Communications: Broadband - fixed subscriptions: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
35 (2023 est.)
Communications: Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total
3.2 million (2023 est.)
Communications: 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)
Communications: Internet country code
.by
Communications: Internet users: percent of population
94.26% (2024 est.)
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
46 (2024 est.)
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions
4.14 million (2024 est.)
Communications: Telephones - mobile cellular: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
131 (2024 est.)
Communications: Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions
11.9 million (2024 est.)
Economy: Agricultural products
milk, sugar beets, potatoes, wheat, triticale, barley, maize, rapeseed, rye, chicken (2023)
Economy: Average household expenditures: on alcohol and tobacco
7.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Economy: Average household expenditures: on food
29.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Economy: Budget: expenditures
$21.912 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Budget: revenues
$22.876 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2013
-$7.567 billion (2013 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2014
-$5.228 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2015
-$1.831 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2016
-$1.612 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2017
-$952.4 million (2017 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2018
$22.9 million (2018 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2019
-$1.246 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2020
-$178.4 million (2020 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2021
$2.324 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2022
$2.628 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2023
-$1.104 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2024
-$1.925 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Debt - external: Debt - external 2022
$39.859 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Debt - external: Debt - external 2023
$18.01 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates
3.2462 (2024 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Currency
Belarusian rubles (BYB/BYR) per US dollar -
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2013
0.888005 (2013 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2014
1.0224 (2014 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2015
1.5926 (2015 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2016
1.9896 (2016 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2017
1.9323 (2017 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2018
2.0376 (2018 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2019
2.0918 (2019 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2020
2.4396 (2020 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2021
2.5387 (2021 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2022
2.6261 (2022 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2023
3.0074 (2023 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2024
3.2462 (2024 est.)
Economy: Exports - commodities
fertilizers, rapeseed oil, wood, poultry, beef (2023)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2011
$48.462 billion (2011 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2014
$43.301 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2015
$32.750 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2016
$29.832 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2017
$36.551 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2018
$42.295 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2019
$41.928 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2020
$37.444 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2021
$49.351 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2022
$47.124 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2023
$47.714 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2024
$49.386 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: exports of goods and services
65.1% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: government consumption
19% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption
56.8% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: imports of goods and services
-66.9% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: investment in fixed capital
23.8% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: investment in inventories
2% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture
6.9% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: industry
30.7% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: services
49.7% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - per capita (PPP)
$33,010 (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP (official exchange rate)
$75.962 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP (purchasing power parity) - real
$301.471 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2015
25.6 (2015 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2016
25.3 (2016 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2017
25.4 (2017 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2018
25.2 (2018 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2019
25.3 (2019 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2020
24.4 (2020 est.)
Economy: Household income or consumption by percentage share: highest 10%
20.7% (2020 est.)
Economy: Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%
4.5% (2020 est.)
Economy: Imports - commodities
cars, broadcasting equipment, fabric, plastic products, video displays (2023)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2010
$36.940 billion (2010 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2015
$32.690 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2016
$29.923 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2017
$36.435 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2018
$41.385 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2019
$42.353 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2020
$35.548 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2021
$45.415 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2022
$42.438 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2023
$47.459 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2024
$50.679 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Industrial production growth rate
6% (2024 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2015
13.53% (2015 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016
11.84% (2016 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017
6.03% (2017 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018
4.87% (2018 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019
5.60% (2019 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020
5.55% (2020 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021
9.46% (2021 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
15.21% (2022 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
5.00% (2023 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
5.79% (2024 est.)
Economy: Labor force
4.817 million (2024 est.)
Economy: Population below poverty line
3.50% (2024 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2013
23.84% (2013 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2014
24.55% (2014 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2016
38.92% (2016 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2017
39.88% (2017 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2018
37.10% (2018 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2019
33.24% (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2014
$179.880 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2015
$171.563 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2016
$168.862 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2017
$174.175 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019
$210.076 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020
$233.301 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021
$256.855 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$244.89 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$254.995 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
$265.22 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2015
-3.83% (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2016
-2.53% (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2017
2.53% (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2018
3.15% (2018 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2019
1.45% (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2020
-0.67% (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2021
2.44% (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2022
-4.66% (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2023
4.13% (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024
4.01% (2024 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2014
$19,038 (2014 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2015
$18,134 (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2016
$17,832 (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2017
$18,414 (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2019
$22,302 (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2020
$24,872 (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2021
$27,611 (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2022
$28,429 (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2023
$30,834 (2023 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2013
$1.214 billion (2013 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2014
$1.231 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2015
$931.5 million (2015 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2020
$1.014 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2021
$1.364 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2022
2% of GDP (2022 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2023
1.7% of GDP (2023 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2024
1.8% of GDP (2024 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2015
$4.173 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2016
$4.908 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2017
$7.315 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2018
$7.158 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2019
$9.394 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2020
$7.468 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021
$8.425 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
$7.923 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
$8.118 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
$8.912 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Taxes and other revenues
12.7% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2019
4.17% (2019 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2020
4.05% (2020 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2021
3.90% (2021 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2022
3.57% (2022 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2023
3.46% (2023 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024
3.46% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): female
8.4% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): male
11.7% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total
10.1% (2024 est.)
