My Belarusy Trivia Quiz

Answer: Spain

The other two countries that border Belarus are Lithuania and Latvia. None of Belarus's borders are formed by natural features - they are all politically determined. The name Belarus (literally White Rus') is of much-debated origin, but is derived from the Slavic region called Rus', located in what is now Belarus, western Russia, northern Ukraine, and eastern parts of Poland and Slovakia.

In the 10th and 11th centuries the Kievan Rus' was a major political power, but it collapsed into smaller entities, and the eastern part was taken over by Mongol invasion in the early 13th century.

The western area became part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, later the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The eastern part of Rus' eventually became known as Russia, and during the Russian Empire (1721-1917) the official name for Belarus was "White Russia", to emphasis the tsar's sovereignty over Great Russia (the area around Moscow), Little Russia (roughly modern Ukraine) and White Russia.

In some European languages that is still the name of the country, but in English it has reverted to the earlier form.

Answer: The country's highest point

Belarus is a fairly flat country, with an average elevation of around 160 m (530 ft). Its highest point is a mere 345 m (1,130 ft) above sea level. It is not clear whether that official elevation includes the clearly artificial hill on which the plaque stands! Originally called Svyataya Hara, the hill was renamed Hara Dzyarzhynskaya in honor of Felix Dzerzhinsky, the founder of the Soviet secret police force, in 1958. The nearby town of Koydanava was also renamed Dzyarzhynsk in his honor.

As a landlocked country, Belarus has a lowest point that is not at sea level. The Neman River, which has its origins in Belarus and flows northwards through Lithuania to the Baltic Sea, provides the country's lowest point (90 m, or 295 ft, above sea level) as it crosses the border into Lithuania.

Answer: Minsk

The information trail provided in Tom Lehrer's song is quite complex, as it starts in Dnepropetrovsk (Ukraine) before proceeding through Petropavlovsk (on the Kamchatka Peninsula, in the extreme east of Russia), Alexandrovsk (which could be any of a number of Russian cities with that name), Akmolinsk (now known as Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan), to Tomsk, to Omsk (both in Siberia), to Pinsk (a city in the south of Belarus, on the Pripyat River) until it finally arrives in the Belarus capital of Minsk.

Minsk is the largest city of Belarus, and has been a significant settlement at least since the 11th century. It has been a regional capital since the 16th century, and is currently not only the capital of Belarus but also one of the headquarters of the Commonwealth of Independent States, an association of countries formerly part of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. The CIS was established in December 1991 by Belarus, Ukraine and the Russian Federation, to provide an alliance of sovereign countries who cooperate in the areas of trade, finance and security.

If you want to join in the parade that goes past the Post Office (in the picture) on Independence Day, you will need to be there on the somewhat surprising date of July 3. This is not one of the dates on which political independence was claimed or established (claimed 27 July 1990; established 25 August 1991; completed 25 December 1991, according to the Wikipedia article on Belarus). Rather, it celebrates the liberation from the Nazis on 3 July, 1944. While Belarus was under German control, two thirds of its cities were destroyed, including most significant industry, and it is estimated that about a third of the population, including almost all the Jewish citizens, died during the invasion.

Answer: It represents a traditional type of weaving

The pattern on the hoist was designed in 1917 by Matrena Markevich, and has appeared on a number of Belarusian flags since then. It was used in the 1951 flag of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, which also had the fields of red and green (symbolizing, respectively, the struggles for freedom and hope for the future) and an additional yellow hammer and sickle and a red star outlined in yellow.

Weaving has a long history as a Belarusian craft. The pattern on the hoist is typical in its geometric design, which in this case is a Slavic agricultural symbol, alternatively said to represent a fertile sown field or the life-giving sun. Such patterns are often used in the woven towels called rushniks. A plain rushnik may be used for such tasks as cleaning the home; more decorative ones are used to place food on for guests, or in religious ceremonies such as weddings. They are traditionally decorated with a red design, as the Rus' word for red means beautiful or splendid, and the patterns usually are based on flowers or leaves of local plants. The pattern may be woven or embroidered, or both.

Answer: Christianity

Roughly half of all Belarusians follow Orthodox Christianity (Russian Orthodox being the largest denomination), while about a tenth (mostly in western Belarus) practice Catholicism. There are also some Protestant denominations, along with a number of other religions. Before World War II, almost a tenth of Belarus's population was Jewish, but they were reduced (whether through forcible deportation and/or extermination or through emigration to flee from danger) to less than 1% of the post-war population.

