@Belarus (Europe)
Introduction ::Belarus
Background:
After seven decades as a constituent republic of the USSR, Belarus
attained its independence in 1991. It has retained closer political
and economic ties to Russia than any of the other former Soviet
republics. Belarus and Russia signed a treaty on a two-state union
on 8 December 1999 envisioning greater political and economic
integration. Although Belarus agreed to a framework to carry out the
accord, serious implementation has yet to take place. Since his
election in July 1994 as the country's first president, Aleksandr
LUKASHENKO has steadily consolidated his power through authoritarian
means. Government restrictions on freedom of speech and the press,
peaceful assembly, and religion remain in place.
Geography ::Belarus
Location:
Eastern Europe, east of Poland
Geographic coordinates:
53 00 N, 28 00 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 207,600 sq km
country comparison to the world: 85
land: 202,900 sq km
water: 4,700 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Kansas
Land boundaries:
total: 3,306 km
border countries: Latvia 171 km, Lithuania 680 km, Poland 605 km,
Russia 959 km, Ukraine 891 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between
continental and maritime
Terrain:
generally flat and contains much marshland
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Nyoman River 90 m
highest point: Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m
Natural resources:
timber, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas,
granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, clay
Land use:
arable land: 26.77%
permanent crops: 0.6%
other: 72.63% (2005)
Irrigated land:
1,310 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
58 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 2.79 cu km/yr (23%/47%/30%)
per capita: 286 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
NA
Environment - current issues:
soil pollution from pesticide use; southern part of the country
contaminated with fallout from 1986 nuclear reactor accident at
Chornobyl' in northern Ukraine
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 85, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
landlocked; glacial scouring accounts for the flatness of Belarusian
terrain and for its 11,000 lakes
People ::Belarus
Population:
9,612,632 (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 88
Age structure:
0-14 years: 14.3% (male 707,550/female 667,560)
15-64 years: 71.3% (male 3,337,253/female 3,540,916)
65 years and over: 14.5% (male 446,746/female 948,508) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 38.8 years
male: 35.8 years
female: 41.8 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.368% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 221
Birth rate:
9.76 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 198
Death rate:
13.81 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 19
Net migration rate:
0.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 65
Urbanization:
urban population: 73% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.062 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.47 male(s)/female
total population: 0.87 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.34 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 174
male: 7.34 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.92 years
country comparison to the world: 139
male: 65.26 years
female: 76.93 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.25 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 215
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
13,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
1,100 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69
Nationality:
noun: Belarusian(s)
adjective: Belarusian
Ethnic groups:
Belarusian 81.2%, Russian 11.4%, Polish 3.9%, Ukrainian 2.4%, other
1.1% (1999 census)
Religions:
Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic, Protestant,
Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.)
Languages:
Belarusian (official) 36.7%, Russian (official) 62.8%, other 0.5%
(includes small Polish- and Ukrainian-speaking minorities) (1999
census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.6%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.4% (1999 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 15 years
male: 14 years
female: 15 years (2007)
Education expenditures:
5.2% of GDP (2007)
country comparison to the world: 56
Government ::Belarus
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Belarus
conventional short form: Belarus
local long form: Respublika Byelarus'
local short form: Byelarus'
former: Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic
Government type:
republic in name, although in fact a dictatorship
Capital:
name: Minsk
geographic coordinates: 53 54 N, 27 34 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
6 provinces (voblastsi, singular - voblasts') and 1 municipality*
(horad); Brest, Homyel' (Gomel), Horad Minsk* (Minsk City), Hrodna
(Grodno), Mahilyow (Mogilev), Minsk, Vitsyebsk (Vitebsk)
note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
administrative centers; Russian spelling provided for reference when
different from Belarusian
Independence:
25 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 3 July (1944); note - 3 July 1944 was the date
Minsk was liberated from German troops, 25 August 1991 was the date
of independence from the Soviet Union
Constitution:
15 March 1994; revised by national referendum of 24 November 1996
giving the presidency greatly expanded powers and became effective
27 November 1996; revised again 17 October 2004 removing
presidential term limits
Legal system:
