2018 Edition

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 have 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 and only directly elected president, Aleksandr LUKASHENKO has steadily consolidated his power through authoritarian means and a centralized economic system. Government restrictions on political and civil freedoms, freedom of speech and the press, peaceful assembly, and religion have remained in place.

Area

land

202,900 sq km

total

207,600 sq km

water

4,700 sq km

Area Comparative

slightly less than twice the size of Kentucky; slightly smaller than Kansas

Climate

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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation

elevation extremes

90 m lowest point: Nyoman River

mean elevation

160 m

note

346 highest point: Dzyarzhynskaya Hara

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

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

Irrigated Land

1,140 sq km (2012)

Land Boundaries

border countries (5)

Latvia 161 km, Lithuania 640 km, Poland 418 km, Russia 1312 km, Ukraine 1111 km

total

3,642 km

Land Use

arable land: 27.2% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 0.6% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 15.9% (2011 est.)

agricultural land

43.7% (2011 est.)

forest

42.7% (2011 est.)

other

13.6% (2011 est.)

Location

Eastern Europe, east of Poland

Map References

Europe

Maritime Claims

note

none (landlocked)

Natural Hazards

large tracts of marshy land

Natural Resources

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

Population Distribution

a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations

Terrain

generally flat with much marshland

Age Structure

0-14 years

15.91% (male 779,577 /female 736,481)

15-24 years

9.96% (male 488,240 /female 460,673)

25-54 years

44.49% (male 2,089,202 /female 2,149,486)

55-64 years

14.42% (male 607,368 /female 766,238)

65 years and over

15.22% (male 467,299 /female 982,979) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

10 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate

63.1% (2012)

Death Rate

13.2 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Dependency Ratios

elderly dependency ratio

20.6 (2015 est.)

potential support ratio

4.9 (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

43.8 (2015 est.)

youth dependency ratio

23.2 (2015 est.)

Drinking Water Source

improved: urban: 99.9% of population

rural: 99.1% of population

total: 99.7% of population

unimproved: urban: 0.1% of population

rural: 0.9% of population

total: 0.3% of population (2015 est.)

Education Expenditures

5% of GDP (2016)

Ethnic Groups

Belarusian 83.7%, Russian 8.3%, Polish 3.1%, Ukrainian 1.7%, other 2.4%, unspecified 0.9% (2009 est.)

Health Expenditures

5.7% of GDP (2014)

Hiv Aids Adult Prevalence Rate

0.4% (2017 est.)

Hiv Aids Deaths

<500 (2017 est.)

Hiv Aids People Living With Hiv Aids

24,000 (2017 est.)

Hospital Bed Density

11 beds/1,000 population (2013)

Infant Mortality Rate

female

3.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

male

4 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

total

3.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

Russian (official) 70.2%, Belarusian (official) 23.4%, other 3.1% (includes small Polish- and Ukrainian-speaking minorities), unspecified 3.3% (2009 est.)

Life Expectancy At Birth

female

79 years (2018 est.)

male

67.8 years (2018 est.)

total population

73.2 years (2018 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)

female

99.7% (2015 est.)

male

99.8% (2015 est.)

total population

99.7% (2015 est.)

Major Urban Areas Population

2.005 million MINSK (capital) (2018)

Maternal Mortality Rate

4 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

Median Age

female

43.3 years (2018 est.)

male

37.4 years

total

40.3 years

Mother S Mean Age At First Birth

25.7 years (2014 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Belarusian

noun

Belarusian(s)

Net Migration Rate

0.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

24.5% (2016)

Physicians Density

4.07 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

Population

9,527,543 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

-0.24% (2018 est.)

Religions

Orthodox 48.3%, Catholic 7.1%, other 3.5%, non-believers 41.1% (2011 est.)

Sanitation Facility Access

improved: urban: 94.1% of population (2015 est.)

rural: 95.2% of population (2015 est.)

total: 94.3% of population (2015 est.)

unimproved: urban: 5.9% of population (2015 est.)

rural: 4.8% of population (2015 est.)

total: 5.7% of population (2015 est.)

