Location & History: A former Soviet republic, Byelorussia (White Russia) is bounded by Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia and the Ukraine. Became independent in Dec., 1991,renamed Belarus. Russian form 13.2% of the population, Poles 4.1% and Ukrainians 2.9%.

In April, 1997, Belarus and Russia concluded a union treaty calling for the gradual creation of a confederation between the two Slavic nations.

Agriculture: Cattle-breeding for meat and dairy produce. Important products: Potato, hemp, grain, flax, fodder.

Natural resources: Valuable forest land wooded with oak, elm, maple, peat deposits.

Industry: Motor vehicle, machine tools, agriculture machinery, peat chemical fibre, paper, building materials, food processing, textile.

Mission in India:
Embassy of the Republic of Belarus
163, Jor Bagh, New Delhi-110003.
Tel: 011 - 24694518, 4697025
Fax: 011 - 24697029.
E-mail: india@belembassy.org

Indian Mission in Belarus:
Embassy of India
Ulitsa Koltsova 4, Block No.5
Minsk 220090, Belarus
Tel: 00-375-17-2629399, 267739
Fax: 00-375-17-2629799
E-mail: amb@open.by / indembminsk@indiatimes.com (Ambassadoir's Office)