Belarus And Byelorussia: One Country, Two Names

Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It was formerly known as Byelorussia or Belorussia, and was part of the Soviet Union until it gained independence in 1991. The name Belarus is closely related to the term Belaya Rus, meaning White Rus. There are several theories as to the origin of the name White Rus, including an ethno-religious theory, a reference to the white clothing worn by the local population, and a geographical theory.

Belarus was part of the Soviet Union until 25 August 1991, when it declared independence

Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It was part of the Soviet Union until 25 August 1991, when it declared independence.

Belarus has a long and complex history, with different states controlling its lands over the centuries. During the medieval period, for example, the Principality of Polotsk and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania ruled over the region. In the aftermath of the Russian Revolution in 1917, the Byelorussian SSR emerged and became a founding constituent republic of the Soviet Union in 1922.

The name "Belarus" is closely related to the term "Belaya Rus", which means "White Rus". This name has its roots in the medieval period, with references to ""Albae Russiae" or "White Russia" appearing in Latin and German literature as early as the 14th century. One theory suggests that the name "White Rus" distinguished the independent and Christian lands of Polotsk from the pagan Black Rus territories.

During the Soviet era, Belarus was known as the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (BSSR) or Byelorussia. This name change occurred during the Russian Empire, reflecting the empire's composition of Great, Little, and White Russia. However, the term "Byelorussia" caused some confusion after the Bolshevik Revolution, as it was also the name of the military force opposing the Red Bolsheviks.

The push for Belarusian independence gained momentum in the late 20th century, with the election of a communist-dominated Supreme Soviet in 1990. This led to a declaration of sovereignty on 27 July 1990 and, later, a declaration of independence on 25 August 1991. The newly independent nation was officially named the Republic of Belarus, and it joined the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

The path to independence was not without challenges. Legislative elections in 1990 resulted in a communist-dominated Supreme Soviet that delayed market reforms and struggled to adopt a new constitution, which was only achieved in 1994. This constitution created the office of the president, and Alexander Lukashenko was elected in July 1994. Lukashenko's authoritarian rule has drawn criticism from international observers, particularly regarding undemocratic elections, suppression of political opposition, and restrictions on press freedom.

Despite these concerns, Belarus has maintained close economic and political ties with Russia, its main trading partner. This relationship has been formalized through the Union State, a political and economic union between the two countries. However, disputes over defence, natural resources, and other issues have occasionally strained the partnership.

In summary, Belarus's history as part of the Soviet Union ended on 25 August 1991 when it declared independence. The country has since navigated a course as an independent nation, seeking to balance its domestic politics and foreign relations while facing ongoing international scrutiny.

The country was known as Byelorussia until 1991, when the newly independent nation was renamed Belarus

Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. The country was known as Byelorussia until 1991, when the newly independent nation was renamed Belarus. Belarus was part of the Soviet Union until 25 August 1991, when it declared its independence.

The name Belarus is closely related to the term Belaya Rus', or White Rus'. There are several theories about the origin of the name White Rus'. One ethno-religious theory suggests that the name was used to describe the part of old Ruthenian lands within the Grand Duchy of Lithuania that had been populated mostly by early Christianized Slavs, as opposed to Black Ruthenia, which was predominantly inhabited by pagan Balts. Another explanation for the name comments on the white clothing worn by the local Slavic population. A third theory suggests that the old Rus' lands that were not conquered by the Tatars (Polotsk, Vitebsk, and Mogilev) were referred to as White Rus'. A fourth theory suggests that the colour white was associated with the west, and Belarus was the western part of Rus' in the 9th to 13th centuries.

The term Belorussia first appeared during the Russian Empire, which was formed by three parts: Great, Little, and White Russia. This asserted that the territories and peoples were all Russian variants. After the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, the term White Russia caused confusion as it was also the name of the military force opposing the Red Bolsheviks. During the period of the Byelorussian SSR, the term Byelorussia was embraced as part of a national consciousness. In western Belarus under Polish control, Byelorussia became commonly used in the regions of Białystok and Grodno during the interwar period.

The term Byelorussia was used officially until 1991, when the independent country was renamed Belarus. The full name of the country is the Republic of Belarus. The name change reflected the country's independence and sovereignty, moving away from the Russian influence of the past.

The country has a rich history, with different states controlling its lands over the centuries, including the Principality of Polotsk, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and the Russian Empire. Belarus gained its independence in 1991 during the dissolution of the Soviet Union, and has since been led by a highly centralized and authoritarian government.