School Life Expectancy Primary To Tertiary Education

female

16 years (2015)

male

15 years (2015)

total

16 years (2015)

Sex Ratio

0-14 years

1.06 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

15-24 years

1.06 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

25-54 years

0.97 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

55-64 years

0.79 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

65 years and over

0.46 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

total population

0.87 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

1.49 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24

female

8.5% (2016 est.)

male

12.6% (2016 est.)

total

10.7% (2016 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.44% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

urban population

78.6% of total population (2018)

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

Capital

geographic coordinates

53 54 N, 27 34 E

name

Minsk

time difference

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

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Belarus

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

7 years

Constitution

amendments

proposed by the president of the republic through petition to the National Assembly or by petition of least 150,000 eligible voters; approval required by at least two-thirds majority vote in both chambers or by simple majority of votes cast in a referendum (2016)

history

several previous; latest drafted between late 1991 and early 1994, signed 15 March 1994 (2016)

Country Name

conventional long form

Republic of Belarus

conventional short form

Belarus

etymology

the name is a compound of the Belarusian words "bel" (white) and "Rus" (the Old East Slavic ethnic designation) to form the meaning White Rusian or White Ruthenian

former

Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic

local long form

Respublika Byelarus'/Respublika Belarus'

local short form

Byelarus'/Belarus'

Diplomatic Representation From The Us

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant; left in 2008 upon insistence of Belarusian Government); Charge d'Affaires Jenifer MOORE(since August 2018)

embassy

46 Starovilenskaya Street, Minsk 220002

FAX

[375] (17) 234-7853

mailing address

Unit 7010 Box 100, DPO AE 09769

telephone

[375] (17) 210-1283

Diplomatic Representation In The Us

chancery

1619 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant; recalled by Belarus in 2008); Charge d'Affaires Pavel SHIDLOVSKIY (since 23 April 2014)

consulate(s) general

New York

FAX

[1] (202) 986-1805

telephone

[1] (202) 986-1606

Executive Branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president

chief of state

President Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (since 20 July 1994)

election results

Aleksandr LUKASHENKO reelected president; percent of vote - Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (independent) 83.5%, Tatstyana KARATKEVICH (Tell the Truth) 4.4%, Sergey GAYDUKEVICH (LDP) 3.3%, other 8.8%; note - election marred by electoral fraud

elections/appointments

president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (no term limits); 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 and win in a third (19 March 2006), fourth (19 December 2010), and fifth election (11 October 2015); next election in 2020; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president and approved by the National Assembly

head of government

Prime Minister Sergey RUMAS (since 18 August 2018); First Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandr TURCHIN (since 18 August 2018); Deputy Prime Ministers Igor LYASHENKO, Vladimir KUKHAREV, Igor PETRISHENKO (since 18 August 2018), Mikhail RUSYY (since 2012)

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

Government Type

presidential republic in name, although in fact a dictatorship

Independence

25 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

International Law Organization Participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International Organization Participation

BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CEI, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAEU, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SCO (dialogue member), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer), ZC

Judicial Branch

highest courts

Supreme Court (consists of the chairman and deputy chairman and organized into several specialized panels, including economic and military; number of judges set by the president of the republic and the court chairman); Constitutional Court (consists of 12 judges including a chairman and deputy chairman)

judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court judges appointed by the president with the consent of the Council of the Republic; judges initially appointed for 5 years and evaluated for life appointment; Constitutional Court judges - 6 appointed by the president and 6 elected by the Council of the Republic; the presiding judge directly elected by the president and approved by the Council of the Republic; judges can serve for 11 years with an age limit of 70

subordinate courts

oblast courts; Minsk City Court; town courts; Minsk city and oblast economic courts

Legal System

civil law system; note - nearly all major codes (civil, civil procedure, criminal, criminal procedure, family, and labor) were revised and came into force in 1999 and 2000

Legislative Branch

description

bicameral National Assembly or Natsionalnoye Sobraniye consists of:Council of the Republic or Sovet Respubliki (64 seats; 56 members indirectly elected by regional and Minsk city councils and 8 members appointed by the president; members serve 4-year terms)House of Representatives or Palata Predstaviteley (110 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 4-year terms)

election results

Council of the Republic - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 39, women 17, percent of women 26.6%House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - KPB 8, Belarusian Patriotic Party 3, Republican Party of Labor and Justice 3, LDP 1, UCP 1, independent 94; composition - men 72, women 38, percent of women 34.5%; note - total National Assembly percent of women 31.6%

elections

Council of the Republic - NAHouse of Representatives - last held on 11 September 2016 (next to be held in 2020); OSCE observers determined that the election was neither free nor impartial and that vote counting was problematic in a number of polling stations; pro-LUKASHENKO candidates won virtually every seat, with only the UCP member and one independent forming alternative representation in the House; international observers determined that the previous elections, on 28 September 2008 and 23 September 2012, also fell short of democratic standards, with pro-LUKASHENKO candidates winning every seat

note

the US does not recognize the legitimacy of the National Assembly

National Anthem

lyrics/music

Mikhas KLIMKOVICH and Uladzimir KARYZNA/Nester SAKALOUSKI

name

"My, Bielarusy" (We Belarusians)

