Belarus

Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Capital of Minsk, and other major cities include Brest, Hrodna (Grodno), Homiel (argued), Mahilyow (Mogilev) and Vitsebsk (Vitebsk). Over forty percent of its 207,600 square kilometers (80,200 sq mi) is forested, and its strongest economic sectors are in service industries and manufacturing.

Until the Belarus  20th century, the lands of modern Belarus belonged to several countries, including the size of Polotsk, the Grand duchy of Lithuania, the Polish - Lithuanian Commonwealth, and the Russian Empire. After the Russian Revolution, Belarus became a constituent of establishing a republic of the Soviet Union and was renamed the Soviet Socialist Republic Byelorussian (BSSR). The borders of Belarus took their modern in 1939 when some parts of the second Polish Republic were incorporated into after the Soviet invasion of Poland and the statement after World War II. Nation and its territory were devastated in World War II, when Belarus lost about a third of its people and more than half of its economic resources. The republic was redeveloped in the post - war. In -1945, the Belorussian SSR became a founding member of the United Nations, including the Soviet Union and the Ukrainian SSR.

The Parliament declared the sovereignty of Belarus on 27 July 1990, and at the time of the death of the Soviet Union, Belarus declared independence on 25 August 1991. Alexander Lukashenko has been president since 1994. Despite objections from Western governments, Lukashenko has continued Soviet era policies, such as the ownership of the state of the economy. According to some organizations and countries, elections have been unfair, and political enemies have been violently suppressed. In 2000, Belarus and Russia signed an agreement of cooperation to more, and the suggestions of the construction of the State Union. Despite its proximity to the rest of Europe and the West, Belarus ' Democracy Index to measure continuously ranks the lowest in Europe, and the world is labeled ' Not Free " by Freedom House and ' repressed " in the Index of Economic Freedom. For this reason, it is often the country as the " Last dictatorship in Europe.

Over 70 % of Belarus 's population of million 9.49 live in urban areas. More than 80 % of the population is ethnic Belarusian, and smaller sums of Russians, Poles and Ukrainians. Since -1995 referendum, the country has two official languages ​​: Belarusian and Russian. The Constitution of Belarus does not declare an official, although the primary religion in the country is Eastern Orthodox Christianity. Second Most Popular, Roman Catholicism, has a much smaller following, although both Orthodox and Catholic of Christmas and Easter are celebrated as national holidays.

Belarus Etymology

Belarus 's name corresponds with reality and the White Rus '. There are a number of requests to the origin of the name White Rus '. An theory ethno - religious suggests that the word used to describe the part of old Ruthenian lands within the Grand duchy of Lithuania made ​​by many, especially with the beginning of Christianity to the Slavs, see Black Ruthenia, which was mainly inhabited by barbarous LTS. Description of different comments on the white clothes worn by the local Slavic population. A third theory suggests that the Rus ' in the past that were not conquered by the Tatars (ie, Polatsk, Vitsiebsk and Mahilyow) claimed that " white. " Other sources say that, before 1267, the country was not conquered by the Mongols was ' White Rus '. "

The Rus ' is often conflated with its Latin Russia and Ruthenia, thereby Belarus is often referred to as White Russia or White Ruthenia. The name first appeared in German literature and medieval Latin, History of Jan of Czarnków commenting on the arrest of the great Lithuanian Duke Jogaila and his mother at " Albae Russiae, Poloczk Adicto " in 1381. In some languages ​​, including German and Dutch, the country is often called the " White Russia " until today (Weißrussland and Wit - Rusland, respectively).

The Latin term " Alba Russia " was used by Pope Pius VI again to see the Society of Jesus in 1783, said, " Approbo Societatem Jesus in Alba Russia degentem, approbo, approbo. " The first known use of White Russia to refer to Belarus was in the 16th century too late - by Sir Jerome Horsey of England, noted in his contacts with the Russian Court Royal. During the 17th century, the Russian Tsars used " White Rus " to describe the lands captured from the Grand duchy of Lithuania.
Precisely the Cross of St Euphrasyne from 1992

I Belorussia first term rose the days of the Russian Empire, and the Russian tsar often styled " tsar of all the Russias ", as Russia or the Russian Empire was formed by all the Russias - the Great, Little, and White. This asserted that all Russian territories and all the Russian people are, in the case of the Belarusians, Russians. After the revolt across in 1917, the term White Russia caused some confusion as is also the name of the red army in the war against the Bolsheviks. At the Belorussian SSR, the Byelorussian it was adopted as part of the national consciousness. Western Belarus under the control of the Polish, Byelorussian became commonly used in the districts of Bialystok and Grodno during the interwar.

Belarus Early History

From 5,000 to 2,000 BCE, Bandkeramik culture predominated. In addition, live from the tradition of the Dnieper - Donets found in Belarus and parts of Ukraine. Cimmerians and other pastoralists are found in the area by 1000 BCE, and -500 BCE, Slavs had taken up residence, which was circumscribed by the Scythians, who is found on its shores. Invaders from Asia, among whom were the Huns and Avars, and all c. 400-600 CE, but were unable to dislodge the Slavic.

The region that is now Belarus was first settled in the Baltic tribes in the 3. Around the 5th century, the area was taken over by Slavic tribes. This is the regime because of the lack of cooperation from the military LTS but the performance of the LTS into Slavic culture was peaceful in nature.

