The most interesting facts about Belarus. Facts about Belarus that will shock foreigners

Probably, most people associate Belarus with its unchanging president, Father Lukashenko. Belarus is also characterized by its incredible potato harvest. It is in this state that classical development methods are adhered to Agriculture. The country lives calmly and practically does not get involved in world politics. Next, we invite you to read more interesting and fascinating facts about Belarus.

1. The population of Belarus is more than 9.5 million.

2. Domains on Belarusian billboards end with “by”.

3. The names of many Belarusian companies begin with “bel”.

5. Gomel is the second largest Belarusian city with a population of about 500 thousand people.

6. Service in the Belarusian army has continued for more than 1.5 years.

7. On average, a ticket to a Minsk cinema costs $3-4.

8. “Kastricnitskaya” - metro station in Minsk.

9. In Belarus there is the oldest forest in Europe - Belovezhskaya Pushcha.

10. Shura Balaganov’s favorite city is located in Belarus.

11. The traffic police and the KGB have not yet been renamed in Belarus.

12. Alcoholic drinks infused with herbs and honey are made in Belarus.

13. In any of the banks you can easily and simply exchange currency.

14. Minsk is a convenient and compact place to live.

15. There are no coins in Minsk, only paper money.

17. Religious hostility is completely absent in Belarus.

18. There were four official languages ​​in this country in the 20th century.

19. In the Belarusian language, the word “dog” is masculine.

20. Good quality roads in Belarusian cities.

21. “Milavitsa” is translated from Belarusian “Venus”.

22. Independence Square in Minsk is considered one of the largest in Europe.

23. During Soviet history, Mogilev almost became the capital of the state twice.

24. Three mobile operator currently exist in Belarus: Velcom, MTS and Life.

25. About $500 average wage citizens of Belarus.

26. All country fields are processed using work force collective farms.

27. The main game development center of Wargaming.net is located in Minsk. It is also home to the development of the popular game World of Tanks.

28. Grades in Belarusian universities and schools are set on a 10-point scale.

29. The second foreign language in Belarus is English, which is very popular among the younger generation.

30. Usually Belarusian guys meet girls in higher educational institutions.

31. Belarusian and Russian are the official languages ​​in Belarus today.

32. The Belarusian language is a little similar to Russian and Polish.

33. In the Belarusian language the following words sound cheerful: “Murzilka” - “dirty”, “veselka” - “rainbow”.

34. The Belarusian language is considered very beautiful and harmonious.

35. Belarusians have a very warm attitude towards Ukrainians and Russians.

36. Bordering neighboring countries also respect and love the Belarusian population.

37. The Belarusian population does not identify itself with Russia.

38. “Garelka” is vodka in Belarusian.

39. A large number of police can be seen on the streets of Belarus.

40. It is extremely difficult for a traffic cop to give a bribe. They practically don't take it.

41. In Belarus they try to adhere to traffic rules.

42. Minsk is the largest city located in Belarus.

43. Belarusian villages differ strikingly in terms of income levels.

44. The US and EU have strained relations with Belarus.

45. It is impossible to drink beer and other alcoholic drinks on the street.

46. ​​Many casinos are located in Belarus.