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)

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

National Symbol S

no clearly defined current national symbol, the mounted knight known as Pahonia (the Chaser) is the traditional Belarusian symbol; national colors: green, red, white

Political Parties And Leaders

pro-government parties: Belarusian Agrarian Party or AP [Mikhail SHIMANSKIY]; Belarusian Patriotic Party [Nikolai ULAKHOVICH]; Belarusian Social Sport Party [Vladimir ALEKSANDROVICH]; Communist Party of Belarus or KPB [Aleksei SOKOL]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Sergey GAYDUKEVICH]; Republican Party [Vladimir BELOZOR]; Republican Party of Labor and Justice [Vasiliy ZADNEPRYANIY]; opposition parties: Belarusian Christian Democracy Party [Paval SEVIARYNETS] (unregistered); Belarusian Party of the Green [Anastasiya DOROFEYEVA]; Belarusian Party of the Left "Just World" [Sergey KALYAKIN]; Belarusian Popular Front or BPF [Ryhor KASTUSEU]; Belarusian Social-Democratic Assembly [Stanislav SHUSHKEVICH]; Belarusian Social Democratic Party ("Assembly") or BSDPH [Ihar BARYSAU]; Belarusian Social Democratic Party (People's Assembly) [Mikalay STATKEVICH] (unregistered); Christian Conservative Party or BPF [Zyanon PAZNYAK]; United Civic Party or UCP [Anatoliy LEBEDKO]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture Products

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

Budget

expenditures

20.57 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

22.15 billion (2017 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

2.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central Bank Discount Rate

14% (19 April 2017)

15% (15 March 2017)

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

9.66% (31 December 2017 est.)

14.4% (31 December 2016 est.)

Current Account Balance

-$931 million (2017 est.)

-$1.669 billion (2016 est.)

Debt External

$39.92 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$37.74 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Distribution Of Family Income Gini Index

26.5 (2011)

21.7 (1998)

Economy Overview

As part of the former Soviet Union, Belarus had a relatively well-developed industrial base, but it is now outdated, inefficient, and dependent on subsidized Russian energy and preferential access to Russian markets. The country’s agricultural base is largely dependent on government subsidies. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, an initial burst of economic reforms included privatization of state enterprises, creation of private property rights, and the acceptance of private entrepreneurship, but by 1994 the reform effort dissipated. About 80% of industry remains in state hands, and foreign investment has virtually disappeared. Several businesses have been renationalized. State-owned entities account for 70-75% of GDP, and state banks make up 75% of the banking sector.Economic output declined for several years following the break-up of the Soviet Union, but revived in the mid-2000s. Belarus has only small reserves of crude oil and imports crude oil and natural gas from Russia at subsidized, below market, prices. Belarus derives export revenue by refining Russian crude and selling it at market prices. Russia and Belarus have had serious disagreements over prices and quantities for Russian energy. Beginning in early 2016, Russia claimed Belarus began accumulating debt – reaching $740 million by April 2017 – for paying below the agreed price for Russian natural gas and Russia cut back its export of crude oil as a result of the debt. In April 2017, Belarus agreed to pay its gas debt and Russia restored the flow of crude.New non-Russian foreign investment has been limited in recent years, largely because of an unfavorable financial climate. In 2011, a financial crisis lead to a nearly three-fold devaluation of the Belarusian ruble. The Belarusian economy has continued to struggle under the weight of high external debt servicing payments and a trade deficit. In mid-December 2014, the devaluation of the Russian ruble triggered a near 40% devaluation of the Belarusian ruble.Belarus’s economy stagnated between 2012 and 2016, widening productivity and income gaps between Belarus and neighboring countries. Budget revenues dropped because of falling global prices on key Belarusian export commodities. Since 2015, the Belarusian government has tightened its macro-economic policies, allowed more flexibility to its exchange rate, taken some steps towards price liberalization, and reduced subsidized government lending to state-owned enterprises. Belarus returned to modest growth in 2017, largely driven by improvement of external conditions and Belarus issued sovereign debt for the first time since 2011, which provided the country with badly-needed liquidity, and issued $600 million worth of Eurobonds in February 2018, predominantly to US and British investors.

