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Belarus
The Promised Land, Mary Antin
Belarus (Europe)
Introduction
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.
Geography ::Belarus
Geography
Location
Eastern Europe, east of Poland
Geographic coordinates
53 00 N, 28 00 E
Map references
Europe
Area
total : 207,600 sq km
land: 202,900 sq km
water: 4,700 sq km
comparison ranking: total 86
Area - comparative
slightly less than twice the size of Kentucky; slightly smaller than Kansas
Land boundaries
total: 3,599 km
border countries (5): Latvia 161 km; Lithuania 640 km; Poland 375 km; Russia 1,312 km; Ukraine 1,111 km
Coastline
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims
none (landlocked)
Climate
cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime
Terrain
generally flat with much marshland
Elevation
highest point: Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m
lowest point: Nyoman River 90 m
mean elevation: 160 m
Natural resources
timber, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas, granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, clay
Land use
agricultural land: 43.7% (2018 est.)
arable land: 27.2% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0.6% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 15.9% (2018 est.)
forest: 42.7% (2018 est.)
other: 13.6% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land
303 sq km (2020)
Major rivers (by length in km)
Dnyapro (Dnieper) (shared with Russia [s] and Ukraine [m]) - 2,287 km
note – [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)
Population distribution
a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations
Natural hazards
large tracts of marshy land
Geography - note
landlocked; glacial scouring accounts for the flatness of Belarusian terrain and for its 11,000 lakes
People and Society
Population
total: 9,501,451
male: 4,433,839
female: 5,067,612 (2024 est.)
comparison rankings: female 93; male 99; total 97
Nationality
noun: Belarusian(s)
adjective: Belarusian
Ethnic groups
Belarusian 83.7%, Russian 8.3%, Polish 3.1%, Ukrainian 1.7%, other 2.4%, unspecified 0.9% (2009 est.)
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.
Russian audio sample:
Religions
Orthodox 48.3%, Catholic 7.1%, other 3.5%, non-believers 41.1% (2011 est.)
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)
2023 population pyramid:
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 50.8
youth dependency ratio: 25.4
elderly dependency ratio: 25.4
potential support ratio: 3.9 (2021 est.)
Median age
total: 42.1 years (2024 est.)
male: 39.5 years
female: 45 years
comparison ranking: total 46
Population growth rate
-0.42% (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 216
Birth rate
8.3 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 210
Death rate
13.3 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 10
Net migration rate
0.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 67
Population distribution
a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations
Urbanization
urban population: 80.7% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.28% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030
Major urban areas - population
2.057 million MINSK (capital) (2023)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
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
total population: 0.88 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
26.8 years (2019 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
1 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: 186
Infant mortality rate
total: 2.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
male: 2.5 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 1.7 deaths/1,000 live births
comparison ranking: total 219
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 74.7 years (2024 est.)
male: 69.8 years
female: 80 years
comparison ranking: total population 138
Total fertility rate
1.45 children born/woman (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 208
Gross reproduction rate
0.7 (2024 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
52.6% (2019)
Drinking water source
improved: urban: 100% of population
rural: 99.6% of population
total: 99.9% of population
unimproved: urban: 0% of population
rural: 0.4% of population
total: 0.1% of population (2020 est.)
Current health expenditure
6.4% of GDP (2020)
Physician density
4.54 physicians/1,000 population (2019)
Hospital bed density
10.8 beds/1,000 population (2014)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban: 99.9% of population
rural: 98.3% of population
total: 99.5% of population
unimproved: urban: 0.1% of population
rural: 1.7% of population
total: 0.5% of population (2020 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
24.5% (2016)
comparison ranking: 58
Alcohol consumption per capita
total: 10.57 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 2.26 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.98 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 4.67 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 2.66 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: total 18
Tobacco use
total: 30.5% (2020 est.)
male: 47.4% (2020 est.)
female: 13.5% (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: total 30
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
NA
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
66.6% (2023 est.)
Child marriage
women married by age 15: 0.1%
women married by age 18: 4.7%
men married by age 18: 1.6% (2019 est.)
Education expenditures
4.7% of GDP (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: 86
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.9%
male: 99.9%
female: 99.9% (2019)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 15 years
male: 15 years
female: 15 years (2021)
Environment
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
Climate
cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime
Land use
agricultural land: 43.7% (2018 est.)
arable land: 27.2% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0.6% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 15.9% (2018 est.)
forest: 42.7% (2018 est.)
other: 13.6% (2018 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 80.7% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.28% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030
Revenue from forest resources
1.02% of GDP (2018 est.)
comparison ranking: 52
Revenue from coal
0% of GDP (2018 est.)
comparison ranking: 121
Air pollutants
particulate matter emissions: 15.48 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 58.28 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 17.19 megatons (2020 est.)
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.)
