Brief History

Evidence of human life in the area that is now Belarus, goes back to the Stone Age. Historically we know that the Eastern Slavs from the Krivichi, Dregovichi, and Radimichi tribes arrived there from the 6th to the 8th centuries. The Grand Duchy of Lithuania began to rise into power during the 13th century, but lost power after a number of wars in the 16th century. After Belarus became a part of Rzecz Pospolita, the state was drawn into wars in Europe and with Russia. The Rzecz Pospolita then divided and Belarus became a part of the Russian Empire. Many conflicts followed, including the Napoleonic invasion of Russia and the Polish Revolt. During World War 1 (1914-1918), Belurusian territory was the scene of bloody battles between German and Russian forces. Many other wars and conflicts followed WW1, and it wasn’t until 1990 that Belarus gained its independence.

National Flag

The flag of Belarus is red and green with a decorative red and white pattern on the left side. The green stripe symbolizes the future of Belarus, hope, and the forests and fields of Belarus. The red symbolizes freedom and the blood of the country’s defenders. The flag was adopted in the year 1995.

Geography

Belarus is a landlocked and generally flat country. Its neighbors are Russia to the east and northeast, Latvia to the north, Lithuania to the northwest, Poland to the west, and Ukraine to the south. Belarus is heavily forested, over one-third of the country is forest. An important part of Belarus’ geography is the many lakes and rivers.

World Land Mass Ranking: 86th
Highest Mountain: Dzyarzhynskaya, 1,132 ft above sea level
Longest River: Dnieper, 1,368 miles long

 

Main Languages

Belarusian, Russian & German

Belarus Population: 9.5 million (as of 2018)
Capital City: Minsk
Capital City Population: 1.9 million (as of 2017)

Climate

Belarus has a temperate-continental climate. The winters are long and cold, and summers are quite warm. There are also two short intermediate seasons (spring and autumn). Belarus has an annual rainfall of 600-700 mm, and 70% of the rain falls from April to October.

Key People

Jan Czerski , Victoria Azarenka , Marc Chagall

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  Cuisine

  The cuisine of Belarus is similar to that of other eastern, central, and northeastern European countries. Some foods, however, are unique to Belarus. The cuisine is a mixture of the simple recipes used by commoners, and the more sophisticated cuisine of nobility. Commonly Belarusian meals consist of potatoes, vegetables, meats, and dairy products. Fresh local produce is also common in Belarusian cuisine. Vegetables, grains, mushrooms, fruit, and spices are some examples of foods that are grown in Belarus. One of the most popular dishes is Draniki, which is a potato pancake. Other popular dishes are Kletski (boiled flour balls filled with meat), Sashni (fried potato cutlets stuffed with cottage cheese), and zhurek (a soup made from oats and dark bread).

  The picture is a picture of Draniki, a popular Belarusian dish.

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  Sports

  Sport is very important in Belarus, and Belarians have been participating in international competitions and the Olympics since the early 1950s. There are over 23,000 sports facilities open to the general public (swimming pools, gyms, stadiums, etc.) as well as many world-class sports facilities for professional athletes. The most popular sport in Belarus is Ice Hockey. Other popular sports include track and field, football, gymnastics, skiing, tennis, and swimming.

  The picture is a picture of members of the Belarus men’s national ice hockey team.

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  Culture

  The culture of Belarus has developed from several different factors. The physical environment, the early background of Belarusians, the surrounding countries, and the different religions have all been significant in its development. Music is an important part of Belarusian culture. Music festivals are very popular in Belarus, where a wide variety of music styles can be heard. Theater is also an important part of the culture, including puppet theater, professional theater, opera, and ballet. Other key parts of Belarusian culture are fine arts, literature, cinema, and religion. The main religion in Belarus is Christianity, with Eastern Orthodox being the largest denomination.

  The picture is a picture of the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Minsk, Belarus.

   

  Download questions about the Belarus here: Belarus (answers are on this page)

  For further reading and more info on the Belarus visit https://kids.kiddle.co/Belarus