The name Belarus is related to the phrase Belaya Rus, meaning White Rus

The name Belarus is indeed related to the phrase Belaya Rus, meaning White Rus. The term Rus is often conflated with its Latin forms Russia and Ruthenia, and so Belarus is often referred to as White Russia or White Ruthenia.

There are several theories as to the origin of the name White Rus. One ethno-religious theory suggests that the name was used to describe the part of old Ruthenian lands within the Grand Duchy of Lithuania that had been populated mostly by Slavs who had been Christianized early, as opposed to Black Ruthenia, which was predominantly inhabited by pagan Balts. An alternative explanation for the name comments on the white clothing worn by the local Slavic population. A third theory suggests that the old Rus' lands that were not conquered by the Tatars (Polotsk, Vitebsk, and Mogilev) were referred to as White Rus. A fourth theory suggests that the colour white was associated with the west, and Belarus was the western part of Rus in the 9th to 13th centuries.

The name Belaya Rus, or White Russia, first appeared in German and Latin medieval literature. The chronicles of Jan of Czarnków mention the imprisonment of Lithuanian grand duke Jogaila and his mother at "Albae Russiae, Poloczk dicto" in 1381. The first known use of White Russia to refer specifically to Belarus was in the late 16th century by Englishman Sir Jerome Horsey, who was known for his close contacts with the Russian royal court. During the 17th century, the Russian tsars used the term to describe the lands added from the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

Belarus is bordered by Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia

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 has a population of 9.1 million people and spans an area of 207,600 square kilometres (80,200 sq mi). Minsk is the capital and largest city of Belarus, and is administered separately as a city with special status.

The country has a hemiboreal climate and is divided into six administrative regions. Belarus has a rich history, with different states controlling the lands of modern-day Belarus from the medieval period to the 20th century, including Kievan Rus', the Principality of Polotsk, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, and the Russian Empire.

During the Russian Revolution in 1917, various states arose and competed for legitimacy, which ultimately led to the formation of the Byelorussian SSR, a founding constituent republic of the Soviet Union in 1922. After the Polish-Soviet War (1918–1921), Belarus lost a significant portion of its territory to Poland. The borders of Belarus took their modern shape after World War II, during which the country lost about a quarter of its population and half of its economic resources.

Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Belarus gained independence in 1991 and adopted a new constitution in 1994. Alexander Lukashenko was elected as the first president of Belarus in the country's first and only free election after independence. Belarus has a highly centralized and authoritarian government, often described as "Europe's last dictatorship".

The country is a member of the United Nations and has joined organisations such as the CIS, the CSTO, the EAEU, the OSCE, and the Non-Aligned Movement. Belarus has close ties with Russia and is dependent on it for imports of raw materials and its export market. The two countries signed a treaty in 2000 for greater cooperation, forming the Union State.

Minsk is the capital and largest city of Belarus

First mentioned in 1067, Minsk became the capital of the Principality of Minsk, an appanage of the Principality of Polotsk, before being annexed by the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1242. It received town privileges in 1499. From 1569, it was the capital of Minsk Voivodeship, an administrative division of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. It was part of the territories annexed by the Russian Empire in 1793, as a consequence of the Second Partition of Poland. From 1919 to 1991, after the Russian Revolution, Minsk was the capital of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, which became a republic of the Soviet Union in 1922. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Minsk became the capital of the newly independent Republic of Belarus.

Minsk is the economic, political, scientific, and cultural centre of Belarus. It is also the administrative centre of the Minsk Region and Minsk District. Minsk has a special administrative status in Belarus.

Minsk is the most economically developed city in Belarus. It has a large railway network that connects Brest, Moscow, Vilnius, and Gomel. There is also a national airport in the capital. The city has a very good public transportation system, with buses, trolleybuses, trams, and a metro system.

Minsk is a large industrial centre, producing 16% of the total volume of industrial output in Belarus. The main industries include tractor manufacturing, machine-tool construction, and radio engineering and electronic equipment manufacturing. Minsk is also a large educational centre, with the main educational institutions of the country concentrated in the city.

Minsk has an extensive network of cultural establishments, including 13 museums and 10 theatres. The city is also famous for its sports traditions and Olympic achievements, with numerous sports centres, stadiums, athletic fields, pools, and tennis courts.

Minsk has numerous interesting historical places and architectural monuments, including Orthodox and Catholic churches, the National Library of Belarus, Independence Avenue, Pobediteley Avenue, and the Hero-City Stele in Pobeditelei Avenue. The city was destroyed beyond recognition during World War II but was rebuilt and turned into a beautiful European city.

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