| Belarus ((be)/(ru)Беларусь) | |
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| Flag | |
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| Information | |
| Capital city | Minsk |
|---|---|
| Area | 208 000 km² |
| Population | 10 000 000 hab. (2010) |
| Density | 48,08 inhab./km² |
| Form of State | presidential regime |
| Change | Belarusian ruble (BYN) |
| Electricity | 220 V/50 Hz, European plug |
| Telephone prefix | 375 |
| Internet suffix | .by, .бел |
| Flow direction | Right-hand drive |
| Spindle | UTC 3 |
| Location | |
 53 ° 34 ′ 12 ″ N 27 ° 46 ′ 48 ″ E | |
| Official site | |
The Belarus is a country ofEastern Europe.
Understand
With the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Republic of Belarus, formerly the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, regained an independence that it had only briefly experienced during the transition period between the end of the Russian Empire and the creation ofUSSR, from 1918 to 1922. In contact with the Poland to the west and Russia in the east, Belarus was in history a privileged ground for the cultural, religious, political and military confrontations of these two countries, and it still struggles today to build a national identity apart from this rivalry and the influences cultural activities exercised by its two large neighbors.
Weather
Average temperatures vary in January from -4.5 ° C to -8 ° C and in July from 17 ° C to 18.5 ° C. Some regions have negative temperatures for more than a third of the year. annual average is 600-700 mm and 70% of the rain falls from April to October and there are 75 to 125 days of snow each year, with a snow cover ranging from 15 to 30 cm.
Religion
The Orthodox religion is the main religion in Belarus. There is, however, a large Catholic community with almost 400 churches, as well as some Protestants, Jews and Muslims.
Holidays
| Dated | French name | Local name |
|---|---|---|
| January 1st | New Year | Новы год (Novy Hod) |
| January 7 | Orthodox Christmas | Каляды праваслаўныя (Kalady pravasłaŭnyja) |
| 8 March | International Women's Day | Мiжнародны жаночы дзень (Mižnarodny žanočy dzień) |
| 9 days after Orthodox Easter | Remembrance Day | Радунiца (Radunica) |
| May 1 | labor Day | Дзень працы (Dzień Pracy) |
| May 9 | Victory Day (Victory over Germany during the Great Patriotic War) | Дзень Перамогi (Dzień Pieramohi) |
| July 3 | Independence Day | Дзень Незалежнасцi (Dzień Niezaležnasci) |
| November 7 | October Revolution | Дзень Кастрычніцкай рэвалюцыі (Dzień Kastryčnickaj revalucyi) |
| December 25th | Catholic Christmas | Каляды каталiцкiя (Kalady katalickija) |
Regions
Cities
- 1 Minsk – the capital
- 2 Gomel
- 3 Vitebsk
- 4 Mogilev
- 5 Hrodna
- 6 Brest – at the border with the Poland and theUkraine
- 7 Pinsk
- 8 Babruysk
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To go
Visa
The Republic of Belarus requires most of its visitors to have a visa for entry and stay in its territory, citizens of the following countries do not need a visa: Armenia, Cuba, Georgia, Kazakhstan, North Korea, Kyrgyzstan, North Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Qatar, Russia, Serbia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Venezuela.
- Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Detailed procedure for obtaining visas with list of countries whose citizens are exempt from visa to enter Belarus.
Belarusian visas at Minsk national airport (IATA : MSQ) are issued to nationals of countries which do not have consular offices of the Republic of Belarus for 90 €. However, the prices for citizens of countries with a Belarusian consulate are quite high - € 180 when they apply upon arrival at Minsk airport. Standard documents such as an invitation letter must be provided.
- Visa prices at Minsk national airport – Prices are variable depending on the country of origin.
For nationals of other countries (South Africa, Austria, Germany, Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, China, Estonia, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, United States, France, Hungary, India, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latvia, Libya, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovak Republic, Montenegro, UK, Swiss, Sweden, Syria, Turkey, Turkmenistan), visas can be issued on arrival on an exceptional basis only. However, this possibility will not be available for people with a Belarusian embassy in their country from , unless the reason for entry is urgent (such as illness or death of a family member).