48. Among the Belarusian population there are no Chinese, black people, Vietnamese and other non-Slavic nations.

49. A taxi in Minsk costs $0.5 per 1 km, and public transport costs 25 cents.

50. The length of the bicycle path in Minsk is more than 40 km.

51. Yakub Kolas and Yanka Kupala are the most famous poets of Belarus.

52. They were one of the first to print their Bible in Belarus.

53. Half of the population of Belarus wants to move to Minsk.

54. It is very calm and quiet in Belarus.

55. The famous international arts festival “Slavic Bazaar” is held annually in Belarus.

56. The flag and coat of arms of Belarus are practically Soviet.

57. Belarusian supermarkets have a large amount of vodka and other foreign-made alcoholic drinks.

58. A monument to Lenin can be seen in the Belarusian capital of Minsk.

59. The duty on foreign cars increased sharply after Belarus joined the customs union.

60. A large number of hotels are being built for the hockey championship in Belarus.

61. There are a huge number of hockey fans in Belarus.

62. Everything is very highly regulated in this country.

63. There are practically no homeless people or beggars on the streets of Belarus.

64. The first racket of the world for a long time was the Belarusian athlete Victoria Azarenka.

65. Two religions currently exist in Belarus: Catholicism and Orthodoxy.

66. For a long time now money in Belarus has not been called bunnies.

68. A very large number of Jews once lived on the territory of Belarus.

69. After Chernobyl, about 20% of air pollution is observed in Belarus.

70. The death penalty is still in force in Belarus.

71. Junior Eurovision was won by Belarus twice.

72. Draniki are considered a traditional Belarusian dish.

73. Belarusians in Russia and Ukraine are strongly associated with Lukashenko.

74. In Belarus, women retire at the age of 55, and men at the age of 60.

75. Many monuments of the Patriotic War are located on the territory of Belarus.

76. During the Second World War, the Belarusian population suffered greatly.

77. Neat and clean cities in Belarus.

78. Agriculture is quite developed in Belarusian cities.

79. In terms of arms exports, Belarus is among the world's top twenty countries.

80. Belarus lived in the same state as Lithuania for more than 600 years.

81. Very beautiful girls live in Belarusian cities.

82. There are practically no rallies held in Belarusian cities.

83. You cannot enter a Belarusian university through connections.

84. A large number of state-owned enterprises are concentrated in Belarus.

85. The standard of living in Belarus is slightly higher than in Ukraine.

86. The country earns more than one billion dollars a year from salt mining.

87. Large enterprises have been preserved and are functioning after the collapse of the USSR.

88. It is not customary in Belarus to boast about one’s wealth.

89. The Soviet Union is still a cult among the population of Belarus.

90. There are a large number of programmers per capita of the Belarusian population.

91. A doctor is one of the prestigious professions in Belarus.

92. Belarusians are considered to be a tolerant people.

93. Potatoes are a definite symbol of Belarus.

94. It is not customary in Belarus to discuss politics.

95. Unemployment is practically absent in Belarus.

96. A large number of forests, swamps and rivers are located on the territory of Belarus.

97. Small quantity banking institutions, unlike Russia, is located on the territory of Belarus.

98. The price of fuel is the same at all gas stations.

99. Belarusian rubles are the country's monetary unit.

100. Belarus is a nice and very good country.

Children aged 6-10 years are very inquisitive. This is confirmed by all parents of schoolchildren. Kids can't wait to learn as much as possible about the world around them. Often children ask their parents to tell some stories about countries and cities. Undoubtedly, every schoolchild wants to hear Interesting Facts about Belarus, Russia and Ukraine, because in history lessons they will not talk about everyday life, traditions and cuisine of these countries. That is why parents should know as much as possible about their home country and its neighbors. In this publication we have collected the most interesting facts about Belarus. For schoolchildren this information will be educational and exciting.

As a rule, if children want to learn interesting facts about modern Belarus, then parents do not know what to answer, so they start telling last news from the life of the country. But this small but amazing state has something to be proud of. We present to your attention the 5 most interesting facts about modern Belarus:

1. Today, two state religions coexist peacefully in the country. No matter how strange it may sound, Belarusians celebrate Catholic and Orthodox Christmas, as well as 2 Easters.
2. Lukashenko A.G. is the current president of the state. He has held this post for over 20 years!
3. It will be useful for students to know that Belarusian schools have a 10-point knowledge assessment system. Unlike Russia, here children will not be happy with 5 points in their diary.
4. The collective farm system is still preserved and successfully developed here.
5. It’s interesting that in Belarus everything monetary transactions carried out using banknotes (including purchases in a store, travel on public transport). This is explained by the fact that the state central bank It just doesn't issue coins.

Interesting facts about Belarus from history

We present to your attention the 7 most interesting facts from the history of the country:

1. For a long time, Belarus was part of other states: the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Russian Empire and the USSR.
2. In 1918, during the Civil War, the independent Belarusian People's Republic was created.
3. After just one year, the situation in the country has changed dramatically. In 1919, the Belarusian SSR was proclaimed.
4. During World War II, the entire territory of the country was occupied by German troops. The Belarusian lands became part of the Reichskommissariat Ostland.
5. The republic was liberated from occupation forces in 1944 during an operation called Bagration.
6. During World War II, the largest partisan detachment operated on the territory of the BSSR, which included only Jews.
7. Despite the fact that the past of this country is closely connected with Russia, Belarusians have never identified themselves with any other people.

