TBE in Belarus

Abstract

Belarus is a landlocked country of eastern Europe with a population of 9.4 million, of which 78.4% reside in urban areas bordered by Lithuania and Latvia to the north west, by Russia to the north and east, by Ukraine to the south, and by Poland to the west. The country of Belarus is divided into six administrative districts (Brest, Gomel, Grodno, Minsk, Mogilev, Vitebsk regions) each centered around a major city (Minsk). Much of the country consists of flat lowlands separated by low-level topped hills and uplands; the highest point is Dzyarzhynskaya Hill, being only 1135 feet (346 meters) above sea level. Over half of the surface area of Belarus lies below 660 feet (200 meters), and about 40% of the country is forested. The most common tick species in Belarus are Ixodes ricinus and Dermacentor reticulatus.