Different types of visas can be issued.
- To obtain a short stay private visa (less than 30 days) the contact details of the person inviting the visitor are sufficient.
- The long stay private visa (more than 30 days and less than 90 days) requires, in addition, an official invitation established by the militia at the request of the inviting person.
- To obtain a tourist visa, the visitor must present an official invitation from a Belarusian tourism agency. This document is generally chargeable. You must also provide a voucher, voucher proving the reservation of a hotel. For more information, you can consult the agency's website in French. Belarus Tour Service
- Finally, for a transit visa, the traveler must provide proof of his journey, transport ticket or Russian visa for example.
As an indication, on December 1, 2006, the visa fees were:
- 65 € for a private visa
- 50 € for a tourist visa
- 30 € for a transit visa
All details are available on the website of Consulate of the Republic of Belarus in France.
On-site formalities
Immigration card
Upon entry, the visitor is given an immigration card by customs that he must present for validation during the registration procedure and keep until he leaves the territory of the Republic of Belarus.
Insurance
The subscription with a Belarusian national company of a medical and repatriation insurance policy is compulsory for the entire duration of the stay. Insurance company agents spontaneously offer this service at land borders, except when arriving by train. The amount of insurance is approximately 5 € per week. Insurance is required during the registration process.
Recording
The visitor must register with the Belarusian authorities. Registration must legally take place within 3 working days of entering the country.
In the case of a tourist visa, the registration formalities are carried out by the hotel.
In the case of a private visa, the visitor and his host must plan 2 half-days to complete these administrative formalities with the militia of the place of stay. The host must in particular provide the technical passport of his accommodation, and the militia will verify that the visitor is not wanted by the authorities. At the end of his stay, the visitor must advise of his departure and be deleted from the register. Registration is chargeable. It takes about 5 € for the actual recording, plus 1 € computer processing. All payments are made through the savings bank (sberkassa).
By plane
The Belarusian national airline offers direct flights from most European capitals at very competitive prices. Timetables and prices can be viewed on the website Belavia.
The capital is served by two airports:
- Minsk 1 for internal flights
- Minsk 2 for international services
Warning !!! Only Minsk Airport 2 can issue you an entry visa on site. If you are arriving through Minsk 1, you must have a visa departing from your home country.
By train
For travelers from Western Europe, passage through Germany is required with a connection in Cologne or Berlin. Trains serving Belarus have their final destination in Moscow. The Belarusian cities served are, from west to east, Brest, Baranovichi, Minsk and Orcha. The timetables can be consulted on the website in French of the German railway company DB France. Tickets can be purchased at the company's Paris offices. As of October 1, 2006, a one-way ticket cost 80 €, a round trip 100,6 €, reservation not included. The berth reservation is compulsory and amounted to 22 € as of October 1, 2006.
It is not possible to purchase the Minsk-Berlin or Minsk-Cologne return reservation from Paris or Berlin. This reservation is only possible from Minsk and no other Belarusian station. For an individual trip, it is therefore essential to know a person on site. In addition, according to the reservation system in force in Belarus, the person must be willing to renew the reservation every 2 weeks. Given these difficulties, train travel is not recommended for a first stay.
From Warsaw to Moscow, travelers occupy closed compartments with 4 berths. In each wagon a controller (pravadnik), usually a woman, collects the tickets and keeps them during the journey, we can also buy him drinks. It is best to lock the compartment at night.
When crossing the Belarusian border in Brest, the change of bogies due to different track gauges between Europe and Russia further adds to the charm of arriving by train. This compulsory stop lasts approximately 3 h, we will take the opportunity to get on Belarusian time ( 1 h), it is obviously the occasion of customs control. Checks take place on board the train. They are generally lighter than when traveling by car or coach.
