The +375 country code is for Belarus. A landlocked country of about 9.4 million people in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the east, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the north. Minsk is the capital and home to roughly a fifth of the population. Belarus has been ruled by Alexander Lukashenko since 1994, making it one of Europe's most authoritarian states. After the contested 2020 election and the protests that followed, a wave of Belarusians left the country -- many to Poland, Lithuania, and Georgia. That post-2020 exodus added a new layer to the Belarus diaspora, which historically centered on Russia.
Quick answer: The country code +375 is for Belarus. Mobile numbers are 9 digits after +375, starting with 25, 29, 33, or 44:
+375 XX XXX XX XX. Minsk landlines use area code 17:+375 17 XXX XX XX. The trunk prefix is 80 (two digits) -- drop it when dialing internationally.
How to call Belarus: quick reference
Belarus uses the trunk prefix 80 (two digits, not one) for domestic long-distance calls. When calling from abroad, drop the 80. A number that locals dial as 80 29 XXX XX XX becomes +375 29 XXX XX XX internationally. Note: Belarus also uses 810 as its international access code (same as Russia), not the standard 00.
| Calling from | Dialing format |
|---|---|
| US/Canada mobile | +375 [local number] |
| US/Canada landline | 011-375-[local number] |
| Russia | 810-375-[local number] |
| Poland | 00-375-[local number] |
| Lithuania | 00-375-[local number] |
| Germany | 00-375-[local number] |
| UK | 00-375-[local number] |
Understanding Belarus phone numbers
Belarusian phone numbers are consistently 9 digits after the country code, for both mobile and landline:
- Mobile numbers: 9 digits after +375, starting with 25, 29, 33, or 44.
- Landline numbers: 9 digits after +375, starting with the area code (17 for Minsk, other 2-3 digit codes for other cities).
The trunk prefix is 80 -- two digits. This catches people off guard. When a Belarusian gives you their number as 80 29 123 45 67, you drop the 80 and dial +375 29 123 45 67.
Mobile numbers
Mobile prefixes indicate the carrier:
- A1 Belarus: 29 (most ranges), 44
- MTS Belarus: 29 (some ranges), 33
- life:) (BeST): 25
The 29 prefix is shared between A1 and MTS, which makes it impossible to tell the carrier from just the first two digits. Format: +375 XX XXX XX XX (9 digits total after +375)
Landline numbers and area codes
Belarus uses 2-3 digit area codes for its six regional capitals:
| Area code | City |
|---|---|
| 17 | Minsk (capital) |
| 152 | Grodno |
| 162 | Brest |
| 212 | Vitebsk |
| 222 | Mogilev |
| 232 | Gomel |
Landlines are still used in Belarus more than in many post-Soviet countries. Government offices, state enterprises, and older households often still have a landline. But mobile has overtaken landline for most personal communication.
Mobile carriers in Belarus
Belarus has three mobile carriers. The market is state-influenced, as you'd expect.
A1 Belarus (formerly velcom)
The largest carrier with about 45% market share. Originally called velcom, it was rebranded to A1 after its parent company A1 Telekom Austria (part of América Móvil). A1 has the best 4G coverage across Belarus, including rural areas and highways. It's the default choice for most urban Belarusians. Following Western sanctions after 2020, the ownership situation became complicated, but the network continues to operate normally.
MTS Belarus
The second carrier with about 40% market share. Owned by Russian Mobile TeleSystems (MTS). Given Belarus's close political ties with Russia, MTS operates with fewer regulatory hurdles than Western-owned competitors. MTS has strong coverage across the country and competitive data plans. Many Belarusians who travel frequently to Russia use MTS because of roaming agreements between MTS networks.
life:) (BeST)
The smallest carrier with about 15% market share. A Belarusian-Turkish joint venture (Turkcell holds a stake). life:) targets younger users with cheaper data packages and promotional pricing. Coverage in cities is fine, but in rural and border areas it falls behind A1 and MTS.
