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Belarus is a country in Eastern Europe. Its territory had been settled by homo erectus and Neanderthals in prehistoric times. During the Stone Age, it was part of the Linear Pottery culture. Cimmerians came by 1,000 BCE; by 500 BCE, early Slavs moved in. The Huns and Avars came through around 400–600 CE, but were expelled by the Slavs.

The region that is now Belarus was first settled by Slavic tribes in the 6th century. They came into contact with the Varangians, who were bands of Scandinavian warriors and traders. They formed Kievan Rus' in 862. Much later Belarus became part of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, then became a part of the Russian Empire. During World War II, Belarus was briefly occupied by the Germans (Operation Barbarossa). It gained independence from the Soviet Union in late 1991.

As an East Slavic nation state, Belarus remains close ethnic ties and relations with Russia and Ukraine. It also remains close with Poland to some extent.

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