View Intelligence Dossier Back to 2015 CSV Excel Print All Years

Communications

Broadcast media [time series]

4 state-controlled national TV channels; Polish and Russian TV broadcasts are available in some areas; state-run Belarusian Radio operates 3 national networks and an external service; Russian and Polish radio broadcasts are available (2007)

Internet country code [time series]

.by

Internet users [time series]

total: 5 million | percent of population: 52.2% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 66

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 28, FM 37, shortwave 11 (1998)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: Belarus lags behind its neighbors in upgrading telecommunications infrastructure; modernization of the network progressing with roughly two-thirds of switching equipment now digital | domestic: state-owned Beltelcom is the sole provider of fixed-line local and long distance service; fixed-line teledensity is improving although rural areas continue to be underserved; multiple GSM mobile-cellular networks are experiencing rapid growth; mobile-cellular teledensity now exceeds 100 telephones per 100 persons | international: country code - 375; Belarus is a member of the Trans-European Line (TEL), Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line, and has access to the Trans-Siberia Line (TSL); 3 fiber-optic segments provide connectivity to Latvia, Poland, Russia, and Ukraine; worldwide service is available to Belarus through this infrastructure; additional analog lines to Russia; Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik earth stations (2008)

Telephones - fixed lines [time series]

total subscriptions: 4.5 million | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 47 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 35

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

total: 11.4 million | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 119 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 80

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

47 (plus 27 repeaters) (1995)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $26.55 billion | expenditures: $26.71 billion (2014 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) [time series]

-0.2% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 45

Central bank discount rate [time series]

20% (13 August 2014) | 10.5% (31 December 2010) | country comparison to the world: 17

Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]

20% (31 December 2014 est.) | 19.13% (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 15

Current account balance [time series]

-$4.644 billion (2014 est.) | -$7.276 billion (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 156

Debt - external [time series]

$40.33 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $39.22 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 66

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income (Distribution of family income - Gini index) [time series]

26.5 (2011) | 21.7 (1998) | country comparison to the world: 128

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

As part of the former Soviet Union, Belarus had a relatively well-developed, though aging industrial base; it retained this industrial base - which is now outdated, energy inefficient, and dependent on subsidized Russian energy and preferential access to Russian markets - following the breakup of the USSR. The country also has a broad agricultural base which is largely inefficient and dependent on government subsidies. After an initial burst of capitalist reform from 1991-94, including privatization of smaller state enterprises and some service sector businesses, creation of institutions of private property, and development of entrepreneurship, Belarus' economic development greatly slowed. About 80% of all industry remains in state hands, and foreign investment has been hindered by a climate hostile to business. A few banks, which had been privatized after independence, were renationalized. State banks account for 75% of the banking sector. Economic output, which had declined for several years following the collapse of the Soviet Union, revived in the mid-2000s thanks to the boom in oil prices. Belarus has only small reserves of crude oil, though it imports most of its crude oil and natural gas from Russia at prices substantially below the world market. Belarus exported refined oil products at market prices produced from Russian crude oil purchased at a steep discount. In late 2006, Russia began a process of rolling back its subsidies on oil and gas to Belarus. Tensions over Russian energy reached a peak in 2010, when Russia stopped the export of all subsidized oil to Belarus save for domestic needs. In December 2010, Russia and Belarus reached a deal to restart the export of discounted oil to Belarus. In 2015, Belarus continued to import Russian crude oil at a discounted price. However, the plunge in global oil prices heavily reduced revenues. Little new foreign investment has occurred in recent years. In 2011, a financial crisis began, triggered by government directed salary hikes unsupported by commensurate productivity increases. The crisis was compounded by an increased cost in Russian energy inputs and an overvalued Belarusian ruble, and eventually led to a near three-fold devaluation of the Belarusian ruble in 2011. In November 2011, Belarus agreed to sell to Russia its remaining shares in Beltransgaz, the Belarusian natural gas pipeline operator, in exchange for reduced prices for Russian natural gas. Receiving more than half of a $3 billion loan from the Russian-dominated Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC) Bail-out Fund, a $1 billion loan from the Russian state-owned bank Sberbank, and the $2.5 billion sale of Beltranzgas to Russian state-owned Gazprom helped stabilize the situation in 2012; nevertheless, the Belarusian currency lost more than 60% of its value, as the rate of inflation reached new highs in 2011 and 2012, before calming in 2013. As of January 2014, the final tranche of the EurAsEC loan has been delayed. In December 2013, Russia announced a new loan for Belarus of up to $2 billion for 2014. Notwithstanding foreign assistance, the Belarusian economy continued to struggle under the weight of high external debt servicing payments and trade deficit. In mid-December 2014, structural economic shortcomings were aggravated by the devaluation of the Russian ruble and triggered a near 40% devaluation of the Belarusian ruble. Belarus entered 2015 with stagnant economic growth and reduced hard currency reserves, with under one month of import cover.