Energy: Coal: consumption
710,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Coal: exports
966,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Coal: imports
1.635 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity access: electrification - total population
100% (2022 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: biomass and waste
1.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels
70% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: hydroelectricity
0.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: nuclear
26.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: solar
0.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: wind
0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: consumption
39.883 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: exports
4.553 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: imports
4 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: installed generating capacity
12.653 million kW (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: transmission/distribution losses
3.149 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023
104.821 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: consumption
15.094 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: imports
15.433 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: production
68.494 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: proven reserves
2.832 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Energy: Nuclear energy: Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors
2.22GW (2025 est.)
Energy: Nuclear energy: Number of operational nuclear reactors
2 (2025)
Energy: Nuclear energy: Percent of total electricity production
28.6% (2023 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: crude oil estimated reserves
198 million barrels (2021 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: refined petroleum consumption
125,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: total petroleum production
30,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from coal and metallurgical coke
1.497 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from consumed natural gas
29.328 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from petroleum and other liquids
15.884 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions
46.709 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Climate
cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime
Environment: Environmental 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 environmental 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
Environment: International environmental agreements: signed, but not ratified
none of the selected agreements
Environment: Land use: agricultural land
39.6% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 27.4% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 11.7% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: forest
44% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: other
16.5% (2023 est.)
Environment: Particulate matter emissions
13.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Environment: Total renewable water resources
57.9 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: agricultural
385 million cubic meters (2022)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: industrial
430 million cubic meters (2022)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: municipal
600 million cubic meters (2022)
Environment: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
0.28% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Environment: Urbanization: urban population
79.16% (2024 est.)
Environment: Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually
4.28 million tons (2024 est.)
Environment: Waste and recycling: percent of municipal solid waste recycled
19% (2022 est.)
Geography: Area - comparative
slightly less than twice the size of Kentucky; slightly smaller than Kansas
Geography: Area: land
202,900 sq km
Geography: Area: water
4,700 sq km
Geography: Coastline
0 km (landlocked)
Geography: Elevation: highest point
Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m
Geography: Elevation: lowest point
Nyoman River 90 m
Geography: Elevation: mean elevation
160 m
Geography: Geographic coordinates
53 00 N, 28 00 E
Geography: Geography - note
landlocked; glacial scouring accounts for the flatness of Belarusian terrain and for its 11,000 lakes
Geography: Irrigated land
260 sq km (2022)
Geography: Land boundaries: border countries
Latvia 161 km; Lithuania 640 km; Poland 375 km; Russia 1,312 km; Ukraine 1,111 km
Geography: Land boundaries: total
3,599 km
Geography: Land use: agricultural land
39.6% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 27.4% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 11.7% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: forest
44% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: other
16.5% (2023 est.)
Geography: 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
Geography: Major watersheds (area sq km): Atlantic Ocean drainage
(Black Sea) Dnieper (533,966 sq km)
Geography: Map references
Europe
Geography: Maritime claims
none (landlocked)
Geography: Natural hazards
large tracts of marshy land
Geography: Population distribution
a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations
Geography: Terrain
generally flat with much marshland
Government: 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)
Government: Capital: etymology
the origin of the name is disputed; it may be derived from the Menka River
Government: Capital: geographic coordinates
53 54 N, 27 34 E
Government: Capital: time difference
UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Government: Citizenship: citizenship by birth
no
Government: Citizenship: citizenship by descent only
at least one parent must be a citizen of Belarus
Government: Citizenship: dual citizenship recognized
no
Government: Citizenship: residency requirement for naturalization
7 years
Government: Constitution: amendment process
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
Government: Constitution: history
several previous; latest drafted between late 1991 and early 1994, signed 15 March 1994
Government: Country name: conventional short form
Belarus
Government: Country name: etymology
the name is a compound of the Slavic words "bel" (white) and "Rus" (the Old East Slavic ethnic designation) to form the meaning White Rusian or White Ruthenian
Government: Country name: former
Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic
Government: Country name: local long form
Respublika Byelarus' (Belarusian)/ Respublika Belarus' (Russian)
Government: Country name: local short form
Byelarus' (Belarusian)/ Belarus' (Russian)
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission
Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Michael KREIDLER (since July 2025)
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: email address and website
ConsularMinsk@state.gov https://by.usembassy.gov/
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy
46 Starovilenskaya Street, Minsk 220002
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: FAX
[375] (17) 334-78-53
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: mailing address
7010 Minsk Place, Washington DC 20521-7010
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: telephone
[375] (17) 210-12-83
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: chancery
1619 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission
Ambassador (vacant; recalled by Belarus in 2008); Chargé d'Affaires Pavel SHIDLOWSKI (since 9 August 2022)
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: email address and website
usa@mfa.gov.by Embassy of the Republic of Belarus in the United States of America (mfa.gov.by)
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: FAX
[1] (202) 986-1805
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: telephone
[1] (202) 986-1606
Government: Executive branch: cabinet
Council of Ministers appointed by the president
Government: Executive branch: chief of state
President Alyaksandr LUKASHENKA (since 20 July 1994)
Government: Executive branch: election results
2025: Alyaksandr LUKASHENKA reelected president; percent of vote - Alyaksandr LUKASHENKA (independent) 86.8%, Sergey Syrankov (Communist Party) 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%.
