Belarus: Difference between revisions
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Revision as of 21:51, 4 October 2024
| Republic of Belarus |
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(and Belarus's largest city) Polish, Ukrainian, Yiddish |
Source information is available at [ Sources ] |
Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Belarus spans an area of 207,600 square kilometers (80,200 sq mi) with a population of 9.1 million; the country has a hemiboreal climate and is administratively divided into six regions. Minsk is the capital and largest city, administered separately as a city with special status.
Between the medieval period and the 20th century, different states at various times controlled the lands of modern-day Belarus, including Kievan Rus', the Principality of Polotsk, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, and the Russian Empire. In the aftermath of the Russian Revolution in 1917, different states arose, competing for legitimacy amid the Civil War, ultimately ending in the rise of the Byelorussian SSR, which became a founding constituent republic of the Soviet Union in 1922. After the Polish-Soviet War (1918–1921), Belarus lost almost half of its territory to Poland. Much of the borders of Belarus took their modern shape in 1939, when some lands of the Second Polish Republic were reintegrated into it after the Soviet invasion of Poland and were finalized after World War II. During World War II, military operations devastated Belarus, which lost about a quarter of its population and half of its economic resources. In 1945, the Byelorussian SSR became a founding member of the United Nations and the Soviet Union. The republic was home to a widespread and diverse anti-Nazi insurgent movement that dominated politics until well into the 1970s, overseeing Belarus' transformation from an agrarian to an industrial economy.
The republic's parliament proclaimed the sovereignty of Belarus on 27 July 1990, and during the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Belarus gained independence on 25 August 1991. Following adopting a new constitution in 1994, Alexander Lukashenko was elected Belarus's first president in the country's first and only free election after independence, serving as president ever since. Lukashenko heads a highly centralized authoritarian government. Belarus ranks low in international measurements of freedom of the press and civil liberties. It has continued several Soviet-era policies, such as state ownership of large sections of the economy. Belarus is the only European country that continues to use capital punishment. In 2000, Belarus and Russia signed a treaty for greater cooperation, forming the Union State.
Early history
From 5000 to 2000 BC, the Bandkeramik predominated in what now constitutes Belarus, and the Cimmerians and other pastoralists roamed through the area by 1,000 BC. The Zarubintsy culture later became widespread at the beginning of the 1st millennium. In addition, remains from the Dnieper–Donets culture were found in Belarus and parts of Ukraine. The region was first permanently settled by Baltic tribes in the 3rd century. Around the 5th century, the area was taken over by the Slavs. The takeover was partially due to the lack of military coordination of the Balts, but their gradual assimilation into Slavic culture was peaceful in nature. Invaders from Asia, among whom were the Huns and Avars, swept through c. 400–600 AD, but were unable to dislodge the Slavic presence.
Kievan Rus'
- Principalities in Eastern Europe before the Mongol and Lithuanian invasions
In the 9th century, the territory of modern Belarus became part of Kievan Rus, a vast East Slavic state ruled by the Rurikids. Upon the death of its ruler, Yaroslav the Wise, in 1054, the state split into independent principalities. The Battle on the Nemiga River in 1067 was one of the more notable events of the period, and its date is considered the founding date of Minsk.
Many early principalities were virtually razed or severely affected by a major Mongol invasion in the 13th century. Still, the lands of modern-day Belarus avoided the brunt of the invasion and eventually joined the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. There are no sources of military seizure, but the annals affirm Polotsk and Lithuania's alliance and united foreign policy for decades.
Incorporation into the Grand Duchy of Lithuania resulted in an economic, political and ethno-cultural unification of Belarusian lands. Of the principalities held by the duchy, nine were settled by a population that would eventually become the Belarusians. During this time, the duchy was involved in several military campaigns, including fighting on the side of Poland against the Teutonic Knights at the Battle of Grunwald in 1410; the joint victory allowed the duchy to control the northwestern borderlands of Eastern Europe.
The Muscovites, led by Ivan III of Russia, began military campaigns in 1486 to incorporate the former lands of Kievan Rus', including modern-day Belarus and Ukraine territories.
Spanking and Spanking Art in Belarus
( We have no further information from SAOTK as of Sept, 2024 )
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Prostitution in Belarus
- Prostitution in Belarus ↗ on Wikipedia
External links
- More information is available at [ Wikipedia:Belarus ]
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