Exchange rates [time series]

Belarusian rubles (BYB/BYR) per US dollar - | 10,685 (2014 est.) | 8,880.1 (2013 est.) | 8,336.9 (2012 est.) | 4,974.6 (2011 est.) | 2,978.5 (2010 est.)

Exports [time series]

$37.89 billion (2014 est.) | $36.57 billion (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 61

Exports - commodities [time series]

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

Exports - partners [time series]

Russia 42.2%, Ukraine 11.3%, UK 8.2%, Netherlands 4.8%, Germany 4.6% (2014)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$76.14 billion (2014 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]

$172.3 billion (2014 est.) | $169.3 billion (2013 est.) | $167.5 billion (2012 est.) | note: data are in 2014 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 66

GDP - composition, by end use [time series]

GDP - composition, by sector of origin [time series]

agriculture: 7.3% | industry: 37% | services: 55.7% (2014 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]

$18,200 (2014 est.) | $17,900 (2013 est.) | $17,700 (2012 est.) | note: data are in 2014 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 87

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

1.6% (2014 est.) | 1% (2013 est.) | 1.7% (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 191

Gross national saving [time series]

28.7% of GDP (2014 est.) | 26.8% of GDP (2013 est.) | 31.6% of GDP (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 33

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: 3.8% | highest 10%: 21.9% (2008)

Imports [time series]

$40.47 billion (2014 est.) | $41.11 billion (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 60

Imports - commodities [time series]

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

Imports - partners [time series]

Russia 54.6%, Germany 6%, China 5.8%, Ukraine 4.1% (2014)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

1.9% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 83

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

16.2% (2014 est.) | 16.5% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 219

Labor force [time series]

4.546 million (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 80

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture: 9.3% | industry: 32.7% | services: 58% (2014 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]

$NA

Population below poverty line [time series]

6.3% (2012 est.)

Public debt [time series]

22.3% of GDP (2014 est.) | 27% of GDP (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 138

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]

$3.483 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $4.937 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 106

Stock of broad money [time series]

$9.073 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | $7.655 billion (31 December 2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 108

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad [time series]

$6 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home [time series]

$10.17 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

Stock of domestic credit [time series]

$28.06 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $26.31 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 75

Stock of narrow money [time series]

$3.753 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $3.901 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 114

Taxes and other revenues [time series]

35.3% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 66

Unemployment rate [time series]

0.7% (2014 est.) | 1% (2009 est.) | note: official registered unemployed; large number of underemployed workers | country comparison to the world: 5

Energy

Carbon dioxide emissions (Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy) [time series]

67.13 million Mt (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 51

Crude oil - exports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 87

Crude oil - imports [time series]

294,800 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 27

Crude oil - production [time series]

30,710 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 64

Crude oil - proved reserves [time series]

198 million bbl (1 January 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 60

Electricity - consumption [time series]

37.88 billion kWh (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 61

Electricity - exports [time series]

3.704 billion kWh (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 33

Electricity - from fossil fuels [time series]

99.7% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 47

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants [time series]

0.2% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 148

Electricity - from nuclear fuels [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 55

Electricity - from other renewable sources [time series]

0.1% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 104

Electricity - imports [time series]

6.716 billion kWh (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 25

Electricity - installed generating capacity [time series]

8.032 million kW (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 64

Electricity - production [time series]

31.5 billion kWh (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 63

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

20.92 billion cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 36

Natural gas - exports [time series]

0 cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 66

Natural gas - imports [time series]

