The Republic of Belarus is a country located in Central Europe. People from the country are known for being good humored, 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 Rumania. It is generally flat with a significant amount of marshland.
5. The Belarusian economy is mainly dependent on the agriculture and manufacturing industries.
6. The unemployment rate in Belarus is 5.9%.
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 bison, Europe’s heaviest land animal. The forest is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an EU Natura 2000 Special Area of Conservation.
15. The forest covers a total area of 141,885 ha.
16. According to worldometers.info, Belarus is the 92nd most-populous country in the world as of the time of this writing (2016).
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 m2.
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 damages 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.