Attractions

Parents looking for interesting facts about Belarus for children should not miss information about the sights of this country. There really is something to see here. So, we present to your attention the Top 5 most famous sights of Belarus:

1. Belovezhskaya Pushcha is a national reserve. This is perhaps the most famous. Belovezhskaya Pushcha is known not only in Europe, but also in America. The territory of the reserve (this is the largest remnant of a relict primeval lowland forest) is inhabited by rare representatives of local flora and fauna. Well, the most famous resident of Belovezhskaya Pushcha is the bison.
2. The Bolshoi Theater in (Minsk) is a wonderful example of 20th century architecture, built in the constructivist style.
3. Brest Fortress is a memorial complex dedicated to the soldiers who fell during the hostilities of 1939-1945.
4. in Mogilev. This memorial complex was erected on the site of fierce battles during the Second World War.
5. Gomel palace and park ensemble.

Facts about the Belarusian language

• The Belarusian language is close to Russian and Ukrainian. However, unlike the latter, many words familiar to us are written with the letter “a”. Names such as Maskva, malako, karova are not the result of illiteracy of Belarusians, but distinctive feature their national language.
• On the streets of Mogilev and other cities you can hear very unusual words: vyaselka (rainbow), dzyakuy (thank you), lad (lad).

I haven’t continued this column for a long time. If anyone is interested, please read , and today we are leaving for Belarus.

1. If you are entering Belarus from Russia, nothing fundamentally will change, but you will immediately notice some visual differences.

2. Belarusian domains do not end with na.ru, but with na.by.

3. Prices are indicated in rubles, but by Russian standards they are simply stunning. The point is that one Russian ruble costs about 270 Belarusian, so the inscription “Laptop for only 3,999,000 rubles” will not surprise anyone.

4. The names of many companies begin with “Bel”: “Beltelecom”, “Belarusbank”, “Belgosstrakh”, etc.

5. The official symbols have their own, here you will not see a double-headed eagle anywhere.

6. The population of Belarus is 9.5 million, of which two live in Minsk.

7. In Belarus, only Minsk is a millionaire city. The second largest city, Gomel, has a population of about 500 thousand.

8. Military service is quite long - 1.5 years. It is impossible to pay off (at least I have not heard of such a thing). Conscripts are just looking for all sorts of sores in order to “deflect” from serving the fatherland. And many, I must say, find it.

9. A ticket to a Minsk cinema costs on average $3–4.

10. There is a station “Kastrychnitskaya” in the Minsk metro. The name often amuses guests from Russia and Ukraine. And it is translated as “Oktyabrskaya”, since “October” in Belarusian means “kastrychnik”.

11. The largest ancient forest in Europe is located in Belarus - this is Belovezhskaya Pushcha, which has almost 2000 giant trees. Some of them are older than the discovery of America by Columbus. Part of Belovezhskaya Pushcha is located in Poland. By the way, an agreement on the collapse of the Soviet Union was signed in Belovezhskaya Pushcha.

12. The famous Bobruisk is located in Belarus - the capital of Albania and the favorite city of Shura Balaganov.

13. The KGB and traffic police in Belarus did not rename.

14. In Belarus they make krambambula - an alcoholic drink infused with honey and herbs. It can be drunk both cold and hot. To be honest, not all Belarusians themselves know about krambambula, but educated people always know. A bottle of krambambuli will be an excellent gift for friends back home. You can buy it at the Korona hypermarket.

15. Currency can be exchanged at any of the banks. At the same time, there are no cash desks, as in Russia, which sometimes charge a significant commission.

16. Minsk is a very compact and convenient city for living; almost round, about 25 km in diameter. Until 1939, Minsk was called Mensk. It was almost renamed in the early 1990s.

17. By the way, there are no coins in use in Belarus. All money is paper. The minimum bill is 50 rubles (a little more than 0.5 cents).

19. There is no religious hostility in Belarus. Often people don’t care who professes what religion.

20. In the second half of the 20s of the last century, the Belarusian SSR had four state languages: Russian, Belarusian, Polish and Yiddish. Don't believe me? Here is the coat of arms of the then BSSR.