20.1 billion cu m (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 15

Natural gas - production [time series]

213 million cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 77

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

2.832 billion cu m (1 January 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 96

Refined petroleum products - consumption [time series]

187,100 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 60

Refined petroleum products - exports [time series]

224,200 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 28

Refined petroleum products - imports [time series]

43,240 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 77

Refined petroleum products - production [time series]

346,000 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 40

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 207,600 sq km | land: 202,900 sq km | water: 4,700 sq km | country comparison to the world: 86

Area - comparative [time series]

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

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

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

Environment - current issues [time series]

soil pollution from pesticide use; southern part of the country contaminated with fallout from 1986 nuclear reactor accident at Chornobyl' in northern Ukraine

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

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

Total water withdrawal (Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)) [time series]

total: 4.34 cu km/yr (32%/65%/3%) | per capita: 435.4 cu m/yr (2009)

Geographic coordinates [time series]

53 00 N, 28 00 E

Geography - note [time series]

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

Irrigated land [time series]

1,150 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 3,642 km | border countries (5): Latvia 161 km, Lithuania 640 km, Poland 418 km, Russia 1,312 km, Ukraine 1,111 km

Land use [time series]

agricultural land: 43.7% | arable land 27.2%; permanent crops 0.6%; permanent pasture 15.9% | forest: 42.7% | other: 13.6% (2011 est.)

Location [time series]

Eastern Europe, east of Poland

Map references [time series]

Europe

Maritime claims [time series]

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards [time series]

Natural resources [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

generally flat with much marshland

Total renewable water resources [time series]

58 cu km (2011)

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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 [time series]

name: Minsk | geographic coordinates: 53 54 N, 27 34 E | time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Constitution [time series]

several previous; latest drafted between late 1991 and early 1994, signed 15 March 1994; amended 1996, 2004 (2015)

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: Republic of Belarus | conventional short form: Belarus | local long form: Respublika Byelarus'/Respublika Belarus' | local short form: Byelarus'/Belarus' | former: Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic | note: 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

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant; left in 2008 upon insistence of Belarusian Government); Charge d'Affaires Scott RAULAND (since 30 June 2014) | embassy: 46 Starovilenskaya Street, Minsk 220002 | mailing address: PSC 78, Box B Minsk, APO 09723 | telephone: [375] (17) 210-12-83 | FAX: [375] (17) 234-7853

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant; recalled by Belarus in 2008); Charge d'Affaires Pavel SHIDLOVSKY (since 23 April 2014) | chancery: 1619 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 | telephone: [1] (202) 986-1606 | FAX: [1] (202) 986-1805 | consulate(s) general: New York

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: president Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (since 20 July 1994); note - the US does not recognize the results of the 19 December 2010 elections under which the Central Election Commission of Belarus declared LUKASHENKO president | head of government: prime minister Andrey KABYAKOW (since 27 December 2014); first deputy prime minister Vasily MATYUSHEVSKIY (since 27 December 2014) | cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president | 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 in a third (19 March 2006) and fourth election (19 December 2010); next election to be held on 11 October 2015; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president and approved by the National Assembly | election results: Aleksandr LUKASHENKO reelected president; percent of vote - Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (independent) 79.7%, Andrey SANNIKOV (European Belarus Campaign ) 2.6%, other 17.7%; note - election marred by electoral fraud

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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 [time series]

republic in name, although in fact an authoritarian system centered on the executive

Independence [time series]

25 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

International law organization participation [time series]

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

International organization participation [time series]

BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CEI, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, 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 [time series]

highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chairman, deputy chairman, and NA judges); 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 Chamber of Representatives; judges can serve for 11 years with an age limit of 70 | subordinate courts: provincial (including Minsk city) courts; first instance (district) courts; economic courts; military courts

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

description: bicameral National Assembly or Natsionalnoye Sobraniye consists of the 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) and the Chamber of Representatives or Palata Predstaviteley (110 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote with a second round if needed; members serve 4-year terms); note - the US does not recognize the legitimacy of the National Assembly | elections: Palata Predstaviteley - last held on 23 September 2012 (next to be held September 2016); 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 every seat with no opposition representation in the chamber; international observers determined that the previous election, on 28 September 2008, despite minor improvements also fell short of democratic standards, with pro-LUKASHENKO candidates winning every seat | election results: Sovet Respubliki - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Palata Predstaviteley - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - KPB 3, AP 1, Republican Party of Labor and Justice 1, no affiliation 105

National anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]

name: "My, Bielarusy" (We Belarusians) | lyrics/music: Mikhas KLIMKOVICH and Uladzimir KARYZNA/Nester SAKALOUSKI | note: music adopted 1955, lyrics adopted 2002; after the fall of the Soviet Union, Belarus kept the music of its Soviet-era anthem but adopted new lyrics; also known as "Dziarzauny himn Respubliki Bielarus" (State Anthem of the Republic of Belarus)

National holiday [time series]

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) [time series]

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 (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Belarusian Agrarian Party or AP [Mikhail RUS] | Belarusian Patriotic Party [Nikolay ULAKHOVICH] | Belarusian Socialist Sporting Party [Vladimir ALEKSANDROVICH] | Belaya Rus [Aleksandr RADKOV] | Communist Party of Belarus or KPB [Igor KARPENKO] | Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Sergey GAYDUKEVICH] | Republican Party of Labor and Justice [Vasiliy ZADNEPRYANIY] | Belarusian Christian Democracy Party [Pavel SEVERINETS] (unregistered) | Belarusian Labor Party [Aleksandr BUCHVOSTOV] (unregistered) | Belarusian Liberal Party of Freedom and Progress [Vladimir NOVOSYAD] (unregistered) | Belarusian Party of the Green [Oleg NOVIKOV] | Belarusian Party of the Left "Fair World" [Sergey KALYAKIN] | Belarusian Popular Front or BPF [Aleksey YANUKEVICH] | Belarusian Social-Democratic Assembly [Stanislav SHUSHKEVICH] | Belarusian Social Democratic Party ("Assembly") or BSDPH [Irina VESHTARD] | Belarusian Social Democratic Party (People's Assembly) [Nikolay STATKEVICH] (unregistered) | Christian Conservative Party or BPF [Zyanon PAZNIAK] | United Civic Party or UCP [Anatoliy LEBEDKO]

Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]

Assembly of Pro-Democratic NGOs [Sergey MATSKEVICH] (unregistered) | Belarusian Association of Journalists [Zhanna LITVINA] | Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions [Aleksandr YAROSHUK] | Belarusian Helsinki Committee [Aleh HULAK] | Malady Front (Young Front) [Zmitser DASHKEVICH] (unregistered) | Vyasna (Spring) human rights center [Ales BELYATSKIY] (unregistered) | Perspektiva [Anatol SHUMCHENKO] (small business association) | "Tell the Truth" Movement [Vladimir NEKLYAYEV] (unregistered) | Women's Independent Democratic Movement [Ludmila PETINA]

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Introduction

Background [time series]

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. The situation was further aggravated after security services cracked down on protests challenging election results in the capital Minsk immediately following the December 2010 presidential election.

Military

Manpower available for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 2,401,785 | females age 16-49: 2,429,653 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 1,693,626 | females age 16-49: 2,012,401 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually [time series]

male: 51,855 | female: 48,760 (2010 est.)

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures [time series]

1.3% of GDP (2013) | 1.2% of GDP (2012) | 1.27% of GDP (2011) | 1.2% of GDP (2010) | country comparison to the world: 82

Military service age and obligation [time series]

18-27 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation is 12-18 months, depending on academic qualifications; 17 year olds are eligible to become cadets at military higher education institutes, where they are classified as military personnel (2012)

People and Society

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 15.51% (male 765,070/female 722,540) | 15-24 years: 11.12% (male 548,487/female 517,840) | 25-54 years: 45.3% (male 2,132,051/female 2,212,223) | 55-64 years: 13.62% (male 575,816/female 730,432) | 65 years and over: 14.44% (male 439,257/female 945,973) (2015 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

10.7 births/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 184

Child labor - children ages 5-14 [time series]

total number: 54,218 | percentage: 5% (2005 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight [time series]

1.3% (2005) | country comparison to the world: 129

Contraceptive prevalence rate [time series]

63.1% (2012)

Death rate [time series]

13.36 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 16

Dependency ratios [time series]

total dependency ratio: 43% | youth dependency ratio: 23% | elderly dependency ratio: 20% | potential support ratio: 5% (2015 est.)