based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (since 20 July 1994)
head of government: Prime Minister Mikhail MYASNIKOVICH (since 28
December 2010); First Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir SEMASHKO (since
December 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
(For more information visit the World Leaders website )
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
first election took place on 23 June and 10 July 1994; according to
the 1994 constitution, the next election should have been held in
1999, however, Aleksandr LUKASHENKO extended his term to 2001 via a
November 1996 referendum; subsequent election held on 9 September
2001; an October 2004 referendum ended presidential term limits and
allowed the president to run in a third (19 March 2006) and fourth
election (19 December 2010); prime minister and deputy prime
ministers appointed by the president
election results: Aleksandr LUKASHENKO reelected president; percent
of vote - Aleksandr LUKASHENKO 79.7%, Andrey SANNIKAU 2.6%, other
candidates 17.7%; note - election marred by electoral fraud
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Assembly or Natsionalnoye Sobraniye consists of
the Council of the Republic or Sovet Respubliki (64 seats; 56
members elected by regional and Minsk city councils and 8 members
appointed by the president, to serve four-year terms) and the
Chamber of Representatives or Palata Predstaviteley (110 seats;
members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Palata Predstaviteley - last held on 28 September 2008
(next to be held in the spring of 2012); international observers
determined that despite minor improvements the election ultimately
fell short of democratic standards; pro-LUKASHENKO candidates won
every seat
election results: Sovet Respubliki - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - NA; Palata Predstaviteley - percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party - NA
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president);
Constitutional Court (half of the judges appointed by the president
and half appointed by the Chamber of Representatives)
Political parties and leaders:
pro-government parties: Belarusian Agrarian Party or AP [Mikhail
SHIMANSKY]; Belarusian Patriotic Movement (Belarusian Patriotic
Party) or BPR [Nikolay ULAKHOVICH, chairman]; Communist Party of
Belarus or KPB [Tatsyana HOLUBEVA]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP
[Sergey GAYDUKEVICH]; Republican Party of Labor and Justice [Vasiliy
ZADNEPRYANYY]
opposition parties: Belarusian Christian Democracy Party [Pavel
SEVERINETS] (unregistered); Belarusian Party of Communists or PKB
[Sergey KALYAKIN]; Belarusian Party of Labor [Aleksandr BUKHVOSTOV]
(unregistered); Belarusian Popular Front or BPF [Aleksey
YANUKEVICH]; Belarusian Social-Democratic Hramada [Stanislav
SHUSHKEVICH]; Belarusian Social Democratic Party Hramada
("Assembly") or BSDPH [Anatoliy LEVKOVICH]; Belarusian Social
Democratic Party People's Assembly ("Narodnaya Hramada") [Nikolay
STATKEVICH] (unregistered); Belarusian Women's Party Nadzeya
("Hope") [Yelena YESKOVA, chairperson]; Christian Conservative Party
or BPF [Zyanon PAZNIAK]; European Belarus Campaign [Andrey
SANNIKOV]; Party of Freedom and Progress [Vladimir NOVOSYAD]
(unregistered); "Tell the Truth" Campaign [Vladimir NEKLYAYEV];
United Civic Party or UCP [Anatoliy LEBEDKO]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Assembly of Pro-Democratic NGOs (unregistered) [Sergey MATSKEVICH];
Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions [Aleksandr YAROSHUK];
Belarusian Association of Journalists [Zhana LITVINA]; Belarusian
Helsinki Committee [Aleh HULAK]; Belarusian Independence Bloc
(unregistered) and For Freedom movement [Aleksandr MILINKEVICH];
Belarusian Organization of Working Women [Irina ZHIKHAR]; BPF-Youth
[Andrus KRECHKA]; Charter 97 (unregistered) [Andrey SANNIKOV];
Perspektiva small business association [Anatol SHUMCHENKO]; Nasha
Vyasna (unregistered) ("Our Spring") human rights center; "Tell the
Truth" Movement [Vladimir NEKLYAYEV]; Women's Independent Democratic
Movement [Ludmila PETINA]; Young Belarus (Malady Belarus) [Zmitser
KASPYAROVICH]; Youth Front (Malady Front) [Zmitser DASHKEVICH]
International organization participation:
BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CEI, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD,
FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMSO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, NSG, OPCW, OSCE,
PCA, PFP, SCO (dialogue member), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO,
UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Oleg
KRAVCHENKO
chancery: 1619 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 986-1604
FAX: [1] (202) 986-1805
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Michael
SCANLAN
embassy: 46 Starovilenskaya Street, Minsk 220002
mailing address: PSC 78, Box B Minsk, APO 09723
telephone: [375] (17) 210-12-83, 217-7347 through 7348
FAX: [375] (17) 334-7853
Flag description:
red horizontal band (top) and green horizontal band one-half the
width of the red band; a white vertical stripe on the hoist side
bears Belarusian national ornamentation in red; the red band color
recalls past struggles from oppression, the green band represents
hope and the many forests of the country
National anthem:
name: "My, Bielarusy" (We Belarusians)
lyrics/music: Mikhas KLIMKOVICH and Uladzimir KARYZNA/Nester
SAKALOUSKI
note: music adopted 1955, lyrics adopted 2002; after the fall of the
Soviet Union, Belarus kept the music of its Soviet-era anthem but
adopted new lyrics; also known as "Dziarzauny himn Respubliki
