About Belarus

Belarus - officially the Republic of Belarus.

Where exactly is Belarus?

Belarus is situated in the centre of Europe, and has international borders with five countries:

  • Russia
  • Ukraine
  • Poland
  • Lithuania
  • Latvia

Although a landlocked state, the location has made Belarus an important trade and transport route between Europe and the CIS.

The total land area of Belarus is more than 207,000 square kilometers.

Minsk is the capital and largest city of Belarus, situated on the Svislach and the Nyamiha Rivers. More about Minsk here(wikipedia) or here(Minsk City Executive Committee)

State Symbols of the Republic of Belarus


Государственный флаг Республики Беларусь

Государственный флаг Республики Беларусь

 

Languages

Belarus' two official languages are Russian and Belarusian; Russian is the main language, used by 72% of the population, while Belarusian, the official first language, is spoken by 11.9%. Minorities also speak Polish, Ukrainian and Eastern Yiddish. 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%.

More about Languages of Belarus

 

Population of  Belarus

The population of Republic of Belarus is 9 491.8 million people (details)

 

Money in Belarus

The Belarusian ruble, the local currency of Belarus, is not a fully convertible currency, so you won’t be able to get any before you arrive in the country.
The official currency of the Republic of Belarus is available in:

  • banknotes: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500  rubles;
  • coins: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 kopecks, and 1 and 2 rubles.

More information about money in Belarus

Official Exchange Rate of the Belarusian Ruble Against Foreign Currencies Set by the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus

 

Climate and weather in Belarus

Belarus has a moderate continental climate, with cool humid winters and warm summers

Average temperatures in Belarus
Average temperatures vary across Belarus. In January, temperatures average from -4.5°C to -8°C. In July the average temperature is +17°C to +18.5°C.
Some parts of Belarus experience sub-zero temperatures for more than a third of the year.

Rain and snow in Belarus
Belarus has an average annual rainfall of 600-700 mm. 70% of the rain falls from April to October.
Belarus also enjoys 75-125 days of snow each year, with falls ranging from 15 to 30cm.