ex-Soviet forces into the Armed Forces of Belarus, which was completed in 1997, reduced the number of its soldiers by 30,000 and restructured its leadership and military formations. The president of Belarus has been Alexander Lukashenko since 1994. There are several places in Belarus that are related to various saints of the Eastern Orthodox Church, including Polock, Sluck, Brest, and Turov. Belarus meaning: 1. a country in eastern Europe 2. a country in eastern Europe. [103] Three major rivers run through the country: the Neman, the Pripyat, and the Dnieper. The judiciary comprises the Supreme Court and specialized courts such as the Constitutional Court, which deals with specific issues related to constitutional and business law. [163], Belarus's Democracy Index rating is the lowest in Europe, the country is labelled as "not free" by Freedom House, as "repressed" in the Index of Economic Freedom, and is rated as the worst country for press freedom in Europe in the 2013–2014 Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders, which ranks Belarus 157th out of 180 nations. The depreciation was even steeper on the black market and financial collapse seemed imminent as citizens rushed to exchange their rubles for dollars, euros, durable goods, and canned goods. There are around 15,000 of Lipka Tatars and about 10,000 of Ruska Roma (Russian Gypsies). The Russian Tsars used the phrase "White Rus" when referring to the land they annexed from Lithuania during the seventeenth century. [116] Alexander Lukashenko has been the president of Belarus since 1994. [citation needed], In the years following the union, the process of gradual Polonization of both Lithuanians and Ruthenians gained steady momentum. [70] Belarusian leadership was sent to Bereza Kartuska prison.[71]. In 1863, economic and cultural pressure exploded in a revolt, led by Konstanty Kalinowski. From 1 July until 31 December 2016, the old and new currencies were in parallel circulation and series 2000 notes and coins can be exchanged for series 2009 from 1 January 2017 to 31 December 2021. [67][68] Use of the Belarusian language was discouraged. The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) ruled that the elections were unfair because opposition candidates were arbitrarily denied registration and the election process was designed to favor the ruling party. Belarus Imposes Fines for Being Unemployed – News", "Banknotes and Coins of the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus", "Belarus abandons pegging its currency to Russian ruble", "Международное обозначение белорусского рубля меняется на BYN после деноминации – Новости республики – Минский район-Минск-Новости Минска-Новости Минского района-Минский райисполком", "Новости – Официальный интернет-портал Президента Республики Беларусь", "Heritage Foundation's Index of Economic Freedom – Belarus", With economy in tatters, Belarus appeals to IMF for rescue loan of up to $8 billion.