21. Dog in the Belarusian language is he. “First damn dog” is the Belarusian equivalent of the saying “the first pancake is lumpy.”

22. Belarus has good roads, all visitors note this. The roads are well marked.

23. “Milavitsa” is translated from Belarusian as “Venus”. However, most people abroad associate Milavitsa with beautiful lingerie.

24. Independence Square in Minsk is one of the largest in Europe. Photo attached. By the way, the main avenue of the capital is also called Independence Avenue (in the 1990s and early 2000s it was called Francysk Skaryna Avenue).

25. Twice in Soviet history Mogilev almost became the capital of Belarus. The first time was in 1938, when the USSR border lay just a few kilometers from Minsk. Even the reconstruction of the city began, but then the annexation of Western Belarus happened, and the idea of ​​​​moving the capital to Mogilev disappeared. The second time the question of a transfer arose seriously after the liberation of Minsk from the occupiers - the city was almost completely destroyed and two options were seen: to build Minsk in a new place, or to move the capital to another. But it didn’t work out.

26. There are three mobile operators in Belarus: MTS, Velcom and Life. Coverage 100%.

27. The average monthly salary in Belarus (in hand) is about $500, in Minsk - $600. Prices are comparable to Russian ones. Rents are low for most citizens. For a two-room apartment you need to pay an average of $15 per month.

28. Collective farms have been preserved in Belarus, all fields are cultivated. This is especially noticeable when entering Belarus from Russia. The fields are really well maintained and very beautiful. No weeds or weeds. This fact can also be verified by Google Maps. There are very few farmers in Belarus.

29. By the way, the correct way to say and write is Belarus, not Belarus. Belarusians never say “Belarus”.

30. In Belarusian schools and universities, grades are given on a 10-point scale. A four is equivalent to a three (on a five-point scale), a six to a four, and a nine to a five. The five-point scale has long been forgotten.

31. Everyone is learning English in droves. Although the level of language proficiency still leaves much to be desired.

32. Guys and girls usually meet at universities, at work or in the company of friends. It is not customary to meet girls on the street, nor is it customary to talk to strangers.

33. There are two official languages ​​in Belarus - Russian and Belarusian. Almost no one speaks Belarusian, even in the village, but everyone treats him warmly. Many Belarusians deep down regret that they have forgotten their culture.

34. The Belarusian language is equally similar to Polish and Russian. Therefore, a Belarusian will understand a Pole if he speaks slowly. Of all the languages, Belarusian seems to be the most similar to Ukrainian. Most of the words are the same.

35. Interesting words in Belarusian: “vyaselka” - “rainbow”, “murzilka” - “dirty”, “kali laska” - “please”.

36. The Belarusian language is very beautiful. What is striking to Russians and Ukrainians is that in Belarusian many words are written with an “a”, where in Russian or Ukrainian there is an “o”. So don’t be surprised by the inscriptions “train station”, “Malako”, “city”, “Maskva”.

37. Belarusians have a very warm attitude towards Russians and Ukrainians. The attitude towards foreigners is neutral. Respect for the Poles.

38. And Belarusians are treated well abroad (Poland, the Baltic states, the Czech Republic). Belarusians speak Russian, which is why they are often initially confused with Russians. After clarification, however, the attitude changes for the better. In the USA, few people know that there is such a country - Belarus. And those who know immediately remember two things: Chernobyl and Lukashenko. What can you do?

39. Despite cultural and historical closeness with Russia, Belarusians do not identify themselves with Russia.

40. Vodka in Belarusian will be “garelka”.

41. There are a lot of police on the streets. The militia was not renamed the police.

42. It is extremely difficult to bribe a traffic cop. They practically don't take it. Driving with alcohol up to 0.3 ppm is allowed. If you are caught drunk, your license will definitely be taken away.

43. In Belarus they try to comply with traffic rules. Pedestrians crossing a red light are extremely rare. Drivers always give way to pedestrians.

44. There are six regions in Belarus - Brest, Grodno, Vitebsk, Mogilev, Gomel and Minsk. The closest large city to Minsk is Vilnius.

45. By the way, Vilnius has been the de facto capital of Belarus for more than six centuries; is the cradle of Belarusian culture. Previously, Vilnius was called Vilnia (or Vilno), and only in 1939 did it become Lithuanian.