Don't confuse +375 with nearby codes
Belarus sits in a block of Eastern European codes in the 37X-38X range that are easy to mix up.
| Code | Country | Region |
|---|---|---|
| +375 | Belarus | Eastern Europe |
| +380 | Ukraine | Eastern Europe |
| +373 | Moldova | Eastern Europe |
| +370 | Lithuania | Baltic States |
| +371 | Latvia | Baltic States |
The most dangerous mix-up is +375 (Belarus) vs. +380 (Ukraine). They're neighbouring countries, and since 2022 the political context of accidentally calling the wrong one is more fraught than ever. +373 (Moldova) is two digits off and also a former Soviet state where Russian is widely spoken, so a wrong number might not be immediately obvious.
Time zone considerations
Belarus is on Moscow Time (UTC+3) year-round with no daylight saving time. This is unusual for its geographic position -- Poland and Lithuania next door are on UTC+1/UTC+2 -- but Belarus aligned its clock with Moscow in 2011 and hasn't changed it since.
| Your location | Time difference | Call Belarus 9 AM - 6 PM |
|---|---|---|
| US East Coast (EST) | Belarus is 8 hours ahead | 1 AM - 10 AM EST |
| US East Coast (EDT) | Belarus is 7 hours ahead | 2 AM - 11 AM EDT |
| US West Coast (PST) | Belarus is 11 hours ahead | 10 PM (prev day) - 7 AM PST |
| Russia (Moscow, MSK) | Same time | 9 AM - 6 PM MSK |
| Poland (CET) | Belarus is 2 hours ahead | 7 AM - 4 PM CET |
| Poland (CEST) | Belarus is 1 hour ahead | 8 AM - 5 PM CEST |
| Lithuania (EET) | Belarus is 1 hour ahead | 8 AM - 5 PM EET |
| UK (GMT) | Belarus is 3 hours ahead | 6 AM - 3 PM GMT |
Tip: The Russia-Belarus connection is the easiest -- same time zone, no math needed. For the Polish and Lithuanian diaspora, the gap is only 1-2 hours. US callers have a narrow window in the early morning.
Communication in Belarus
Business hours and calling patterns
Standard business hours in Belarus are 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Monday to Friday. Government offices run 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM or 6:00 PM. Many shops stay open until 9:00 or 10:00 PM. Saturday is a half-working day for some businesses. Belarus still operates on a more Soviet-influenced work schedule than its EU neighbours.
Messaging apps
Viber is the dominant messaging app in Belarus -- more popular here than in almost any other European country. Belarusians use Viber for voice calls, video calls, group chats, and sticker exchanges. If you're calling someone in Belarus and they have internet access, Viber is usually the first suggestion.
Telegram became politically important after 2020. The NEXTA Telegram channel became the primary source of protest information, and Telegram usage surged. The government has tried to restrict Telegram access at various points, with mixed success. Many Belarusians use VPNs.
WhatsApp is less common in Belarus than in Western Europe. It's used mainly by people with contacts abroad.
Network and internet
Mobile coverage in Minsk and regional capitals is solid on all three carriers, with 4G available. Main highways between cities are covered. Rural villages can drop to 3G or 2G. During the August 2020 protests, the government shut down the internet for nearly three days -- the most complete internet blackout in a European country in modern history. Since then, periodic throttling and blocking of specific services has occurred. VPN usage among Belarusians is high as a result.
The Belarus diaspora
Belarus has two distinct waves of emigration: the steady post-Soviet economic migration to Russia, and the post-2020 political exodus to the EU.
Where they went
- Russia: The largest Belarusian community abroad, estimated at 500,000-800,000. Moscow and St. Petersburg have the biggest concentrations. The Russia-Belarus Union State means Belarusians can live and work in Russia without visas or work permits, making it the path of least resistance. Many Belarusians in Russia don't even think of themselves as "diaspora" -- the border barely exists in practical terms.
- Poland: Grew rapidly after 2020, from perhaps 20,000-30,000 to an estimated 100,000-200,000. Warsaw is the main hub. Poland created a special humanitarian visa for Belarusians after the crackdown. The Belarusian IT sector largely relocated to Poland, along with independent media outlets like Tut.by staff and NEXTA. Białystok, near the Belarus border, has a historical Belarusian minority.
