2007 Edition

Administrative divisions

6 provinces (voblastsi, singular - voblasts') and 1 municipality* (horad); Brest, Homyel', Horad Minsk*, Hrodna, Mahilyow, Minsk, Vitsyebsk

note

administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers

Age structure

0-14 years: 15.7% (male 825,823/female 791,741) 15-64 years: 69.7% (male 3,490,442/female 3,682,950) 65 years and over: 14.6% (male 498,976/female 1,003,079) (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

grain, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beets, flax; beef, milk

Airports

86 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 22 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1

total

41

under 914 m

12 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways

over 3,047 m

1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 6

total

45

under 914 m

35 (2006)

Area

land

207,600 sq km

total

207,600 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Kansas

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, Alexandr LUKASHENKO has steadily consolidated his power through authoritarian means. Government restrictions on freedom of speech and the press, peaceful assembly, and religion continue. Geography Belarus

Belarus Armed Forces

Land Force, Air and Air Defense Force (2006)

Birth rate

11.16 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$7.164 billion; including capital expenditures of $180 million (2006 est.)

revenues

$6.578 billion

Capital

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

geographic coordinates

53 54 N, 27 34 E

name

Minsk

time difference

UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Climate

cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

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

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Belarus

conventional short form

Belarus

former

Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic

local long form

Respublika Byelarus'

local short form

Byelarus'

Currency (code)

Belarusian ruble (BYB/BYR)

Currency code

BYB/BYR

Current account balance

$-511.8 million (2006 est.)

Death rate

14.02 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$5.498 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Karen B. STEWART

embassy

46 Starovilenskaya St., Minsk 220002

mailing address

PSC 78, Box B Minsk, APO 09723

telephone

[375] (17) 210-12-83, 217-7347, 217-7348

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1619 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

chief of mission

Ambassador Mikhail KHVOSTOV

telephone

[1] (202) 986-1604

Disputes - international

1997 boundary treaty with Ukraine remains unratified over unresolved financial claims, preventing demarcation and diminishing border security; the whole boundary with Latvia and more than half the boundary with Lithuania remains undemarcated; discussions toward economic and political union with Russia proceed slowly

Distribution of family income - Gini index

30.4 (2000)

Economic aid - recipient

$194.3 million (1995)

Economy - overview

Belarus's economy in 2006 posted more than 8% growth. The government has succeeded in lowering inflation over the past several years. Trade with Russia - by far its largest single trade partner - decreased in 2006, largely as a result of a change in the way the Value Added Tax (VAT) on trade was collected. Trade with European countries increased. Belarus has seen little 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 subject to pressure by central and local governments, e.g., arbitrary changes in regulations, numerous rigorous inspections, retroactive application of new business regulations, and arrests of "disruptive" businessmen and factory owners. A wide range of redistributive policies has helped those at the bottom of the ladder; the Gini coefficient is among the lowest in the world. Because of these restrictive economic policies, Belarus has had trouble attracting foreign investment, which remains low. Growth has been strong in recent years, despite the roadblocks in a tough, centrally directed economy with a high, but decreasing, rate of inflation. Belarus receives heavily discounted oil and natural gas from Russia and much of Belarus' growth can be attributed to the re-export of Russian oil at market prices. This growth will be threatened in 2007, however, when Russia raises energy prices closer to world market prices for Belarus. Russia is planning to increase Belarusian gas prices from $47 per thousand cubic meters (tcm) to $200 per tcm and introduce a first-time export duty of $180 per ton on oil shipped to Belarus.