46. ​​Villages in western and eastern Belarus are strikingly different. In the west they are well-groomed, in the east they are much more neglected. That's noticeable.

47. Belarus has strained relations with the EU and the USA. In this regard, Belarusians travel to Lithuania or Russia to obtain a US visa.

48. In Belarus you cannot drink beer and alcohol on the street. They will be fined. You can still smoke, but they want to introduce a ban.

49. There are many casinos in Belarus. Especially in Minsk. After the gambling business was tightened in Russia, casinos in Belarus began to open like mushrooms after rain, which provided an additional influx of currency into the country.

50. Of course, you can’t smoke marijuana.

51. There are practically no non-Slavs, blacks, Chinese, Vietnamese, etc. in Belarus.

52. A taxi in Minsk costs $0.5 per 1 km, travel on public transport and the metro costs 25 cents (fine for ticketless travel less than $3). There are two metro lines in Minsk, located crosswise. In an hour by car you can get from any place in the city to any place without exception (in the evening and at night - in half an hour). And on public transport, in principle, too. There are few traffic jams.

53. Minsk has an amazing bike path about 40 km long. Bicycles have become very popular.

54. The most famous Belarusian poets are Yanka Kupala and Yakub Kolas. This is a note.

Yanka Kupala

55. Among the peoples of Europe, Belarusians were among the first to print their Bible. The first pioneer of the Eastern Slavs was Francis Skorina. He is Belarusian.

56. Half of Belarus wants to move to Minsk, but this is difficult for visitors. Housing costs from $1500 per square meter. Rent studio apartment- about $300 per month, two-room - $450. Don't smile if you are from Moscow :)

57. Belarus is very quiet and calm. You can walk at night without fear for your safety.

58. The famous “Slavic Bazaar” takes place in Vitebsk every year.

59. The coat of arms and flag of Belarus are practically Soviet. From 1991 to 1995, the coat of arms of Belarus was “Pahonia” (the coat of arms of present-day Lithuania) and a white-red-white flag. They are now prohibited. Fans wearing this symbol are not allowed into stadiums. Young people sympathize with historical symbols. “The Pursuit” is rooted in history for at least 700 years, since already in 1366 the local princes Jagiello and Vytautas used this plot with might and main on their seals.

60. Belarusian vodka is good, there is a lot of foreign vodka, whiskey, etc. in supermarkets.

61. To this day, in the capital of Belarus on Independence Square you can see a monument to Lenin erected in Soviet times. In general, there are Lenins in every city.

62. Upon joining the customs union in Belarus, duties on foreign cars increased sharply. That is why the year before, Belarusians imported a record number of good and practically new cars. Including Mercedes S-Class, BMW 7, etc.

63. Many hotels are being built for the World Hockey Championship. There are few hotels and they are expensive. But the situation is improving.

64. By the way, Belarus is crazy about hockey. Ice palaces are being built everywhere. More funds are allocated for hockey than for football. People are much more interested in football (as elsewhere).

65. In Belarus, everything is very highly regulated. There is virtually no street trading, and very few eateries and cafes. Shawarma and hot pancakes can be bought only in a few markets. Large cities are full of the most modern hypermarkets and shopping centers.

66. There are practically no beggars or homeless people.

67. Belarusian Victoria Azarenka retained the title of world number one for a long time.

68. There are two religions in Belarus: Orthodoxy and Catholicism. Catholics 20%. Many holidays are duplicated and are days off. For example, in Belarus the days off are December 25 and January 7. Same with Easter. In Belarus, Radunitsa - the day of remembrance of ancestors - is a day off. But after the New Year, on January 3, as a rule, you need to go to work.

69. In Belarus, people no longer call money bunnies. Money with images of animals was in circulation from 1992 to 1996. Now in everyday life the Belarusian ruble is sometimes called “squirrel”. The banknotes depict buildings.

70. Also in Belarus, November 7 is a day off. In general, Belarus is a very Soviet country - and this is true. Lenin, Sverdlov, Frunze streets are everywhere. However, in new areas the streets receive the names of Belarusian figures: st. Napoleon Ordy, st. Yanka Luchiny, st. Joseph Zhinovich, etc. The newly opened metro stations were named “Grushevka”, “Mikhalovo”, “Petrovshchina”.

