Belarus

Cultural Attributes

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Holidays

• Independence Day

  7/3

  Independence Day

  3 July 1944 was the date Minsk was liberated from German troops, 25 August 1991 was the date of independence from the Soviet Union

• Christmas Traditions

  12/25

  Christmas

  Belarus still uses the Julian calendar to base some of their big festivals and celebrations. Thus, the celebration of Christmas is often thirteen days later than that of the rest of the world. Like most of Eastern European countries, Belarus celebrates the feast of the Advent on January 7.

  Translated in Belarusian, Merry Christmas is ‘Z Kalyadami,’ pronounced ‘ska-leeya-da-mee.’ The traditional Christmas greeting however , is ‘Vyaselykh Kalyad,’ pronounced ‘veeya-se-lee call-yad.’

  Christmas in Belarus starts on the 25th of December. Though this date is not when Christmas is actually celebrated, it is officially the beginning of the festivities as since some Belarusians believe December 25 to be the official day that Christ was born, rather than on January 7. Christmas is a non working holiday.

  Christmas trees decorate every home and beautiful hand crafted ornaments, lights and five-armed stars and found on the trees. Gift giving does not happen on Christmas, but is saved for the New Year.

  Known as ‘Svyaty Mikalaj,’ pronounced ‘svya-tee mee-ka-lash,’ Santa Clause plays an important role in Belarus, as he gives gifts to children who have been good. He is also often called Father Frost or Daddy Frost, or, in the Belarusian language, ‘Dzed Maroz,’ pronounced ‘zed marosh.’

  In many aspects of Belarusian Christmas Celebrations, straw is the main decoration. Christmas tree ornaments are made of straw and straw is used as a fortune telling tool which takes place between Christmas and the New Year. Adults draw straws from the dinner table to predict future husbands.

  Festivities usually end a week after January 7 when the celebration of the Old New Year begins. New Year celebrations which fall on December 31 are the grandest celebrations in the country with never-ending fireworks and programs held in all the parks and city centers of Belarus.

  In between the days of December 25 to January 7, the Belarusian people celebrate the folk holiday of Kalyady which covers the entire period of the Christmas season. The Kalyady occurs as the winter solstice comes, bringing longer days and shorter nights.

  The Kalyady rituals include three sacred dinners the first of which is served before Christmas Eve. Kalyadi traditional fare includes pancakes, fish and mushrooms, and oatmeal kisel. The Second ritual is the Rich Kutsia where they serve butter and fried bacon and is usually done on New Year’s Eve. The third part of the ritual is the Lenten Kutsia that is served on the Night of the Epiphany which is on January 6.

  On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, masses are held in all the Christian churches.

  Christmas Dinner is served with the twelve courses in honor of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ. Traditionally, straw is used as part of the decorations on the dinner table as well, which accentuates the table to signify a fortune telling event that may give an indication of their future.

  Some dishes served are pies, dishes made with mushrooms, herring, vereschaka, boiled fruits, oat kissel, boiled rice with raisins and honey and nuts. One of the favorite dishes to be served is the Belarusian Borsc Borshch.

Dates of Interest

• December 25th

  Belarus still bases some of its big festivals and celebrations on the Julian calendar. Thus, the celebration of Christmas is often thirteen days later than that of the rest of the world. Like most Eastern European countries, Belarus celebrates the feast of the Advent on January 7th. Translated in Belarusian, Merry Christmas is 'Z Kalyadami,' pronounced 'ska-leeya-da-mee.' The traditional Christmas greeting, however, is 'Vyaselykh Kalyad,' pronounced 'veeya-se-lee call-yad.' Christmas in Belarus starts on the 25th of December. Though this date is not when Christmas is actually celebrated, it is officially the beginning of the festivities since some Belarusians believe December 25 to be the official day that Christ was born, rather than January 7th. Christmas is a non-working holiday. Christmas trees decorate every home and beautifully hand-crafted ornaments and lights are used to decorate the tree.

How do people greet each other in Belarus?

What are the food and eating customs in Belarus?

What should I know about gestures and personal space in Belarus?

How should I dress in Belarus?

What is family life and hospitality like in Belarus?

What do people do for recreation in Belarus?