Government: Executive branch: election/appointment process
president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (no term limits); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president and approved by the National Assembly
Government: Executive branch: expected date of next election
2030
Government: Executive branch: head of government
Prime Minister Alyaksandr TURCHYN (since 10 March 2025)
Government: Executive branch: most recent election date
first election held on 23 June and 10 July 1994; the 1994 constitution set the next election for 1999, but Alyaksandr LUKASHENKA extended his term to 2001 via a referendum; subsequent election held in 2001; a 2004 referendum ended presidential term limits and allowed LUKASHENKA to run and win a third term (19 March 2006), fourth term (19 December 2010), fifth term (11 October 2015), sixth term (9 August 2020), and seventh term (26 January 2025)
Government: Flag
description: red horizontal band (top), with a green horizontal band below that is half the width of the red band; a white vertical stripe on the left side has traditional Belarusian designs in red meaning: the red stands for past struggles to escape oppression, and the green for hope and the country's forests
Government: International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Government: 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, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer), ZC
Government: 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)
Government: Judicial branch: 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
Government: Judicial branch: subordinate courts
oblast courts; Minsk City Court; town courts; Minsk city and oblast economic courts
Government: Legal system
civil law system
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: chamber name
House of Representatives (Palata Predstaviteley)
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: electoral system
plurality/majority
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: expected date of next election
February 2029
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: most recent election date
2/25/2024
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: number of seats
110 (all directly elected)
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: 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)
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: percentage of women in chamber
33.9%
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: scope of elections
full renewal
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: term in office
5 years
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: chamber name
Council of the Republic (Soviet Respubliki)
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: expected date of next election
March 2029
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: most recent election date
4/4/2024
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: number of seats
65 (56 indirectly elected; 8 appointed)
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: percentage of women in chamber
30.5%
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: scope of elections
full renewal
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: term in office
5 years
Government: Legislative branch: legislative structure
bicameral
Government: Legislative branch: legislature name
National Assembly (Natsionalnoye Sobranie)
Government: National anthem(s): history
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)
Government: National anthem(s): lyrics/music
Mikhas KLIMKOVICH and Uladzimir KARYZNA/Nester SAKALOUSKI
Government: National color(s)
green, red, white
Government: National heritage: selected World Heritage Site locales
Białowieża Forest (n); Mir Castle Complex (c); Architectural, Residential, and Cultural Complex of the Radziwill Family at Nesvizh (c)
Government: National heritage: total World Heritage Sites
4 (3 cultural, 1 natural)
Government: National holiday
Independence Day, 3 July (1944)
Government: National symbol(s)
no official symbol; the mounted knight known as Pahonia (the Chaser) is the traditional symbol
Government: 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
Government: Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
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.
Military and Security: Military - note
the military of Belarus is responsible for territorial defense; Russia is the country’s closest security partner, and the military conducts joint training exercises with Russian forces; in 2022, Belarus allowed the Russian military to stage on its territory for their invasion of Ukraine; 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 (2025)
Military and Security: Military and security forces
Belarus Armed Forces: Army, Air and Air Defense Force, Special Operations Force, Special Troops, Territorial Defense Forces Ministry of Interior: State Border Troops, Militia, Internal Troops (2025)
Military and Security: Military and security service personnel strengths
approximately 50-60,000 active-duty military personnel (2025)
Military and Security: 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 (2025)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2015
1.14% (2015 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2016
1.52% (2016 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2017
1.37% (2017 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2018
1.54% (2018 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2019
1.40% (2019 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2020
1.40% (2020 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2021
1.37% (2021 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2022
1.65% (2022 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2023
2.02% (2023 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2024
2.07% (2024 est.)
