Belarus

At a Glance

Belarus is a flat, forested country in Eastern Europe with a landscape of birch forests, marshlands, and old Soviet-era cities that preserve a mid-20th century atmosphere found almost nowhere else. The countryside is genuinely beautiful and peaceful, and the people, once past initial reserve, are hospitable and proud of their traditions. It is a destination for those drawn to the unusual and undervisited rather than conventional tourism.

• Last country in Europe to abolish the death penalty — still uses it.
• GDP per capita is lower than every EU neighbour by a wide margin.
• President Lukashenko has held power since 1994 — longer than Putin.