BELARUS

The Republic of Belarus (Belarus) is located in the Eastern part of Europe. The territory of Belarus is 207 000 square km. It borders onPoland, Lithuania, Latvia, Russia and Ukraine. Belarus is divided into six regions (oblasts). The capital of Belarus is the city of Minsk, which is the biggest political, economic, scientific and cultural center of the country.

The population of Belarus constitutes about 10 million people. Representativesof more than 100 nationalities live in Belarus. More than 3/4 of the population is represented by the indigenousBelarusian nation. Significantnumbers of Russians, Poles, Ukrainians and other nationalities live in the Republic along with Belarusians. The official languages are Russian and Belarusian.

The climate of Belarus is moderately continental which is favourable for growing grain crops, vegetables and particularly for cultivating potatoes.

The terrainof Belarus is predominantly low hilly and flat. The average height above the sea level is 160 meters. Agricultural lands occupy 45% of the territory, forests account for 36% of the territory. There are more than 20 000 rivers and creeks and about 11 000 lakes in Belarus. The biggest lake is Naroch (about 80 square km).

About 30 kinds of mineral resourceshave been discovered in Belarus (more than 4 000 deposits and fields of natural resources). The most significant are potassium salts, the depositsof which in the country occupy one of the leading places in Europe. The country is rich in granites, dolomites, chalk, refractory clay, sand and gravel. There are vast reserves of peat.

Belarus is a land of a great historical past and a rich cultural heritage. It is a land of castles and churches, palaces and parks, ancient treasures. Belarus is a motherland of many remarkable people, such as a pioneerin book printing Frantisk Skorina, famous painter Mark Shagal, prominent authors Yanka Kupala and Yakub Kolas. The richness and blend of the culture reflects the complexity of ethnic interactions that have been taking place in this region for hundreds of years.