71. At the same time, when visitors flaunt the fact that they are coming “back to the USSR,” this may make Belarusians a little wary. Belarusians live in the present, not in the Soviet Union.

72. A lot of Jews lived in Belarus. Much less now.

73. In Belarus, Jews are not “disliked.” Anti-Semitism is not observed.

74. 20% of the territory of Belarus is contaminated with radiation after Chernobyl. You can enter the resettlement zones freely. In them you will see many signs warning about radiation. In the resettlement zones there is a lot of all kinds of living creatures: wolves, wild boars, moose.

75. Despite tolerance, Belarusians have fought almost constantly throughout their history. You won't believe it, but most of all - with Russia. Many times, villages and towns were burned to the ground as a result of wars.

76. The death penalty is still not abolished in Belarus.

77. Belarus has won Junior Eurovision twice.

78. If we talk about national dishes, then for some reason everyone immediately remembers potato pancakes. However, if you say that you know such a dish as vereshchaka, the surprise of a Belarusian will know no bounds (not all Belarusians themselves know).

79. Probably, the majority of Russians and Ukrainians strongly associate Belarus with Lukashenko. Yes, Lukashenko has ruled the country continuously since 1994. However, Belarus is not only Lukashenko, believe me.

80. The share of the urban population is higher than in all neighboring countries without exception and amounts to 75%.

81. There is no imperialism at all. As I already mentioned, Belarusians do not consider themselves Russians in any way and do not make any claims to cultural, territorial and financial dominance.

82. In Belarus, women retire at 55, and men at 60.

83. There are many monuments to the Patriotic War in Belarus. Few people know that the war in Belarus began not on June 22, 1941, but on September 1, 1939. Men from the present-day Grodno and Brest regions were drafted into the Polish army and fought against the Germans. Every fourth Belarusian died during the war.

84. In reality, Belarus suffered greatly during the Second World War. Minsk was practically rebuilt from scratch (and almost all cities). There are few old buildings. All buildings are Soviet.

85. Belarusian cities are clean and tidy.

86. Agriculture is developed in Belarus. Belarus is one of the five world exporters of dairy products. The quality of the products is really high.

87. And in the top twenty - on arms exports.

88. In Belarus it was nuclear weapon, but he was taken to Russia in the early 90s. So now Belarus is a nuclear-free territory.

89. Belarus has been in the same state with Lithuania for more than 600 years, with Poland for more than 300 years, and with Russia for almost 200 years.

90. There is no border with Russia, you can enter and not notice (there are not even signs everywhere). But at the entrance to the Bryansk region, the name of Russia is misspelled - “Russian Federation”.

91. Many Russians come to Belarus for dental treatment, car painting, etc. High quality and cheaper than in Russia.

92. People come to Belarus to relax and “hang out.” The girls are very beautiful.

93. There are practically no rallies in Belarus. It is highly not recommended to go to them if you do not want to get yourself into trouble. Not everyone is happy with the existing way of life, but they are silent about it.

94. In Belarus you cannot enter a university through connections. After 11th grade, applicants take a centralized test; everyone trusts it, since it is impossible to cheat if you know the answers in advance. It happens that children of deans and rectors cannot enter the university where their parents work.

95. Belarus is very similar to Russia, but Belarus is not Russia.

96. There are many state-owned enterprises in Belarus, private business not very developed. Lots of regulations and instructions. You constantly hear that every now and then another enterprise is being nationalized.

97. Belarusians love the Belarusian language, but are not as nationalists as Ukrainians. Rather, indifferent.

98. Belarusian and Russian channels. Also Euronews. Ukrainian and Polish - no.

99. Many Belarusians sincerely believe that complete chaos and total corruption still reign in Russia, as if nothing has changed since the 90s. And they are proud that everything is calm in this regard.

100. The standard of living in Belarus is on average: slightly higher than in Ukraine; slightly lower than in Russia (meaning Russia, not Moscow); lower than in Poland; slightly lower than in Kazakhstan.

101. There are no giant oil or gas deposits in Belarus. The country earns about $1 billion a year from salt. For the rest, you have to spin around - produce and exchange all kinds of products. Work and work hard.

