Belarus Travel Tips General Information

Area
207,595 sq km (80,153 sq miles).

Population
9,990,435 (2001).

Population Density
48.1 per sq km.

Capital
Minsk.
Population: 1,699,100 (2001).

Government
Republic since 1991.
Head of State: President Aleksandr Lukashenka since 1994.
Head of Government: Prime Minister Sjarhej Sidorski since 2003.

Language
The official languages are Belarusian and Russian.

Religion
Christian, mainly Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic with small Protestant, Jewish and Muslim communities.

Time
GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).

Electricity
220V, 50Hz. Adaptors are recommended.

Communications


Telephone
IDD is available to all major cities, including Minsk (17) and Brest (162). Country code: 375. To make international calls it is necessary to dial 8, wait for a tone, then dial 10. Calls from Belarus to some countries must be booked through the international operator. Public telephones take cards. Grey booths are for internal calls and blue ones for international calls.

Mobile telephone
GSM 900 network covers Minsk and other towns. Main operators are Velcom and MTS. Coverage is limited to main towns. Handsets can be hired at the airport (Belcel office) and in Minsk.

Fax
Services are available in all larger hotels in Minsk and other big cities. Faxes can also be sent from any of the state telegraph offices or from business centers. There are some public fax facilities.

Internet
There are a few Internet cafes in Minsk. Access is also available at some post offices. Local ISPs include Belpak

Telegram
These can be sent from hotels and telephone offices.

Post
Airmail to Western Europe takes a minimum of 10 days. Larger hotels offer Poste Restante services. The Central Post Office (Minsk, Skoriny 10; open 0730-2300) and the Yubileynaya and Planeta hotels in Minsk offer express mail services. DHL Worldwide Express and Federal Express also have branches in Minsk.

Press
The English-language paper Belarus Today is published weekly. The principal dailies are Belorusskaya Niva, Narodnaya Hazeta and Respublika, all printed in Belarusian and Russian. Sovetskaya Beloroussiya is printed in Russian. Zvyazda is printed in Belarusian.

Radio
BC World Service and Voice of America can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online.

Public Holidays

Jan 1 2005:    New Year’s Day.
Jan 7:    Orthodox Christmas.
Mar 8:    International Women’s Day.
Mar 15:    Constitution Day.
Mar 25-28:    Catholic Easter.
Apr 29-May 2:    Orthodox Easter.
May 1:    Labor Day.
May 9:    Victory Day.
Jul 3:    Independence Day.
Nov 2:   Dzyady.
Nov 7:    Day of the October Revolution.
Dec 25:    Christmas Day.
Jan 1 2006:    New Year’s Day.
Jan 7:    Orthodox Christmas.
Mar 8:    International Women’s Day.
Mar 15:   Constitution Day.
Apr 14-17:    Catholic Easter.
Apr 21-24:    Orthodox Easter.
May 1:    Labor Day.
May 9:    Victory Day.
Jul 3:    Independence Day.
Nov 2:   Dzyady.
Nov 7:    Day of the October Revolution.
Dec 25:   Christmas Day.

Special Events
The following is a selection of special events occurring in Belarus in 2005; for a complete list and exact dates, contact the Embassy (see General Info section):

Jan:    National Convention of Belarusian Composers.
Jun:    Festival of Poetry, Lake Svityaz.
Jul 14-20:    14th International Festival - 'Slavic Bazaar in Vitebsk'.
Oct:    International Theater Festival.
Nov:    Belarusian Musical Autumn, Minsk.

Contact Information:

Location
Eastern Europe.

Country dialing code
375.