When the Soviet Union dissolved in late 1991, Belarus became an independent republic. Through the centuries, Belarus has been claimed by Russia and Poland, and many invading forces have marched across it. It forms part of the great East European Plain, which stretches from Poland to the Ural Mountains. Most of the region is flat, but a chain of low hills runs across the center of Belarus from southeast to northwest. Much of the lowland area is swampy.
Forests cover about one quarter of the land.
Belarus has generally fertile soil for farming. Summers in Belarus are cool and the winters mild with frequent thaws. The rainfall, though more than adequate for farming, occurs mainly during the summer and often causes problems with the harvest. The predominant ethnic group of the republic is Belorussian, also known as White Russian. They are a Slavic people, closely related in culture and language to the Russians and Ukrainians.