Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Belarus spans an area of 207,600 square kilometres (80,200 sq mi) with a population of 9.1 million. The country has a hemiboreal climate and is administratively divided into six regions. Minsk is the capital and largest city; it is administered separately as a city with special status.
The lands of Belarus during the Middle Ages became part of Kievan Rus' and were split between different regional principalities, including Polotsk, Turov, Vitebsk, and others. Following the Mongol invasions of the 13th century, these lands were absorbed by the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which later was merged into the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in the 16th century.
Stanislav Stanislavovich Shushkevich was a Belarusian politician and scientist. From 25 August 1991 to 26 January 1994, he was the first head of state of independent Belarus after it seceded from the Soviet Union, serving as Chairman of the Supreme Soviet. He supported social democratic reforms and played a key role in the creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States.
The national emblem of Belarus features a ribbon in the colors of the national flag, a silhouette of Belarus, wheat ears and a red star. It is sometimes referred to as the coat of arms of Belarus, although in heraldic terms this is inaccurate as the emblem does not respect the rules of conventional heraldry. The emblem is an allusion to one that was used by the Byelorussian SSR, designed by Ivan Dubasov in 1950, with the biggest change being a replacement of the Communist hammer and sickle with a silhouette of Belarus. The Belarusian name is Dziaržaŭny hierb Respubliki Biełaruś, and the name in Russian is Gosudarstvennyĭ gerb Respubliki Belarusʹ.
Baltic Romani is group of dialects of the Romani language spoken in the Baltic states and adjoining regions of Poland and Russia. Half of the speakers live in Poland. It also called Balt Romani, Balt Slavic Romani, Baltic Slavic Romani, and Roma. Romani began as an Indo-European language, which morphed into an Indo-Iranian language, and then into an Indo-Aryan language. After that the Romani language broke down into Balkan Romani and Central Romani. Baltic Romani came from the Central Romani dialect which branches off into other dialects. There are a total of around 31,500 users in all countries.
The Ruska Roma, also known as Russian Gypsies or Khaladitka Roma, are the largest subgroup of Romani people in Russia and Belarus, with smaller remnants of the group living in Ukraine, Latvia, Poland, the United States, France, and Canada. They formed in the Northwestern part of the Russian Empire from the Polska Roma who immigrated to the country in the 18th century.
Belarus and Ukraine both are full members of the Baku Initiative and Central European Initiative. In 2020, during the Belarusian protests against president Lukashenko, the relationship between Ukraine and Belarus began to deteriorate, after the Ukrainian government criticized Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko. In the waning days of 2021, the relationship between both countries rapidly deteriorated, culminating in a full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022. Belarus has allowed the stationing of Russian troops and equipment in its territory and its use as a springboard for offensives into northern Ukraine but has denied the presence of Belarusian troops in Ukraine. Even though part of the Russian invasion was launched from Belarus, Ukraine did not break off diplomatic relations with Belarus, but remain frozen. In July 2024, Lukashenko described Ukraine as an enemy.
Polska Roma are the largest and one of the oldest ethnolinguistic groups of Romani people living in Poland. Many Polska Roma also reside in Germany, North America, Switzerland, Great Britain and Sweden.some can also be found in Lithuania, Belarus, and Russia. The term "Polska Roma" is both an ethnonym of the group and a term used in the scholary literature. As such, it differs from the terms "Roma in Poland,"which more broadly refers to the entire Roma population in Poland. Therefore, the term '' Polska Roma'' or ''Polish Roma'' (Gypsie) is used exclusively for this particular group, while the term ''Roma in Poland'' is applied to all Roma groups living in Poland, the broader Roma population in Poland.
The Holy Spirit Cathedral or the Holy Ghost Cathedral is a cathedral in Minsk, Belarus. Consecrated in honour of the Holy Spirit, it the mother church of the Belarusian Orthodox Church. It was built between 1633 and 1642 as a part Bernardine monastery during the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in a place of former male Orthodox monasteries. The site became Orthodox again in 1860. The cathedral is listed as a Belarusian Cultural heritage object and is considered one of the main landmarks in Minsk Upper city.
Natallia Alyakseyewna Arsiennieva was a Belarusian playwright, poet and translator who authored the lyrics to the hymn "Mahutny Boža". She was married to Francišak Kušal.
Belarusian Germans formed a notable ethnic minority on the lands of modern Belarus before World War I.
The Russification of Belarus denotes a historical process where the integration of Russian language and culture increasingly influenced Belarusian society, especially during the 20th century.
Events in the year 2020 in Belarus.
The 2020–2021 Belarusian protests were a series of mass political demonstrations and protests against the Belarusian government and President Alexander Lukashenko. The largest anti-government protests in the history of Belarus, the demonstrations began in the lead-up to and during the 2020 presidential election, in which Lukashenko sought his sixth term in office. In response to the demonstrations, a number of relatively small pro-government rallies were held.
The Church of the Holy Trinity is a Roman Catholic church in Hyervyaty, Grodno Region, Belarus. It is an example of the Belarusian Neogothic architecture and was built in 1899–1903. The church is a site of cultural heritage of Belarus.
Tamara Alpeyeva, née Tamara Lameka ; born on March 23, 1949) is a Belarusian philosopher, culturologist and rector. She is an academician of the International Personnel Academy.
Adam Maldzis was a Belarusian historian, literary critic, author and journalist. He was described as "a patriarch of Belarusian humanities", "an excellent connoisseur of literature" and "a living bridge between Belarus and the scholars of Belarusian studies around the world". He was “the author of unique studies of the Old Belarusian literature”.
Barawlyany is a village in Minsk District, Minsk Region, Belarus. It is administratively part of Barawlyany selsoviet. It is located about six kilometres (3.7 mi) from the Minsk Ring Road, north of the capital Minsk. In 2010, it had a population of 8,219.
Vopytny is a settlement in Minsk District, Minsk Region, Belarus. It is administratively part of Barawlyany selsoviet. It is located about seven kilometres (4.3 mi) from the Minsk Ring Road, north of the capital Minsk. In 2010, it had a population of 368.
Lyeskawka is a village in Minsk District, Minsk Region, Belarus. It is administratively part of Barawlyany selsoviet. It is located about eight kilometres (5.0 mi) from the Minsk Ring Road, north of the capital Minsk. In 2010, it had a population of 1,643.
