Country Name: Belarus

Capital: Minsk

Official Visa & Travel Information: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus (Visa Services)

Government Type: Presidential Republic

Background: After seven decades as a constituent republic of the USSR, Belarus attained its independence in 1991. It has retained closer political and economic ties to Russia than have any of the other former Soviet republics. Belarus and Russia signed a treaty on a two-state union on 8 December 1999 envisioning greater political and economic integration. Although Belarus agreed to a framework to carry out the accord, serious implementation has yet to take place and negotiations on further integration have been contentious.

Continent: Europe

Population: 9,383,853 (2023 est.)

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% (2009 est.)

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

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 a fragile private sector threaten household income gains and economic growth.

Currency: Belarusian Ruble (BYN)

Reserves of Foreign Exchange & Gold: $8.425 billion (31 December 2021 est.)

Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity): $184.482 billion (2021 est.); note: data is in 2017 U.S. dollars

Real GDP Growth Rate: 2.3% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per Capita: $19,800 (2021 est.); note: data is in 2017 U.S. dollars

Exports:

• $49.425 billion (2021 est.); note: data is in current year U.S. dollars and does not include illicit exports or re-exports

• Comparison Ranking: 63

Export Commodities: Fertilizers, refined petroleum, cheese, delivery trucks, and lumber (2021)

Export Partners: Russia 42%, Ukraine 13%, United Kingdom 7% (2019)

Imports:

• $45.459 billion (2021 est.) note: data is in current year U.S. dollars

• Comparison Ranking: 67

Import Commodities: Crude petroleum, natural gas, cars and vehicle parts, packaged medicines, and broadcasting equipment (2019)

Import Partners: Russia 57%, China 7%, Poland 5%, Germany 5%, Ukraine 5%, Others 20% (2019)

Natural Resources: Timber, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas, granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, and clay.

Agricultural Products: Milk, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat, triticale, barley, maize, rye, rapeseed, and poultry.

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

Industrial Production Growth Rate: 

• 6.7% (2021 est.)

• Comparison Ranking: 65

Labor Force: 4.95 million (2021 est.)

Labor Force By Occupation: 

• Agriculture: 9.7%

• Industry: 23.4%

• Services: 66.8% (2015 est.)

Unemployment Rate: 4.74% (2021 est.)

Natural Hazards: Large tracts of marshy land.

Geography:

• Total: 207,600 sq km

• Land: 202,900 sq km

• Water: 4,700 sq km

(Country Summary, The World Factbook, CIA.gov)

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