There are many cool, interesting facts about Belarus. It’s been labeled the “last dictatorship” in Europe. Belarus is considered by seasoned travelers as a real-life slice of the old USSR, with the death sentence still in place, under the steadfast control of Alexander Lukashenko, president since 1994 and possessor of the stereotypical bad-guy moustache. This article will feature many more fun, interesting facts about Belarus!
Belarus is still home to Europe’s biggest land animal, as previously stated. In 2011, Sara Evans was able to find them down. She continues, “Bison formerly wandered all throughout Europe.” “However, by the 15th century, they were all but vanished.” Only a few hundred people were saved, and they were fed and safeguarded in royal hunting areas.” Around 800 people still roam the Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park, which is located inside the Biaowiea Forest in south-western Belarus.
Belarus is an Eastern European nation. Belarus, historically known as Belorussia or White Russia, was the smallest of the three Slavic republics included in the Soviet Union until 1991, when it gained independence (the larger two being Russia and Ukraine).
Belarusians have an unique ethnic identity and language, although they have never had political unity or sovereignty, with the exception of a brief period in 1918. Belarusian history is thus more of a study of regional factors, their interplay, and their consequences on the Belarusian people than a monolithic national narrative. The land that is now Belarus has been partitioned and passed through several hands; as a result, much of Belarus’ history is intertwined with that of its neighbors. Keep reading for more fun interesting facts about Belarus.
Belarus has maintained tight connections with Russia, its most powerful neighbor, since independence. The Union State Foundation Treaty, signed in 1999, planned to create a politically linked confederation with a shared currency; nevertheless, the nature of the partnership remained uncertain long into the twenty-first century.
The legacy of Belarus’s Soviet history persisted, manifesting itself in the country’s repressive administration and the ongoing popularity of communist political parties. Approximately one-fifth of Belarus’s population lives in Minsk, the country’s centrally positioned capital and a huge contemporary metropolis that was almost totally rebuilt after being nearly destroyed during World War II.
Interesting facts about Belarus
Lets enjoy these amazing fun cool interesting facts about Belarus!
1. People in Belarus do not speak Belarusian. Almost. Belarusian and Russian are the country’s official languages; the first is only studied as a distinct topic in school, while all other lessons and official paperwork are performed in Russian.
2. People speak in “trasyanka” (a blend of Belarusian and Russian) and other language mixtures as they get closer to the borders of Poland, Lithuania, and Ukraine.
3. Belarusians love potatoes, and most national cuisines incorporate this essential element for the Belarusians. There are more than 300 potato (“bulba”) recipes in Belarus!
4. Belarus is the world’s most stressed-out country. According to the World Health Organization, the typical citizen consumes the equivalent of 17.5 litres of pure alcohol each year (WHO). That’s about five shots of vodka every day or 179 bottles of wine per year.
5. Belarusian doctors must be really busy. The WHO claims that, in addition to being the world’s booziest country, its citizens smoke more than every other country save two (Andorra and Luxembourg). What is the precise amount? Each adult consumes 2,911 cigarettes each year (by comparison, Britons chuff their way through 827 each).
6. All of this adds up to a life expectancy of 71.3 years, which is lower than the rest of Europe. Russia, Moldova, Armenia, and Ukraine are the only countries that do worse.
7. There are four World Heritage sites in the country, none of which you’ve heard of. The castles of Mir and Nesvizh, both built in the 16th century, are among them.
8. It has a tumultuous recent past. During WWII, up to 40% of the population of the Soviet Republic of Belarus (between two and three million people) was murdered, the highest percentage of any territory. Between 1941 to 1944, it was occupied by the Nazis, who destroyed 209 of its 290 cities and exterminated the Jewish people. The republic’s population did not recover to pre-war levels until 1971. It also took the brunt of the Chernobyl disaster’s radiation in 1986.