Belarus Governance

Belarus is a republic 's president, to the president and the National Council. Each term for the presidency in five years. Under the 1994 constitution, the president could only serve two terms for president, but a change in the constitution in 2004 eliminated term limits. Alexander Lukashenko has been the president of Belarus since 1994. In -1996, Lukashenko called for a controversial vote to extend the presidential term from five to seven years, and because of the elections that should have happened in 1999 was pushed back to 2001. The referendum was added denounced as a ' fun ' deception by the chief electoral officer, Viktar Hanchar, who was replaced during the campaign. National is a bicameral parliament consisting of a member - 110 House of Representatives (lower house) and a member of the 64 Council of the Republic (the upper house).

House of Representatives has the power to appoint the prime minister, make constitutional amendments, call for a vote of confidence on the prime minister, and make suggestions on foreign and domestic policy. The Council of the Republic has the power to select government officials, to conduct the trial impeachment of the president, and accept or reject the bills passed by the House of Representatives. Each Chamber 's ability to Veto any law passed by local officials if it is contrary to the constitution.

The government includes the Council of Ministers, headed by the prime minister and five ministers of the main supports. The members of this council need not be members of the legislature and appointed by the President. The judiciary consists of the Supreme Court of the specialized courts such as the Constitutional Court, which deals with issues specific to the constitution and the business. The judges of national courts are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Council of the Republic. For criminal cases, the highest court of appeal is the Supreme Court. The Belarusian Constitution forbids the use of special extrajudicial courts.

Belarus Economy

Most of the Belarusian economy remains state- controlled and has been described as " Soviet style. " Therefore, 51.2 % of Belarusians are employed by state companies - that is, 47.4 % are employed by private companies (of which 5.7 % are foreign held), and 1.4 % are employed by foreign companies. The country relies on Russia for various imports, including crude oil. Important agricultural products include potatoes and cattle byproducts, including meat. In -1994, the main foreign Belarus included heavy machinery (especially tractors), agricultural products, and energy products.

Historically, Textiles and wood processing have been doing most of the work in factories. At the time of the death of the Soviet Union in -1991, Belarus was one of the most industrially developed states of the world by GDP of the richest and CIS member state. Economic, Belarus involved itself in the CIS, Eurasian Economic Community, and one in Russia. However, in 1990, industrial production plunged because of decreases in access, investment, and the need for Belarusian products sold to its partners. GDP only started to appear in -1996 ; country - of the former Soviet Union in its economic policies. In -2006, the GDP amounted to U.S. $ 83.1 billion in purchasing power parity (PPP) dollars (estimate), or about $ 8,100 per capita. In -2005, GDP increased by 9.9 % ; inflation averaged 9.5 %.

Since 2006, the largest trading partner Belarus is Russia, accounting for about half of total trade, while the European Union is the next -largest trading partner Belarus, about a third of the countries. However, because of the failure to protect the rights of workers, Belarus lost its EU Generalized System of Preferences status on 21 June 2007, making money rates to their levels before most people favor. Belarus applied to become a member of the World Trade Organization in -1993.

The labor force with more than four million, among whom women hold jobs less than men. In -2005, about a quarter of the population was employed by industrial factories. Employment is also high in agriculture, manufacturing sales, trading goods, and education. According to government statistics, was 1.5 % in -2005. There were 679,000 unemployed Belarusians, two thirds of them women. The figures have been in decline since 2003, and the overall quality of the work is the highest since the figures for the first compiled in -1995.

The currency of Belarus is the Belarusian rubles (BYR). The money is a study in May 1992, replacing the Soviet ruble. The first letters of Republic of Belarus issued on 27 December 1996. The ruble was reintroduced to new values ​​in -2000 and has been in use since then. As part of the Union of Russia and Belarus, both states have discussed using a single currency along the same lines the Euro. This led to the proposal that the Belarusian rubles to be abandoned in favor of the Russian ruble (stay away), beginning after 1 January 2008. As of August 2007, the National Bank of Belarus no longer pegged the Belarusian rubles to the Russian ruble.

Banking system of Belarus consists of three state - owned banks and one privatized bank. On 23 May 2011, the Belarusian rubles depreciated 56 % against the U.S. dollar. The depreciation was even steeper financial market and the fall has drawn as they rushed to exchange their rubles dollars, euros, durable goods, and canned goods. On 1 June 2011, Belarus requested an economic rescue package from the International Monetary Fund.

Belarus Religion

According to government sources, as of November 2011, 58.9 % of all Belarusians to adhere to a religion, and out of those, Eastern Orthodox Christianity makes up about 82 %. Roman Catholicism is practiced mainly in the west, and there are various Protestant denominations (one of which date from the time of the Protestant Sweden). And other small practice Judaism and other religions, including the Baha'i Faith. Many Belarusians converted to the Russian Orthodox Church after Belarus was annexed by Russia after the partitions of the Polish - Lithuanian Commonwealth. As a result, the church and the Orthodox are now members of other religions.

Roman Catholic 's small and Belarus, which makes up about 9 % of the world 's population and is concentrated in the western part of the country, especially around Hrodna, is made ​​up of a mixture of Belarusians and the country 's small Polish and Lithuanian. In a statement to the media regarding Belarusian relations - Vatican, President Lukashenko said that Orthodox and Catholic believers are the two main sins in our country '. The total population of the Roman Catholic has dropped to 12 % of religious believers, according to a 2011 report by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Belarus wake of European Jewry, and 10 % to the Jewish people. But from the middle of the 20th century, the number of Jews has been reduced by the Holocaust, deportation, and immigration, so today is a very small percent less. The Bole Tatars, more than 15,000, there is a predominately Muslim. According to Article 16 of the Constitution, Belarus has no official religion. While freedom of worship is granted in the same article, religious organizations deemed harmful to the government or social order can be prohibited.