Bielarus" (State Anthem of the Republic of Belarus)
Economy ::Belarus
Economy - overview:
Belarus has seen limited structural reform since 1995, when
President LUKASHENKO launched the country on the path of "market
socialism." In keeping with this policy, LUKASHENKO reimposed
administrative controls over prices and currency exchange rates and
expanded the state's right to intervene in the management of private
enterprises. Since 2005, the government has re-nationalized a number
of private companies. In addition, businesses have been subjected to
pressure by central and local governments, including arbitrary
changes in regulations, numerous rigorous inspections, retroactive
application of new business regulations, and arrests of "disruptive"
businessmen and factory owners. Continued state control over
economic operations hampers market entry for businesses, both
domestic and foreign. Government statistics indicate GDP growth was
strong, surpassing 10% in 2008, despite the roadblocks of a tough,
centrally directed economy with a high rate of inflation and a low
rate of unemployment. However, the global crisis pushed the country
into recession in 2009, and GDP grew only 0.2% for the year.
Slumping foreign demand hit the industrial sector hard. Minsk has
depended on a standby-agreement with the IMF to assist with balance
of payments shortfalls. In line with IMF conditions, in 2009,
Belarus devalued the ruble more than 40% and tightened some fiscal
and monetary policies. On 1 January 2010, Russia, Kazakhstan and
Belarus launched a customs union, with unified trade regulations and
customs codes still under negotiation. In late January, Russia and
Belarus amended their 2007 oil supply agreement. The new terms
raised prices for above quota purchases, increasing Belarus' current
account deficit. GDP grew 4.8% in 2010, in part, on the strength of
renewed export growth. In December 2010, Belarus, Russia and
Kazakhstan signed an agreement to form a Common Economic Space and
Russia removed all Belarusian oil duties.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$128.4 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60
$122.5 billion (2009 est.)
$122.3 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$52.89 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4.8% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 62
0.2% (2009 est.)
10.2% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$13,400 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
$12,700 (2009 est.)
$12,600 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 9%
industry: 42.9%
services: 48.1% (2010 est.)
Labor force:
5 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 75
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 14%
industry: 34.7%
services: 51.3% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate:
1% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 5
1.6% (2005)
note: official registered unemployed; large number of underemployed
workers
Population below poverty line:
27.1% (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.6%
highest 10%: 22% (2005)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
27.9 (2005)
country comparison to the world: 124
21.7 (1998)
Investment (gross fixed):
36% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 7
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177
12.9% (2009 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
13.5% (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 30
12% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
11.68% (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111
8.55% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$4.747 billion (31 December 2010 est)
country comparison to the world: 92
$4.381 billion (31 December 2009 est)
Stock of broad money:
$13.62 billion (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 92
$14.07 billion (31 December 2008)
Stock of domestic credit:
$19.99 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
$17.15 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Agriculture - products:
grain, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beets, flax; beef, milk
Industries:
metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earthmovers,
motorcycles, televisions, synthetic fibers, fertilizer, textiles,
radios, refrigerators
Industrial production growth rate:
10.5% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 13
Electricity - production:
29.92 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63
Electricity - consumption:
30.54 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 58
Electricity - exports:
5.062 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
9.406 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
31,400 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70
Oil - consumption:
173,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 59
Oil - exports:
303,900 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40
Oil - imports:
444,800 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28
Oil - proved reserves:
198 million bbl (1 January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 59
Natural gas - production:
152 million cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 77
Natural gas - consumption:
17 billion cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 37
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2009)
country comparison to the world: 58
Natural gas - imports:
17.6 billion cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 13
Natural gas - proved reserves:
2.832 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94
Current account balance:
-$5.062 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169
-$6.402 billion (2009 est.)