- Lithuania: Vilnius became a centre for Belarusian civil society in exile. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the opposition leader, is based there. The community is smaller than Poland's (perhaps 20,000-30,000) but politically concentrated. Many Belarusian tech companies also relocated to Vilnius.
- Germany: About 20,000-30,000 Belarusians, with communities in Berlin, Munich, and Frankfurt.
- United States: A small community, perhaps 50,000-60,000, concentrated in the Chicago area, New York, and New Jersey. Many arrived in the 1990s.
- Israel: A small but established community from Soviet-era emigration. Many Belarusian Jews emigrated in the 1970s-1990s.
Why they call
The post-2020 split is raw. Many Belarusians abroad left family behind -- parents who didn't want to leave, friends who couldn't. Phone calls are a lifeline, but also fraught. People in Belarus are cautious about what they say on phone calls, knowing the state monitors communications. Viber and Telegram calls through VPNs are preferred for anything sensitive. Regular voice calls to +375 numbers are used for everyday family matters where security isn't a concern.
Call volume spikes around Kupalle (Midsummer, late June), New Year, and March 25 (Freedom Day, celebrated by the opposition diaspora but not officially recognized in Belarus).
Dialing examples
Example 1: Calling a Minsk mobile (A1) from Poland
- Belarusian number (local format): 80 29 123 45 67
- Drop the trunk prefix 80: 29 123 45 67
- From Poland:
00 375 29 123 45 67
Example 2: Calling a Minsk landline from the US
- Belarusian number (local format): 80 17 234 56 78
- Drop the trunk prefix 80: 17 234 56 78
- From a US mobile:
+375 17 234 56 78 - From a US landline:
011 375 17 234 56 78
Example 3: Calling a Belarusian mobile from Russia
- Belarusian number (local format): 80 33 987 65 43
- Drop the trunk prefix 80: 33 987 65 43
- From Russia:
810 375 33 987 65 43
Example 4: Calling a Brest landline from Lithuania
- Belarusian number (local format): 80 162 34 56 78
- Drop the trunk prefix 80: 162 34 56 78
- From Lithuania:
00 375 162 34 56 78
Common mistakes to avoid
Dropping only one digit of the trunk prefix
Belarus uses 80 as the trunk prefix -- two digits. The most common mistake is dropping only the 8 (like you would for Russia's trunk prefix) and leaving the 0. If the local number is 80 29 123 45 67, the international number is +375 29 123 45 67, not +375 0 29 123 45 67.
Confusing +375 with +380 (Ukraine)
Neighbouring countries, both former Soviet, and only 5 apart in their country codes. Double-check which you're dialing.
Using 00 from Russia
If you're calling Belarus from Russia, the international access code is 810, not 00. Dialing 00 375... from a Russian phone won't work. From Belarus calling out, it's also 810 (unless the carrier supports 00 as an alternative).
Expecting the call to go through during shutdowns
Belarus has throttled internet and, in extreme cases, shut it down entirely. If a Viber or Telegram call fails, a regular voice call to the +375 number may still work since it uses the cellular network rather than internet. But during the most severe restrictions, even cellular service can be disrupted in specific areas.
Assuming the language
Belarus has two official languages: Belarusian and Russian. In practice, most phone conversations happen in Russian. Belarusian is used by a minority, more common in rural western regions and among cultural/political activists. If you're calling a business, expect Russian.
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Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
What country has the +375 country code?
The +375 country code is for Belarus.
How many digits is a Belarusian phone number?
All Belarusian numbers are 9 digits after +375, whether mobile or landline. Mobile numbers start with 25, 29, 33, or 44. Minsk landlines start with 17.
How do I call Belarus from the USA?
From a mobile phone, dial +375 followed by the 9-digit number (drop the trunk prefix 80). From a landline, dial 011, then 375, then the 9-digit number.
What time zone is Belarus in?
Belarus is on UTC+3 (same as Moscow) year-round with no daylight saving time.
What is the difference between +375 and +380?
+375 is Belarus (capital: Minsk). +380 is Ukraine (capital: Kyiv). They're neighbouring countries with similar-sounding codes.
What is Belarus's trunk prefix?
Belarus uses 80 (two digits) as the trunk prefix for domestic long-distance calls. Drop both digits when dialing from abroad.
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