Byelorussia is located in the centre of the Europe. On its territory the shortest transport communications connecting the CIS countries with the states of the Western Europe run. In northwest it borders on Lithuania and Latvia; in the east — on Russia; in the south — on Ukraine; in the west — on Poland. In the beginning of Middle Ages in territory of modern Belarus there were some princedoms, the most powerful of which was Polotsk. The Polotsk princedom has reached the greatest blossoming at Vseslav «Magician» who some time even reined in Kiev. In the middle of XIII century the Great Princedom Lithuanian (Lithuania referred to modern Belarus, instead of modern Lithuania) was toed, one of the most powerful states of the Europe at that time, stretched from Baltic up to Black sea. In 1569 as a result of Uniya has incorporated to Poland in the unito state. After three sections of Poland in 1772, 1793 and 1795 Russia has attached to itself modern Belarus. During war of 1812 Belarus has been ruined all over again at deviation of Russian armies, and later at flight of Napoleonic army. A plenty of Byelorussians has immigrated to the United States. The independent Belarus state has revived in the beginning of XX century after revolution of 1917. On March, 25th, 1918 the Belarus National Republic has been proclaimed, however soon it has been crushed by Bolsheviks who on January, 1st, 1919 have declared creation of the Soviet republic. Till 1945 the territory of Belarus was some times altered and only in specified to year Belarus has been approved in present borders. From 1922 till 1991 Belarus as the Belarus Soviet Socialist Republic was in structure of the USSR. On August, 25th, 1991 the Supreme body of republic had been accepted " The Declaration on the sovereignty «. Belarus is a member of the United Nations, UNESCO, the SQUANDERER, the CART, the Council of Europe, the CIS, the OATS. A state system is: The Head of the state is the President. The legislature is Parliament. Executive authority is carried out by the government — the cabinet headed by the Prime Minister |