2024 Edition Primary

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. In 1999, Belarus and Russia signed a treaty on a two-state union, envisioning greater political and economic integration. Although Belarus agreed to a framework to carry out the accord, serious implementation has yet to take place and negotiations on further integration have been contentious. Since taking office in 1994 as the country's first and only directly elected president, Alyaksandr LUKASHENKA 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. Restrictions on political freedoms have tightened in the wake of the disputed presidential election in 2020. The election results sparked large-scale protests as members of the opposition and civil society criticized the election’s validity. LUKASHENKA has remained in power as the disputed winner of the presidential election after quelling protests in 2020. Since 2022, Belarus has facilitated Russia's war in Ukraine, which was launched in part from Belarusian territory.         

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

highest point

Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m

lowest point

Nyoman River 90 m

mean elevation

160 m

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

303 sq km (2020)

Land boundaries

border countries

Latvia 161 km; Lithuania 640 km; Poland 375 km; Russia 1,312 km; Ukraine 1,111 km

total

3,599 km

Land use

agricultural land

43.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 27.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 15.9% (2018 est.)

forest

42.7% (2018 est.)

other

13.6% (2018 est.)

Location

Eastern Europe, east of Poland

Major rivers (by length in km)

Dnyapro (Dnieper) (shared with Russia [s] and Ukraine [m]) - 2,287 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Dnieper (533,966 sq km)

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

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

16.1% (male 787,849/female 741,293)

15-64 years

66.1% (male 3,073,507/female 3,204,088)

65 years and over

17.8% (2024 est.) (male 572,483/female 1,122,231)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

2.26 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

2.66 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

4.67 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

10.57 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.98 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

8.3 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

1.6% (2019 est.)

women married by age 15

0.1%

women married by age 18

4.7%

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

52.6% (2019)

Current health expenditure

6.4% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

66.6% (2023 est.)

Death rate

13.3 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

25.4

potential support ratio

3.9 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

50.8

youth dependency ratio

25.4

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 99.6% of population

improved: total

total: 99.9% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0.4% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0.1% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

Education expenditures

4.7% of GDP (2021 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Gross reproduction rate

0.7 (2024 est.)

Hospital bed density

10.8 beds/1,000 population (2014)

Infant mortality rate

female

1.7 deaths/1,000 live births

male

2.5 deaths/1,000 live births

total

2.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Languages

Languages

Russian (official) 71.4%, Belarusian (official) 26%, other 0.3% (includes small Polish- and Ukrainian-speaking minorities), unspecified 2.3% (2019 est.)

major-language sample(s)

Книга фактов о мире – незаменимый источник базовой информации. (Russian)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

80 years

male

69.8 years

total population

74.7 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

99.9% (2019)

male

99.9%

total population

99.9%

Major urban areas - population

2.057 million MINSK (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

1 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

45 years

male

39.5 years

total

42.1 years (2024 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

26.8 years (2019 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Belarusian

noun

Belarusian(s)

Net migration rate

0.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

24.5% (2016)

Physician density

4.54 physicians/1,000 population (2019)

Population

female

5,067,612 (2024 est.)

male

4,433,839

total

9,501,451

Population distribution

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

Population growth rate

-0.42% (2024 est.)

Religions

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

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 98.3% of population

improved: total

total: 99.5% of population

improved: urban

urban: 99.9% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 1.7% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0.5% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.1% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

15 years (2021)

male

15 years

total

15 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.51 male(s)/female

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

0.88 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

13.5% (2020 est.)

male

47.4% (2020 est.)

total

30.5% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.45 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.28% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

80.7% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

6 regions (voblastsi, singular - voblasts') and 1 municipality* (horad); Brest, Homyel' (Gomel'), Horad Minsk* (Minsk City), Hrodna (Grodno), Mahilyow (Mogilev), Minsk, Vitsyebsk (Vitebsk)

note

note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers; Russian spelling provided for reference when different from Belarusian

Capital

etymology

the origin of the name is disputed; Minsk may originally have been located 16 km to the southwest, on the banks of Menka River; remnants of a 10th-century settlement on the banks of the Menka have been found

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; amended 1996, 2004; note -one of several amendments passed in the February 2022 referendum - the presidential 5-year, two-term limit - will be imposed after the 2025 election

history

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

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' (Belarusian)/ Respublika Belarus' (Russian)

local short form

Byelarus' (Belarusian)/ Belarus' (Russian)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Peter KAUFMAN (since June 2023)

email address and website

ConsularMinsk@state.govhttps://by.usembassy.gov/

embassy

46 Starovilenskaya Street, Minsk 220002

FAX

[375] (17) 334-78-53

mailing address

7010 Minsk Place, Washington DC  20521-7010

telephone

[375] (17) 210-12-83

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1619 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant; recalled by Belarus in 2008); Chargé d'Affaires Pavel SHIDLOWSKI (since 9 August 2022)

email address and website

usa@mfa.gov.byEmbassy of the Republic of Belarus in the United States of America (mfa.gov.by)

FAX

[1] (202) 986-1805

telephone

[1] (202) 986-1606

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president

chief of state

President Alyaksandr LUKASHENKA (since 20 July 1994)

election results

2020: Alyaksandr LUKASHENKA reelected president; percent of vote - Alyaksandr LUKASHENKA (independent) 80.1%, Svyatlana TSIKHANOWSKAYA (independent) 10.1%, other 9.8%; note - widespread street protests erupted following announcement of the election results amid allegations of voter fraud2015: Alyaksandr LUKASHENKA elected president; percent of vote - Alyaksandr LUKASHENKA (independent) 84.1%, Tatsyana KARATKEVIC (BSDPH) 4.4%, Sergey GAYDUKEVICH (LDP) 3.3%, other 8.2%.

