- Population:
- 9,057,000
- Religion:
- Christianity
Belarus's early history is tied to the Slavic tribes and later the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. It became part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth before being annexed by the Russian Empire in the late 18th century. After World War I, it briefly gained independence before being incorporated into the Soviet Union as the Byelorussian SSR. Belarus declared independence in 1991 after the Soviet collapse. Since then, it has maintained close ties with Russia while experiencing political tensions and economic challenges.
Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. It covers an area of approximately 207,600 square kilometers and has a population of about 9.4 million people. The capital and largest city is Minsk. The official languages are Belarusian and Russian. Belarus declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The country has a mixed economy, with significant state ownership in key sectors. Belarus is a member of the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Independent States, and the Eurasian Economic Union.