The Republic of Belarus is a small,beautiful country with the heroic
past and difficult present. It is situated in Eastern Europe. The
Republic borders on Russia, then Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia.
It has an area of 207,600 square kilometres and a population of more
than 10 million. Belarussians constitute 77 percent of the population,
64 percent live in cities, the largest of which are Minsk (the capital),
gomel, Brest, Vitebsk, Grodno and Mogilev.
Belarus is a broad plain. One third of the republic's territory is
covered with forests. The largest of them are called pushchas. The most
beautiful are the Belovezhskaya, the Nalibokskaya which have rich flora
and fauna. There are 3,000 rivers in the republic. They flow into the
Baltic Sea or into the Black Sea. The longest rivers are the Dnieper, the
Nieman, the Western Dvina, the Pripyat and the Bug. There are 4,000 lakes
in Belarus. The largest of the lakes is the Naroch, the pride of republic.
The climate in the repunblic is moderately continental, the breathing of
then Baltic sea is constantly felt here.
At the beginning of the 20th century Belarus was a backward province of
the Russian Empire - called the North-Western region. About 80 percent of
its population were illiterate. The Belorusians were not even regarded as
a nation at that time. In 1919 Belarus was prclaimed the Belarussian
Soviet Socialist Republic and in 1922 became a member of the USSR.
During World War II Belarus suffered greatly. It lost more then half of
its national wealth. The fascists killed every fourth person living there.
But despite all this, Belarus has restored its cities, rebuilt its economy.
Today Belarussian industry produces tractors, big lorries, automatic lines,
computers, refrigerators, television sets, bicycles, watches, fertilizers
and textilies.
Agriculture specializes in milk and meat production. The main crops
cultivated here are grain, potatoes, flax, herbs and vegetables.
Belarus is a republic of well developed science and culture. There are 37
state higher educational establishments, the Academy of Sciences, about
400 professional schools there. Secondary education is compulsory and free
of charge.
Nowadays the Republic of Belarus has become a soveregn independent state.
The Declaration of State Sovereignty was adopted by its Supreme Soviet of
July 27, 1990.
Belarus is a member of the United Nations and number of other
international organizations.