Military and Security: 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; 17-year-olds are eligible to become cadets at military higher education institutes, where they are classified as military personnel (2025)
People and Society: Age structure: 0-14 years
16.1% (male 787,849/female 741,293)
People and Society: Age structure: 15-64 years
66.1% (male 3,073,507/female 3,204,088)
People and Society: Age structure: 65 years and over
17.8% (2024 est.) (male 572,483/female 1,122,231)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: beer
2.26 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: other alcohols
2.66 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: spirits
4.67 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: total
10.57 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: wine
0.98 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Birth rate
8.16 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Child marriage: men married by age 18
1.6% (2019)
People and Society: Child marriage: women married by age 15
0.1% (2019)
People and Society: Child marriage: women married by age 18
4.7% (2019)
People and Society: Current health expenditure
7.08% (2023 est.)
People and Society: Currently married women (ages 15-49)
62.4% (2019 est.)
People and Society: Death rate
13.21 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: elderly dependency ratio
27.9 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: potential support ratio
3.6 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio
52 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: youth dependency ratio
24.1 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: rural
rural: 98.1% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: total
total: 99.2% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: urban
urban: 99.5% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: rural
rural: 1.9% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: total
total: 0.8% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: urban
urban: 0.5% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP)
5% of GDP (2023 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% national budget)
13.2% national budget (2024 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditures
5.05% (2024 est.)
People and Society: Ethnic groups
Belarusian 83.7%, Russian 8.3%, Polish 3.1%, Ukrainian 1.7%, other 2.4%, unspecified 0.9% (2009 est.)
People and Society: Gross reproduction rate
0.7 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
6.6% of GDP (2021)
People and Society: Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
12.3% of national budget (2022 est.)
People and Society: Hospital bed density
9.8 beds/1,000 population (2023 est.)
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: female
1.7 deaths/1,000 live births
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: male
2.5 deaths/1,000 live births
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: total
1.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
People and Society: Languages: Languages
Russian (official) 71.4%, Belarusian (official) 26%, other 0.3% (includes small Polish- and Ukrainian-speaking minorities), unspecified 2.3% (2019 est.)
People and Society: Languages: major-language sample(s)
Книга фактов о мире – незаменимый источник базовой информации. (Russian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
People and Society: Life expectancy at birth: female
79.2 years (2024 est.)
People and Society: Life expectancy at birth: male
69.7 years (2024 est.)
People and Society: Literacy: female
99.9% (2019 est.)
People and Society: Literacy: male
99.9% (2019 est.)
People and Society: Literacy: total population
99.87% (2019 est.)
People and Society: Major urban areas - population
2.057 million MINSK (capital) (2023)
People and Society: Maternal mortality ratio
1 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
People and Society: Median age: female
45 years
People and Society: Median age: male
39.5 years
People and Society: Mother's mean age at first birth
26.8 years (2019 est.)
People and Society: Nationality: adjective
Belarusian
People and Society: Net migration rate
0.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Obesity - adult prevalence rate
24.5% (2016)
People and Society: Physician density
4.72 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
People and Society: Population
9,132,629 (2024 est.)
People and Society: Population distribution
a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations
People and Society: Population growth rate
-0.50% (2024 est.)
People and Society: Population: female
5,046,201
People and Society: Population: male
4,414,771
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: rural
rural: 98.3% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: total
total: 99.6% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: urban
urban: 99.9% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: rural
rural: 1.7% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: total
total: 0.4% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: urban
urban: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): female
15 years (2023 est.)
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): male
14 years (2023 est.)
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total
14 years (2023 est.)
People and Society: Sex ratio: 0-14 years
1.06 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: 15-64 years
0.96 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: 65 years and over
0.51 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: at birth
1.06 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: total population
0.88 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
People and Society: Tobacco use: female
11.6% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Tobacco use: male
44.5% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Tobacco use: total
26.4% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Total fertility rate
1.22 children born/woman (2024 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
0.28% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: urban population
79.16% (2024 est.)
Transnational Issues: Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees
44,621 (2024 est.)
Transnational Issues: Refugees and internally displaced persons: stateless persons
5,620 (2024 est.)
Transnational Issues: 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/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/belarus/
Transportation: Airports
46 (2025)
Transportation: Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
EW
Transportation: Heliports
4 (2025)
Transportation: Merchant marine: by type
other 4
Transportation: Merchant marine: total
4 (2023)
Transportation: Railways: broad gauge
5,503 km (2014) 1.520-m gauge (874 km electrified)
Transportation: Railways: standard gauge
25 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge
Transportation: Railways: total
5,528 km (2014)
Warning: Some information might be outdated or incorrect, please check statistics before using(most of the economical stats are correct, its mostly the Population stats that are incorrect). Some dates are listed but some are missed, if you have any issues please report it to the Github at github.com.