9. Its National Library resembles something from a Star Wars movie. And it has eight million objects in it. “The 236-foot skyscraper is difficult to miss during the day, but after nighttime, its silhouette may quietly blend into the night,” Sankha Guha noted. “To prevent this from happening, the designers put LED displays on every facet of the diamond.” After dark, it transforms into Europe’s most spectacular disco ball.”
10. There is a Lenin Street in every town. There’s also a Soviet-themed shopping center at 27 Lenin Street in Minsk, which opened in 2015, which is one of the surprising interesting facts about Belarus.
Belarus Facts
11. Instead of becoming an astronaut, every second youngster in Belarus aspires to be a coder. It is a highly prominent job here, and programmers’ incomes are greater than in any of the neighboring nations, despite the fact that the average pay is one of the lowest in Europe.
12. Belarus is Eastern Europe’s “Silicon Valley.” The High Tech Park, which houses roughly 170 enterprises and 27000 IT experts, was established about ten years ago.
13. EPAM, which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and has an annual turnover of more than $1 million, is one of the IT firms worth mentioning. The Wargaming firm, which produced the famous game World of Tanks, currently employs 6,000 people and has a global user base of 120 million.
14. At the most recent Olympic Games, it only won one gold medal. Uladzislau Hancharou is a trampoline superstar.
15. Belarusians have all lately become millionaires. The Belarusian ruble devalued as a result of high inflation, and 1 euro could buy up to 25,000 Belarusian rubles. Belarusians estimated pricing for numerous things in dollars due to the continual fluctuation in the currency rate. A denomination was carried out in July 2016, and four rubles were removed from the ruble. Counting got very convenient now. One euro is equal to two rubles.
16. Birch tree sap is still used to cure a variety of maladies, including gout and lung problems. Villagers in Belarus swear by it, which is one of the jaw dropping interesting facts about Belarus.
17. Application Viber, the third most popular messenger after Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp, was purchased for $900,000 by the Japanese e-commerce behemoth Rakuten. Belarus is also home to the Masquerade app, which places an animated mask on your face. It was purchased by Facebook in 2016 with 10 million downloads.
20 Facts about Belarus
18. Belarusians are proud of their athletes and sporting accomplishments. And it wasn’t in vain. The achievements in this sector are outstanding for such a tiny country. Furthermore, their accomplishments span a wide range of sports: biathlon, freestyle, hockey, football, rowing, wrestling, light and heavy athletics, shooting, swimming, and rhythmic gymnastics, to name a few.
19. Daria Domracheva, a biathlete, earned three gold medals at the 2014 Olympic Games, earning her the title of “Hero of Belarus,” the most prestigious Belarusian accolade in the Winter Olympics.
20. Victoria Azarenko, a tennis player from Belarus, topped the WTP rankings for 70 weeks and won an Olympic gold medal with another prominent Belarusian tennis player, Maxim Mirny.
21. Belarus manufactures the world’s largest dump truck. BelAZ-75710 weighs 360 tons, has four-meter-high wheels, and would set you back almost $10 million if you want to purchase one!
22. BATE Borisov has astonished both domestic and international fans with its performances on multiple occasions. Borisov’s manufacturing club twice prevented Juventus from winning in the Champions League (0:0, 2:2), despite Juventus defeating Real Madrid twice in the same group. BATE also drew with Milan, won 3-2 at Roma, Lille, Athletic, and even 3-1 at Bavaria. In addition, the coach of BATE Borisov became the Champions League’s youngest coach in the final stage.
23. Its capital is the least livable city in Europe. In Mercer’s most current Quality of Living Rankings, Minsk was ranked 188th, depending on characteristics such as political stability, crime, currency exchange, recreational facilities, housing, and climate. That is the worst city in all of Europe.
24. Belarus has a population of around 9 500 000 people, ranking 93rd in the world. The population density isn’t particularly high. It’s worth noting that the above-mentioned nations, which might all fit on Belarus’s land, have a combined population of 46,300,000 people. Belarus is covered in forests, rivers, and lakes on a big scale. It’s no surprise that the country is known as the “Lungs of Europe.”