Exchange Rates

Belarusian rubles (BYB/BYR) per US dollar -

1.9 (2017 est.)

2 (2016 est.)

2 (2015 est.)

15,926 (2014 est.)

10,224.1 (2013 est.)

Exports

$28.65 billion (2017 est.)

$22.98 billion (2016 est.)

Exports Commodities

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

Exports Partners

Russia 43.9%, Ukraine 11.5%, UK 8.2% (2017)

Fiscal Year

calendar year

Gdp Composition By End Use

exports of goods and services

67% (2017 est.)

government consumption

14.6% (2017 est.)

household consumption

54.8% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-67% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

24.9% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

5.7% (2017 est.)

Gdp Composition By Sector Of Origin

agriculture

8.1% (2017 est.)

industry

40.8% (2017 est.)

services

51.1% (2017 est.)

Gdp Official Exchange Rate

$54.44 billion (2017 est.) (2017 est.)

Gdp Per Capita Ppp

$18,900 (2017 est.)

$18,400 (2016 est.)

$19,000 (2015 est.)

note

data are in 2017 dollars

Gdp Purchasing Power Parity

$179.4 billion (2017 est.)

$175.1 billion (2016 est.)

$179.7 billion (2015 est.)

note

data are in 2017 dollars

Gdp Real Growth Rate

2.4% (2017 est.)

-2.5% (2016 est.)

-3.8% (2015 est.)

Gross National Saving

24.5% of GDP (2017 est.)

23% of GDP (2016 est.)

25.8% of GDP (2015 est.)

Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share

highest 10%

21.9% (2008)

lowest 10%

21.9% (2008)

Imports

$31.58 billion (2017 est.)

$25.61 billion (2016 est.)

Imports Commodities

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

Imports Partners

Russia 57.2%, China 8%, Germany 5.1% (2017)

Industrial Production Growth Rate

5.6% (2017 est.)

Industries

metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earthmovers, motorcycles, synthetic fibers, fertilizer, textiles, refrigerators, washing machines and other household appliances

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

6% (2017 est.)

11.8% (2016 est.)

Labor Force

4.381 million (2016 est.)

Labor Force By Occupation

agriculture

9.7%

industry

23.4%

services

66.8% (2015 est.)

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

note

NA

Population Below Poverty Line

5.7% (2016 est.)

Public Debt

53.4% of GDP (2017 est.)

53.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

$7.315 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$4.927 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Broad Money

$3.702 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$2.719 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment Abroad

$3.547 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$4.649 billion (31 December 2015)

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment At Home

$6.929 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$7.241 billion (31 December 2015)

Stock Of Domestic Credit

$19.81 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$20.65 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Narrow Money

$3.702 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$2.719 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Taxes And Other Revenues

40.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment Rate

0.8% (2017 est.)

1% (2016 est.)

note

official registered unemployed; large number of underemployed workers

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Consumption Of Energy

56.07 million Mt (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Exports

31,730 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Imports

468,400 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Production

32,000 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Proved Reserves

198 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity Access

electrification - total population

100% (2016)

Electricity Consumption

31.72 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Exports

3.482 billion kWh (2015 est.)

Electricity From Fossil Fuels

96% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity From Hydroelectric Plants

1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Nuclear Fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Other Renewable Sources

3% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity Imports

6.319 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Installed Generating Capacity

10.04 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity Production

31.58 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Natural Gas Consumption

17.7 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Imports

17.53 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Production

59.46 million cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Proved Reserves

2.832 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Consumption

141,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Exports

351,200 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Imports

14,630 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Production

477,200 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

33 (2017 est.)

total

3,163,286 (2017 est.)

Broadcast Media

7 state-controlled national TV channels; Polish and Russian TV broadcasts are available in some areas; state-run Belarusian Radio operates 5 national networks and an external service; Russian and Polish radio broadcasts are available (2017)

Internet Country Code

.by

Internet Users

percent of population

71.1% (July 2016 est.)

total

6,805,786 (July 2016 est.)

