Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic

The Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic was one of fifteen constituent republics of the Soviet Union (USSR). In 1922, it was one of the four founding members of the Soviet Union. The other three were the Ukrainian SSR, the Transcaucasian SFSR and the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR). Byelorussia was one of several Soviet republics occupied by Nazi Germany during World War II. The BSSR, along with the Ukrainian SSR and the Soviet Union, were founding members of the United Nations Organization (UN) in 1945. The end of the Soviet Republic occurred in 1991. The nation became an independent republic.

Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic Russian: Белорусская Советская Социалистическая Республика Belarusian: Беларуская Савецкая Сацыялістычная Рэспубліка
1920–1991
Flag State emblem
Motto: Workers of the world, unite!
Anthem: Anthem of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic
Location of Byelorussia (red) within the Soviet Union.
Status	Soviet Socialist Republic (1922-1991)
Capital	Minsk
Common languages	Official languages: Byelorussian · Russian Minority languages: Polish · Ukrainian · Yiddish
Government	Unitary Marxist-Leninist one-party Soviet-style socialist republic
First Secretary
• 1920–1923 (first)	Vilgelm Knorinsh
• 1990–1991 (last)	Anatoly Malofeyev
Prime Minister
• 1920–1924 (first)	Alexander Chervyakov
• 1990–1991 (last)	Vyachaslau Kebich
Head of state
• 1920–1937 (first)	Alexander Chervyakov
• 1990–1991 (last)	Mikalay Dzyemyantsyey
Legislature	Congress of Soviets (1920–1938) Supreme Soviet (1938–1991)
Historical era	20th century
• Republic declared	1 January 1919
• Soviet republic proclaimed	31 July 1920
• Admitted to Soviet Union	30 December 1922
• Annexation of Western Belarus	15 November 1939
• UN membership	24 October 1945
• Sovereignty declared	27 July 1990
• Independence declared	25 August 1991
• Internationally recognized	26 December 1991
Area
1989 census	207,600 km2 (80,200 sq mi)
Population
• 1989 census	10199709
Currency	Soviet ruble (руб) (SUR)
Calling code	7 015/016/017/02
Preceded by Succeeded by Lithuanian–Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic Second Polish Republic Reichskommissariat Ostland Bezirk Bialystok Reichskommissariat Ukraine Reichskommissariat Ostland Bezirk Bialystok Reichskommissariat Ukraine Polish People's Republic Belarus
Today part of	Belarus Lithuania Poland Russia

The country renamed itself as the Republic of Belarus. In earlier time periods, Western Europeans called Byelorussian territory as White Russia. During its early years in the USSR, the republic was sometimes known as the White Russian Soviet Socialist Republic.