WHITE RUSSIA.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 64, Issue 1, 12 October 1943, Page 3

WHITE RUSSIA.

ONE OF 16 REPUBLICS. One of the 16 republics which comprise the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, White Russia was formed in 1919. Its territory now covers 48,940 square miles and includes the former provinces of Minsk, Vitebsk, Mogilev, Gomel and a section of the Grodno province. In 1939 the White Russian provinces of Poland were added. The population is over 5,500,000. The most important towns of White Russia are Minsk, Vitebsk, and Gomel. White Russia is bounded by Poland to the west, the Ukrainian Republic to the south, the provinces of Bryansk and Smolensk to the east, and the Pskov district of the Leningrad area to the north. In the north and west there are hills, the Lysaya Hills north of Minsk being the highest, over 1000 ft., but'the south-east is a low and marshy plain sloping to the Pripet River. The country is agricultural, and, although much of the land is marshy, modern drainage has increased the arable area. Principal crops are flax, grain and potatoes. Chief industries include woodworking, matches, linen, paper, leather and glass. Under the Tsars, White Russia, then known as the Byeio-Russian Republic, was the •ettlement of the Jewish population. It suffered greatly from periodical pogroms and inter-racial struggles. Between 1914 and 1920 it was a field for military operations.