Belarus (officially the Republic of Belarus, and formerly and sometimes known as Byelorussia) is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe bordered by Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia. Covering an area of about 207,600 square kilometres, making it slightly smaller than the UK. Belarus is known for its flat terrain, large forests, and thousands of rivers and lakes, along with beautiful national parks teeming with incredible wildlife. Much of the country is covered by farmland and woodland, and it has a cool continental climate with cold winters and mild summers. Its economy is heavily industrialised, with sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, and energy playing key roles.
Its capital city is Minsk, located in the centre of the country. It is the political, economic, and cultural heart of Belarus, hosting most of the country’s government institutions, major universities, and largest companies. Minsk is known for its wide boulevards, Soviet-era architecture, and clean, well-organised layout. Despite its modern developments, the city reflects a strong Soviet legacy, both in urban design and public monuments. It also offers vibrant cultural life, including theatres, museums, and music venues. In addition, the city has well-developed public transportations, and has experienced a wave of modernization in recent years but remains relatively conservative compared to other European capitals.
Floods, storms, and wildfires.
For traffic/driving violations;
Police can issue on-the-spot fines and collect them immediately, but fines can also be paid later via official systems. Police can confiscate your driving licence until you pay the fine, where you may be given a temporary permit while during that period. If you don't pay, authorities can automatically take money from your bank account, with an extra penalty fee of 10%, plus additional penalties such as driving bans, seizure of property and preventions of leaving the country, re-entry bans for 6 months to 5 years — up to 10 years if combined with deportation.
Other offences:
The official language of Belarus is Belarusian, but Russian is also spoken.
In Belarus, vehicles always drive on the right side of the road. Drivers must be 18 years or older to drive, and at least 21 to rent, along with at least 2 years of driving experience. Some rental companies may allow renting to drivers 20 or younger, but with a high young driver surcharge, even to drivers under 25. UK drivers generally need an International Driving Permit (IDP) to drive in Belarus, along with their full UK photocard licence.
Roads on major highways are generally in good condition, but rural roads can be less maintained. Winter tyres are compulsory for vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes during the winter period (1 December to 1 March). Also, it’s illegal to drive a dirty car. Vehicles need to be clean enough for licence plates and windows to be visible and legible, or face a fine.
In regards to insurance, third party must be held, but fully comprehensive is recommended. However, you must carry a green card, or you will be required to pay for a short term insurance when passing through the border.
The common fuel types available in stations are unleaded petrol (AI-92, AI-95 & AI-98), diesel (Solyarka) and LPG, but leaded petrol is not available. Belarus actually has very modern fuel stations, especially on main routes, with a large network of over 500 stations nationwide, that many of these stations have shops, cafés, toilets and car washes. Card payments are widely accepted, with cash in Belarusian Rouble is always accepted. Foreign currency (€/£/$) are generally not accepted at pumps.
Many stations are attended, where you can prepay either inside or tell an attendant. You may carry a metal container which can hold up to 20 litres of fuel, but this must be declared when entering Belarus.
The speed limits can vary, but generally the limits are as follow;
The legal limit is effectively 0.00 – 0.03%.
All passengers, including driver, must be wearing seat belts at all times.
Any child under 12 years must not travel in the front of the car as a passenger, and must be sitting in a suitable car seat fitted to their size.
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