Telephone System

domestic

fixed-line teledensity is improving although rural areas continue to be underserved,  47 per 100 fixed-line; mobile-cellular teledensity now approaches 120 telephones per 100 persons (2017)

general assessment

fibre network reaches two million establishments; trial 5G services during the first half of 2019; 10,000km of fibre cabling laid; August 2018 almost two million GPON connections (Gigabit Passive Optical Network, point-to-multi point acess mechanism); 5 year plan is on track; Belarus launches its first telecoms satellite; LTE use reaches 75% of mobile subscribers (2018)

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 (2017)

Telephones Fixed Lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

47 (2017 est.)

total subscriptions

4,499,821 (2017 est.)

Telephones Mobile Cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

115 (2017 est.)

total subscriptions

10,963,224 (2017 est.)

Airports

65 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

4 (2017)

2,438 to 3,047 m

20 (2017)

914 to 1,523 m

1 (2017)

over 3,047 m

1 (2017)

total

33 (2017)

under 914 m

7 (2017)

Airports With Unpaved Runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

1 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m

2 (2013)

over 3,047 m

1 (2013)

total

32 (2013)

under 914 m

28 (2013)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

EW (2016)

Heliports

1 (2013)

Merchant Marine

by type

other 4 (2017)

total

4 (2017)

National Air Transport System

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

1.807 million mt-km (2015)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

1,489,035 (2015)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

30 (2015)

number of registered air carriers

2 (2015)

Pipelines

5386 km gas, 1589 km oil, 1730 km refined products (2013)

Ports And Terminals

river port(s)

Mazyr (Prypyats')

Railways

broad gauge

5,503 km 1.520-m gauge (874 km electrified) (2014)

standard gauge

25 km 1.435-m gauge (2014)

total

5,528 km (2014)

Roadways

paved

74,651 km (2010)

total

86,392 km (2010)

unpaved

11,741 km (2010)

Waterways

2,500 km (major rivers are the west-flowing Western Dvina and Neman Rivers and the south-flowing Dnepr River and its tributaries, the Berezina, Sozh, and Pripyat Rivers) (2011)

Military Branches

Belarus Armed Forces: Land Force, Air and Air Defense Force, Special Operations Force (2013)

Military Expenditures

0.93% of GDP (2017)

1.2% of GDP (2016)

1.33% of GDP (2015)

1.33% of GDP (2014)

1.33% of GDP (2013)

Military Service Age And Obligation

18-27 years of age for compulsory military or alternative service; conscript service obligation is 12-18 months, depending on academic qualifications, and 24-36 months for alternative service, depending on academic qualifications; 17 year olds are eligible to become cadets at military higher education institutes, where they are classified as military personnel (2016)

Disputes International

boundary demarcated with Latvia and Lithuaniaas a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Poland has implemented strict Schengen border rules to restrict illegal immigration and trade along its border with Belarus

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

Refugees And Internally Displaced Persons

refugees (country of origin)

244,621 applicants for forms of legal stay other than asylum (Ukraine) (2017)

stateless persons

6,007 (2017)

Trafficking In Persons

current situation

Belarus is a source, transit, and destination country for women, men, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor; more victims are exploited within Belarus than abroad; Belarusians exploited abroad are primarily trafficked to Germany, Poland, Russian, and Turkey but also other European countries, the Middle East, Japan, Kazakhstan, and Mexico; Moldovans, Russians, Ukrainians, and Vietnamese are exploited in Belarus; state-sponsored forced labor is a continuing problem; students are forced to do farm labor without pay and military conscripts are forced to perform unpaid non-military work; the government has retained a decree forbidding workers in state-owned wood processing factories from leaving their jobs without their employers’ permission

tier rating

Tier 3 – Belarus does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and was placed on Tier 3 after being on the Tier 2 Watch List for two consecutive years without making progress; government efforts to repeal state-sponsored forced labor policies and domestic trafficking were inadequate; no trafficking offenders were convicted in 2014, and the number of investigations progressively declined from 2005-14; efforts to protect trafficking victims remain insufficient, with no identification and referral mechanism in place; care facilities were not trafficking-specific and were poorly equipped, leading most victims to seek assistance from private shelters (2015)