About Belarus

     Belarus is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe that is bordered by Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia. It has a population of 9.2 million people and is approximately the size of Kansas. 

     Belarus has a tumultuous history, with the land making up modern day Belarus being controlled by various entities until it became a founding member of the USSR. Large parts of Belarus were destroyed in WWII. In 1991 Belarus declared its independence following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Alexander Lukashenko was elected President in 1994, a position he still holds. 

     Belarus has two official languages, Russian and Belarusian, with Russian being the most common language spoken. Eastern Orthodoxy is the most common religion of the people of Belarus, with a smaller portion of the population adhering to other religions. The currency of Belarus is the Belarussian Ruble. 

     Belarus has a similar latitude to Labrador, Canada and has a temperate – continental climate with hot summers and long cold winters. Winters are charicterized by abundent snowfall and shorter days.