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Republic of Belarus

Flag National emblem

Anthem: (Belarusian) Dziarany himn Respubliki Biearus (transliteration)

State Anthem of the Republic of Belarus

Capital(and largest city)

Minsk 5355N 2733E

Official language(s)BelarusianRussian[1]

Ethnic groups (2009) 83.7% Belarusians ,8.3% Russians,3.1% Poles,1.7% Ukrainians, 4.2% others and unspecified[2]

Demonym BelarusianGovernment Presidential republic

- President Alexander Lukashenko- Prime Minister Mikhail Myasnikovich

Legislature National Assembly- Upper house Council of the Republic- Lower house House of Representatives

Independence from the Soviet Union- Declared 27 July 1990- Established 25 August 1991- Completed 25 December 1991

Area- Total 207,595 km2 (85th)

80,155 sq mi- Water (%) negligible (2.830 km2)1

Population- 2009 census 9,503,807[2] (86th)- Density 45.8/km2 (142nd)

120.8/sq mi

GDP (PPP) 2011 estimate- Total $141.771 billion[3]

- Per capita $15,028[3]

GDP (nominal) 2011 estimate- Total $55.483 billion[3]

- Per capita $5,881[3]

Gini (2009) 27.9[4] (low)

HDI (2011) 0.756[5] (high) (65th)

Currency Belarusian ruble (BYR )

Time zone FET[6] (UTC+3)

Drives on the right

ISO 3166 code BY

BelarusFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Belarus ( i/blrus/ bel-- ; Belarusian: ,Russian pronunciation:[blarus] Russian: , , Belarus', Belorussiya ),officially theRepublic of Belarus , is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe,[7] bordered by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania andLatvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno(Hrodna), Gomel (Homiel), Mogilev (Mahilyow) and Vitebsk (Vitsebsk). Over forty percent of its 207,600 square kilometres (80,200 sq mi) is forested,[8] and its strongesteconomic sectors are agriculture and manufacturing.

Until the 20th century, the lands of modern-day Belarus belonged to several countries,including the Principality of Polotsk, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth, and the Russian Empire. In the aftermath of the RussianRevolution, Belarus became a founding constituent republic of the Soviet Union and wasrenamed as the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (BSSR). The borders of Belarustook their modern shape in 1939 when some lands of the Second Polish Republic wereincorporated into it after the Soviet invasion of Poland.[9][10][11][12][13][14]The nation and itsterritory were devastated in World War II , during which Belarus lost about a third of its population and more than half of its economic resources.[15]The republic wasredeveloped in the post-war years. In 1945 the Belorussian SSR became a foundingmember of the United Nations, along with the Soviet Union and the Ukrainian SSR.

The parliament of the republic declared the sovereignty of Belarus on 27 July 1990, andduring the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Belarus declared independence on 25 August1991.[16]Alexander Lukashenko has been the country's president since 1994. Despite

objections from Western governments, Lukashenko has continued Soviet-era policies,such as state ownership of the economy. According to some organizations and countries,elections have been unfair, and political opponents have been violently suppressed.[17][18][19] In 2000, Belarus and Russia signed a treaty for greater cooperation, with some hintsof forming a Union State. Despite its c lose proximity to the rest of Europe and the West,Belarus' Democracy Index rating continuously ranks the lowest in Europe, and is labeledas "Not Free" by Freedom House.

Over 70% of Belarus's population of 9.49 million reside in urban areas.[20]More than80% of the population are ethnic Belarusians, with sizable minorities of Russians, Polesand Ukrainians. Since a referendum in 1995, the country has had two official languages:Belarusian and Russian. The Constitution of Belarus does not declare an official religion,although the primary religion in the country is Russian Orthodox Christianity. The secondmost popular, Roman Catholicism, has a much smaller following, although bothOrthodox and Catholic versions of Christmas and Easter are celebrated as nationalholidays. Belarus also has the highest Human Development Index among members of theCommonwealth of Independent States.

Contents

1 Etymology 2 History

2.1 Prior to First World War 2.2 Since initial independence

3 Geography 4 Politics

4.1 Human rights 4.2 Foreign relations 4.3 Military 4.4 Administrative divisions

5 Economy 6 Demographics

6.1 Religion 7 Culture

7.1 Literature 7.2Music 7.3 Performances 7.4Dress 7.5 Cuisine 7.6 World Heritage Sites 7.7 Telecommunications

8 See also 9 Notes 10 References 11 External links

Etymology

The name "Belarus" corresponds literally with the term "White Rus'" (White Ruthenia).There are several claims to where the origin of the name "White Rus' " came from.[21]Anethno-religious theory suggests that the name used to describe the part of old Ruthenianlands within the Grand Duchy of Lithuania that had mostly been populated by earlyChristianized Slavs, as opposed to Black Ruthenia, which was predominantly inhabited by pagan Balts.[22]An alternate explanation for the name comments on the white clothingworn by the local Slavic population.[21][23]A third theory suggests that the old Ruthenian

Location of Belarus (green)in Europe (dark grey) [Legend]

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Internet TLD .by

Calling code 375

"FAO's Information System on Water andAgriculture" (http://www.fao.org/nr/water/aquastat/countries/belarus/i ndex.stm) .FAO. http://www.fao.org/nr/water/aquastat/countries/belarus/index.stm.Retrieved 4 April 2008.

Stamp with the Cross of St.Euphrasyne from 1992

Position of Grand Duchy of Lithuania in Eastern Europe until1434.

lands that were not conquered by the Tatars (i.e., Polatsk, Vitsiebsk and Mahilyow) had been referred to as "white". Other sources claim that before 1267, the land not conquered by the Mongols was considered "White Rus' ". [21] In 2008, historian Ales Bely defendedhis PhD thesis, Localization of the Choronym of White Rus' in the European Written and

Map Sources of the 13th to mid-18th centuries ,[24] which demonstrated that White Rus' originally referred to the area of the Novgorod Republic conquered by the Grand Duchyof Moscow in 1478; in terms of present-day geography, this translates to Eastern Belarusand areas acquired via the westward expansion of Muscovy during the Livonian War inthe 17th century.