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 held on 23 June and 10 July 1994; according to the 1994 constitution, the next election should have been held in 1999; however, Alyaksandr LUKASHENKA 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 LUKASHENKA to run and win a third  term (19 March 2006); a fourth term (19 December 2010); a fifth term (11 October 2015); a sixth term (9 August 2020); next election to be held in 2025; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president and approved by the National Assembly

head of government

Prime Minister Roman GOLOVCHENKO (since 4 June 2020)

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, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer), ZC

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

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 Natsyyalny Skhod consists of:Council of the Republic or Savet Respubliki (65 seats statutory, currently 58; 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 Pradstawnikow (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 - independent 58, other 2; composition - men 42, women 16, percentage women 27.6%House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Belaya Rus 51, RPTS 8, CPB 7, LDPB 4, independent 40; composition - men 73, women 37, percentage women 33.6%; note - total National Assembly percentage women 31.5%

elections

Council of the Republic - indirect election last held on 4 April 2024 (next to be held in 2029)House of Representatives - last held on 25 February 2024 (next to be held in 2028)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Mikhas KLIMKOVICH and Uladzimir KARYZNA/Nester SAKALOUSKI

name

"My, Bielarusy" (We Belarusians)

note

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 heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Białowieża Forest (n); Mir Castle Complex (c); Architectural, Residential, and Cultural Complex of the Radziwill Family at Nesvizh (c)

total World Heritage Sites

4 (3 cultural, 1 natural)

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

Belaya Rus or BRRepublican Party of Labour and Justice or RPTSCommunist Party of Belarus or CBPLiberal Democratic Party of Belarus or LDPB

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

milk, sugar beets, potatoes, wheat, triticale, barley, maize, rapeseed, rye, apples (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

7.7% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

on food

31.7% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$20.856 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

revenues

$20.609 billion (2022 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

B (2018)

Moody's rating

B3 (2018)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

B (2017)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2021

$2.157 billion (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

$2.539 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$1.02 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Economic overview

declining Russian energy subsidies will end in 2024; growing public debt; strong currency pressures have led to higher inflation; recent price controls on basic food and drugs; public sector wage increases and fragile private sector threaten household income gains and economic growth

Exchange rates

Currency

Belarusian rubles (BYB/BYR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

2.092 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

2.44 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

2.539 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

2.626 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

3.007 (2023 est.)

Exports

Exports 2021

$49.435 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$46.878 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$47.87 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

fertilizers, refined petroleum, rapeseed oil, wood, beef (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

China 15%, Ukraine 12%, Poland 9%, Kazakhstan 8%, Lithuania 8% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

66.8% (2023 est.)

government consumption

18.1% (2023 est.)

household consumption

54.7% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-66.2% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

21.9% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

2.2% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

7.3% (2023 est.)

industry

32.5% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

47.8% (2023 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$71.857 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2020

24.4 (2020 est.)

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

20.7% (2020 est.)

lowest 10%

4.4% (2020 est.)

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports

Imports 2021

$45.465 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$42.289 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$47.398 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

cars, packaged medicine, fabric, plastic products, vehicle parts/accessories (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

China 26%, Poland 15%, Germany 12%, Lithuania 12%, Turkey 9% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

8.12% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

9.46% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

15.21% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

5% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

4.956 million (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Population below poverty line

4.8% (2020 est.)

note

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt

note

note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Public debt 2019

33.24% of GDP (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$256.855 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$244.89 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$254.407 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

2.44% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

-4.66% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

3.89% (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$27,600 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$26,500 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$27,700 (2023 est.)

Remittances

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

1.65% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

1.99% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

1.85% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$8.425 billion (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$7.923 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$8.118 billion (2023 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

11.23% (of GDP) (2022 est.)

note

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Unemployment rate

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

3.9% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

3.57% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

3.57% (2023 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

9.8% (2023 est.)

male

10.7% (2023 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

10.2% (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

1.946 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from consumed natural gas

32.415 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

17.32 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

51.682 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Coal

consumption

778,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

exports

1.213 million metric tons (2022 est.)

imports

2.467 million metric tons (2022 est.)

Electricity

consumption

35.516 billion kWh (2022 est.)

exports

4.676 billion kWh (2022 est.)

imports

4.287 billion kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

11.508 million kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

2.717 billion kWh (2022 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

1.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

fossil fuels

84.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

hydroelectricity

1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

nuclear

12.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

0.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

wind

0.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

99.484 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

16.683 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

imports

16.688 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

production

73.929 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

proven reserves

2.832 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Nuclear energy

Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors

2.22GW (2023 est.)