102. Speaking of salt. Thanks to potassium salt deposits, the highest salaries in Belarus were recorded not in Minsk, but in Soligorsk.

103. After the collapse of the USSR, Belarus retained large enterprises. Not all of them are profitable, however, some are quite successful. For example, Belaz.

104. Also, after the collapse of the USSR, there was no strong “grabbing” in Belarus, and therefore the stratification in society is much lower than in neighboring states. True, the further you go, the more the separation increases. In Belarus there are poor and there are rich, just like everywhere else.

105. In Belarus it is not customary to boast of one’s wealth. A rich layer exists, but in all of Minsk there are only a few Bentleys and, in my opinion, only one Maybach. Rich people don't always show others that they are rich. If you glow, there will be problems.

106. Villas and cottages near Minsk also look much simpler and more modest than villas near Moscow or Kiev.

107. In Belarus, the cult of the Great Patriotic War and the Soviet Union. The Great Patriotic War is taught thoroughly in schools and universities. However, young people are not very interested in this topic.

108. At the same time, Belarus has rich history. In the Middle Ages, Belarus was called the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The name Belarus appeared only in the 16th (or so) century. But this does not mean that Belarusians did not exist before this. Previously they were called Litvins. In the 90s, they officially wanted to name the country “Lithuanian Republic of Belarus”.

109. Belarus is by no means an artificial formation generated by the USSR!

110. There are many programmers per capita in Belarus, an order of magnitude higher than in Russia and Ukraine. The world's largest outsourcing companies (after Indian ones) are located in Belarus (Epam, Itransition). Programmer salaries are about $1,500 per month and are constantly growing; being a programmer is very prestigious.

111. It is also prestigious to be a doctor. However, the salary of a qualified doctor rarely exceeds $400. There are few private medical clinics in Belarus.

112. Belarusians are truly tolerant.

113.V Belarus Google as widespread as Yandex. Belarus is the only country in the world where largest percentage users use Opera as their browser. Social networks - Odnoklassniki, Vkontakte.

115. In Belarus it is not customary to discuss politics. This topic is taboo. You can't joke about this either. There is a striking contrast with Ukraine and Russia. No protests or rallies of the dissatisfied. Or rather, they exist, but are suppressed in the bud.

116. There is practically no unemployment in Belarus. Everywhere required, required, required. Finding qualified personnel is very difficult. Many people are involved in the government apparatus.

117. Many want to go to the West, many are forced to look for higher salaries in Moscow.

118. In Belarus, as already mentioned, Belarusian rubles are used. A loaf of bread costs on average 5,000 rubles. At the same time, more or less significant goods are always converted into dollars. Buying currency is usually not a problem.

119. Belarusians, according to the Russian Ambassador to Belarus Surkov, unlike Russians: they are more accustomed to order and are not so reckless.

120. There are many rivers, lakes, swamps and forests in Belarus (more than 30% of the territory). However, there is no access to the sea and no mountains. The landscapes are very picturesque.

121. In Belarus, unlike Russia, there are few banks (about 30 in total).

122. Fuel prices are the same at all gas stations. Just under $1 per liter.

123. Belarus is a very good and sweet country. Surprisingly, almost nothing is said or written about it in Russia (they don’t know about Ukraine). It’s worth coming here at least once - you definitely won’t be bored. Welcome!

1. Lukashenko - President of the Republic of Belarus from 1994 to the present, President of the National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Belarus (since 1997), Commander-in-Chief Armed forces and Chairman of the Security Council of the Republic of Belarus.

2. People call Alexander Grigorievich “father.”

3. Alexander Grigorievich has been married to his legal wife since 1974, but recent years 20 they live separately. From her the president has two sons: Viktor Dmitry.

According to the main version in the media, Nikolai’s mother is Irina Abelskaya, the former head physician of the hospital of the Presidential Administration, former personal physician of Alexander Lukashenko. The location of Kolya's mother is on this moment unknown.

5. Ice hockey is one of Lukashenko’s main hobbies. He regularly trains at the Sports Palace, which is why the Belarusian special services limit the movement of people within a radius of up to 1 kilometer, and also prohibit residents of nearby houses from opening vents and windows, or going out onto the balconies and loggias of their own apartments.

Most often, the team for which Lukashenko plays wins; only a few cases of defeats are known for teams that included Alexander Grigorievich.