The names "Ruthenia" and "Rus' " are often conflated with Russia, their modern derivative, and thus White Ruthenia is often referred to as "White Russia". Thismisinterpretation has been supported by the Moscovite regents after the fall of Kievan Rus'. The Moskovite dukes, starting with Ivan IV, considered themselves to bethe rightful successors of the Ruthenian grand ducal dynasty, and their use of the name "Russia" as referring to all former Ruthenian (i.e., east Slavic) lands became a

political weapon and a casus belli for claiming the west Ruthenian territories from Lithuania and Poland. [25] The name first appeared in German and Latin medievalliterature; the chronicles of Jan of Czarnkw mentions the imprisonment of Lithuanian grand duke Jogaila and his mother at "Albae Russiae, Poloczk dicto" in 1381. [26]

The Latin term "Alba Russia" was used again by Pope Pius VI to establish a Jesuit society in 1783. His official Papal bull exclaimed "Approbo Societatem Jesu in AlbaRussia degentem, approbo, approbo." [27] Historically, this territory was referred to in English as "White Ruthenia". The first known use of "White Russia" to refer toBelarus was in the late-16th century by Englishman Sir Jerome Horsey, who was known for his close contacts with the Russian Royal Court. [28] During the 17thcentury, Russian tsars used "White Rus"" to describe the lands captured from the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. [29]

Belarus was formally named "Belorussia" (Russian: ; the latter part similar, but spelled and stressed differently from , "Russia") in the days of theRussian Empire, and the Russian tsar was usually styled "Tsar of All the Russias", as "Russia" or the "Russian Empire" was formed by all the Russias the Great, Little,and White. After the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, the term White Russia caused some confusion as it was also the name of the military force that opposed the redBolsheviks. [30] During the period of the Belorussian SSR, the term "Byelorussia" was embraced as part of a national consciousness. In western Belarus under Polishcontrol, "Byelorussia" became commonly used in the regions of Biaystok and Grodno during the interwar period. [31]

The term "Belorussia" (its names in other languages such as Engl ish being based on the Russian form) was only used officially until 1991, when the Supreme Soviet of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic decreed by law that the new independent republic should be called "Belarus" () in Russian in order to reflect thecorrect Belarusian language forms. The use of Byelorussian SSR and any abbreviations thereof were allowed from 1991 to 1993. [32] Conservative forces in the newlyindependent Belarus did not support the name change and opposed its inclusion in the 1991 draft of the Constitution of Belarus. [33]

Accordingly, the name "Belorussia" was replaced by "Belarus" in English [34] and to some extent in Russian (although the traditional name still persists in that languageas well); likewise, the adjective "Belorussian" or "Byelorussian" was replaced by "Belarusian" in English (though Russian has not developed a new adjective)."Belarusian" is closer to the original Russian term of "bielaruski". [34] Belarusian intelligentsia in the Stalin era attempted to change the name from "Belorussia" to a formof "Krivia" because of the supposed connection with Russia. [35] Some nationalists also object to the name for the same reason. [36][37] However, several popular newspapers published locally still retain the old name of the country in Russian in their names, for example Komsomolskaya Pravda v Byelorussii , which is thelocalized publication of a popular Russian newspaper. Also, those who wish for Belarus to be reunited with Russia continue to use "Belorussia". [37] Officially, the fullname of the country is "Republic of Belarus" ( , , Respublika Belarus" listen). [32][38]

History

Main article: History of Belarus

Prior to First World War

Both Homo erectus and Neanderthal remains have been found in the region. From 5,000 to 2,000 BCE, Bandkeramik cultures predominated. In addition, remains for the Dnieper-Donets culture were found in Belarus and parts of Ukraine. [39] Cimmerians and other pastoralists roamed through the area by 1,000 BCE, and by 500 BCE,Slavs had taken up residence in the area, which was circumscribed by the Scythians who roamed its outskirts. Various Asiatic barbarian by the Huns and Avars sweptthrough c. 400600 CE, but were unable to dislodge the Slavic presence. [40]

The region that is now Belarus was first settled by Slavic tribes in the 6th century. They gradually came into contact with theVarangians, bands of Scandinavian warriors and traders. [41] Though defeated and briefly exiled by the local population, theVarangians were later asked to return [41] and helped to form a politycommonly referred to as the Kievan Rus'in exchange for tribute. The state of Kievan Rus' originated in 862 in the vicinity of either Kiev [42] or the present-day city of Novgorod. [42]

Upon the death of Kievan Rus' ruler Yaroslav I the Wise, the state split into independent principalities. [43] These Ruthenian principalities were badly affected by a Mongol invasion in the 13th century, and many were later incorpora ted into the Grand Duchyof Lithuania. [44] Of the principalities held by the Duchy, nine were settled by ancestors of the Belarusian people. [45] During this timethe Duchy was involved in several military campaigns, including fighting on the side of Poland against the Teutonic Knights at theBattle of Grunwald in 1410; the joint victory allowed the Duchy to control the northwestern borderlands of Eastern Europe. [46]

On 2 February 1386, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland were joined ina personal union through a marriage of their rulers. [47] This union set in motion thedevelopments that eventually resulted in the formation of the PolishLithuanianCommonwealth, created in 1569. The Russians, led by Ivan III of Moscow, began militaryconquests in 1486 in an attempt to reunite the lands of Kievan Rus', specifically the territoriesof Belarus and Ukraine. [48]

The union between Poland and Lithuania ended in 1795 with the partitioning of Poland byImperial Russia, Prussia, and Austria. [49] During this time the territories of Belarus were acquired by the Russian Empire under thereign of Catherine II [50] and held until their occupation by German Empire during World War I. [51]

Since initial independence

During the negotiations of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, Belarus first declared independence under German occupation on 25 March1918, forming the Belarusian People's Republic. [52][53] Immediately afterwards, the PolishSoviet War ignited, and Belarus founditself torn between resurgent Poland and Soviet Russia. A part of Belarus under Russian rule emerged as the Belorussian SovietSocialist Republic in 1919. Soon thereafter it merged to form the LithuanianBelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic. The contested

lands were divided between Poland and the Soviet Union after the war ended in 1921, and the Belorussian SSR became a foundingmember of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in 1922. [52][54] The western part of modern Belarus remained part of Poland. [55][56][56]

In the 1920s, agricultural reforms that culminated in the Belarusian phase of Soviet collectivization was set in motion. In the 1930s,the implementation of the Soviet five-year plans for the national economy led to rapid industrialization.

