2006-12-30 15:14:10 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Travel ➔ Europe (Continental) ➔ Russia
I've been taught that it was because of the color of the robes that the royalty there wore: white.
However, I've also wondered if it was something to do with protesting the color red which is associated with Soviet rule--the "Red Army."
2006-12-31 05:28:01 · answer #1 · answered by aanstalokaniskiodov_nikolai 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Belarus is referred to as white Russia becuase bela means white and rus means Russia
2006-12-31 00:07:02 · answer #2 · answered by ? 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
In Russian, "bela-" is the prefix for "White"; "Rus" refers to the Russian people. Why use the word for "white"? That dates back to as early as the 16th century and is disputed. So, historically, that 'part of the world' has been know as "Belarus" or various forms of it (depending on the language) for centuries.
2006-12-31 08:12:57 · answer #3 · answered by boots&hank 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
In the past Belorussia is Belaya Russia. The name was changed after Perestroyka. Ethimologically the word RUS comes from Ruthenia (Wikings gave this name to our region). There were several regions: Malorussia (now Ukraine), Belaya Rossiya (now Belorussia), Moskovskoe gosudarstvo (now Russia).
2006-12-30 20:42:14 · answer #4 · answered by SERGHEIROM 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Beli means white in Russian - therefore White Russia
2006-12-31 21:15:47 · answer #5 · answered by Martin D 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
NIce question ... :) .. Small Russia is more appropriate for Belorissia.. but unfortunately Ukraine holds this title ... so, let it be White Russia ....
2006-12-30 20:21:56 · answer #6 · answered by OregonOcean 2 · 0⤊ 4⤋