Together with Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova form the border region between Russia and the rest of Europe. Belarus and Moldova share another characteristic--both are very closely tied with larger countries. Click on each tab to see how this is true.
Belarus
Moldova
Belarus: Close Ties to Russia
Almost ten million people live in Belarus. Most are Slavic people who practice Eastern Orthodox Christianity. Their Slavic ancestry is one reason so many of them wanted to maintain close relations with Russia after the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991. Other reasons were similar ideas about politics and economics.
The ties were so strong that the two countries signed a pact to form a "union state" in 1996. Further agreements would lead to actions to share a currency, defense policy, and other national-level policies.
Belarus must import raw materials that its industry turns into finished goods. However, it does have oil reserves and large deposits of potash, which is used to make fertilizer.
Belarus suffered from the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl. Winds blew the radioactive cloud over the country, ruining a full 20 percent of its farmland.
Moldova: Close Ties to Romania
Moldova is the most densely populated of the border countries with about four million people living in 13,050 square miles (33,800 square kilometers). The population is almost evenly divided between urban and rural areas.
Moldova was once a Romanian principality, and most of its residents are of Romanian descent. In fact, its national anthem is "Romanian, Arise"!
Like many countries in this part of the world, Moldova has been subject to frequent invasions.
Today, the Moldovian economy depends on exports of wine, sugar beets, and seed oils.