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Map of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Belarus was within its

borders.

The Brest Fortress to the War Memorial

Soviet partisan fighters behindGerman front lines in Belarus in1943

Map of the Belorussian SSR, 1940

Strusta Lake in the Vitebsk Province

Horses grazing in Minsk Province

In 1939, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union invaded and occupied Poland, marking the beginning of World War II. Much of northeastern Poland, which had been part of the countrysince the Peace of Riga two decades earlier, was annexed to the Belorussian Soviet SocialistRepublic, and now constitutes West Belarus. [9][10][11][12][13][14] The Soviet-controlled BelarusianPeople Council officially took control of the territories, whose populations were predominantlyethnic Belarusians, on 28 October 1939 in Biaystok. [14]

Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union in 1941. The Brest Fortress, which had been annexedin 1939, was subjected to one of the most destructive onslaughts and its notable defense in 1941was memorialized as an act of heroism in countering German aggression. Statistically, BSSR was the hardest-hit Soviet republic in World War II and remained in Nazi hands until 1944.During that time, Germany destroyed 209 out of 290 cities in the republic, 85% of the republic'sindustry, and more than one million buildings. [15] Casualties were estimated to be between twoand three million (about a quarter to one-third of the total population), while the Jewish

population of Belarus was devastated during the Holocaust and never recovered. [15][57] The population of Belarus did not regain its pre-war level until 1971. [57]

After the war, Belarus was among the 51 founding countries of the United Nations Charter and as such it was allowed an additionalvote at the UN, on top of the Soviet Union's vote. Vigorous postwar reconstruction promptly followed the end of the war andBelorussian SSR became a major center of manufacturing in western USSR, creating jobs and attracting ethnic Russians. [58] The

borders of Belorussian SSR and Poland were redrawn and became known as the Curzon Line. [59]

Joseph Stalin implemented a policy of Sovietization to isolate the Belorussian SSR fromWestern influences. [57] This policy involved sending Russians from various parts of theSoviet Union and placing them in key positions in the Belorussian SSR government. The official use of the Belarusian languageand other cultural aspects were limited by Moscow. After Stalin's death in 1953, Nikita Khrushchev continued his predecessor'scultural hegemony program, stating, "The sooner we all start speaking Russian, the faster we shall build communism." [57]

In 1986, the Belorussian SSR was significantly exposed to nuclear fallout from the explosion at the Chernobyl power plant inneighboring Ukrainian SSR. [60]

In June 1988, archaeologist and leader of the Christian Conservative Party of the BPF Zyanon Paznyak discovered mass gravesof victims executed in 193741 at Kurapaty, near Minsk. [60] Some nationalists contend that this discovery is proof that the Sovietgovernment was trying to erase the Belarusian people, causing Belarusian nationalists to seek independence. [61]

In March 1990, elections for seats in the Supreme Soviet of the Belorussian SSR took place. Though the pro-independence Belarusian Popular Front took only 10% of the seats, the populace was content with the selection of the delegates. [62] Belarus declared itself sovereign on 27 July 1990 by issuing the Declaration of StateSovereignty of the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic. With the support of the Communist Party, the country's name was changed to the Republic of Belarus on25 August 1991. [62] Stanislav Shushkevich, the chairman of the Supreme Soviet of Belarus, met with Boris Yeltsin of Russia and Leonid Kravchuk of Ukraine on8 December 1991 in Belavezhskaya Pushcha to formally declare the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the formation of the Commonwealth of Independent States. [62]

A national constitution was adopted in March 1994 in which the functions of prime minister were given to the president of Belarus. Two-round elections for the presidency on (24 June 1994 and 10 July 1994) [63] catapulted the formerly unknown Alexander Lukashenko into national prominence. He garnered 45% of the vote inthe first round and 80% [62] in the second, defeating Vyacheslav Kebich who received 14% of the vote. Lukashenko was re-elected in 2001, in 2006 and again in 2010.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Belarus

Belarus lies between latitudes 51 and 57 N, and longitudes 23 and 33 E. It is landlocked, relatively flat, andcontains large tracts of marshy land. [64] According to a 2005 estimate by the United Nations, 40% of Belarus is covered

by forests. [65] Many streams and 11,000 lakes are found in Belarus. [64] Three major rivers run through the country: the Neman, the Pripyat, and the Dnieper. The Neman flows westward towards the Baltic sea and the Pripyat flows eastwardto the Dnieper; the Dnieper flows southward towards the Black Sea. [66]

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 metres (295 ft). [64] The average elevation of Belarus is 525 feet (160 m) above sea level. [67] Theclimate features cold winters, with average January temperatures at 6 C (21.2 F), and cool and moist summers withan average temperature of 18 C (64.4 F). [68] Belarus has an average annual rainfall of 550 to 700 mm (21.7 to 27.6

in). [68] The country is in the transitional zone between continental climates and maritime climates. [64]

Natural resources include peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas, grani te, dolomite (limestone), marl, chalk, sand,gravel, and clay. [64] About 70% of the radiation from neighboring Ukraine's 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster entered Belarusianterritory, and as of 2005 about a fifth of Belarusian land (principally farmland and forests in the southeastern provinces)continues to be affected by radiation fallout. [69] The United Nations and other agencies have aimed to reduce the level of radiation in affected areas, especially through the use of caesium binders and rapeseed cultivation, which are meant to decreasesoil levels of caesium-137. [70][71]