After one of these defeats, the coach whose hockey team defeated Lukashenko’s club was fired.

6. On October 17, 2004, Lukashenko held a referendum on amending the constitution to remove the limit on the number of presidential terms. 77.3% of voters supported these changes.

7. Political opponents of the current president constantly go abroad, disappear without trace or go to prison. Lukashenko is called the last dictator of Europe.

8. In 2006 European Union, and then the United States banned him from entering its territories. In April 2011, the EU Council extended the ban on entry into the EU of President Lukashenko and about 100 others until October 31, 2011. officials from the government.

9. Before the 2010 elections, the Russian media began an information war against the Belarusian president, releasing 4 documentaries “The Godfather”, in retaliation Lukashenko gained 78 percent of the vote.

10. Quotes from A.G. Lukashenko:

I took hold of the eggs, the milk disappeared;
Belarus stood on the edge of the abyss, and I helped her take a step forward;
Belarusians will live poorly, but not for long;
My father also died during World War II. (note: Lukashenko was born on August 30, 1954);
I worked in the village and lived with the peasants;
I love children like crazy;

Despite the above, many ordinary people love “daddy”. And not only Belarusians, but also Russians say: “We would like such a president.”

What do you know about Belarus? Without further thought, I will remember first Father Lukashenko, then potatoes, then Belovezhskaya Pushcha, and then... Usually, our knowledge ends here. Simply, this fraternal country does not appear in newspaper columns, news sections or advertising on the Internet; it does not give rise to gossip. In general, we usually hear about it in the context of censorship and public policy, or when some international summits are taking place, negotiations on gas, or we see her at Eurovision.

It’s a paradox: our countries are neighbors, our peoples are brothers, but we don’t know a thing. So who are Belarusians anyway?
So, here are 111 facts through the eyes of our man that will lift the curtain of secrecy.

Firstly, we need to immediately warn you, dear readers, that when entering Belarus from Ukraine, you will not feel a significant difference in life. These are kindred lands, souls, peoples, but still there are some visual differences at first, and then, moving deeper into the state, you will be surprised at how unique it is in its essence, how beautiful, how unpredictable...
But let's start from the beginning.

1. First of all, you need to know that it is correct to write and say not Belarus, but Belarus, since we usually think that these are synonymous names and equal in rights to each other.

Economics and business:

7. average salary$550 – 600. Prices are comparable to Russian and Ukrainian ones.

8. There are very few banks in Belarus, approximately 30 in total.

9. It is very easy to change currency, since in stores they usually pay either in rubles or in dollars.

10. If anyone remembers, not so long ago Belarusian money was called bunnies, since animals were depicted on the bills (from 1992 to 1996). Today
they are called "proteins".




11. The country is in trouble with mineral resources. Belarus earns mainly about a billion dollars a year from the export of salt.

12. By the way, due to the fact that the salt industry is most developed, the most big salaries not in Minsk, but in Soligorsk.

13. Private business is very underdeveloped in the country, mostly state-owned enterprises. If in Ukraine, for example, industries are privatized, then there they are completely nationalized.

14. Agriculture is very well developed. Indicative is the honorable presence in the world's top five exporters of dairy products, which, after all, indicates high quality.

15. Belarus is twentieth in the world in arms exports.

16. Until the 90s, the country was nuclear, but soon after the collapse of the union, weapons were transported to Russia.

17. Belarus – member customs union. An interesting fact: before the signing of membership, a large number of expensive executive cars, such as S-Class Mercedes and BMW 7, were imported into the country, since after the signing of the agreement, the import duty on these types of goods increased significantly.

18. Of course, the CU member has strained relations with the EU. Therefore, for visa issues, you need to specifically travel to Russia or Lithuania.

Modern country or relic of the USSR:

19. It is important for the pride of a Belarusian that his country is respected and considered as an independent entity. They will be terribly surprised if they hear ridicule like “back to USSR” - Belarus modern country, which does not chase the past and looks to the future.

66. There are many rivers, fields and forests in it (as they say, in a children's joke). In fact, this is a very “natural” country, very green, where all this goodness makes up more than 30% of the total territory.

67. But everything is not so rosy. 20% of the territory is contaminated with radiation from the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant.

Improvement of the country