Major rivers (by length in km)
Dnyapro (Dnieper) (shared with Russia [s] and Ukraine [m]) - 2,287 km
note – [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)
Total water withdrawal
municipal: 550 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
industrial: 410 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
agricultural: 370 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Total renewable water resources
57.9 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Government
Country name
conventional long form: Republic of Belarus
conventional short form: Belarus
local long form: Respublika Byelarus' (Belarusian)/ Respublika Belarus' (Russian)
local short form: Byelarus' (Belarusian)/ Belarus' (Russian)
former: Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic
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
Government type
presidential republic in name, although in fact a dictatorship
Capital
name: Minsk
geographic coordinates: 53 54 N, 27 34 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: the origin of the name is disputed; it may be derived from the Menka River
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: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers; Russian spelling provided for reference when different from Belarusian
Independence
25 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
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
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
Constitution
history: several previous; latest drafted between late 1991 and early 1994, signed 15 March 1994
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
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
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
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state: President Alyaksandr LUKASHENKA (since 20 July 1994)
head of government: Prime Minister Roman GOLOVCHENKO (since 4 June 2020)
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 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); a seventh term (26 January 2025); next election to be held in 2030; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president and approved by the National Assembly
election results:
2025: Alyaksandr LUKASHENKA reelected president; percent of vote - Alyaksandr LUKASHENKA (independent) 86.8%, Sergey Syrankov (Communist Party) with 3.2%, 3.6% voting against all
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 fraud
2015: 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%.
Legislative branch
legislature name: National Assembly (Natsionalnoye Sobranie)
legislative structure: bicameral
Legislative branch - lower chamber
chamber name: House of Representatives (Palata Predstaviteley)
number of seats: 110 (all directly elected)
electoral system: plurality/majority
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 5 years
most recent election date: 2/25/2024
parties elected and seats per party: Belaya Rus party (51); Republican Party of Labour and Justice (8); Communist Party of Belarus (7); Non-partisans (40); Other (4)
percentage of women in chamber: 33.6%
expected date of next election: February 2029
Legislative branch - upper chamber
chamber name: Council of the Republic (Soviet Respubliki)
number of seats: 65 (56 indirectly elected; 8 appointed)
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 5 years
most recent election date: 4/4/2024
percentage of women in chamber: 30.5%
expected date of next election: March 2029
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
Political parties
Belaya Rus or BR
Republican Party of Labour and Justice or RPTS
Communist Party of Belarus or CBP
Liberal Democratic Party of Belarus or LDPB
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
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant; recalled by Belarus in 2008); Chargé d'Affaires Pavel SHIDLOWSKI (since 9 August 2022)
chancery: 1619 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 986-1606
FAX: [1] (202) 986-1805
email address and website:
usa@mfa.gov.by
Embassy of the Republic of Belarus in the United States of America (mfa.gov.by)
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Peter KAUFMAN (since June 2023)
embassy: 46 Starovilenskaya Street, Minsk 220002
mailing address: 7010 Minsk Place, Washington DC 20521-7010
telephone: [375] (17) 210-12-83
FAX: [375] (17) 334-78-53
email address and website:
ConsularMinsk@state.gov
https://by.usembassy.gov/
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
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
National anthem
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 heritage
total World Heritage Sites: 4 (3 cultural, 1 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Białowieża Forest (n); Mir Castle Complex (c); Architectural, Residential, and Cultural Complex of the Radziwill Family at Nesvizh (c)
Economy
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
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$254.407 billion (2023 est.)
$244.89 billion (2022 est.)
$256.855 billion (2021 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
comparison ranking: 69
Real GDP growth rate
3.89% (2023 est.)
-4.66% (2022 est.)
2.44% (2021 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
comparison ranking: 79
Real GDP per capita
$27,700 (2023 est.)
$26,500 (2022 est.)
$27,600 (2021 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
comparison ranking: 84
GDP (official exchange rate)
$71.857 billion (2023 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
5% (2023 est.)
15.21% (2022 est.)
9.46% (2021 est.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices
comparison ranking: 108
Credit ratings
Fitch rating: B (2018)
Moody's rating: B3 (2018)
Standard & Poors rating: B (2017)
note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 7.3% (2023 est.)
industry: 32.5% (2023 est.)
services: 47.8% (2023 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
comparison rankings: services 164; industry 50; agriculture 95
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption: 54.7% (2023 est.)
government consumption: 18.1% (2023 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 21.9% (2023 est.)
investment in inventories: 2.2% (2023 est.)
exports of goods and services: 66.8% (2023 est.)
imports of goods and services: -66.2% (2023 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
Agricultural products
milk, sugar beets, potatoes, wheat, triticale, barley, maize, rapeseed, rye, apples (2022)
note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Industries
metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earthmovers, motorcycles, synthetic fibers, fertilizer, textiles, refrigerators, washing machines and other household appliances
Industrial production growth rate
8.42% (2023 est.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
comparison ranking: 25
Labor force
4.954 million (2023 est.)
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
comparison ranking: 89
Unemployment rate
3.57% (2023 est.)
3.57% (2022 est.)