Belarus borders five countriesLatvia to the north, Lithuania to the northwest, Poland to the west, Russia to the north and theeast, and Ukraine to the south. Treaties in 1995 and 1996 demarcated Belarus's borders with Latvia and Lithuania, but Belarusfailed to ratify a 1997 treaty establishing the Belarus-Ukraine border. [72] Belarus and Lithuania ratified final border demarcationdocuments in February 2007. [73]

Politics

Main article: Politics of Belarus

Belarus is a presidential republic, governed by a president and the National Assembly. The term for the president is five years.Under the 1994 constitution, the president could only serve for two terms as president, but a change in the constitution in 2004eliminated term limits. [74] Since 1994, Alexander Lukashenko has been the president of Belarus. In 1996, Lukashenko called for a controversial vote to extend the presidential term from five to seven years, and as a result the election that was supposed tooccur in 1999 was pushed back to 2001. The referendum on the extension was denounced as a "fantastic" fake by the chief




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Victory Square, Minsk

House of Government in Minsk, witha statue of Vladimir Lenin in theforeground

A symbol of Belarusian opposition,this flag served as the national flagfrom 1991 to 1995.

Alexander Lukashenko (left) shakinghands with Dmitry Medvedev(President of Russia) in 2008

electoral officer, Viktar Hanchar, who was removed from office during the campaign. [75] The National Assembly is a bicameral parliament comprising the 110-member House of Representatives (the lower house) and the 64-member Council of the Republic(the upper house).

The House of Representatives has the power to appoint the prime minister, make constitutional amendments, call for a vote of confidence on the prime minister, and make suggestions on foreign and domestic policy. The Council of the Republic has the

power to select various government officials , conduct an impeachment trial of the president, and accept or reject the b ills passed by the House of Representatives. Each chamber has the ability to veto any law passed by local officials if it is contrary to theconstitution. [76]

The government includes a Council of Ministers, headed by the prime minister and five deputy prime ministers. [77] The membersof this council need not be members of the legislature and are appointed by the president. 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. The judges of national courtsare appointed by the president and confirmed by the Council of the Republic. For criminal cases, the highest court of appeal is the Supreme Court. The BelarusianConstitution forbids the use of special extrajudicial courts. [76]

As of 2007, 98 of the 110 members of the House of Representatives are not affiliated with any political party, and of theremaining 12 members, 8 belong to the Communist Party of Belarus, 3 to the Agrarian Party of Belarus, and 1 to the LiberalDemocratic Party of Belarus. Most non-partisans represent a wide scope of social organizations such as workers' collectives,

public associations, and civil society organizations, similar to the composition of the Soviet legislature. [78]

Neither the pro-Lukashenko parties, such as the Belarusian Socialist Sporting Party and the Republican Party of Labour andJustice, 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. Groups such as the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)declared the election "un-free" because of the opposition parties' poor results and media bias in favor of the government. [79]

In the 2006 presidential election, Lukashenko was opposed by Alaksandar Milinkievi, who represented a coalition of opposition parties, and by Alaksandar Kazulin of the Social Democrats. Kazulin was detained and beaten by police during protestssurrounding the All Belarusian People's Assembly. Lukashenko won the election with 80% of the vote; the Russian Federationand the CIS deemed the vote open and fair [80] while the OSCE and other organizations called the election unfair. [81]

After the December completion of the 2010 presidential election, Lukashenko was elected to a fourth straight term with nearly 80% of the vote in elections. The runner-up opposition leader Andrei Sannikov received less than 3% of the vote; independent observers criticized the election as fraudulent. When opposition protesters took tothe streets in Minsk, many people, including most rival presidential candidates, were beaten and arrested by the state militia. [82] Many of the candidates, includingSannikov, were sentenced to prison or house arrest for terms typically over four years. [83][84] Six months later amidst an unprecedented economic crisis, activists utilizedsocial networking to initiate a fresh round of protests characterized by wordless hand-clapping. [85]

Human rights

Main article: Human rights in Belarus

Lukashenko has described himself as having an "authoritarian ruling style". [86] Western countries have described Belarus under Lukashenko as a dictatorship; the government has accused the same Western powers of trying to oust Lukashenko. [87] TheCouncil of Europe has barred Belarus from membership since 1997 for undemocratic voting and election irregularities in the

November 1996 constitutional referendum and parliament by-elections. [88] The Belarusian government is also criticized for human rights violations and its unjust persecution of non-governmental organisations, independent journalists, nationalminorities, and opposition politicians. [89][90] In a testimony to the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, former United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice labeled Belarus as one of the world's six "outposts of tyranny". [91] In response,the Belarusian government called the assessment "quite far from reality". [92]

Foreign relations

Main article: Foreign relations of Belarus

Belarus and Russia have been close trading partners and diplomatic allies since the breakup of the Soviet Union. Belarus isdependent on Russia for imports of raw materials and for its export market. [93] The union of Russia and Belarus, a supranationalconfederation, was established in a 199699 series of treaties that called for monetary union, equal rights, single citizenship, anda common foreign and defense policy. [93] However, the future of the union has been placed in doubt because of Belarus'srepeated delays of monetary union, the lack of a referendum date for the draft constitution, and a dispute over the petroleumtrade. [93]

On 11 December 2007, reports emerged that a framework for the new state was discussed between both countries. [94] On 27 May2008, Belarusian President Lukashenko said that he had named Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin the "prime minister" of the Russia-Belarus alliance. The significance of this act was not immediately clear; some incorrectly speculated that Putin would

become president of a unified state of Russia and Belarus after stepping down as Russian president in May 2008. [95]

Belarus was a founding member of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS); however, recently other CIS members havequestioned the effectiveness of the organization. [96] Belarus has trade agreements with several European Union member states (despite other member states' travel banon Lukashenko and top officials), [97] including neighboring Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland. [98] Incidentally, the travel bans imposed by the European Union have beenlifted in the past in order to allow Lukashenko to attend diplomatic meetings and also to engage his government and opposition groups in dialogue. [99]

