Belarus

I

Introduction

Belarus, independent republic in eastern Europe, bordered on the north-west by Lithuania and Latvia, on the east by Russia, on the south by Ukraine, and on the west by Poland. Formerly the Belorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR) of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), it is also known as Belorussia (also spelled Byelorussia) and White Russia. The republic covers an area of about 207,595 sq km (80,153 sq mi). Minsk is the capital and largest city.

II

Land and Resources

Belarus consists largely of flat lowlands interspersed by low hills and uplands. The Belorussian Ridge, formed during the Pleistocene Epoch, extends north-east from the Polish frontier, north of Brest, to the north of Minsk, where it broadens into the Minsk Upland. On either side of the ridge lie the lowlands; to the south is the Central Berezina Plain, which is drained by the River Pripyat and its tributaries, and to the north the Polatsk Lowland, with the Neman Lowland east of Hrodna. The Belavezhskaya Forest Nature Reserve, north of Brest, in south-west Belarus, is the largest primeval forest in Europe, extending across the Polish border with a substantial proportion of its area lying in Belarus. The Belavezhskaya Forest was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1992, and was given the status of a biosphere reserve in 1993 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The environment has been affected by soil pollution from pesticide use and in the southern part of the country by the Chernobyl nuclear reactor accident in neighbouring Ukraine in 1986.

A

Rivers and Lakes

The republic has more than 10,000 lakes and many streams and rivers. Notable rivers are the Daugava in the north, the Neman in the west, and the Dnepr and its tributaries—the Pripyat, Beregina, and Sozh rivers—in the east, central, and southern portions of the country. The climate is generally temperate and humid, with colder, continental conditions dominant in the east. Braslau Lakes National Park contains 31 lakes with a total surface area of some 113 sq km (43 sq mi) in the vicinity of the small north-western town of Braslau. The park, which occupies an area of approximately 71,500 hectares (176,500 acres) was established in 1995.

B

Climate

The climate is continental with moderating marine influences affecting the north-east. Average January temperatures range from -8° C (18° F) in the north-east to -4° C (25° F) in the south-west, with maximum July temperatures in the range 17-19° C (63-66° F). Annual rainfall averages 533 mm (21 in) on the plains area and 711 mm (28 in) on higher ground.