Dates of Historic Events 

• About 100-40 thousand years ago - First settlements on the territory of Belarus.
• 862 - First mention in the annals of the town of Polatsk as the center of the Slavic tribe of Kryvichy;
• second half of the 10th century - Formation of Polatsk principality;
• end of 10th century - Formation of Turau principality;
• 1230 - Foundation of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania;
• 1569 - Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania are united in a federal - - state Rzeczpospolita (Commonwealth);
• 1772,1793, 1795 - Incorporation of Rzeczpospolita and the territory of Belarus into the Russian Empire;
• 1863 - January 1864 - Uprising in Belarus, Poland and Lithuania;
• November 7, 1917 - October Revolution in Russia;
• March 25, 1918 - Proclamation of the Belarusan People's Republic
• January 1, 1919 - Proclamation of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (BSSR);
• March 18, 1921 - As a result of the Peace Treaty of Riga, Western Belarus was given to Poland and returned to the USSR in 1939;
• July 22, 1941 - July 28, 1944 Belarus occupied by nazi Germany;
• July 27, 1990 - Supreme Soviet of the Republic of Belarus adopts the Declaration of State Sovereignty of the Republic of Belarus;
• March 15, 1994 - Supreme Soviet of the Republic of Belarus adopts the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus.
• 1994, July 10 - A.G.Lukashenko was elected the first President of Belarus.
• 2001, September 9 - A.G.Lukashenko was elected President for the second term of office.
• 2006, March - A.G.Lukashenko was elected President for the third term of office.

Official Public Holidays:

• January 1 - New Year
• January 7 - Orthodox Christmas
• March 8 - International Women's Day
• March 15 - Constitution Day (adopted in 1994)
• Commemoration Day (Radunitsa)
• May 1 - Labour Day
• May 9 - Victory Day
• July 3 - Independence Day
• December 25 - Catholic Christmas