Belarusians in Lithuania

Belarusians in Lithuania
Total population
36,200
1.2% of the Lithuanian Population[1]
Regions with significant populations
Vilnius, Visaginas, Klaipeda
Languages
Russian, Lithuanian, Ukrainian
Religion
Roman Catholic, Orthodox Church
Related ethnic groups
Belarusians, Slavic peoples, especially East Slavs

The Belarusian minority in Lithuania (Belarusian: беларусы, biełarusy, Russian: белорусы, byelorusy), Lithuanian: gudai) numbered 36,200 persons at the 2011 census, and at 1.2% of the total population of Lithuania, being the third most populous national minority.[2] The Belarusian national minority in Lithuania has deep historical, cultural and political relations. Many famous Belarusians lived and created in Lithuania, mostly its capital Vilnius; It was in Vilnius that the first standardized Belarusian language grammar was printed in.

According to the 2011 census, only 18.4% of Belarusians speak Belarusian as their mother tongue, while Russian is native for 56.3%, Polish - 9.3%, Lithuanian - 5.2% of Belarusians.

The most widespread religion among Belarusians are Roman Catholicism (49.6%) and Orthodox (32.3%).

There is one Belarusian school (Vilnius Francysk Skaryna secondary school) in Vilnius. One Catholic church in Vilnius (Vilnius Bartholomew the Apostle Church) provides religious service in Belarusian.

Some famous Lithuanian Belarusians

See also

References

Sources and external links