The postage stamp in the picture shows the Cross of Saint Euphrosyne, which is often used as a national symbol of Belarus. The original cross was made in 1161 by an artist named Lazar Bohsha, as requested by Euphrosyne (not yet a saint), mother superior of a convent in Polatsk. The decorations include images of a number of religious figures, and inside the cypress cross were placed a number of holy relics, including, ostensibly, a piece of the cross on which Jesus was crucified. In the 13th century the cross was moved to Smolensk before being returned to Polatsk in the middle of the 19th century. The photograph used for the stamp was taken in 1896, part of a project to ensure that it was thoroughly documented. After World War I the cross was moved to Minsk, and then to Mahilyow, near the Russian border. It disappeared from there in 1941 when the region was taken by the Germans as part of Operation Barbarossa. Its fate is uncertain - the Soviets stated that the Germans had looted it; in 1991 Belarusian officials claimed that it was one of a number of items evacuated to Moscow before the invasion; possibly it was just destroyed during the fighting. In 1997 an official replica was made, based on the 1896 photographs.

Answer: Stork

The white stork, which is featured on the Belarusian 20 rouble coin as well as on a number of stamps, is listed on the Belarusian government's page as a symbol of the country. Migratory birds, spending the winters in southern climes, as far south as Africa, the storks return to Belarus in springtime to breed, so their return is welcomed as being associated with the end of the long, cold winter. And, of course, the fact that Belarusians associate storks with fertility and happiness is another point of popularity. Most Belarusian storks are white storks (Ciconia ciconia), which have white bodies and black wings, but some black storks (Ciconia nigra) are also found.

Answer: Straw

While flax and wool were commonly woven for clothing, Belarusian straw weaving created intricate figures that were not only used for domestic decorations, but also adorned churches and other public spaces, especially in small villages where artistry could create beauty in the absence of the money needed for gold and jewels.

The fact that many early figures were based on animals suggests that the art form was originally a form of nature worship. Since the middle of the 20th century, there has been a revival of interest among artists in exploring the possibilities of this medium, and examples can be found in many contemporary art museums, as well as in tourist-oriented shops.

In addition to the traditional animals (especially birds and horses) and human dolls in traditional garb, contemporary artists explore more abstract forms.

Answer: Borscht

Borscht actually originated in Ukraine, but it has become a staple in many nearby countries, including Belarus. In the winter you can expect hot borscht as a first course, and in Belarus it is likely to include cabbage and tomato as well as the beetroot used to produce the stock. In warmer weather, cold borscht (or khaladnik), which has sour cream stirred through it to produce a light pink color, is more likely to be served.

Bread is also an important part of Belarusian cuisine. Borscht is usually accompanied by bread, often rye bread, which has garlic sprinkled on top. A traditional Slavic greeting for guests is the offering of a loaf of bread that has a container of salt resting in an indentation on top of the loaf, served on the traditional decorated cloth called a rushnik. Bread is also fermented to make the popular drink kvas, which may be flavored with fruit or herbs, or just drunk as it comes.

Answer: Ice hockey

Ice hockey receives significant government subsidies to ensure that a high level of competition is maintained, and to prevent the recruiting of all the best players to the more lucrative North American leagues, where a number of Belarusians compete in the National Hockey League. The Belarusian ice hockey team came fourth in the 2002 Winter Olympics, behind Canada, USA and Russia. After three draws in their pool games, they managed to defeat Sweden 4-3 in the quarterfinals, before losing to Canada in the semifinals. They then lost the bronze medal playoff to Russia.

In 2012, Victoria Azarenka became the first female Belarusian tennis player to win a Grand Slam when she won the Australian Open, and simultaneously became the world's No. 1 female tennis player.

Answer: European bison

The European bison is slightly taller, but also slightly lighter, than the North American bison, and is the heaviest surviving wild land animal in Europe. They were actually hunted to extinction in the wild, with the last known wild one being shot in 1927, but fortunately there were significant numbers in zoos, and it has been possible to breed animals to be released into the wild. They were first reintroduced into Belavezhskaya Pushcha in 1929, and are a protected species.

The Belavezhskaya Pushcha is also known for its magnificent trees, including a number of oak trees that are over 500 years old, as well as ash, pine and fir trees. It was given World Heritage status in 1992, and was declared a Biosphere Reserve in 1993. As well as the European bison, it is a haven for the greater spotted eagle, the indigenous wild horse called the konik, and Eurasian elks.