Some interesting information on Belarus

This evening, I was paging through information on Belarus from CIA – The World Factbook (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bo.html), and I find this country really interesting. Here are some tidbits for your information:

Belarus Flag

From the Factbook: “A white vertical stripe on the hoist side bears Belarusian national ornamentation in red; the red band color recalls past struggles from oppression, the green band represents hope and the many forests of the country”

Belarus Map

The capital of Belarus is Minsk (identified by the star). The highest peak just west of Minsk is Dzyarzhynskaya Hara (how about that for a name!) topping off at 346 meters (1,130 feet).

 

 

 

 

Belarus Background

“After seven decades as a constituent republic of the USSR, Belarus attained its independence in 1991. It has retained closer political and economic ties to Russia than any of the other former Soviet republics. Belarus and Russia signed a treaty on a two-state union on 8 December 1999 envisioning greater political and economic integration. Although Belarus agreed to a framework to carry out the accord, serious implementation has yet to take place. Since his election in July 1994 as the country's first president, Aleksandr LUKASHENKO has steadily consolidated his power through authoritarian means. Government restrictions on freedom of speech and the press, peaceful assembly, and religion remain in place.” ~CIA – The World Factbook, 12/29/09

To read more about this country, go to https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bo.html and browse at your own leisure!