Historical Eras

Overview

Timeline of Key Events

1. 1067

   Minsk (Belarus) was founded.

   Minsk (Belarus) was founded.

2. 1582

   A small Belorussian-Lithuanian force overcame a larger Muscovite force.

   A small Belorussian-Lithuanian force overcame a larger Muscovite force.

3. 1905

   There was a pogrom against Jews in Minsk, Byelorussia.

   There was a pogrom against Jews in Minsk, Byelorussia.

4. 1918

   Belarus proclaims its independence as the Belarussian National Republic.

   Towards the end of World War I, Belarus proclaims its independence as the Belarussian National Republic. But, with the end of the war, these aspirations are short-lived. The Red Army invades.

5. 1919

   The Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic is proclaimed.

   The Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic is proclaimed.

6. 1921

   The Treaty of Riga divides Belarus between Poland and Soviet Russia.

   The Treaty of Riga divides Belarus between Poland and Soviet Russia.

7. 1922

   The Belarussian SSR becomes founding member of the USSR.

   The Belarussian SSR becomes founding member of the USSR.

Religion

Languages Spoken

• Belarusian
• Russian

Population

Population

9,498,238

Population in Major Urban Areas

MINSK (capital) 1.861 million

Nationality Noun

Belarusian(s)

Ethnic Groups

Belarusian 81.2%, Russian 11.4%, Polish, Ukrainian, and other 7.4%

Education

Literacy Definition

Age 15 and over can read and write

Health Information

Life Expectancy at Birth

Life expectancy at birth in Belarus stands at approximately 74 years overall, with notable differences between men and women. Women in Belarus can expect to live to around 79 years, while men have a significantly lower life expectancy of approximately 69 years. This gap of roughly 10 years between the sexes is one of the more pronounced gender disparities in life expectancy seen across Europe and reflects broader health and lifestyle patterns in the country. Belarus has made steady progress in improving population health outcomes since the early 2000s, recovering from declines that followed the economic and social disruptions of the post-Soviet period in the 1990s. The country maintains a universal healthcare system inherited from the Soviet era, which provides broad access to medical services across urban and rural areas alike. Several factors contribute to the relatively lower life expectancy among men in Belarus. High rates of cardiovascular disease remain the leading cause of death in the country and disproportionately affect the male population. Alcohol consumption, smoking prevalence, and occupational risks are also significant contributing factors to excess male mortality. Belarus has historically had among the highest rates of alcohol consumption per capita in the world, a pattern that has direct consequences for heart disease, liver disease, and accident-related deaths. Environmental factors also play a role in shaping health outcomes for the Belarusian population. The 1986 Chornobyl nuclear disaster affected parts of Belarus significantly, with the Homel and Mahilyow regions receiving heavy radioactive fallout. Long-term health monitoring in these areas has tracked elevated rates of thyroid cancer and other conditions, though the broader demographic impact on overall life expectancy continues to be studied. Government health initiatives targeting cardiovascular disease prevention, tobacco use reduction, and alcohol consumption have aimed to close the gender gap and push overall life expectancy higher in recent decades. Belarus compares reasonably well with several neighboring post-Soviet states, though it continues to lag behind the life expectancy figures recorded in Western and Northern Europe.

Life Expectancy

Life Expectancy at Birth

Life expectancy at birth in Belarus stands at approximately 74 years overall, with notable differences between men and women. Women in Belarus can expect to live to around 79 years, while men have a significantly lower life expectancy of approximately 69 years. This gap of roughly 10 years between the sexes is one of the more pronounced gender disparities in life expectancy seen across Europe and reflects broader health and lifestyle patterns in the country. Belarus has made steady progress in improving population health outcomes since the early 2000s, recovering from declines that followed the economic and social disruptions of the post-Soviet period in the 1990s. The country maintains a universal healthcare system inherited from the Soviet era, which provides broad access to medical services across urban and rural areas alike. Several factors contribute to the relatively lower life expectancy among men in Belarus. High rates of cardiovascular disease remain the leading cause of death in the country and disproportionately affect the male population. Alcohol consumption, smoking prevalence, and occupational risks are also significant contributing factors to excess male mortality. Belarus has historically had among the highest rates of alcohol consumption per capita in the world, a pattern that has direct consequences for heart disease, liver disease, and accident-related deaths. Environmental factors also play a role in shaping health outcomes for the Belarusian population. The 1986 Chornobyl nuclear disaster affected parts of Belarus significantly, with the Homel and Mahilyow regions receiving heavy radioactive fallout. Long-term health monitoring in these areas has tracked elevated rates of thyroid cancer and other conditions, though the broader demographic impact on overall life expectancy continues to be studied. Government health initiatives targeting cardiovascular disease prevention, tobacco use reduction, and alcohol consumption have aimed to close the gender gap and push overall life expectancy higher in recent decades. Belarus compares reasonably well with several neighboring post-Soviet states, though it continues to lag behind the life expectancy figures recorded in Western and Northern Europe.