Electricity - consumption

31.05 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports

4.723 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports

8.5 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production

29.33 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

99.5%

hydro

0.1%

nuclear

0%

other

0.4% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m

lowest point

Nyoman River 90 m

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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

Law of the Sea

Ethnic groups

Belarusian 81.2%, Russian 11.4%, Polish 3.9%, Ukrainian 2.4%, other 1.1% (1999 census)

Exchange rates

Belarusian rubles per US dollar - 2,220 (2006), 2,150 (2005), 2,160.26 (2004), 2,051.27 (2003), 1,790.92 (2002)

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers

chief of state

President Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (since 20 July 1994)

election results

Aleksandr LUKASHENKO reelected president; percent of vote - Aleksandr LUKASHENKO 82.6%, Aleksandr MILINKEVICH 6%, Aleksandr KOZULIN 2.3%; note - election marred by electoral fraud

elections

president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; first election took place 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 9 September 2001; an October 2004 referendum ended presidential term limits and allowed the president to run in a third election, which was held on 19 March 2006; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Sergei SIDORSKIY (since 19 December 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir SEMASHKO (since December 2003)

Exports

$19.61 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities

machinery and equipment, mineral products, chemicals, metals, textiles, foodstuffs

Exports - partners

Russia 35.8%, Netherlands 15.1%, UK 7%, Ukraine 5.7%, Poland 5.3%, Germany 4.4% (2005)

FAX

[1] (202) 986-1805

[375] (17) 234-7853

consulate(s) general

New York

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Belarus

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 Economy Belarus

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

9.3%

industry

31.6%

services

59.1% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$7,800 (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

8.3% (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$28.56 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$80.74 billion (2006 est.)

Geographic coordinates

53 00 N, 28 00 E

Geography - note

landlocked; glacial scouring accounts for the flatness of Belarusian terrain and for its 11,000 lakes People Belarus

Government type

republic in name, although in fact a dictatorship

Heliports

1 (2006)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

1,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

15,000 (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

20% (1998)

lowest 10%

5.1%

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; new anti-money-laundering legislation does not meet international standards; few investigations or prosecutions of money-laundering activities This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

Imports

$21.12 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities

mineral products, machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs, metals

Imports - partners

Russia 60.6%, Germany 6.7%, Ukraine 5.4% (2005)

Independence

25 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Industrial production growth rate

15.6% (2005 est.)

Industries

metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earthmovers, motorcycles, televisions, chemical fibers, fertilizer, textiles, radios, refrigerators

Infant mortality rate

female

12.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

male

13.92 deaths/1,000 live births

total

13 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

9.5% (2006 est.)

International organization participation

BSEC (observer), CEI, CIS, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Internet country code

.by

Internet hosts

33,641 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

23 (2002)

Internet users

3,394,400 (2005) Transportation Belarus

Investment (gross fixed)

25.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Irrigated land

1,310 sq km (2003)

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)

Labor force

4.3 million (31 December 2005)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

14%

industry

34.7%

services

51.3% (2003 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Latvia 141 km, Lithuania 502 km, Poland 407 km, Russia 959 km, Ukraine 891 km

total

2,900 km

Land use

arable land

26.77%

other

72.63% (2005)

permanent crops

0.6%

Languages

Belarusian, Russian, other

Legal system

based on civil law system

Legislative branch

bicameral National Assembly or Natsionalnoye Sobranie consists of the Council of the Republic or Soviet Respubliki (64 seats; 56 members elected by regional councils and 8 members appointed by the president, all for four-year terms) and the Chamber of Representatives or Palata Predstaviteley (110 seats; members elected by universal adult suffrage to serve four-year terms)

election results

Soviet Respubliki - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Palata Predstaviteley - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA

elections

last held 17 and 31 October 2004; international observers widely denounced the elections as flawed and undemocratic, based on massive government falsification; pro-LUKASHENKO candidates won every seat, after many opposition candidates were disqualified for technical reasons

Life expectancy at birth

female

74.98 years (2006 est.)

male

63.47 years

total population

69.08 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

99.5% (2003 est.) Government Belarus

male

99.8%

total population

99.6%

Location

Eastern Europe, east of Poland

Manpower available for military service

females age 18-49

2,564,696 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

2,520,644

Manpower fit for military service

females age 18-49

2,102,793 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

1,657,984

Manpower reaching military service age annually

females age 18-49

82,037 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

85,202

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Median age

female

39.9 years (2006 est.)

male

34.5 years

total

37.2 years

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$420.5 million (2006)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.4% (FY02) Transnational Issues Belarus

Military service age and obligation

18-27 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2005)

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

Nationality

adjective

Belarusian

noun

Belarusian(s)

