Belarus is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe[7] bordered by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to

the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital and most
populous city is Minsk. Belarus area is 207,600 square kilometres. About 40% of Belarus is covered
by forests. Belarus has a moderate continental climate, with cool humid winters and warm summers

As a result of the merger of the cultures of the newly arrived Slavs and local Balts, alliances of tribes
arose, among them the Krivichi, Dregovichi, Radimichi, Yatvyag, Lithuania and some others, which
became the forerunners of the first state formations.

Polotsk was founded in 862 and not only is it the oldest town in the country, it is one of the oldest in the

whole Slavic region, making it a popular tourist attraction in Belarus. The town is located 250km north of

Minsk in the Vitebsk region of Belarus Cathedral of Saint Sophia in Polotsk . one of the

earliest churches of Ancient Russia along with the Kiev and Novgorod Sophia

cathedrals and the oldest stone building in the territory of modern Belarus.

Minsk is the capital and largest city of Belarus, situated on the Svislač and the Nyamiha Rivers.

Minsk is the administrative capital of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and seat of its

Executive Secretary. The earliest historical references to Minsk date to the 11th century (1067),

when it was noted as a provincial city within the Principality of Polotsk.