On July 3, 1944, the capital Republic of Belarus was freed from the German occupiers. In 1996, according to the results of a national referendum, this date was chosen by the citizens of the country to celebrate Independence Day. Although until 1996 Independence Day of Belarus was celebrated on July 27, the day of adoption of the Declaration on State Sovereignty.

In the Middle Ages, the Principality of Polotsk existed on the territory of Belarus, then these lands were part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and the Russian Empire (later – Poland and the USSR).

In 1991, Belarus became a sovereign state. From 1991 to 1994, Belarus was a parliamentary state. In 1994, the first presidential elections were held, in which Oleksandr Lukashenko won.

The main event Independence Day Belarusians consider a solemn parade of troops in Minsk.

Interesting facts about Belarus

• Almost 45% of the country’s territory consists of forests.
• Minsk (the capital of Belarus) has more than 800,000 trees.
• The economy of the country is mainly represented by agriculture and manufacturing industry.
• Oleksandr Lukashenko is the first and only president of Belarus, who was rightfully described as the “last dictator in Europe.”
• After the presidential elections in August 2020, mass demonstrations against the ruling regime took place in the country, which were brutally suppressed. The Belarusian opposition uses the historic national white-red-white flag, which had official status until 1995.