25. What does Belarus have a reputation for? Potatoes, tractors, and the fact that it is one of Europe’s poorest countries in terms of total wealth. Belarus is recognized for being the last dictatorship in Europe (Alexander Lukashenko). Belarus has the lowest unemployment rate in Europe, and no, it is not a Russian territory.
26. Belarus has typically been ahead of the rest of Europe in terms of the number of riches discovered each year. There were so many great and petty conflicts on the country’s territory that it’s impossible to keep track of them all. As a result, there is reason to suppose that Belarusian soil contains many more hidden jewels just waiting to be uncovered. Belarusian SSR Emblem In four languages, the former national symbol
27. Belarus is a country in Eastern Europe. Ukraine, Poland, Russia, Lithuania, and Latvia are its neighbors. Despite the fact that the distance between Minsk and Vilnius is only 188 kilometers, Belarusians require a visa to enter Lithuania.
28. It has five Nobel Laureates among its ranks. Svetlana Alexievich (Literature, 2015), Zhores Alferov (Physics, 2000), Shimon Peres (Peace, 1994), Menachem Begin (Peace, 1978), and Simon Kuznets (Economics, 1971) are among the nominees.
29. Belarusians eat a variety of traditional meals today. Pork stew (machanka) and vereshchaka, handmade sausages, draniki (thick potato pancakes), kolduny, kletski (dumplings), babka (baked grated potato pie), cold sorrel soup, mushroom soup, and other traditional dishes are among the most popular.
30. Belarus, like its Baltic neighbors Latvia and Lithuania, is not designed for mountain climbing. Dzyarzhynskaya Hara (try pronouncing that after a few ales) is the highest peak, rising 345 meters (1,130 feet) above sea level.
31. Skype was developed by Estonians. Viber, its main competitor, was launched in 2010 by a group of Belarussians and Israelis and still has a research center in Minsk.
32. Belarus is an Eastern European nation. Belarus, historically known as Belorussia or White Russia, was the smallest of the three Slavic republics included in the Soviet Union until 1991, when it gained independence (the larger two being Russia and Ukraine).
33. Las Vegas in Eastern Europe. Belarus has a large number of casinos. When gambling was outlawed in Russia, several casinos sprung up in Belarus, which is one of the reasons why so many Russians visit.
34. Belarus has a land area of 207 thousand square kilometers. It is the world’s 84th largest country. Contrary to popular belief, this is not the smallest country in Europe, but rather a typical one. Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Hungary could all fit on Belarusian soil.
35. Spartacus was given to us. Kirk Douglas, who is approaching his 102nd birthday, was born in the Belarusian village of Chavusy to Jewish immigrants. Both Scarlett Johansson and Harrison Ford have ancestors from the former Soviet country.
36. The Republic of Belarus’ National Library, was established in Minsk in 2006, is one of the world’s largest. The books take up 55 thousand square meters of the 112 thousand square meter building, and the entire structure weights 115 thousand tons.
37. Did you know that during World War II, Minsk was entirely destroyed? Due to a wide area of ruins, the first intention was to reconstruct it at a new location, roughly 30 kilometers from the original location. Nonetheless, it was reconstructed in the same location as Warsaw and is now a very attractive city with many distinctive attractions for its tourists.
Belarus history facts
38. Belarus’ territory has been under the control of one or more states throughout its history, resulting in several changes in the country’s major state language. Belarus has an intriguing fact: during 17 years in the twentieth century, the Belarusian Soviet Socialistic Republic had four official languages: Russian, Belarusian, Polish, and Yiddish!
39. Wargaming, a Belarusian-Cypriot business, created the famous online game, and this is one of the amazing interesting facts about Belarus.
40. Belarus has more forest than practically any other European country, with the Botanical Garden in Minsk, at 100 hectares, being one of the world’s largest.
