Safest cities in Belarus
11 cities with 100k+ population · data updated 2026-09-04
What official travel advice warns about
Terrorism
- Terrorism in BelarusAlthough there’s no recent history of terrorism in Belarus, attacks cannot be ruled out.
Political situation
- Demonstrations and protests are possible and could become confrontational, with security forces likely to use force to disperse and detain demonstrators. The authorities launched a violent crackdown against demonstrators across Belarus after the 2020 presidential elections.
Risk of arrest and detention
- You face a significant risk of arrest, questioning or detention if you have engaged in any political activity related to Belarus. This can include having donated to organisations or supported activity now considered illegal by the Belarusian regime. Laws can be applied retroactively by the authorities.
Dual nationals
- Military serviceIn Belarus, military service is compulsory for all males between the ages of 18 and 27. Dual UK-Belarus nationals in that age group may be liable for military service and should check before travelling to Belarus.
Russian military activity
- The Belarusian regime is facilitating Russia’s war against Ukraine. Russian military activity is taking place inside Belarus. The situation is unpredictable and there is a low risk that direct conflict linked to the war in Ukraine may spread to Belarus. In the unlikely event that a conflict starts, FCDO’s ability to support British nationals may…
Crime
- Crime levels are low in Belarus, but be alert to the possibility of street crime and theft from vehicles or hotel rooms.
Border crossings
- Belarus-Russia borderSee FCDO’s Russia travel advice if considering travel to or from Russia.
- Belarus-Ukraine borderSee FCDO’s Ukraine travel advice if considering travel to or from Ukraine.
- Belarus-Poland borderThe border with Poland reopened on 25 September 2025.Open border crossings are Brest-Terespol Kuznica Bialostocka – Bruzhi (passenger vehicles only) and Bobrovniki – Bierastavitsa (passenger vehicles and freight). Political relations between Belarus and Poland remain unstable and the border could be closed again at short notice. Check the latest…
- Belarus-Lithuania borderOn 20 November 2025, Lithuania reopened two border crossings with Belarus: Medininkai – Kamenny Log and Salcininkai – Benyakoni. Political relations between Belarus and Lithuania remain unstable and the border could be closed again at short notice. Check the latest information on the Lithuanian Government website (only available in Lithuanian).
- Latvian borderOnly the Paternieki-Grigorovshchina border crossing point between Latvia and Belarus remains open. On 16 July 2024, Latvia introduced further restrictions at the border with Belarus to deny entry to passenger vehicles registered in Belarus. This border crossing may close or implement restrictions at short notice. Check the latest information on…
Transport risks
- Road travelIf you are planning to drive in Belarus, see information on driving abroad and check the rules of the road in the RAC’s Belarus guide. The guide lists driving regulations and other legal requirements you need to be aware of.
- TollsDrivers with foreign licence plates must pay a fee to use toll roads or face a fine. For more information, see the BelToll website.
- Road conditionsDriving standards in Belarus are unpredictable and road conditions vary. M-class highways are in good condition. Some R-class roads are impassable for periods in winter. Roadworks and potholes are usually poorly marked.
- Air travelThere are no direct flights between Belarus and the UK.
- Rail travelThere are frequent standard security checks at some stations on the Minsk Metro. Transport police may ask to scan your bags. You must comply with this. You could be arrested if you refuse.
- JaywalkingPolice can fine you if you are jaywalking – ignoring pedestrian crossings or signals.
Chernobyl site
- There’s an exclusion zone immediately around the Chernobyl site. This includes the area close to the border with Ukraine in the south-east of Belarus. Access to this part of the country is limited. The risk of radioactive contamination from the Chernobyl site is insignificant elsewhere.
Laws and cultural differences
- Illegal drugsThere are severe penalties for drug-related crimes in Belarus. Possession of illegal drugs, including small amounts of Class C substances such as cannabis, can result in prison sentences of up to 5 years. More serious offences, such as smuggling or trafficking, carry penalties of up to 25 years in prison and heavy fines. These laws apply even if…
- LGBT+ travellersSame-sex sexual activity is legal in Belarus. However, Belarus is still a conservative society and the LGBT+ scene is very low profile. Very few LGBT+ people are open about their sexuality. Read more advice for LGBT travellers.