3.9% (2021 est.)
note: % of labor force seeking employment
comparison ranking: 64
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total: 10.2% (2023 est.)
male: 10.7% (2023 est.)
female: 9.8% (2023 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
comparison ranking: total 133
Population below poverty line
3.9% (2022 est.)
note: % of population with income below national poverty line
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
24.4 (2020 est.)
note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
comparison ranking: 152
Average household expenditures
on food: 31.7% of household expenditures (2022 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 7.7% of household expenditures (2022 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 4.5% (2020 est.)
highest 10%: 20.7% (2020 est.)
note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
Remittances
1.75% of GDP (2023 est.)
2.02% of GDP (2022 est.)
1.65% of GDP (2021 est.)
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Budget
revenues: $20.609 billion (2022 est.)
expenditures: $20.856 billion (2022 est.)
note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
Public debt
33.24% of GDP (2019 est.)
note: central government debt as a % of GDP
comparison ranking: 161
Taxes and other revenues
12.81% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
comparison ranking: 155
Current account balance
-$1.109 billion (2023 est.)
$2.628 billion (2022 est.)
$2.137 billion (2021 est.)
note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
comparison ranking: 144
Exports
$47.714 billion (2023 est.)
$47.124 billion (2022 est.)
$49.435 billion (2021 est.)
note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
comparison ranking: 68
Exports - partners
China 15%, Ukraine 12%, Poland 9%, Kazakhstan 8%, Lithuania 8% (2022)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Exports - commodities
fertilizers, refined petroleum, rapeseed oil, wood, beef (2022)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Imports
$47.464 billion (2023 est.)
$42.438 billion (2022 est.)
$45.485 billion (2021 est.)
note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
comparison ranking: 69
Imports - partners
China 26%, Poland 15%, Germany 12%, Lithuania 12%, Turkey 9% (2022)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Imports - commodities
cars, packaged medicine, fabric, plastic products, vehicle parts/accessories (2022)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$8.118 billion (2023 est.)
$7.923 billion (2022 est.)
$8.425 billion (2021 est.)
note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
comparison ranking: 77
Debt - external
$18.096 billion (2023 est.)
comparison ranking: 37
Exchange rates
Belarusian rubles (BYB/BYR) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
3.007 (2023 est.)
2.626 (2022 est.)
2.539 (2021 est.)
2.44 (2020 est.)
2.092 (2019 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Electricity
installed generating capacity: 11.508 million kW (2022 est.)
consumption: 35.516 billion kWh (2022 est.)
exports: 4.676 billion kWh (2022 est.)
imports: 4.287 billion kWh (2022 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 2.717 billion kWh (2022 est.)
comparison rankings: transmission/distribution losses 134; imports 49; exports 39; consumption 60; installed generating capacity 63
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels: 84.5% 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.)
hydroelectricity: 1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
biomass and waste: 1.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Nuclear energy
Number of operational nuclear reactors: 2 (2023)
Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 2.22GW (2023 est.)
Percent of total electricity production: 28.6% (2023 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.)
Petroleum
total petroleum production: 30,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 131,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 198 million barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas
production: 73.929 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
consumption: 16.683 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
imports: 16.688 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
proven reserves: 2.832 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
51.682 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 1.946 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 17.32 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 32.415 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
comparison ranking: total emissions 56
Energy consumption per capita
99.484 million Btu/person (2022 est.)
comparison ranking: 53
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 4.23 million (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 44 (2022 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 33
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 11.771 million (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 123 (2022 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 85
Telecommunication systems
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)
domestic: fixed-line tele density 44 per 100 fixed-line; mobile-cellular tele density 123 telephones per 100 persons (2022)
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)
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.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 3,255,552 (2020 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 35 (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: total 44
Transportation
National air transport system
number of registered air carriers: 2 (2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 30
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 2,760,168 (2018)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 1.9 million (2018) mt-km
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
EW
Airports
46 (2024)
comparison ranking: 92
Heliports
4 (2024)
Pipelines
5,386 km gas, 1,589 km oil, 1,730 km refined products (2013)
Railways
total: 5,528 km (2014)
standard gauge: 25 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge
broad gauge: 5,503 km (2014) 1.520-m gauge (874 km electrified)
comparison ranking: total 34
Roadways
total: 86,600 km (2017)
comparison ranking: total 58
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)
comparison ranking: 37
Merchant marine
total: 4 (2023)
by type: other 4
comparison ranking: total 171
Military and Security
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: in early 2023, President LUKASHENKA ordered the formation of a new volunteer paramilitary territorial defense force to supplement the Army
Military expenditures
1.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
1.1% of GDP (2022 est.)
1.2% of GDP (2021 est.)
1.5% of GDP (2020 est.)
1.5% of GDP (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: 89
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 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: conscripts can be assigned to the military, to the Ministry of Interior, or to the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection (alternative service)
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 soil
Belarus 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)
Space
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: 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
Transnational Issues
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/
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
