Ten fun facts about Belarus

Fact 1:
Belarus has around 31 banks; the government owns 30 banks and only one is privately owned.

Fact 2:
The official currency is called Belarusian Ruble.

Fact 3:
Belarus gain independence from the Soviet Union in 1990.

Fact 4:
Belarus shares borders with Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia.

Fact 5:
The name Belarus means "White Russia".

Fact 6:
80% of the population is made of native Belarusians, the rest is composed of minorities; mainly Russian.

Fact 7:
Belarus is a presidential system; it has a president and a national assembly.

Fact 8:
The official spoken language is Belarusian and Russian.

Fact 9:
The capital of Belarus is Minsk which is also the biggest city in the country.

Fact 10:
Agriculture and manufacturing are the largest industries in Belarus.