Belarus

Belarus (formerly known as Belorussia) was once part of the USSR and borders Lithuania, Russia, Latvia, Ukraine, and Poland. Almost 10 million people live in Belarus, whose capital is Minsk. About 30 percent of the country is covered by forest, and its landscape is crisscrossed by numerous rivers and ranges of hills.

Belarus came to public attention particularly in 1986, when the Chernobyl disaster occurred. Southern Belarus was most severely affected by the catastrophic consequences of the accident, and even today, 25 percent of the country remains contaminated.

Belarus is a multicultural country with immigrants from many other nations and, consequently, a variety of religious denominations. Most Belarusians belong to the Russian Orthodox Church, but a large proportion are Catholic.

In the past, conflicts have repeatedly arisen with its large neighbor Russia, mostly over gas prices, oil transit, or energy policy in general. The current Lukashenko government’s disputes with the West are much more serious. In Western Europe, Belarus is regarded as the last remaining dictatorship.

Tourism has so far played a relatively minor role in Belarus, although the country has a rich cultural heritage. People in Belarus mainly make their living from agriculture—particularly livestock farming and potato cultivation—as well as the textile industry, woodworking, and mechanical engineering. If you are interested in news from Belarus, you have come to the right page.