Belarus

Belarus

AREA	207,595 sq km (80,153 sq miles).
POPULATION	10,236,127 (1997).
POPULATION DENSITY	49.3 per sq km.
CAPITAL	Minsk
CAPITAL POPULATION	1,679,500 (1997).
GEOGRAPHY	Belarus is bordered by Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine and the Russian Federation. It is covered largely by forests and lakes which are rich in wildlife and is crossed by major rivers such as the Dnieper.
GOVERNMENT	Republic since 1994. Gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1994. Head of State: President Aleksandr Lukashenko since 1994. Head of Government: Prime Minister Sergej Ling since 1997.
LANGUAGE	The official languages are Belarusian and Russian.
RELIGION	Christian, mainly Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic with small Protestant, Jewish and Muslim communities.
STANDARD TIME	GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).
ELECTRICITY	220V, 50Hz. Adaptors are recommended.

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