By bus
The coach is arguably the cheapest form of transport to arrive in Belarus, but it is also the most trying. From Paris to Minsk, the traveler will spend 40 long hours in some discomfort. Timetables and prices can be viewed on the website of the famous private European company Eurolines. For the border crossing, it is necessary to count 5 h - 7 h sometimes finicky waiting and checks, both on the Polish and Belarusian sides.
By car
It takes a dozen hours of waiting at customs (for consolation, a road freight driver can wait up to a week ...). The practice of Russian or Polish is strongly recommended.
It is important to have the customs duty certificates for your valuables. You will not be asked a question on entry, but you may be required to pay up to 10% of the value of your personal effects when leaving the country.
The green international insurance card has been valid in Belarus since 2008. It is therefore no longer compulsory to take out a local insurance contract at the border.
Circulate
By train
- International connections: the country is crossed from east to west by the Moscow-Berlin line and from north to south by the Saint-Petersburg-Kiev line.
- National and regional connections: The Belarusian national rail network is quite dense and all major cities are well served. The very competitive prices make the "elektrichka" the preferred means of intercity transport by the inhabitants. These trains are very busy and generally uncomfortable.
- Suburban connections: The remote suburb of Minsk is served by commuter trains.
Network map and timetables can be viewed on the Russian-language website of the national company Belarusskaya Tchygunka.
A bus network connected to the rail network provides access to towns without a station.
By bus
A public coach service covers areas not served by the rail network. Private entrepreneurs provide a competing service in "gazelles", small vans where about fifteen passengers can be seated. The prices charged are slightly higher than those of the train.
By car
The quality of the coatings is generally very good on the main roads.
Belarusian highways are chargeable through the BelToll electronic toll system. The system allows road users to pay the toll without stopping at the toll booths. Each vehicle must be registered at the first customer point on its route and must pay a prepayment of 25 to 350 EUR depending on the estimated number of kilometers. A deposit of 20 EUR recoverable before leaving the territory must be paid. Vehicle documents and a document certifying the emission class must also be presented.
Payment can be made in cash (BYR), by bank card (VISA, MasterCard, Belkart) or by corporate fuel card (Belorusneft, Berlio, E100, Eurowag, euroShell).
Drivers of vehicles under 3.5 t customs union (Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan) are exempt from payment.
The paid routes are:
- М-1 /E30 – Brest – Minsk – Russian border
- M-2 Minsk - Minsk National Airport
- M-3 Minsk – Vitebsk
- M-4 Minsk – Mogilev
- M-5 / E 271 Minsk – Homel
- M-6 / E 28 Minsk – Hrodna – Polish border
Prices range from 0.04 EUR per km for less than 3.5 t at EUR 0.12 for motor vehicles over 3.5 t with 4 axles (and more).
- BelToll – All information such as the price, the customer points are on the site in English, Russian, Polish, Lithuanian and Latvian.
The main roads are generally tarred but one quickly finds roads which are simply graveled or even dirt roads on the secondary network. You should always be very careful.
Belarus applies the 0 tolerance for drinking and driving.
Speed limits are on motorways at 90 km / h or 120 km / h if indicated, on roads outside built-up areas 90 km / h and 60 km / h in urban areas.
There are no problems finding petrol stations along the main roads. Fuel is around half the price of that found in the European Union.
In the city
By subway
Minsk is crossed by two good quality metro lines, both from the point of view of the transport service offered and the aesthetic benefits. Trains are fast and run with good frequency. The stations are clean, mostly decorated in Soviet style, with a Belarusian national touch, so the metro may be worth a visit for yourself. As of November 1, 2010, the price of a ticket is 700BYB.
By bus
In large and medium-sized towns, people travel on municipal bus and trolleybus networks. The vehicles are often very old, and the frequencies of passage seem random. These public lines are generally doubled by private transport called "marchroutkas", small vans where ten passengers can take place. The price of a ticket is around 500BYB.