Bilateral relations with the United States are strained because the U.S. Department of State supports various anti-Lukashenko non-gove rnmental organizations (NGOs),and also because the Belarusian government has made it increasingly difficult for U.S.-based organizations to operate within the country. [100] Diplomatic tensionremained tense, and in 2004, the United States passed the Belarus Democracy Act, which authorized funding for pro-democracy Belarusian NGOs, and proscribed loansto the Belarusian government, except for humanitarian purposes. [101] Despite this political friction, the two countries do cooperate on intellectual property protection,

prevention of human trafficking, technology c rime, and disaster relief. [102]

Sino-Belarusian relations have improved, [103] strengthened by the visit of President Lukashenko to China in October 2005. [104] Belarus also has strong ties with Syria,[105] considered a key partner in the Middle East. [106] In addition to the CIS, Belarus is a member of the Eurasian Economic Community, the Collective Security Treaty

Organisation,[98]

the international Non-Aligned Movement since 1998,[107]

the Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and the UN since itsfounding in 1945. As an OSCE member state, Belarus's international commitments are subject to monitoring under the mandate of the U.S. Helsinki Commission. [108]

Military




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Provinces of Belarus

Belarusian GDP growth since 1995 andestimate for 2008

Belarusian economy by sector

Graphical depiction of Belarus's product exports in 28 color codedcategories.

Obverse of the 500 Belarusian ruble(BYB/BYR), the national currency

Main article: Armed Forces of Belarus

The Armed Forces of Belarus have three branches: the Army, the Air Force, and the Ministry of Defense joint staff. Lieutenant General Yuri Zhadobin heads theMinistry of Defense, [109] and Alexander Lukashenko (as president) serves as Commander-in-Chief. [110] The Armed Forces were formed in 1992 using parts of theformer Soviet Armed Forces on the new republic's territory. 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. [111]

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. [112] However, demographicdecreases in the Belarusians of conscription age have increased the importance of contract soldiers, who numbered 12,000 as of 2001. [113] In 2005, about 1.4% of Belarus's gross domestic product was devoted to military expenditures. [114] Belarus has not expressed a desire to join NATO but has participated in the Individual

Partnership Program since 1997,[115]

and Belarus provides refueling and airspace support for the ISAF mission in Afghanistan.[116]

Belarus first began to cooperate with NATO upon signing documents to part icipate in their Partnership for Peace Program in 1995. [117] However, Belarus cannot join NATO because it is a member of theCollective Security Treaty Organisation. Tensions between NATO and Belarus reached a peak after the March 2006 presidential election in Belarus. [118]

Administrative divisions

Main article: Administrative divisions of Belarus

Belarus is divided into six regions (Belarusian: , Russian: ), which are named after the cities that serve as their administrative centers. [119] Each regionhas a provincial legislative authority, called a region council (Belarusian: , Russian: ), which is elected by itsresidents, and a provincial executive authority called a region administration (Belarusian: , Russian: ), whose chairman is appointed by the president. [120] Regions are further subdivided into raions , commonly translated as districts or regions (Belarusian: ,Russian: ). [119]

Each raion has its own legislative authority, or raion council, (Belarusian: , Russian: ) elected by its residents, and an executive authority or raion administration appointed byhigher executive powers. As of 2002, there are six regions, 118 raions , 102 towns, and 108 urbanized settlements. [121]

The city of Minsk is split into nine districts and enjoys special status as the nation's capital.[122]

It is run by an executivecommittee and has been granted a charter of self-rule. [123]

Regions (with administrative centers):

1. Brest Region (Brest)2. Homel Region (Homel)3. Hrodna Region (Hrodna)4. Magileu Region (Magileu)5. Minsk Region (Minsk)6. Vitebsk Region (Vitebsk)

Special administrative district:

1. Minsk City

Economy

Main article: Economy of Belarus

Most of the Belarusian economy remains state-controlled [93] and has been described as "Soviet-style." [124] Thus, 51.2% of Belarusians are employed by state-controlled companies, 47.4% are employed by private companies (of which 5.7% are

partially foreign-owned), and 1.4% are employed by foreign companies. [125] The country relies on Russia for variousimports, including petroleum. [126][127] Important agricultural products include potatoes and cattle byproducts, including meat.[128] As of 1994, Belarus's main exports included heavy machinery (especially tractors), agricultural products, and energy

products. [129]

Historically, textiles and wood processing have constituted a large part of industrial activity. [130] As of the 1991 dissolutionof the Soviet Union, Belarus was one of the world's most industrially developed states by percentage of GDP as well as therichest CIS member-state. [131] Economically, Belarus involved itself in the CIS, Eurasian Economic Community, and Unionwith Russia.

In the 1990s, however, industrial production plunged due to decreases in imports, investment, and demand for Belarusian products from its trading partners. [132] GDP only began to rise in 1996; [133] this coincided with the implementation of socialwelfare and state subsidies. [133] In 2006, GDP amounted to US$83.1 billion in purchasing power parity (PPP) dollars(estimate), or about $8,100 per capita. [128] In 2005, GDP increased by 9.9%; the inflation rate averaged 9.5%. [128]

As of 2006, Belarus's largest trading partner is Russia, accounting for nearly half of total trade, and the European Union isBelarus's next largest trading partner, with nearly a third of foreign trade. [134][135] Because of its failure to protect labour rights, however, Belarus lost its EU Generalized System of Preferences status on 21 June 2007, which raised tariff rates totheir prior most favoured nation levels. [135] Belarus applied to become a member of the World Trade Organization in 1993.[136]

The labor force consists of more than four million people, among whom women holdslightly more jobs than men. [137] In 2005, nearly a quarter of the population wasemployed by industrial factories. [137] Employment is also high in agriculture,manufacturing sales, trading goods, and education. The unemployment rate, according togovernment statistics, was 1.5% in 2005. [137] There were 679,000 unemployedBelarusians, two-thirds of whom were women. [137] The unemployment rate has been indecline since 2003, and the overall rate of employment is the highest since statistics werefirst compiled in 1995. [137]

