Belarus

Internet country code

.by

Internet hosts

5,308 (2004)

Internet users

1,391,900 (2003)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 28, FM 37, shortwave 11 (1998)

Telephone system

general assessment: the Ministry of Telecommunications controls all telecommunications through its carrier (a joint stock company) Beltelcom which is a monopoly domestic: local - Minsk has a digital metropolitan network and a cellular NMT-450 network; waiting lists for telephones are long; local service outside Minsk is neglected and poor; intercity - Belarus has a partly developed fiber-optic backbone system presently serving at least 13 major cities (1998); Belarus' fiber optics form synchronous digital hierarchy rings through other countries' systems; an inadequate analog system remains operational 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

3,071,300 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular

1.118 million (2003)

Television broadcast stations

47 (plus 27 repeaters) (1995)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $3.326 billion expenditures: $3.564 billion, including capital expenditures of $180 million (2004 est.)

Currency (code)

Belarusian ruble (BYB/BYR)

Current account balance

$-1.119 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external

$600 million (2004 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

21.7 (1998)

Economic aid - recipient

$194.3 million (1995)

Economy - overview

Belarus's economy in 2003-04 posted 6.1% and 6.4% growth. Still, the economy continues to be hampered by high inflation, persistent trade deficits, and ongoing rocky relations with Russia, Belarus' largest trading partner and energy supplier. 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. In addition, businesses have been subject to pressure on the part of 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. For the time being, Belarus remains self-isolated from the West and its open-market economies. Growth has been strong in recent years, despite the roadblocks in a tough, centrally directed economy and the high, but decreasing, rate of inflation. Growth has been buoyed by increased Russian demand for generally noncompetitive Belarusian goods.

Electricity - consumption

34.3 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports

800 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports

3.2 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production

30 billion kWh (2004)

Exchange rates

Belarusian rubles per US dollar - 2,160.26 (2004), 2,051.27 (2003), 1,790.92 (2002), 1,390 (2001), 876.75 (2000)

Exports

$11.47 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

Russia 47%, UK 8.3%, Netherlands 6.7%, Poland 5.3% (2004)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$70.5 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 11% industry: 36.4% services: 52.6% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $6,800 (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

6.4% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 5.1% highest 10%: 20% (1998)

Imports

$13.57 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

Russia 68.2%, Germany 6.6%, Ukraine 3.3% (2004)

Industrial production growth rate

4% (2004 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

17.4% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

21.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Labor force

4.305 million (31 December 2003)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 14%, industry 34.7%, services 51.3% (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

18.8 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports

18.5 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production

250 million cu m (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption

285,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports

14,500 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - imports

360,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - production

36,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line

27.1% (2003 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$770.2 million (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate

2% officially registered unemployed; large number of underemployed workers (2004)

Area

total: 207,600 sq km land: 207,600 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Kansas

Climate

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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Nyoman River 90 m highest point: Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 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

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; the country is geologically well endowed with extensive deposits of granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, and clay

Irrigated land

1,150 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 2,900 km border countries: Latvia 141 km, Lithuania 502 km, Poland 407 km, Russia 959 km, Ukraine 891 km

Land use

arable land: 29.55% permanent crops: 0.6% other: 69.85% (2001)

Location

Eastern Europe, east of Poland

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

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

Terrain

generally flat and contains much marshland

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

Capital

Minsk

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 local long form: Respublika Byelarus' local short form: none former: Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador George A. KROL 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 FAX: [375] (17) 234-7853

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Mikhail KHVOSTOV chancery: 1619 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 986-1604 FAX: [1] (202) 986-1805 consulate(s) general: New York

Executive branch

chief of state: President Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (since 20 July 1994) head of government: Prime Minister Sergei SIDORSKY (since 19 December 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir SEMASHKO (since December 2003) cabinet: Council of Ministers 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 LUKASHENKO extended his term to 2001 via a November 1996 referendum; new election held 9 September 2001; October 2004 referendum ended presidential term limits allowing president to run for a third term in September 2006; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president election results: Aleksandr LUKASHENKO reelected president; percent of vote - Aleksandr LUKASHENKO 75.6%, Vladimir GONCHARIK 15.4%

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 ornamention in red

Government type

republic in name, although in fact a dictatorship

Independence

25 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

International organization participation

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

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)

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 4-year terms) and the Chamber of Representatives or Palata Predstaviteley (110 seats; members elected by universal adult suffrage to serve 4-year terms) elections: last held 18 March and 1 April 2001 and 17 and 31 October 2004; international observers widely denounced the October 2004 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 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

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

Political parties and leaders

Pro-government parties: Agrarian Party or AP [leader NA]; Belarusian Communist Party or KPB [leader NA]; Belarusian Patriotic Movement (Belarusian Patriotic Party) or BPR [Anatoliy BARANKEVICH, chairman]; Liberal Democratic Party of Belarus [Sergei GAYDUKEVICH]; Social-Sports Party [leader NA]; Opposition parties: Belarusian Popular Front or BNF [Vintsuk VYACHORKA]; Belarusian Social-Democrat Party Narodnaya Gromada or BSDP NG [Nikolay STATKEVICH, chairman]; Belarusian Social-Democratic Party Hromada [Stanislav SHUSHKEVICH, chairman]; United Civic Party or UCP [Anatol LEBEDKO]; Party of Communists Belarusian or PKB [Sergei KALYAKIN, chairman]; Women's Party "Nadezhda" [Valentina MATUSEVICH, chairperson] note: the opposition Belarusian Party of Labor [Aleksandr BUKHVOSTOV] was liquidated in August 2004, but remains active

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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 1995 as the country's first president, Alexander LUKASHENKO has steadily consolidated his power through authoritarian means. Government restrictions on freedom of speech and the press, peaceful assembly, and religion continue.

Manpower available for military service

males age 18-49: 2,520,644 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49: 1,657,984 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males: 85,202 (2005 est.)

Military branches

Army, Air and Air Defense Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$176.1 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.4% (FY02)

Military service age and obligation

18-27 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (May 2004)

Age structure

0-14 years: 16% (male 839,292/female 804,738) 15-64 years: 69.5% (male 3,481,432/female 3,672,991) 65 years and over: 14.6% (male 498,717/female 1,003,313) (2005 est.)

Birth rate

10.83 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate

14.15 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

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.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 13.37 deaths/1,000 live births male: 14.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Languages

Belarusian, Russian, other

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 68.72 years male: 63.03 years female: 74.69 years (2005 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.6% male: 99.8% female: 99.5% (2003 est.)

Median age

total: 37.03 years male: 34.32 years female: 39.7 years (2005 est.)

Nationality

noun: Belarusian(s) adjective: Belarusian

Net migration rate

2.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Population

10,300,483 (July 2005 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.09% (2005 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 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 total population: 0.88 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.39 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Disputes - international

1997 boundary treaty with Ukraine remains unratified over unresolved financial claims, preventing demarcation and diminishing border security; boundary with Latvia remains undemarcated but a third of the border with Lithuania was demarcated in 2004

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

Airports

133 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 50 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 under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 83 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 64 (2004 est.)

Heliports

1 (2004 est.)

Highways

total: 79,990 km paved: 69,351 km unpaved: 10,639 km (2002)

Pipelines

gas 5,223 km; oil 2,443 km; refined products 1,686 km (2004)

Ports and harbors

Mazyr

Railways

total: 5,512 km broad gauge: 5,497 km 1.520-m gauge (874 km electrified) standard gauge: 15 km 1.435-m (2004)

Waterways

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