Belarusians
, previously also spelled
Belarussians,
Byelorussians and
Belorussians) are an
East Slavic ethnic group who populate the majority of the
Republic of Belarus and form minorities in neighboring
Poland (especially former
Bialystok province),
Russia,
Lithuania and
Ukraine. Noticeable numbers have immigrated to the
USA and
Canada in the early
20th century. Since the breakup of the
USSR several hundred thousands have immigrated to the
European Union,
United States,
Canada and
Russia. Introduced to the world as a new state in the early
1990s, the
Republic of Belarus brought with it the notion of a re-emerging Belarusian ethnicity, drawn upon the lines of the
Belarusian language. There are over 8 million people who associate with the Belarusian ethnicity today.
The native language of the territory of Belarus is, indeed,
Belarusian, however the majority of Belarusians in Belarus are able to speak
Russian and often use it as their day-to-day language (especially in
Minsk and other large cities).
The prefix
Bela- translates into "White" so these people were sometimes called
White Russians though not to be confused with the political group of
White Russians that opposed the
Bolsheviks during the
Russian Civil War. This name was in use in the
West for some time in history, together with
White Ruthenes,
White Ruthenians and similar forms. Using the term "White Russians" is misleading as it incorrectly suggests being a subgroup of
Russians and some Belarusians take offense for it being applied. Belarusians trace their name back to the people of
Rus and not to
Russians, who are also descendants of the people of
Rus.
The Belarusian people trace their distinct culture to the
Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Rus' and Samogitia and earlier
Kievan Rus and the
Principality of Polatsk. Most Belarusians are descendants of the East Slav tribes
Krivichs,
Dregovichs and
Radimichs.
Early East Slavs also mixed with the local
Balts, especially in the west and north-west of today's Belarus. In the
Middle Ages Belarusians were mostly known under the name of
Litvins (Lithuanians), which refers to the state of the
Grand Duchy of Lithuania (
Litva,
Vialikaja Litva) of which the White Ruthenian lands were part of since the 12th century and where
Ruthenian language was an official tongue. On the grounds of the dominance of Ruthenian language (which later evolved into modern
Belarusian language) some Belarusians believe the
Grand Duchy of Lithuania to have been their national state when it existed.
After
World War I Belarusians had their own statehood, with varying degrees of independence - short-lived (
Belarusian National Republic under German occupation, and as the
Byelorussian SSR since
1919, included into the
USSR in
1922). Belarus gained full independence with the
dissolution of the Soviet Union in
1991.
*
Ethnographic Map (New York, 1953)* [https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/bo.html CIA World Fact Book 2005]
*
List of Belarusians (ethnic group)*
Demographics of Belarus*
Krivich*
Dregovichs*
Radimichs*
History of Belarus*
Belarusian language*
Talk:Ignacy Domeyko*
White Ruthenia
