Belarus

Official name: Republic of Belarus

Capital city: Minsk

Internet country code: .by

Flag description: Red horizontal band (top) and green horizontal band one-half the width of the red band; a white vertical stripe on the hoist side bears Belarusian national ornamentation in red

National anthem: Lyrics by M. Klimkovich and U. Karyz­na, music by N. Sakalouski

Geographical description: Eastern Europe, east of Poland

Total area: 80,100 sq. mi. (207,600 sq. km.)

Climate: Cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime

Nationality: noun: Belarusian(s); adjective: Belarusian

Population: 9,724,723 (July 2007 CIA est.)

Ethnic groups: Belarusian 81.2%, Russian 11.4%, Polish 3.9%, Ukrainian 2.4%, Jewish 0.3%, other 0.8%

Languages spoken: Belarusian and Russian

Religions: Eastern Orthodox 80%, Roman Catholic 14%, Protestant 2%, other (including Autocephalous Orthodox, Jewish, Muslim, and Krishna) 4%

(Byelorussia), an illustrated monthly literary and political journal on literature, the arts, society, and politics; the organ of the Writers’ Union of the Byelorussian SSR. It is published in Byelorussian in Minsk (since 1944). Circulation, approximately 20,000 (1970). M. I. Kalachinskii has been editor in chief since 1960.