Here are some critical facts about Belarus:

- Belarus is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia.

- The capital and largest city is Minsk. Other major cities include Gomel, Mogilev, and Vitebsk.

- With an area of 80,153 square miles (207,600 sq km), Belarus is the 13th largest country in Europe.

- Belarus has a population of around 9.3 million people. Ethnic Belarusians comprise about 84% of the population.

- The official languages are Belarusian and Russian. Russian is widely used.

- Belarus was formerly a republic of the Soviet Union, declaring independence in 1991. It has maintained close political and economic ties with Russia.

- Alexander Lukashenko has served as the president of Belarus since 1994. His government has been widely criticized for its authoritarian rule and human rights violations.

- Major industries include machine building, metal processing, chemical production, food processing, and energy production from the Chornobyl nuclear power plant disaster fallout zone.

- Belarus contains part of the radioactive Exclusion Zone around the Chornobyl nuclear plant, the site of the 1986 disaster.

- Notable attractions include the Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park, Mir Castle Complex, and Nesvizh Castle, which are UNESCO World Heritage sites.