Belarus is officially known as the Republic of Belarus. Belarus is often referred to as white Russia or White Ruthenia. It is a landlocked country in eastern Europe. Russia borders Belarus to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. The current president of the country is Alexander Lukashenko. The country has many rare plants and animal species. Belarus is famous for its beauty and greenery. Belarus declared independence on 25 August 1991. In 2000, Belarus and Russia signed a treaty for greater cooperation, forming the Union State. Much of the borders of Belarus took their modern shape in 1939 when some lands of the Second Polish Republic were reintegrated into it after the Soviet invasion of Poland and were finalized after World War II. Belarus covers 207,600 square kilometers (80,200 sq mi), with a population of 9.4 million, and is the thirteenth-largest and the twentieth-most populous country in Europe. The country is administratively divided into seven regions and is one of the world’s most urbanized, with over 40% of its total land area forested. Minsk is Belarus’s capital and largest city. Belarus National flag is a red-and-green flag with a white-and-red ornament pattern placed at the hoist end. The current design was introduced in 2012 by the State Committee for Standardisation of the Republic of Belarus and adapted from a design approved in a May 1995 referendum. There is no official interpretation for the colors of the flag but according to an explanation given by President Alexander Lukashenko is that red represents freedom and the sacrifice of the nation’s forefathers, while green represents life. Belarus climate is a temperate-continental climate with moderate features, which is characteristic of Central Europe, with hot summers, long, cold winters, and very distinct seasons. Daytime temperatures vary from -5-0°C in the winter and 25-30°C in the summer months. The country is also famous for its sweets or desserts.