• Belarus is a relatively less known country tucked away in north-eastern Europe. But those who know Belarus call it “The Hidden Gem of Europe” for its great living conditions, pristine climate and warm-hearted, law-abiding people. Its people are rich in terms of human values, discipline, sense of nationalism and have a great sense of responsibility.

• It is a landlocked country with an area of 207,600 sq. km and is bordered by Russia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine. Its 9.5 million population lives in six administrative regions (Oblasts) with Minsk as its capital. Belarus was a part of erstwhile USSR and became an independent country on 8 December 1991 when the dissolution of the Soviet Union was officially announced. Belarusians who form 84% of the population are primarily Orthodox Christians. Belarusian and Russian are the two principal languages spoken in Belarus. Very few people speak or understand English though the trend of learning English is slowly on the rise.

• Belarus has the following six administrative regions (Oblasts). The capital city of the region has the same name as the region itself:

Minsk Oblast / Minsk : 3.426 million / 2 million

Brest Oblast / Brest : 1.385 million / 348 thousand

Vitebsk Oblast / Vitebsk : 1.180 million / 378 thousand

Gomel Oblast / Gomel : 1.416 million / 536 million

Grodno Oblast / Grodno : 1.044 million / 371 thousand

Mogilev Oblast / Mogilev : 1.059 million / 381 thousand

• Belarus is still unexplored by the travelers. It is primarily a flat country which may not give the excitement of mountains of Austria or Switzerland, but it has tremendous beauty in its lakes and forests. 11000 lakes and forests including five national parks adorn the country. While summers bring a green cover to the entire country and flora and fauna thrive, winters are pristine white with a huge blanket of snow covering the length and breadth of the nation. Winter season from October to March is cold. While the average winter temperature ranges from -4.5 to -8 degrees centigrade, the temperature can go down to -20 for few days in January/February. Rising temperatures in April and May announce the advent of spring. June to August are the best months to visit Belarus when the maximum day temperature varies from +15 to +30 degrees Celsius and the country is beautifully green!

• Belarus is not a rich country compared to EU standards. Total GDP is about USD 100 billion. Per capita is USD 5000. Salaries in Belarus are also not high. The Government has declared that it wants the average salary in Belarus to be USD 500. But it will take some time to achieve this target. However, with subsidized public services, reasonable cost of food, government’s support for housing and the fact that almost everyone is working, life is Belarus is reasonably manageable for the Belarusians. Private companies do pay a little more. IT is the only field where salaries are handsome compared to general standard.

• Belarus is a fast developing, modern country which has embraced technology in all walks of life. Though red tape, long procedures are still visible, but things happen, timelines are adhered to. One can pay all the bills at post office which is a great convenience. You may not get a cheque book when you open a bank account and a joint account with your spouse is still not possible but banks function with clockwork precision and modern technology. Commercial establishments are professional in dealings. Delivery of goods will be made within the promised hour. Belarus still believes in state owned enterprises…many hotels, factories are still government owned but private investment is increasing. Punctuality is ingrained in people….even the real estate agent arrives at the appointed hour. All public services work efficiently and deliver. Cash is still important, but credit/debit card use is rising. Contactless cards have arrived.

• The city of Minsk with its two million inhabitants has shown exponential progress. Almost the entire city of Minsk had been destroyed during the second world war and had to be rebuilt. It has Stalin-era architecture but also handsome plazas, trendy bars, coffee shops, casinos, McDonald’s and Dominos, Uber and fast internet. One can find top brands in huge shopping malls that have come up during the last few years. This development can be witnessed in other major cities also, albeit slowly.  The number of hotels that have come up during the last five years may defy logic, but the fact is they are there. Hotel chains like Hilton, Meridian, Holiday Inn are not short of guests. The shopping malls are buzzing with activity, coffee shops and restaurants do brisk business. Modern housing complete with swimming pools and club house have sprung up. Expat community is growing. English teaching schools have sprung up. A visit to the pedestrian only upper town in Minsk and similar areas in other cities during summer can give an illusion of being in western Europe with crowds enjoying music and food. The younger generation is much more open and well informed, following the footpath of their western cousins. Something is happening…something silent. Belarus seems to have arrived.
  
  (i) More facts about Belarus on official website http://www.belarus.by
  (ii) Interesting facts about life and people of Belarus :
  http://www.hifivebelarus.com and http://www.vetliva.com