Belarus: flag, capital, currency and history
Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a country in Eastern Europe, Europe. Its capital is Minsk. The currency is the Belarusian ruble. Languages spoken include Belarusian and Russian.
Quick facts about Belarus
- Official name
- Republic of Belarus
- Capital
- Minsk
- Region
- Europe, Eastern Europe
- Currency
- Belarusian ruble (BYN, Br)
- Languages
- Belarusian, Russian
- Calling code
- +375
- Internet domain
- .by
- Area
- 207,600 km² (80,155 sq mi)
- Demonym
- Belarusian
- National day
- Independence Day, July 3
Flag of Belarus
Download the flag of Belarus as a scalable SVG or as a PNG in three sizes. The flag emoji is 🇧🇾.
History of Belarus
The lands of present-day Belarus were settled by East Slavic tribes and formed part of Kievan Rus before joining the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. They later belonged to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and were annexed by the Russian Empire in the partitions of the late eighteenth century. A Byelorussian Soviet republic was founded in 1919 and was a founding republic of the Soviet Union in 1922. The region suffered heavily in the Second World War. Belarus declared independence in 1991 as the Soviet Union dissolved. It is a republic with Minsk as its capital.
Key dates
- 13th centuryTerritories in the region begin to be incorporated into the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
- 1569The Union of Lublin forms the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
- 1795The final partition of the Commonwealth gives most of the region to Russia.
- 1919A Byelorussian Soviet republic is proclaimed.
- 1941German forces invade and occupy the region during the Second World War.
- 1944Soviet forces liberate Minsk on 3 July.
- 1991Belarus declares independence as the Soviet Union dissolves.
A short overview, not a full history. Dates are given for well-documented events only.
Currency of Belarus
Belarus uses the Belarusian ruble (BYN, Br). Use our free currency converter to check exchange rates.
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Belarus?
The capital of Belarus is Minsk.
What currency does Belarus use?
Belarus uses the Belarusian ruble (BYN, symbol Br).
What languages are spoken in Belarus?
Languages used in Belarus include Belarusian and Russian.
What is the calling code of Belarus?
The international calling code of Belarus is +375. Its internet domain is .by.
Which countries border Belarus?
Belarus shares land borders with Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia and Ukraine.
On which continent is Belarus?
Belarus is in Europe, in the region of Eastern Europe.
What is the national day of Belarus?
Belarus marks Independence Day on July 3.
Neighbours of Belarus
More countries in Eastern Europe
Country data from the open mledoze/countries dataset (ODbL), with corrections. Flags from flag-icons (MIT).