BELARUS - Рэспубліка Беларусь / Республика Беларусь

Belarus (Belarusian: Беларусь), officially the Republic of Belarus (Belarusian: Рэспубліка Беларусь, Russian: Республика Беларусь), formerly known by its Russian name Byelorussia or Belorussia is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe bordered by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital and most populous city is Minsk. Over 40% of its 207,600 square kilometres (80,200 sq mi) is forested. Its major economic sectors are service industries and manufacturing. Until the 20th century, different states at various times controlled the lands of modern-day Belarus, including the Principality of Polotsk (11th to 14th centuries), the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, and the Russian Empire.

The name Belarus is closely related with the term Belaya Rus', i.e., White Rus'. There are several claims to the origin of the name White Rus'. An ethno-religious theory suggests that the name used to describe the part of old Ruthenian lands within the Grand Duchy of Lithuania that had been populated mostly by Slavs who had been Christianized early, as opposed to Black Ruthenia, which was predominantly inhabited by pagan Balts. Belarus lies between latitudes 51° and 57° N, and longitudes 23° and 33° E. Its extension from north to south is 560 km (350 mi), from west to east is 650 km (400 mi). It is landlocked, relatively flat, and contains large tracts of marshy land. About 40% of Belarus is covered by forests. Many streams and 11,000 lakes are found in Belarus. Three major rivers run through the country: the Neman, the Pripyat, and the Dnieper. The Neman flows westward towards the Baltic sea and the Pripyat flows eastward to the Dnieper; the Dnieper flows southward towards the Black Sea.

Belarus used the postage stamps of the Soviet Union from 1917 to 1991. In 1991 Belarus became an independent nation and began its own postal administration in 1992. Belposhta (Belarusian: Белпошта) is the national postal service of Belarus. It became a member of the Universal Postal Union in 1947. In 1583, the first in Belarus post road (Warszawa - Białystok - Grodno - Vilnius) introduced a system of tariffs, which operates today in all countries of the world. Shipping determined by the type and origin of its weight. 

In 1793, Belarus became part of the Russian Empire, and then mail it is further developed as part of the postal system of the Russian Empire. Postal districts were formed, including Minsk, Vitebsk and Mogilev. The first telegraph station in Belarus were equipped in 1859 at the Minsk post office and in Bobruisk. Organized the first telegraph line. Regular transport of mail by rail began in 1871 along the route Minsk - Moscow, Minsk - Rivne, Minsk - Brest, Minsk - Lyubava. Post cars had special racks for storage and sorting mail. The cars were hanging mailboxes to receive messages at train stops.