The currency of Belarus is the Belarusian ruble (BYR). The currency was introduced inMay 1992, replacing the Soviet ruble. The first coins of the Republic of Belarus were issued on 27 December 1996. [138] Theruble was reintroduced with new values in 2000 and has been in use ever since. [139] As part of the Union of Russia and Belarus,

both states have discussed using a single cur rency along the same lines as the Euro. This led to a proposal that the BelarusianRuble be discontinued in favour of the Russian ruble (RUB), starting as early as 1 January 2008. As of August 2007, the National Bank of Belarus no longer pegged the




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The Resurrection Church of Brest isthe largest church in Belarus. Over 5000 people can attend services

Saint Sophia Cathedral in Polotsk

Francysk Skaryna,developer of theBelarusian language, andone of the first people to print in the Cyrillicalphabet

Writer Vintsent Dunin-Martsinkyevich.

Belarusian Ruble to the Russian Ruble.[140]The banking system of Belarus consists of thirty state-owned banks and one privatised bank.[141]On 23 May 2011, theBelarusian Ruble depreciated 56% against the U.S. dollar. The depreciation was even steeper on the black market and financial collapse seemed imminent as citizensrushed to exchange their rubles for dollars, euros, durable goods, and canned goods.[142]On 1 June 2011, Belarus requested an economic rescue package from theInternational Monetary Fund.[143][144]

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Belarus

According to a 2009 census, the population is 9,503,807.[2] Ethnic Belarusians constitute 83.7% of Belarus' total population.[2]

The next largest ethnic groups are: Russians (8.3%), Poles (3.1%), and Ukrainians (1.7%).[2] Belarus' two official languages areRussian and Belarusian;[145]Russian is the main language, used by 72% of the population, while Belarusian, the second officiallanguage, is only used by 11.9%.[146]Minorities also speak Polish, Ukrainian and Eastern Yiddish.[147]

Belarus has a population density of about 50 people per square kilometer (127 per sq mi); 70% of its total population isconcentrated in urban areas. Minsk, the nation's capital and largest city, is home to 1,836,808 residents as of 2009.[2] Gomel,with 481,000 people, is the second-largest city and serves as the capital of the Homiel Voblast. Other large cities are Mogilev(365,100), Vitebsk (342,400), Hrodna (314,800) and Brest (298,300).[148]

Like many other European countries, Belarus has a negative population growth rate and a negative natural growth rate. In 2007,Belarus's population declined by 0.41% and its fertility rate was 1.22,[149]well below the replacement rate. Its net migration rateis +0.38 per 1,000, indicating that Belarus experiences slightly more immigration than emigration. As of 2007, 69.7% of Belarus's population is aged 14 to 64; 16% is under 14, and 14.6% is 65 or older. Its population is also aging: while the current median age is 37, it is estimated thatBelarusians' median age group will be between 55 and 65 in 2050.[150]There are about 0.88 males per female in Belarus.[149]The average life expectancy is 68.7 years(63.0 years for males and 74.9 years for females).[149]Over 99% of Belarusians are literate.[149][151]

Religion

Main article: Religion in Belarus

As of November 2011, 58.9% of all Belarusians adhere to some kind of religion; out of those, Orthodox Christianity makes upabout 82%.[152]Catholicism exists mostly in the western regions, and there are also different denominations of Protestantism(especially during the time of union with Protestant Sweden).[153]Other minorities practice Judaism and other religions. ManyBelarusians converted to the Russian Orthodox Church after Belarus was annexed by Russia following the partitions of thePolishLithuanian Commonwealth. As a consequence, the Russian Orthodox church now has more members than other denomination.

Belarus's Roman Catholic minority, which constitute about 15% of the country's population[99] and 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 Lithuanianminorities.[154]In a statement to the media regarding Belarusian-Vatican ties, President Lukashenko stated that Orthodox andCatholic believers are the "two main confessors in our country".[155]The total Roman Catholic population has dropped to 12% of religious believers, according to a 2011 report by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.[156]

Belarus was once a major center of European Jewry, with 10% of the population being Jewish. But since the mid-20th century, the number of Jews has been reduced by

war, starvation, deportation, and emigration, so that today it is a very small minority of less than one percent.[157]The Lipka Tatars, numbering over 15,000, are predominately Muslims. According to Article 16 of the Constitution, Belarus has no officia l religion. While the freedom of worship is granted in the same article,religious organizations deemed harmful to the government or social order can be prohibited.[158]

Culture

Main article: Belarusian culture

Literature

Belarusian literature began with 11th- to 13th-century religious scripture, such as the 12th-century poetry of Cyril of Turaw.[159]By the 16thcentury, Polotsk resident Francysk Skaryna translated the Bible into Belarusian. It was published in Prague and Vilnius sometime between1517 and 1525, making it the first book printed in Belarus or anywhere in Eastern Europe.[160]The modern era of Belarusian literature began in the late 19th century; one prominent writer was Yanka Kupala. Many Belarusian writers of the time, such as Uadzimir yka,Kazimir Svayak, Yakub Kolas, mitrok Biadula, and Maksim Haretski, wrote for Nasha Niva , a Belarusian-language paper published inVilnius.

After Belarus was incorporated into the Soviet Union, the Soviet government took control of the Republic's cultural affairs. At first, a policyof "Belarusianization" was followed in the newly formed B.S.S.R. (Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic). This policy was reversed in the1930s, and the majority of prominent Belarusian intellectuals and nationalist advocates were either exiled or killed in Stalinist purges.[161]

The free development of literature occurred only in Polish-held territory until Soviet occupation in 1939.[160]Several poets and authors wentinto exile after the Nazi occupation of Belarus and would not return until the 1960s.[160]The last major revival of Belarusian literatureoccurred in the 1960s with novels published by Vasil Byka and Uladzimir Karatkievich.