Natural gas - consumption

20.5 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports

16.22 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production

180 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

forests, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas, granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, clay

Net migration rate

2.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

165,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

14,500 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - imports

360,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - production

34,260 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Pipelines

gas 5,223 km; oil 2,321 km; refined products 1,686 km (2006)

Political parties and leaders

includes

Belarusian Party of Communists or PKB [Syarhey KALYAKIN]; Belarusian Party of Labor (unregistered) [Aleksandr BUKHVOSTOV, Leonid LEMESHONAK]; Belarusian Popular Front or BPF [Vintsyuk VYACHORKA]; Belarusian Social-Democratic Gramada [Stanislav SHUSHKEVICH]; Green Party [Oleg GROMYKO]; Party of Freedom and Progress (unregistered) [Vladimir NOVOSYAD]; United Civic Party or UCP [Anatol LYABEDKA]; Women's Party "Nadezhda" [Valentina MATUSEVICH, chairperson]

opposition parties

10 Plus Coalition [Alyaksandr MILINKEVICH],

other opposition includes

Belarusian Social-Democratic Party Nardonaya Hromada or BSDP NH [Alyaksandr KOZULIN, chairman]; Christian Conservative BPF [Zyanon PAZNIAK]; Ecological Party of Greens [Mikhail KARTASH]; Party of Popular Accord [Sergei YERMAKK]; Republican Party [Vladimir BELAZOR]

pro-government parties

Agrarian Party or AP [Mikhail SHIMANSKY]; Belarusian Communist Party or KPB; Belarusian Patriotic Movement (Belarusian Patriotic Party) or BPR [Nikolai ULAKHOVICH, chairman]; Liberal Democratic Party of Belarus [Sergei GAYDUKEVICH]; Party of Labor and Justice [Viktor SOKOLOV]; Social-Sports Party [Vladimir ALEXANDROVICH]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Assembly of Pro-Democratic NGOs [Sergey MATSKEVICH]; Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions [Alyaksandr YAROSHUK]; Belarusian Helsinki Committee [Tatiana PROTKO]; Belarusian Organization of Working Women [Irina ZHIKHAR]; Charter 97 [Andrey SANNIKOV]; Lenin Communist Union of Youth (youth wing of the Belarusian Party of Communists or PKB); National Strike Committee of Entrepreneurs [Aleksandr VASILYEV, Valery LEVONEVSKY]; Partnership NGO [Nikolay ASTREYKA]; Perspektiva kiosk watchdog NGO [Anatol SHUMCHENKO]; Vyasna [Ales BYALATSKY]; Women's Independent Democratic Movement [Ludmila PETINA]; Youth Front (Malady Front) [Dzmitryy DASHKEVICH, Syarhey BAKHUN]; Zubr youth group [Vladimir KOBETS]

Population

10,293,011 (July 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

27.1% (2003 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.06% (2006 est.)

Ports and terminals

Mazyr Military Belarus

Radio broadcast stations

AM 28, FM 37, shortwave 11 (1998)

Radios

3.02 million (1997)

Railways

broad gauge

5,497 km 1.520-m gauge (874 km electrified)

standard gauge

15 km 1.435 m (2005)

total

5,512 km

Religions

Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$1.329 billion (2006 est.)

Roadways

paved

81,180 km

total

93,310 km

unpaved

12,130 km (2004)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.88 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

under 15 years

1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.5 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

fixed line penetration is improving although rural areas continue to be underserved; four GSM wireless networks are experiencing rapid growth; strict government controls on telecommunications technologies

general assessment

Belarus lags behind its neighbors in upgrading telecommunications infrastructure; state-owned Beltelcom, is the sole provider of fixed line local and long distance service; modernization of the network to digital switching progressing slowly

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); three 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

Telephones - main lines in use

3,284,300 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular

4.098 million (2005)

Television broadcast stations

47 (plus 27 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions

2.52 million (1997)

Terrain

generally flat and contains much marshland

Total fertility rate

1.43 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate

1.6% officially registered unemployed; large number of underemployed workers (2005)

Waterways

2,500 km (use limited by location on perimeter of country and by shallowness) (2003)