Number of operational nuclear reactors

2 (2023)

Percent of total electricity production

28.6% (2023 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil estimated reserves

198 million barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

131,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

total petroleum production

30,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

35 (2020 est.)

total

3,255,552 (2020 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 (2019)

Internet country code

.by

Internet users

percent of population

87% (2021 est.)

total

8.352 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line tele density 44 per 100 fixed-line; mobile-cellular tele density 123 telephones per 100 persons (2022)

general assessment

the government of Belarus has successfully promoted the migration to an all-internet protocol (IP) platform as part of a wider effort towards a digital transformation for the economy; the state-supported infrastructure operator has built an extensive fiber network which reaches all but the smallest settlements in the country; Belarus has the second highest fiber usage rate in Europe, behind only Iceland; long-term evolution (LTE) coverage is almost universal, while considerable progress has also been made in developing 5G services; telcos have had to invest in network infrastructure while managing a significant fall in the value of the local currency (particularly against the euro and the US dollar) (2024)

international

country code - 375; Belarus is landlocked and therefore 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; almost 31,000 base stations in service in 2019 (2020)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

44 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

4.23 million (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

123 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

11.771 million (2022 est.)

Airports

46 (2024)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

EW

Heliports

4 (2024)

Merchant marine

by type

other 4

total

4 (2023)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

1.9 million (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

2,760,168 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

30

number of registered air carriers

2 (2020)

Pipelines

5,386 km gas, 1,589 km oil, 1,730 km refined products (2013)

Railways

broad gauge

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

standard gauge

25 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

total

5,528 km (2014)

Roadways

total

86,600 km (2017)

Waterways

2,500 km (2011) (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)

Military - note

the military of Belarus is responsible for territorial defense; it is a mixed force of conscripts and professionals that is equipped with Russian or Soviet-era weapons; Russia is the country’s closest security partner, a relationship that includes an integrated air and missile defense system and joint military training centers and exercises; Russia leases from Belarus a strategic ballistic missile defense site operated by Russian Aerospace Forces and a global communications facility for the Russian Navy; in 2020, the countries signed an agreement allowing for close security cooperation between the Belarusian Ministry of Interior and the Russian National Guard, including protecting public order and key government facilities and combating extremism and terrorism; in 2022, Belarus allowed Russian military forces to stage on its territory for their invasion of Ukraine and continues to supply arms and other aid to the Russian military, including logistical support, medical care, and airfields for Russian combat aircraft; in 2023, Belarus agreed to permit Russia to deploy nuclear weapons on its soilBelarus has been a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) since 1994 and has committed an airborne brigade to CSTO's rapid reaction force; the military trains regularly with other CSTO members (2023)

Military and security forces

Belarus Armed Forces: Army, Air and Air Defense Force, Special Operations Force, Special Troops (electronic warfare, signals, engineers, biological/chemical/nuclear protection troops, etc)Ministry of Interior: State Border Troops, Militia, Internal Troops (2024)

note

note: in early 2023, President LUKASHENKA ordered the formation of a new volunteer paramilitary territorial defense force to supplement the Army

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 50-60,000 active-duty troops (2024)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military's inventory is comprised mostly of Russian and Soviet-origin equipment; Belarus's defense industry manufactures some equipment (mostly modernized Soviet designs), including vehicles, guided weapons, and electronic warfare systems (2024)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2019

1.5% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

1.5% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.2% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.1% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

1.5% of GDP (2023 est.)

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, also depending on academic qualifications; 17-year-olds are eligible to become cadets at military higher education institutes, where they are classified as military personnel (2023)

note

note: conscripts can be assigned to the military, to the Ministry of Interior, or to the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection (alternative service)

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)

42,785 (Ukraine) (as of 29 February 2024)

stateless persons

5,626 (2022)

Trafficking in persons

tier rating

Tier 3 — Belarus does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore, Belarus remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to:  https://www.state.gov/reports/2024-trafficking-in-persons-report/belarus/

Space agency/agencies

Belarus Space Agency (aka National Agency for Space Research; established 2009); National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (2024)

Space program overview

has a modest national space program focused on developing remote sensing (RS) satellites; jointly builds satellites with foreign partners; develops some space technologies and components for space equipment, including satellite payloads and associated technology, such as optics and imaging equipment; has cooperated with a variety of foreign space agencies and commercial entities, including those of Azerbaijan, China, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Ukraine; has a state-owned satellite company (2024)

note

note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

58.28 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

17.19 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

15.48 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

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

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-Sulphur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Land use

agricultural land

43.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 27.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 15.9% (2018 est.)

forest

42.7% (2018 est.)

other

13.6% (2018 est.)

Major rivers (by length in km)

Dnyapro (Dnieper) (shared with Russia [s] and Ukraine [m]) - 2,287 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Dnieper (533,966 sq km)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

1.02% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

57.9 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

370 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

410 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

550 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.28% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

80.7% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

4.28 million tons (2015 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

684,800 tons (2016 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

16% (2016 est.)