Music

Main article: Music of Belarus

In the 19th century, Polish composer Stanisaw Moniuszko composed operas and chamber music pieceswhile living in Minsk. During his stay, he worked with Belarusian poet Vintsent Dunin-Martsinkyevichand created the operaSielanka ( Peasant Woman ). At the end of the 19th century, major Belarusiancities formed their own opera and ballet companies. The ballet Nightingale by M. Kroshner wascomposed during the Soviet era and became the first Belarusian ballet showcased at the NationalAcademic Bolshoi Ballet Theatre in Minsk.[162]

After the Second World War, music focused on the hardships of the Belarusian people or on those whotook up arms in defense of the homeland. During this period, A. Bogatyryov, creator of the opera In

Polesye Virgin Forest , served as the "tutor" of Belarusian composers.[163]The National AcademicTheatre of Ballet, in Minsk, was awarded the Benois de la Dance Prize in 1996 as the top ballet




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Stanisaw Moniuszko

The regional theater in Gomel

Draniki

Broadcasting center of state-run TVin Minsk

company in the world. [163] Rock music has become increasingly popular in recent years, though the Belarusian government hasattempted to limit the amount of foreign music aired on the radio in favor of traditional Belarusian music. Since 2004, Belarus has

been sending artists to the Eurovision Song Contest. [164]

Performances

The Belarusian government sponsors annual cultural festivals such as the Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk, which showcases Belarusian performers, artists, writers, musicians, and actors. Several state holidays, such as Independe nce Day and Victory Day, draw bigcrowds and often include displays such as fireworks and military parades, especially in Vitebsk and Minsk. [165] The government'sMinistry of Culture finances events promoting Belarusian arts and culture both inside and outside the country.

Dress

The traditional Belarusian dress originates from the Kievan Rus' period. Due to the cool climate, clothes were designed to preserve body heat and were usually made from flax or wool. They were decorated with ornate patterns influenced by the neighboringcultures: Poles, Lithuanians, Latvians, Russians, and other European nations. Each region of Belarus has developed specificdesign patterns. [166] One ornamental pattern common in early dresses currently decorates the hoist of the Belarusian national flag,adopted in a disputed referendum in 1995. [167]

Cuisine

Belarusian cuisine consists mainly of vegetables, meat (especially pork), and breads. Foods are usually either slowly cooked or stewed. A typical Belarusian eats a light breakfast and two hearty meals, with dinner being the largest meal of the day. Wheatand rye breads are consumed in Belarus, but rye is more plentiful because conditions are too harsh for growing wheat. To showhospitality, a host traditionally presents an offering of bread and salt when greeting a guest or visitor. [168] Popular drinks inBelarus include Russian wheat vodka and kvass , a drink made from fermented malted brown bread or rye flour. Kvass may also

be combined with sliced vegetables to create a cold soup call ed okroshka .[169]

World Heritage Sites

Belarus has four World Heritage Sites: the Mir Castle Complex, the Nesvizh Castle, the Belovezhskaya Pushcha (shared withPoland), and the Struve Geodetic Arc (shared with nine other countries). [170]

Telecommunications

Further information: Telecommunications in Belarus

In 2008, there were 3.718 million phone landlines used in comparison to 8.639 million cellular phones in Belarus. Most of the phone lines are operated by Beltelcom, a state-owned company. About two-thirds o f all of the phone services are run on digitalsystems, and the mobile-cellular teledensity is about 90 phones per 100 persons. There are approximately 113,000 internet hostsin Belarus in 2009 to meet the needs of approximately 3.107 million Internet users. [171]

The largest media holding group in Belarus is the state-owned National State Teleradiocompany. It operates several televisionand radio stations that broadcast content domestically and internationally, either through traditional signals or the Internet. [172]

The Television Broadcasting Network is one of the major independent television stations in Belarus, mostly showing regional programming also a bootlegged version of The Big Bang Theory called The Theorists. [173] Several newspapers, printed either inBelarusian or Russian, provide general information or special interest content, such as business, politics or sports. In 1998, therewere fewer than 100 radio stations in Belarus: 28 AM, 37 FM and 11 shortwave stations. [171]

All media companies are regulated by the Law on Press and Other Mass Media, passed on 13 January 1995. [174] This grants thefreedom of press; however, Article 5 proscribes slander against the president of Belarus or other officials outlined in the nationalconstitution. [174] The Belarusian Government has since been criticized for acting against media outlets. Newspapers such as Nasha Niva and the Belaruskaya DelovayaGazeta have been targeted for closure by the authorities after they published reports critical of President Lukashenko or other government officials. [175][176] The OSCEand Freedom House have commented regarding the loss of press freedom in Belarus. In 2009, Freedom House gave Belarus a score of 6.75 (not free) when it came todealing with press freedom. Another issue for the Belarusian press is the unresolved disappearance of several journalists. [177]

See also: Censorship in Belarus

See also

Outline of Belarus Index of Belarus-related articles

Notes

1. ^ Constitution of the Republic of Belarus (http://www.president.gov.by/en/press10669.html) Section 1, Article 172. ^ a b c d e f 2009 census (http://belstat.gov.by/homep/en/census/2009/main.php)3. ^ a b c d "Belarus" (http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2012/01/weodata/weorept.aspx?sy=2009&ey=2012&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=913&s=NGDPD%

2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPGDP%2CPPPPC%2CLP&grp=0&a=&pr.x=103&pr.y=5) . International Monetary Fund.http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2012/01/weodata/weorept.aspx?sy=2009&ey=2012&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=913&s=NGDPD%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPGDP%2CPPPPC%2CLP&grp=0&a=&pr.x=103&pr.y=5. Retrieved 17 April 2012.

4. ^ "Distribution of family income Gini index" (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2172.html) . The World Factbook . CIA.https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2172.html. Retrieved 1 September 2 009.

