Belarus: Facts and Figures - Facts and Figures

Official name

Republic of Belarus

Capital

Minsk

Area

207,595 sq km

80,153 sq mi

Administrative divisions (population)

Brest

1,508,000 (1995 estimate)

Homel

1,594,000 (1995 estimate)

Hrodna

1,209,000 (1995 estimate)

Minsk

3,288,000 (1995 estimate)

Mahilyow

1,259,000 (1995 estimate)

Vitsyebsk

1,439,000 (1995 estimate)

Largest cities (population)

Minsk

1,699,100 (2001 estimate)

Homel

480,000 (2001 estimate)

Mahilyow

360,600 (2001 estimate)

Vitsyebsk

341,500 (2001 estimate)

Hrodna

307,100 (2001 estimate)

Brest

291,400 (2001 estimate)

Bobruysk

221,400 (2001 estimate)

Baranavichy

168,800 (2001 estimate)

Barysaw

150,900 (2001 estimate)

Pinsk

131,100 (2001 estimate)

Orsha

124,000 (2001 estimate)

Mazyr

110,700 (2001 estimate)

Polatsk

104,269 (1995)

Navapolatsk

102,100 (2001 estimate)

Salihorsk

101,900 (2001 estimate)

Population

9,724,723 (2007 estimate)

Population growth rate

-0.41 per cent (2007 estimate)

Population density

47 persons per sq km (2007 estimate)

121 persons per sq mi (2007 estimate)

Urbanization

Per cent urban

72 per cent (2005 estimate)

Per cent rural

28 per cent (2005 estimate)

Life expectancy

Total

70 years (2007 estimate)

Female

76.1 years (2007 estimate)

Male

64.3 years (2007 estimate)

Infant mortality rate

7 deaths per 1,000 live births (2007 estimate)

Literacy rate

Total

99.7 per cent (2005 estimate)

Female

99.6 per cent (2005 estimate)

Male

99.8 per cent (2005 estimate)

Ethnic divisions

Belorussian

77.9 per cent

Russian

13.2 per cent

Polish

4.1 per cent

Ukrainian

2.9 per cent

Other

1.9 per cent

Languages

Belarusan (official), Russian (official), Polish, Ukranian, Eastern Yiddish

Religions

Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, other

Type of government

Republic

Independence

August 25, 1991 (from Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR])

Constitution

Adopted March 28, 1994; amended in 2004

Voting rights

Universal at age 18

Gross domestic product (GDP) (US$)

29,566 million (2005)

GDP per capita (US$)

3,024.40 (2005)

GDP by economic sector

GDP, agriculture

9.5 per cent (2005)

GDP, industry

41.2 per cent (2005)

GDP, services

49.3 per cent (2005)

National budget (US$)

Total revenue

8,801 million (2005)

Total expenditure

9,849 million (2005)

Monetary unit

1 Belarusian ruble (Rbl), consisting of 100 kopeks

Exports

Machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs, textiles, fertilizer, dairy products

Imports

Fuel, natural gas, industrial raw materials, textiles, sugar, coal, consumer goods

Major trading partners for exports

Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Germany, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan

Major trading partners for imports

Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Germany, Lithuania

Industries

Commercial off-road vehicles, equipment for animal husbandry and livestock feeding, motorcycles, television sets, chemical fibres, fertilizer, linen fabric, wool fabric, radios, refrigerators, and other consumer goods

Agriculture

Grain, potatoes, vegetables, meat, milk

Natural resources

Forest land, peat deposits, small deposits of oil and natural gas

Basic Facts and People sections

Area data are from the statistical bureaus of individual countries. Population, population growth rate, and population projections are from the United States Census Bureau, International Programs Center, International Data Base (IDB) (www.census.gov). Urban and rural population data are from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (UN), FAOSTAT database (www.fao.org). Largest cities population data and political divisions data are from the statistical bureaus of individual countries. Ethnic divisions and religion data are largely from the latest Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) World Factbook and from various country censuses and reports. Language data are largely from the Ethnologue, Languages of the World, Summer Institute of Linguistics International (www.sil.org).

Health and Education section

Life expectancy and infant mortality data are from the United States Census Bureau, International Programs Center, International database (IDB) (www.census.gov). Population per physician and population per hospital bed data are from the World Health Organization (WHO) (www.who.int). Education data are from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) database (www.unesco.org).

Government section

Government, independence, legislature, constitution, highest court, and voting qualifications data are largely from various government Web sites, the latest Europa World Yearbook, and the latest Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) World Factbook. The armed forces data are from Military Balance.

Economy section

Gross domestic product (GDP), GDP per capita, GDP by economic sectors, employment, and national budget data are from the World Bank database (www.worldbank.org). Monetary unit, agriculture, mining, manufacturing, exports, imports, and major trade partner information is from the latest Europa World Yearbook and various International Monetary Fund (IMF) publications.

Energy, Communication, and Transportation section

Electricity information is from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) database (www.eia.doe.gov). Radio, telephone, television, and newspaper information is from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) database (www.unesco.org). Internet hosts, motor vehicles, and road data are from the World Bank database (www.worldbank.org).

Note

Figures may not total 100 per cent due to rounding.