From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Belarussian also spelt Belarusian, Byelorussian and Belorussian is the name of a representative of the distinct group of East slavs who are the major population of Belarus, also being minorities in the neighboring Poland (especially Bialystok province), Russia, Lithuania and Ukraine. Noticeable numbers are in emigration in the USA and Canada. The prefix "Bela" can be translated into 'White' so these people are sometimes called White Russians though not to be confused with the political group of white Russians that opposed Bolsheviks during the Russian Civil War.
The Belarusian people trace their distinct culture to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Rus' and Samogitia, while ejoying independent statehood briefly after the Russian Revolution and presently after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
