Belarus was originally a part of Kievan Rus. It later became a part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and remained so until the 18th century Polish Partitions took place. The region stayed under Russian rule for over a century, after which it became a constituent republic of the USSR for seventy years. Belarus finally obtained independence in 1991.

Under the pressure of dictatorial rule, Belarus maintained close economic and political ties with Russia. On 8 December 1999, the two countries agreed to form a two-state union with a goal to attain greater economic and political unity. Concrete steps are yet to be taken towards implementation of this agreement although Belarus had consented to follow a guided framework to ensure its success. There was rapid progress in 2007 but the future of the merger is still unknown.

Citizens of certain nations can enter Belarus without visas. They are citizens of Russia, Poland, Armenia, Georgia, Serbia and Montenegro, Ukraine, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Kyrgystan, Mongolia, Vietnam, Moldova, Macedonia, and North Korea. All other nationals require a valid visa, which can be obtained at any Belarusian consulate or embassy.

The best way to obtain a visa, however, is to approach a travel agency that handles Belarusian visas. In fact, certain consulates have made this step mandatory. For a single entry visa, travel agents charge US $40 to $80. An official invitation or a hotel voucher is a required document and this can be arranged by the agent. Theoretically, a visa can also be obtained after arriving at the Minsk 2 Airport, provided the visitor has the necessary invitation or hotel voucher, but this is a rather risky and expensive method.

Obtaining the visa before you travel is the best option. Visas must be registered within three working days after arrival. Hotels usually offer this service but visitors can also register at the local OVIR (Office of Visas and Registration). Failure to register can create problems at the time of departure.

Russian and Belarusian are the two official languages of Belarus, with Russian being more common. It is very handy to know some Russian. Both official languages are closely related, as is Ukrainian. Most Belarusian speakers understand some Ukrainian and Russian. The people of west Belarus, largely around Grodno, speak Polish.

There are policemen in almost every corner of the cities: in shops, streets, walking around, or stopping cars to take corrective action. However, a policeman is unlikely to approach a visitor without reason. Pick pocketing is the most common street crime, although that does not imply the absence of other crimes. Exact statistics are not known but it can be safely assumed that Minsk has a crime rate that is comparable to any other city of its size.

The southeast part of the country is best avoided or visited for a short time only since the region is still affected by radiation from the Chernobyl disaster of 1986. Brief visits for a couple of days are harmless, although it is best to avoid fruits, vegetables, and dairy products from the region.

Drinking water is a matter of concern everywhere. Sensitive visitors may fall ill after drinking tap water. Drinking bottled water is the safest option.

Telephone
Domestic calls can be made from the grey booths and international calls from the blue booths. Cards can be used to make calls from public telephones. To make an international call, first dial 8, wait for the tone, then dial 10 followed by the rest of the number. Calls to certain countries may have to be booked through the international operator.

The international dialling code for Belarus is +375.

Emergency calls
These calls can be made free of cost.
Fire: 01, Police (Militia): 02, Ambulance: 03.

Mobile Telephone
Mobile handsets are available on rent at Minsk and at the airport Belcel office. However, the mobile telephone network is limited to the main towns only.

Internet
The Internet can be accessed through the many Internet cafes located in Minsk and many other cities. Prices are reasonable but the connection is rather slow. Several post offices also offer Internet services.
 
Post
At least 10 days are required for airmail to reach Western Europe. For quicker deliveries, there is an express mail service. This is available at the Central Post Office near the Minsk railway station and at the Planeta and Yubileynaya hotels in Minsk. Another option is to use Federal Express or DHL Worldwide Express, both of which have offices in Minsk.

Central Post Office, Minsk –  Office Hours: 0800 to 2000

Media
Newspapers controlled by the government enjoy several financial privileges and state subsidies. However, print media managed by the opposition is known to have faced many hurdles. Some have had to change their names, start publishing abroad, pay higher charges, and even shut shop. Fortunately, a few leading privately run newspapers have survived because of popular demand.

Media and human rights organisations have severely criticised the Belarusian authorities for refusing the opposition access to government controlled media, for restraining the independent press, and for denying freedom of speech. The appointment of the senior editors of government media, and the content of such media, are controlled by the administration.

Domestic TV channels and radio are both run by the Belarusian National State Teleradio Company. It runs an external radio service too. Certain radio stations also target Belarusian listeners living abroad.

Belarus has Russia on the east and north, Latvia on the north, Lithuania on the northwest, Poland on the west, and Ukraine on the south.

The country has an average elevation of around 160 metres (525 ft) above sea level. It is completely landlocked with a largely flat terrain. Forests cover 34% of Belarus and it has a lot of marshy land, many streams, around 11,000 lakes, and three major rivers. The rivers Pripyat and Neman flow eastward to meet the Dnepr, which flows south to meet the Black Sea. At 345 metres (1130 ft), Dzyarzhynsk Hill is the highest point on Belarus, while the lowest point is at 90 metres (300 ft), a point on the Neman River.

Summers in Belarus are cool and moist with an average temperature of 18°C while winters are harsh, –6°C being the average temperature in January.

Belarus has a population of 9,724,700. 81.2% of this population are ethnic Belarusians. Russians constitute 11.4% of the remaining population, 3.9% are Poles and 2.4% are Ukrainians. Belarus has an area of 127 square miles and a population density of 50 per square kilometre. Urban Belarus is home to 71.7% of the total population with the capital city Minsk being home to 1,741,400 people.

Historically, Belarusians have followed the Russian Orthodox Church. This began when Russia took over Belarus following the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth Partitions. 10% of the population is Roman Catholic and this group is mostly centred around western Belarus, especially near Hrodna. Polish, Lithuanian and some Belarusian residents make up this community. The country’s minorities also practise other religions such as Judaism.

Once a major Jewish centre, 10% of the Belarusian population was Jewish at one time but this number was greatly reduced by the Holocaust, starvation, and war. Today Jews form just about 1% of the population. Emigration from Belarus is the major reason for the dwindling Jewish community.

Click on this Weather link to view the current conditions in Belarus, then select the city/region you wish to view.

To view a list of Belarus embassies around the world, as well as foreign embassies within Belarus, click on this link to EmbassyWorld.com.

Click here to view a list of current public holidays for Belarus.

220V 50Hz - 2 prong plug.

Country Full Name: Republic of Belarus
Population: 10,400,000
Time Zones: GMT/UTC + 2
Country Dialing Code: +375
Weights & Measures: Metric