Buy
Since , the new Belarusian ruble (BYN) is replaced the old Belarusian ruble (BYR) at the rate of BYR 10,000 for 1 BYN.
| Current BYN exchange rate | |
| XE.com: | CADCHFEURGBPUSDRUB |
| OANDA.com: | CADCHFEURGBPUSDRUB |
| fxtop.com: | CADCHFEURGBPUSDRUB |
The ATMs are quite plentiful and accept the usual international cash cards and are in all major languages depending on the option you choose, giving you either Belarusian rubles or dollars as you choose.
Eat
Production and distribution
Belarusian agriculture remains largely collectivized and the agrifood sector largely depends on state enterprises. These national or imported industrial products are distributed in small supermarkets, private or state, or by small independent traders in urban markets.
Beside this official production, Belarusians often cultivate a vegetable garden from which they derive a significant food supplement, not only for their personal consumption but also for street sale or in small country markets. Babushkas offer their potatoes on the side of the roads, their raspberries or their pickles on the sidewalks of large cities.
Products
The markets are well supplied with a variety of fruits and vegetables. Exotic species (watermelon, tomato, persimmon, etc.) come from neighboring producing countries such as Ukraine or Moldova.
With the exception of poultry, which can be purchased fresh, meat is most often consumed in processed form: cold cuts (sausages, sausages) and preserves (touchenka).
Many fish are sold canned, salted or simply dried.
There is a wide variety of dairy products: butters, crème fraîche (smetana) or sour cream (slivki), fermented milk (kefir), cottage cheese (tvorog), etc.
Specialties
One of the famous national specialties is the “draniki”, a small pancake of grated potato pan-fried in butter, accompanied either onion, mushrooms, minced meat and a little fresh cream. Another specialty is the “pelmeni” - ravioli meat-based, cooked in an earthenware pot served with crème fraîche.
Typical Belarusian cuisine is quite fatty, much of it based on sauce and potatoes to last in the harsh winters.
Belarusian gastronomy can be discovered through a visit to Dudutki. AT 40 km in Minsk, this ecomuseum strives to preserve the know-how of rural Belarus. Alongside the potter's or blacksmith's workshops, garlic cheeses are refined, homemade vodka is distilled, and homemade sausages are made. All these products can be tasted on site. You can also learn to drink Belarusian vodka, accompanied by a salted pickle placed on a slice of black bread spread with honey.
Drinks
- Tap water is most often non-drinkable. It should at least be filtered and boiled before consumption. The consumption of mineral water is strongly recommended.
- Vodka is the national alcoholic drink. Each region, each city produces its vodka specialty. A medium-quality vodka costs around 8 €/ l.
Housing
It is better to go to the hotel because in addition to the visa you need a document that states our place of residence.The document is made in 1 night at the hotel against 3 to 5 days for renting an apartment and more it is better to be helped by a resident of belarus because of the complexity of the documents.
Learn
To work
security
 | Emergency telephone number: Police :102 Ambulance:103 Firefighter :101112 redirects to 101 on Velcom mobile phones. Gas:104 |
No security problem on the main roads of the capital given the strong presence of the local police (militia) very strong sense of security, on the other hand expect paper checks. Be careful in the small streets, because some people dislike strangers and can be aggressive.
Government travel advice
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Belgium (Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation) 
Canada (Government of Canada) 
France (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) 
Swiss (Federal Department of Foreign Affairs)
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Respect
Communicate
For the visitor, knowledge of the Russian language is desirable. The English language is hardly used, except in the higher socio-professional categories and the French language almost absent except by the students in French.
The question of the language of communication is a controversial subject reflecting the tensions between the construction of Belarusian national identity and the influence or even the attraction of the great Russian neighbor. Both Belarusian and Russian languages are recognized as national languages. Education is provided in Russian and Belarusian is taught as a foreign language in secondary education classes.
All Belarusians speak Russian which is the language of everyday communication. Few Belarusians speak Belarusian fluently despite compulsory education. However, all Belarusians have at least the basics of Belarusian. This knowledge is essential for understanding official Belarus. For example, many administrative forms and signage for stations and communication routes are written in Belarusian.
