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Belarus. A beginners guide. Where is Belarus?. Belarus is a country in Eastern Europe, it was once part of Russia (until 1991). Gusford Primary School. Belarus. 9.7 million people live in Belarus (50.8 million people live in England).
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Belarus A beginners guide
Where is Belarus? • Belarus is a country in Eastern Europe, it was once part of Russia (until 1991). Gusford Primary School
Belarus • 9.7 million people live in Belarus (50.8 million people live in England). • The capital of Belarus is Minsk. 1.8 million people live there (7.3 million people live in London). • Belarus covers 207,600km2 (England covers 130,195km2).
Facts about Belarus • The people of Belarus are called Belarusians. • There are two common languages: Russian and Belarusian. • The currency is called roubles.
Eating Belarus style • A Belarusian diet consists mainly of vegetables, meat (especially pork), and breads. • Foods are usually either slowly cooked or stewed. • A typical Belarusian eats a very light breakfast and two hearty meals, with dinner being the largest meal of the day. • To show hospitality, a host traditionally presents an offering of bread and salt when greeting a guest or visitor. • Popular drinks in Belarus include Russian wheat vodka and kvass, a soft drink made from malted brown bread or rye flour. Kvass may also be combined with sliced vegetables to create a cold soup called okroshka.
The traditional Belarusian dress originates from the 800 years ago. Because of the cool climate, clothes, usually composed of flax or wool, were designed to keep the body warm. They are decorated with ornate patterns. Each region of Belarus has developed specific design patterns. An ornamental pattern used on some early dresses is currently used to decorate the hoist of the Belarusian national flag. Traditional dress
The Chernobyl disaster • On April 26th 1986 a nuclear power station exploded in Ukraine, a country 12 miles from the border of Belarus. • The explosion sent a cloud of poisonous gases and chemicals high into the air. • The cloud spread for hundreds of miles.
The poisonous gas and chemicals fell to Earth. They got into the rivers and streams, and into the soil that the people of Belarus were growing their vegetables in. This led to the Belarusian people being poisoned. The effect on Belarus
The effects on the people • Due to the chemicals in the air, drinking water and food many people became ill. • People in Belarus die younger due to the effects. • Children in Belarus can be born with disabilities.
Our Visitors • Children are visiting for 6 weeks. • They are looked after by host families. • They have visited the seaside and Colchester Zoo. • During their visit the children will also go to see a dentist as they don’t have the opportunity to do so in Belarus. • By spending time in England drinking ‘clean’ water, eating ‘clean’ food and breathing ‘clean’ air they will live longer.
Your Challenge • A group of children will spend the day with year 4 next Wednesday. • Your challenge is to think of ways to communicate with the Belarusian children and make them feel welcome at Gusford. We could learn some phrases to say to the children