The population of Belarus is over 9 million people (population density - 47 people per 1 km2).
National composition:
- Belarusians (77%);
- Russians (13%);
- Poles (4%);
- Ukrainians (3%);
- other nations (3%)
The Belarusian people originated at the place of the confluence of the Baltic and East Slavic tribes, and the ancient ethnic basis of the Belarusians was represented by the East Slavic tribes of the Krivichi, Dregovichi, Polyany, Drevlyan, Radimichi.
At the moment, representatives of the Russian, Ukrainian, Polish, Tatar and Jewish nationalities live and have always lived in Belarus.
The state languages in Belarus are Belarusian and Russian.
It should be noted that the Belarusian language has 3 dialects - central, southwestern and southeastern.
Most residents of Belarus are Orthodox Christians (70%). But among the population you can find adherents of the Roman Catholic Church, Greek Catholics and Protestants.
Large cities: Minsk, Gomel, Mogilev, Vitebsk, Grodno, Brest.
Life span
The male population lives on average up to 64, and the female population - up to 76 years.
Men live on average 12 years less than women: this is due to the fact that they “burn out” at work, eat improperly, abuse smoking and alcohol. The early mortality of men is also influenced by social causes - loneliness, social instability of families.
The percentage of mortality of the population of Belarus from cardiovascular diseases and neoplasms (cancer of the lungs, bronchi, stomach) is high, and external factors (poisoning, trauma, suicide) are also common causes of death.
Traditions and customs of Belarusians
The population of Belarus treats its ancestors with care and ancient pagan rituals are carried out in the country to this day. All these ancient pagan beliefs can be traced in each of the holidays (Maslenitsa, Kupalye, Kolyada).
Interesting customs related to the wedding, which is represented by pre-wedding ceremonies (matchmaking), the wedding itself (meeting the young, dividing the loaf) and post-wedding chimes (passing the bride and groom, redemption of the braid).
Belarusians love to celebrate the holiday “Gukanne viasny”: they say goodbye to the cold and call for spring by burning a straw effigy - a symbol of winter (as a rule, this holiday falls on Maslenitsa week).
Belarusians attach no less importance to folk crafts (weaving, embroidery, pottery, straw and vine weaving, glass painting). Despite the fact that all of them are mainly of an exhibition and souvenir nature, they are subject to the same artistic laws as hundreds of years ago.
The Belarusian people are peace-loving, tolerant towards representatives of other nationalities, law-abiding, hardworking, respectful of the land and home.
