Belarus is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia in the north and east, Ukraine in the south, Poland in the west and Lithuania and Latvia in the north. With a complex history and rich architecture Belarus is a wonderful place to explore no matter what time of year. With a diverse geographyand a passion for natural history and wildlife Belarus would be an outdoor enthusiasts' dream. Whether this is your first visit to Belarus or your fifth, come explore all it has to offer.

5 reason to visit Belarus

Belarus nationality, language and tradition

Belarus people

The people of Belarus are a kind, friendly and good humoured nation. The patience and peacefulness of the Belarusian people has been determined by the nation’s history that has been darkened by endless wars which the Belarusians did not start, but fell victim to. Belarus is welcoming to all visitors and interested in sharing its culture, traditions and sense of community with them.

Ethnic Belarusians make up more than 80% of the population. But because of thehistory of Belarus, many other nationalities have also settled in the country, many of whom have been established for several generations.

Languages of Belarus

Belarusian and Russian are the official languages of Belarus.

Other languages such as Polish, Ukrainian and Hebrew are spoken within local communities.

National clothing of Belarus

National costume is still popular in Belarus but usually worn only on festival days and for celebrations.

Traditional crafts in Belarus

There’s a long and rich history of traditional arts and crafts in Belarus, and many of these skills are alive and well today.

Traditional folk dancing remains popular, with a number of folk theatres around Belarus.

Music and art also play an important part in the national life of Belarus, with national and international festivals held regularly across the country. The best known of these is the Slavyanskiy Bazaar in Vitebsk

Architecture of Belarus

Belarusian architecture through the ages

Despite its turbulent history of war and destruction, many architectural treasures and attractions of Belarus have survived to tell the history of this fascinating country.

Some of the oldest buildings of Belarus date from the Middle Ages.

Artistic movements and religions have played their part in shaping the architecture of Belarus, with fine examples of Romanesque and Gothic, Baroque and Classicism,Modernism and Eclecticism to be found across the country.

Cuisine of Belarus

The cuisine in Belarus

Delicious and warming, modern-day Belarusian cuisine is a mix of two key factors:

• the people’s relationship with the land and local produce

• influences from neighbouring countries and migrant settlers

For these reasons, you’ll find that food in Belarus is quite similar to the cuisines ofRussia, Lithuania, Ukraine and Poland. The European community has also contributed much to modern-day food in Belarus.

Belarus dishes are typically based on local vegetables and cereals, especially:

• potatoes

• beetroot

• mushrooms

• berries

• barley

Potatoes deserve a special mention as they have formed the basis of many of the dishes of Belarus for hundreds of years.

The following products are popular in Belarus:

• pork, pork sausages and salami (kolbasy), salted pork fat

• beef

• chicken

• river fish such as trout, perch, carp

• milk and dairy products as fresh white cheese (tvorog), sour cream (smetana),fermented cheese (siyr)

Vodka in Belarus

Vodka (harelka) is the main strong drink consumed in Belarus.

Vodka is widely consumed on special occasions and holidays.

Belarus natural history and wildlife

The Belarus landscape

Belarus is a very green landscape. Natural vegetation covers 93.1% of the land, and 1/3 of all green landscape is forest.

In Belarus forests, 28 types of trees as well as around 70 types of shrubberies can be found. They include:

• birch (across the country)

• pine (across the country)

• conifers (northern areas)

• oak (southern areas)

There are many lakes in the northern regions of Belarus, and the Polesye marshlandaround the Pripyat River in the south.

Several areas of land in Belarus which contain unique landscape, rare plants and animal species have been designated as National Parks and are protected by the State.

Belarus wildlife

Belarus is home to a huge array of wild animals and birds, many of them rare species.

A large number of wildlife reserves and sanctuaries have been set up across Belarus to protect its rich diversity of wildlife.

National Parks and conservation

There are five National Parks Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve, Braslavskiye Ozera National Park, Narachansky National Park, Pripyatsky National Park.

Adventure sports in Belarus

What kind of adventure sports are on offer in Belarus?

Belarus sports are by no means limited to the Olympic medal charts.

The country is one of the last undiscovered destinations in Europe and the Belaruslandscape and climate make it ideal for a number of outdoor pursuits including:

• hunting

• fishing

• skiing

• hiking

Hunting in Belarus

With natural vegetation including forests, swamps and farmland covering 70% of the land in Belarus, the region is an ideal destination for hunting fans. Organised tours are becoming increasingly popular. All hunting is done in the wild – there are no special farms or forests.

Fishing in Belarus

There are many lakes in Belarus, but the main fishing territory is in the Vitebsk region in the north of the country.

• There are more than 2800 lakes and numerous rivers in the region. The Braslav Lakes National Park is a popular fishing destination and boasts 21 species of fish.

Skiing in Belarus

Although the highest point in Belarus is only 345m above sea level, mountain skiing is becoming increasingly popular.

• In recent years two new ski resorts have opened in the Minsk region. Logoisk is theNational Ski Centre, not far from Minsk, and was the first centre to be built in Belarus

• The Silichy Mountain Ski Resort opened near Minsk in 2005.

Hiking in Belarus

The beautiful Belarus landscape with its numerous lakes, rivers and forests is always popular with Belarus trekkers.

Foreign enthusiasts are also beginning to discover Belarus’ potential with hiking andrambling groups looking to the country for new routes and challenges

Welcome to Belarus!

for more information follow this link www.Belarus.by