Belarus

The Republic of Belarus is a landlocked nation of Eastern Europe with the
capital Minsk. "Belarus" is also spelled "Belorussia", "Byelorussia", and in
other ways, in English language but the present government prefers
"Belarus". Historically, in English, Belarus was sometimes referred to as
"White Russia", a literal translation of its name. Some Belarusians find the
name "Byelorussia" derogatory, as a vestige of Russian and Soviet
imperialism and policies of russification. In English, Belarus and
Belarusian are the common terms: they refer to the historical connection
with the people known as Rus' that predated Russians, Ukrainians or
Belarusians.

Geography

Belarus is in Eastern Europe. It borders Poland and Lithuania on the west,
Russia on the east, Ukraine on the south and Latvia on the north. Belarus
has an area of 207,600 sq km, making it slightly smaller than the state of
Kansas. Although landlocked, it has 11,000 lakes. Three major rivers run
through it: the Nyoman river, the Prypyats' river, and the Dineper river.
Belarus is relatively flat and marsh-rich, with its highest point at
Dzyarzhynskaya Hara, 346 m, and its lowest point on the Nyoman river, 90 m.
Belarus has several natural resources including forests, peat deposits,
small quantities of oil and natural gas, granite, dolomitic limestone, marl,
chalk, sand, gravel, and clay.

Culture

                                  Holidays
       Date             English Name     Local Name         Remarks
 January 1         New Year              Novy Hod
 January 7         Orthodox Christmas
 January 14        Orthodox New Year

 March 8           International
                   Women's Day
 March 15          Constitution Day                 Adopted in 1994

 May 1             International Labor
                   Day
                                                    Denotes the victory
 May 9             Victory Day                      against Germany in World
                                                    War II
 July 3            Independence Day
 December 25       Catholic Christmas
 Movable           Catholic Easter
 Movable           Orthodox Easter
 9 days after
 Orthodox Easter   Commemoration Day     Radunitsa

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