5. ^ "Human Development Report 2011" (http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/HDR_2011_EN_Table1.pdf) . United Nations. 2011.http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/HDR_2011_EN_Table1.pdf. Retrieved 5 November 2011.

6. ^ "Eternal Daylight Saving Time (DST) in Belarus" (http://www.timeanddate.com/news/time/belarus-eternal-dst.html) . timeanddate.com . 19 September 2011.http://www.timeanddate.com/news/time/belarus-eternal-dst.html. Retrieved 26 November 2011.

7. ^ UN Statistics Division (1 April 2010). " Standard Country and Area Codes Classifications (M49)" (http://unstats.un.org/unsd/methods/m49/m49regin.htm#europe) . United Nations Organization. http://unstats.un.org/unsd/methods/m49/m49regin.htm#europe. Retrieved 22 April 2010.

8. ^ "Belarus: Window of Opportunity (see Table 15, page 66)" (http://hdr.undp.org/en/reports/nationalreports/europethecis/belarus/belarus_2005_en.pdf) (PDF). United Nations.http://hdr.undp.org/en/reports/nationalreports/europethecis/belarus/belarus_2005_en.pdf.

9. ^ a b Abdelal, Rawi (2001). National purpose in the world economy: post-Soviet states in comparative perspective (http://books.google.com/books?id=o85YDMTeMrUC&dq=reunification+of+western+belarus) . Cornell University P ress. http://books.google.com/books?id=o85YDMTeMrUC&dq=reunification+of+western+belarus. Retrieved 10 November 2009.




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10. ^ a b Taylor & Francis Group (2004). Europa World Year, Book1 (http://books.google.com/books?id=wGA4o-UhAfgC&pg=PA713&dq=reunification+of+western+belarus#v=onepage&q=&f=false) . Europa publications. http://books.google.com/books?id=wGA4o-UhAfgC&pg=PA713&dq=reunification+of+western+belarus#v=onepage&q=&f=false. Retrieved 10 November 2009.

11. ^ a b . . . ( ).-, 1940.12. ^ a b . .., 1939.13. ^ a b . .., 1939.80 .14. ^ a b c i i. .i, 2006.. 44947415. ^ a b c Axell, Albert (2002). Russia's Heroes, 194145 . Carroll & Graf Publishers. p. 247. ISBN 0-7867-1011-X.16. ^ "Introduction ::Belarus" (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bo.html) . https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bo.html.17. ^ "Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Elections Belarus" (http://www.osce.org/odihr-elections/14353.html) . http://www.osce.org/odihr-elections/14353.html.

Retrieved 28 December 2010.

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19. ^ "Foreign Secretary expresses UK concern f ollowing Belarus elections" (http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/news/latest-news/?view=News&id=504974682) .http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/news/latest-news/?view=News&id=504974682. Retrieved 28 December 2010.

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id=00B6wxgftH8C&pg=PA150&dq=west+belarus#v=onepage&q=west%20belarus&f=false) . Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. p. 57. ISBN 0-7425-5558-5.http://books.google.com/books?id=00B6wxgftH8C&pg=PA150&dq=west+belarus#v=onepage&q=west%20belarus&f=false.

54. ^ Marples, David (1999). Belarus: A Denationalized Nation (http://books.google.com/books?id=EMCYfOSaLSgC&pg=PA8&dq=Belarusian+People%27s+Republic&cd=3#v=onepage&q=Belarusian%20People%27s%20Republic&f=false) . Routledge. p. 5. ISBN 90-5702-343-1. http://books.google.com/books?id=EMCYfOSaLSgC&pg=PA8&dq=Belarusian+People%27s+Republic&cd=3#v=onepage&q=Belarusian%20People%27s%20Republic&f=false.

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57. ^ a b c d Fedor, Helen (1995). "Belarus Stalin and Russification" (http://countrystudies.us/belarus/11.htm) . Belarus: A Country Study . Library of Congress.http://countrystudies.us/belarus/11.htm. Retrieved 26 March 2006.

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164. ^ National State Teleradiocompany Page on the 2004 Belarusian entry to the Eurovision Song Contest(http://web.archive.org/web/20080224183337/http://www.tvr.by/eng/konkurs.asp) . Published 2004. Retrieved 18 March 2007.

165. ^ "Belarusian National Culture" (http://web.archive.org/web/20060210203549/http://www.belarusembassy.org/belarus/culture.htm) . Embassy of the Republic of Belarus in theUnited States of America. Archived from the original (http://www.belarusembassy.org/belarus/culture.htm) on 10 February 2006.http://web.archive.org/web/20060210203549/http://www.belarusembassy.org/belarus/culture.htm. Retrieved 26 March 2006.

166. ^ Virtual Guide to Belarus Belarusian traditional clothing (http://www.belarusguide.com/culture1/clothing/index.html) . Retrieved on 21 March 2007.167. ^ Flags of the World Belarus Ornament (http://fotw.fivestarflags.com/by.html#orn) . Published 26 November 2006. Retrieved 21 March 2007.168. ^ Canadian Citizenship and Immigration Cultures Profile Project Eating the Belarusian Way (http://www.cp-pc.ca/english/belarus/eating.html) . Published in 1998. Retrieved

21 March 2007.169. ^ University of Nebraska-Lincoln Institute of Agriculture and National Resources. Situation and Outlook People and Their Diets (http://www.ianr.unl.edu/kendrick/411/people-

S00.html) . Published in April 2000. Retrieved 21 March 2007.170. ^ "Belarus UNESCO World Heritage Centre" (http://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/by) . http://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/by. Retrieved 26 March 2006.171. ^ a b "Belarus" (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bo.html) . The World Factbook . Central Intelligence Agency. 21 April 2010.

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bo.html. Retrieved 26 April 2010.172. ^ National State Teleradiocompany About us (http://www.tvr.by/eng/about.asp) . Retrieved 5 October 2007.173. ^ EW.com (http://popwatch.ew.com/2010/02/09/big-bang-theory-belarus/)174. ^ a b Law of the Republic of Belarus Law On Press and Other Mass Media

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