Country Identity

Country Name

Belarus

Full Country Name

Republic of Belarus

Local - Long

Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic

Former Name

Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic

Government Structure

Government Type

republic

Legal System

based on civil law system

Executive Branch

chief of state: President Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (since 20 July 1994) head of government: Prime Minister Roman GOLOVCHENKO (since 4 June 2020); First Deputy Prime Minister Nikolai SNOPKOV (since June 2020) cabinet: Council of Ministers elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term under constitutional changes approved in the February 2022 referendum; first election took place 23 June and 10 July 1994; Aleksandr LUKASHENKO extended his original term to 2001 via a November 1996 referendum; subsequent elections held in 2001, 2006, 2010, 2015, and 2020; an October 2004 referendum ended presidential term limits; the February 2022 constitutional referendum introduced further changes to the political system, including the creation of the All-Belarusian People's Assembly as a new supreme representative body; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president election results: Aleksandr LUKASHENKO declared the winner of the August 9, 2020 presidential election with an official vote count of 80.1% against main opposition candidate Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, who received 10.1%; the election was widely condemned by Western governments and international observers as neither free nor fair, and triggered mass protests across Belarus; Lukashenko was inaugurated for a sixth term on 23 September 2020 in a secret ceremony; under the 2022 constitution, Lukashenko was granted the right to serve two additional terms

Legislative Branch

bicameral National Assembly or Natsionalnoye Sobranie consists of the Council of the Republic or Soviet Respubliki (64 seats; 56 members elected by regional councils and 8 members appointed by the president, all for four-year terms) and the Chamber of Representatives or Palata Predstaviteley (110 seats; members elected by universal adult suffrage to serve four-year terms) elections: the most recent elections to the Chamber of Representatives were held in February 2024; as with all previous elections held under President Lukashenko, international observers and democratic watchdog organizations widely condemned the vote as neither free nor fair, citing the systematic exclusion of opposition candidates, restrictions on independent monitoring, and an overall political environment incompatible with democratic standards; all seated deputies are considered loyalists to the Lukashenko government; elections to the Council of the Republic follow an indirect process, with regional councils selecting the majority of members and the president appointing the remaining eight seats election results: Soviet Respubliki - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Palata Predstaviteley - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - all seats held by pro-government candidates; no genuine opposition representation exists within either chamber; the legislature is widely regarded by international observers as a rubber-stamp body that does not function independently of executive authority

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); Constitutional Court (half of the judges appointed by the president and half appointed by the Chamber of Representatives)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Constitution

30 March 1994; revised by national referendum of 24 November 1996 giving the presidency greatly expanded powers and became effective 27 November 1996

Independence

25 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National Holiday

Independence Day, 3 July (1944); note - 3 July 1944 was the date Minsk was liberated from German troops, 25 August 1991 was the date of independence from the Soviet Union

Capital City

Capital Name

Minsk

Capital - geographic coordinate

53 54 N, 27 34 E

Capital Time Difference

UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Military

Branches: Belarus Armed Forces: Land Force, Air and Air Defense Force, Special Operations Force

Embassy / Diplomatic Mission

Snapshot

Currency Name and Code

Belarusian Rubles (BYB/BYR)

GDP — official exchange rate

$26,690,000,000 (USD)

GDP Real Growth Rate

3.9%

GDP by Sector

agriculture: 9% industry: 31.5% services: 59.5%

Gini Index

21.7