Drinking water source [time series]

Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]

5.1% of GDP (2012) | country comparison to the world: 71

Ethnic groups [time series]

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

0.52% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 67

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

1,000 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 67

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

29,400 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 72

Health expenditure (Health expenditures) [time series]

6.1% of GDP (2013) | country comparison to the world: 143

Hospital bed density [time series]

11.3 beds/1,000 population (2011)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 3.62 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 4.04 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 3.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 202

Languages [time series]

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 [time series]

total population: 72.48 years | male: 66.91 years | female: 78.38 years (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 139

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write | total population: 99.7% | male: 99.8% | female: 99.7% (2015 est.)

Major urban areas - population [time series]

MINSK (capital) 1.915 million (2015)

Median age [time series]

total: 39.6 years | male: 36.5 years | female: 42.6 years (2015 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Belarusian(s) | adjective: Belarusian

Net migration rate [time series]

0.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 69

Obesity - adult prevalence rate [time series]

25.2% (2014) | country comparison to the world: 65

Physician density (Physicians density) [time series]

3.93 physicians/1,000 population (2013)

Population [time series]

9,589,689 (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 93

Population growth rate [time series]

-0.2% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 215

Religions [time series]

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

Sanitation facility access [time series]

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]

total: 16 years | male: 15 years | female: 16 years (2013)

Sex ratio [time series]

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.47 children born/woman (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 199

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) (Unemployment, youth ages 15-24) [time series]

total: 12.6% | male: 12.4% | female: 12.6% (2009 est.) | country comparison to the world: 88

Urbanization [time series]

urban population: 76.7% of total population (2015) | rate of urbanization: 0.05% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

boundary demarcated with Latvia and Lithuania; as 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 [time series]

limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for the domestic market; transshipment point for illicit drugs to and via Russia, and to the Baltics and Western Europe; a small and lightly regulated financial center; anti-money-laundering legislation does not meet international standards and was weakened further when know-your-customer requirements were curtailed in 2008; few investigations or prosecutions of money-laundering activities (2008)

Refugees and internally displaced persons [time series]

refugees (country of origin): 126,407 applicants for forms of legal stay other than asylum (Ukraine) (2015) | stateless persons: 6,440 (2014)

Trafficking in persons [time series]

current situation: Belarus is a source, transit, and destination country for women, men, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor; women and children are trafficked to European and Middle Eastern countries and within Belarus for sexual exploitation; Belarusian men, women, and children are found in forced labor in the construction industry and other sectors in Russia, Belarus, and other countries; Ukrainian women may be sex trafficked in Belarus | tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List – Belarus does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; the government has a written plan that, if implemented, would constitute a significant effort toward meeting the minimum standards for eliminating human trafficking; authorities did not convict any trafficker and conducted the fewest investigations in the last four years; a 2013 law permitting state funding for NGOs that provide services to victims has not been implemented; the government retained a decree forbidding workers from leaving their jobs in the wood processing industry without their employer’s permission, and authorities did not identify any labor trafficking victims; continuing efforts to prevent human trafficking included awareness campaigns, penalizing fraudulent labor recruitment, and a safe migration hotline (2014)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

65 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 75

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 33 | over 3,047 m: 1 | 2,438 to 3,047 m: 20 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 | 914 to 1,523 m: 1 | under 914 m: 7 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 32 | over 3,047 m: 1 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 | 914 to 1,523 m: 2 | 28 (2013)

Heliports [time series]

1 (2013)

Pipelines [time series]

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

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

river port(s): Mazyr (Prypyats')

Railways [time series]

total: 5,528 km | broad gauge: 5,503 km 1.520-m gauge (874 km electrified) | standard gauge: 25 km 1.435-m gauge (2014) | country comparison to the world: 32

Roadways [time series]

total: 86,392 km | paved: 74,651 km | unpaved: 11,741 km (2010) | country comparison to the world: 54

Waterways [time series]

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) | country comparison to the world: 35