- SurrogacyFCDO advises against commissioning surrogacy arrangements in Belarus.
Money
- SanctionsThe UK government has imposed sanctions against a range of Belarusian companies and individuals. These may impact on financial transactions.
- Exchanging moneyIt can be difficult to exchange British pounds for Belarusian roubles. US dollars and euros are more widely accepted. Use government-licensed currency exchanges and have your passport with you. If you exchange money elsewhere, you could be fined or arrested and the currency will be confiscated.
- Bank servicesIf you’re travelling to Belarus, speak to your UK bank before you go. Because of sanctions against Belarus, your bank may block your card if you use it in Belarus.
Headings and opening lines from the UK FCDO “Safety and security” travel advice for Belarus, updated 2026-05-11 (Open Government Licence v3.0). Read the full advice on gov.uk →
Country figures
- Homicide rate
- 1.53 /100k2024
- Income inequality
- Gini 24.42020
- Human development
- HDI 0.8242023
- Income
- $34,310/yrGNI per capita PPP
- Road deaths
- 7.6 /100kWHO, 2019
- Political stability
- 59/100WGI, 2024 · higher = more stable
- Rule of law
- 36/100WGI, 2024
- Corruption perceptions
- 31/100Transparency Intl, 2025 · higher = cleaner
- Natural-hazard risk
- 2.4/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Women, Peace & Security
- 0.74GIWPS, 2025 · 0-1, higher = better
- Air quality
- 12.0 µg/m³PM2.5, 2023 · WHO guideline is 5
- Safe drinking water
- 93%of population, 2024 · WHO/UNICEF JMP
- Healthcare capacity
- 4.7 doctors /1k9.8 hospital beds per 1,000
Natural hazards
- Flood
- 5.8/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Drought
- 1.3/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
Hazard types scoring under 1 out of 10 are not listed.
Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Belarus (as of 2025).
How Belarus compares
| Measure | Belarus | World median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 1.5 /100k | 2.4 /100k | −0.8 /100k — better for Belarus |
| Income inequality (Gini) | 24.4 | 35.2 | −10.8 — better for Belarus |
| Human development (HDI) | 0.824 | 0.763 | +0.061 — better for Belarus |
| Road deaths | 7.6 /100k | 15.4 /100k | −7.8 /100k — better for Belarus |
| Rule of law | 36/100 | 52/100 | −16/100 — better for World median |
| Corruption perceptions | 31/100 | 39/100 | −8/100 — better for World median |
| Air quality (PM2.5) | 12.0 µg/m³ | 19.7 µg/m³ | −7.7 µg/m³ — better for Belarus |
| Natural-hazard risk | 2.4/10 | 3.8/10 | −1.4/10 — better for Belarus |
| Measure | Belarus | Europe median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 1.5 /100k | 1.0 /100k | +0.6 /100k — better for Europe median |
| Income inequality (Gini) | 24.4 | 30.7 | −6.3 — better for Belarus |
| Human development (HDI) | 0.824 | 0.911 | −0.088 — better for Europe median |
| Road deaths | 7.6 /100k | 5.5 /100k | +2.0 /100k — better for Europe median |
| Rule of law | 36/100 | 74/100 | −38/100 — better for Europe median |
| Corruption perceptions | 31/100 | 57/100 | −26/100 — better for Europe median |
| Air quality (PM2.5) | 12.0 µg/m³ | 11.2 µg/m³ | +0.8 µg/m³ — better for Europe median |
| Natural-hazard risk | 2.4/10 | 2.5/10 | −0.1/10 — better for Belarus |
Medians, not means, so one extreme country cannot drag the reference value. Each row compares only the countries that have a published figure for that measure, and differences are plain arithmetic between stored values.
All 11 cities, safest first
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- Babruysk81.5 · #1741 worldwide
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