41. Belarus supports dozens of sports, but particularly those that are part of the Olympic Games program. Football, ice hockey, biathlon, and tennis are the most popular.
42. Football is more popular in Belarus than hockey, although hockey has a larger revenue. Every city, even the smallest, has an ice rink. The Minsk Arena, the biggest, is Europe’s fourth largest. In Belarus, there are a total of 26 ice arenas.
43. Belarusian traditions and celebrations Traditions in our nation are separated into two categories: calendar and family. Maslenitza, Kupal’e, and Koliadi are examples of calendar traditions. Weddings, christenings, and funerals are all examples of family customs.
44. Independence Avenue in Minsk is Belarus’s longest street. It has grown in length and wide throughout the years, as well as changing 14 names. This is one of the remaining significant neoclassical ensembles in global architecture, with one of Europe’s longest avenues and a potential UNESCO World Heritage Site.
45. Marc Chagall is a well-known artist who was born in Liozna, Belarus. Olga Korbut, Victoria Azarenka, Vasil Kiryienka, and Louis B. Mayer are among the other well-known Belarusians.
46. There was plenty of water, but none of it was salty. Belarus is one of the world’s 45 landlocked countries, which is one of the very interesting facts about Belarus.
47. In the winter, temperatures in Minsk can drop to -25°C or lower, while in the summer, they can reach 35°C.
48. Most people are familiar with Minsk, but they are unfamiliar with the country’s next four most populated cities. Gomel (twinned with Aberdeen), Mogilev (home to the convent of St. Nicholas, a candidate for Unesco World Heritage status), Vitebsk (home to the annual Slavianski Bazaar art event), and Grodno are among the cities. None of these are listed on Ryanair’s schedule.
49. Minsk is a pretty safe place to live. Minsk was ranked 351st out of 378 risky cities on Numbeo’s ranking, making it the safest city in the former Soviet Union. According to statistics, Belarus is one of the safest countries in the world.
50. Belarusians like wine and brandy, champagne (sparkling wine), and other strong alcoholic beverages (vodka, whiskey, rum, tequila) imported from other nations.
51. Belarus has 11,000 lakes and is crossed by three large rivers: the Neman, the Pripyat, and the Dnieper, which is one of the cool interesting facts about Belarus.
52. When tourists visit Belarus, the first thing they notice is that it is green, clean, and safe, with great highways in comparison to Russia and Ukraine.
53. Forests cover 40% of Belarus’s land, symbolizing the green band on the Belarusian flag.
Hopefully, you have enjoyed these fun interesting facts about Belarus!
More Interesting Facts and Articles
- 60 Interesting Facts about Kathmandu City Nepal
- 30 Interesting Facts About the Flag Of Scotland
- 15 Interesting Fun Facts – Everland Theme Park, South Korea
- 75 Awesome Washington DC USA Interesting Fun Facts
- 70 Archipelago Ibiza Spain Interesting Fun Facts Trivia
- 33 Gyeongbokgung Palace South Korea Interesting Fun Facts
- 29 Andaman and Nicobar Islands Interesting Fun Facts
- 40 Irish Saint Patrick’s Day Interesting Fun Facts
- 25 Interesting Fun Facts About Nami Island South Korea
- 89 Wonders of the World One Must See in Lifetime
- Cultural Wonders of the World – A Complete List
- 22 Pashupatinath Temple Nepal Interesting Fun Facts
- List of 54 Greatest Empires in Entire History Timeline
- 100 United Nations Facts – The UN Basic Facts for All
- 100 Plateau of Tibet Facts to Astonish You
- 200 Kazakhstan Fun Facts Everyone Should Know
- 125 Interesting Facts about Hungary You Must Enjoy
- 200 Interesting Facts about Poland for Travelers
- 200 Cool Facts about Germany to Surprise You
Tags
belarus facts
interesting facts about belarus
belarus history facts
20 facts about belarus