Exports:
$24.49 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 66
$21.34 billion (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, mineral products, chemicals, metals,
textiles, foodstuffs
Exports - partners:
Russia 33.6%, Netherlands 13.78%, Ukraine 8.68%, Latvia 6.32%,
Poland 4.19%, Germany 4.17% (2009)
Imports:
$29.79 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60
$28.31 billion (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities:
mineral products, machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs,
metals
Imports - partners:
Russia 56.42%, Germany 8.31%, Ukraine 4.79%, China 4.04% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$5.755 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63
$4.831 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$24.8 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 68
$19.74 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Exchange rates:
Belarusian rubles (BYB/BYR) per US dollar - 3,019.9 (2010), 2,789.5
(2009), 2,130 (2008), 2,145 (2007), 2,144.6 (2006)
Communications ::Belarus
Telephones - main lines in use:
3.969 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 40
Telephones - mobile cellular:
9.686 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 67
Telephone system:
general assessment: Belarus lags behind its neighbors in upgrading
telecommunications infrastructure; modernization of the network
progressing with roughly two-thirds of switching equipment now
digital
domestic: state-owned Beltelcom is the sole provider of fixed-line
local and long distance service; fixed-line teledensity is improving
although rural areas continue to be underserved; multiple GSM
mobile-cellular networks are experiencing rapid growth;
mobile-cellular teledensity reached 100 telephones per 100 persons
in 2009
international: country code - 375; Belarus is a member of the
Trans-European Line (TEL), Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line,
and has access to the Trans-Siberia Line (TSL); 3 fiber-optic
segments provide connectivity to Latvia, Poland, Russia, and
Ukraine; worldwide service is available to Belarus through this
infrastructure; additional analog lines to Russia; Intelsat,
Eutelsat, and Intersputnik earth stations (2008)
Broadcast media:
4 state-controlled national TV channels; Polish and Russian TV
broadcasts are available in some areas; state-run Belarusian Radio
operates 3 national networks and an external service; Russian and
Polish radio broadcasts are available (2007)
Internet country code:
.by
Internet hosts:
147,311 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 71
Internet users:
2.643 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 69
Transportation ::Belarus
Airports:
67 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 74
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 35
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 22
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 7 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 32
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 27 (2010)
Heliports:
1 (2010)
Pipelines:
gas 5,250 km; oil 1,528 km; refined products 1,730 km (2009)
Railways:
total: 5,537 km
country comparison to the world: 32
broad gauge: 5,512 km 1.520-m gauge (874 km electrified)
standard gauge: 25 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 94,797 km
country comparison to the world: 49
paved: 84,028 km
unpaved: 10,769 km (2005)
Waterways:
2,500 km (use limited by location on perimeter of country and by
shallowness) (2003)
country comparison to the world: 36
Ports and terminals:
Mazyr
Military ::Belarus
Military branches:
Belarus Armed Forces: Land Force, Air and Air Defense Force, Special
Operations Force (2010)
Military service age and obligation:
18-27 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript
service obligation - 12-18 months, depending on academic
qualifications (2010)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,435,318
females age 16-49: 2,466,762 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,708,634
females age 16-49: 2,043,083 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 55,758
female: 52,572 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.4% of GDP (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105
Transnational Issues ::Belarus
Disputes - international:
Boundary demarcated with Latvia and Lithuania in 2006; 1997 boundary
delimitation treaty with Ukraine remains unratified over unresolved
financial claims, preventing demarcation and diminishing border
security
Illicit drugs:
limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for the
domestic market; transshipment point for illicit drugs to and via
Russia, and to the Baltics and Western Europe; a small and lightly
regulated financial center; anti-money-laundering legislation does
not meet international standards and was weakened further when
know-your-customer requirements were curtailed in 2008; few
investigations or prosecutions of money-laundering activities (2008)
page last updated on January 20, 2011
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@Belgium (Europe)
Introduction ::Belgium
Background: