General information
The Republic of Belarus is situated in the central part of Europe.
The length of the country’s borders makes nearly 3 thous. km. The territory spreads 560 km from north to south, and 650 km from west to east.
The Republic is bordered by Lithuania to the north and west, Latvia to the north, Russia to the north-east and east, the Ukraine to the south, and Poland to the west.
The country’s territory amounts to 207.6 thous. sq. km.
Belarus’s population as of the beginning of 2009 was 9 mln.663.5 thous. inhabitants.
Average population density: 48 persons per 1 sq. km.
The State’s capital: hero-town of Minsk.
Transit routes passing through the country’s territory connect Russia with the states of Eastern and Western Europe, the Ukraine and Moldova with the Baltic States and north-east of Russia.
Major cities are Minsk (population 1 mln. 823.9 thous. inhabitants), Gomel (492 thous. inhabitants), Mogilev (367 thous. inhabitants), Vitebsk (367 thous. inhabitants), Grodno (317 thous. inhabitants), Brest (300 thous. inhabitants).
Official languages: Belarusian, Russian.
Monetary unit: Belarusian ruble. Banknotes are introduced in denominations of 10, 20, 50, 100, 500, 1000, 5000, 10000, 50000 and 100000 rublei.
Electricity: voltage 220 V, electrical frequency 50 Hz.
Distance from Minsk to the capitals of neighbouring countries:
Vilnius – 215 km
Riga – 470 km
Warsaw – 550 km
Kiev – 580 km
Moscow – 700 km
