Belarus today marks National Day

Chisinau, 3 July /MOLDPRES/ - Belarus, situated in eastern Europe, which borders Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to south, Poland to west, Lithuania and Latvia to northwest, celebrates its Independence Day today, marking the Minsk city's liberation from fascism in 1944.

Belarus has an area of 207,600 square km and a population of 9.49 million residents. Its capital is the Minsk city. Among the big cities there are: Brest, Hrodna, Gomel, Vitebsk, Moghiliov, Bobruysk, Orsha and others.

After seven decades of being constituent republic of the Soviet Union, Belarus gained its independence in 1991.

The country's relief is dominated by plains, with large swampy areas, many rivers and about 11,000 lakes. Three big rivers flow through Belarus: Neman, Pripyat and Dnieper. About 40 per cent of the Belarusian territory is covered with woods.  

Belarus exports tractors, transport means, cars, farming machines and tools, petrol, gas, chemicals, construction materials, timber, paper and furniture. It imports fuel, electricity, industrial preforms, carpets, vegetables, fruits and consumer goods.

The diplomatic relations between Moldova and Belarus were set on 19 November 1992. Belarus Ambassador to Chisinau is Sergey Chichuk, and Moldovan Ambassador to Belarus - Gheorghe Hioara.

Moldova's foreign trade with Belarus was estimated at 276.67 million dollars in 2014, up by 2.98 per cent against 2013. Belarus holds a 3.61-per cent share in overall trade (5.76 per cent in export and 2.67 per cent  in import).

(Reporter N. Roibu, editor A. Raileanu)