Belarus

More Information

Belarus's Information


Capital	Minsk
Languages	Russian (official) 70.2%, Belarusian (official) 23.4%, other 3.1% (includes small Polish- and Ukrainian-speaking minorities), unspecified 3.3% (2009 est.)
Ethnic Groups	Belarusian 83.7%, Russian 8.3%, Polish 3.1%, Ukrainian 1.7%, other 2.4%, unspecified 0.9% (2009 est.)
Religion	Orthodox 48.3%, Catholic 7.1%, other 3.5%, non-believers 41.1% (2011 est.)
Government	Presidential republic in name, although in fact a dictatorship
Independance	25 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
Area	207,600.00 km²
Water Area	4,700.00 km²
Land Area	202,900.00 km²
Population	9,570,376.00 A fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations
Location	Eastern Europe, east of Poland
No. Bordering Countries	5
Bordering Countries	Latvia 161 km, Lithuania 640 km, Poland 418 km, Russia 1,312 km, Ukraine 1,111 km
GDP(PPP)	$166,000,000,000.00 (USD)
GDP (Per Capita)	$17,500.00 (USD)
Export Partners	Its major export partners are Germany, France, and the Netherlands.
Export Commodities	Its main exports are machinery and equipment, mineral products, and chemicals.
Import Partners	Its major import partners are Russia, China, and Germany.
Import Commodities	Its major imports include mineral products, machinery, and chemicals.
Climate	Cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime
Terrain	Generally flat with much marshland

Where is Belarus?

Located in Eastern Europe east of Poland, Belarus has a 3,642.00 km border with Latvia (161 km), Lithuania (640 km), Poland (418 km), Russia (1,312 km) and Ukraine (1,111 km). Its boundary is demarcated with both Latvia and Lithuania.

Minsk experiences a hemiboreal humid continental climate classified as “Dfb” under the Koppen classification. Its weather is unstable and is prone to sudden changes due to the influence of the moist air of the Atlantic and the dry air flowing from the Eurasian landmass. The city experiences a severe winter and has no dry season. The summers are warm. The mean annual temperature is about 5.8 degrees Celsius.

Geography

Belarus has a mean elevation of 160 m above sea level.

It experiences cold winters and cool, wet summers. Its terrain is generally flat and filled with marshland.

Population

Belarus has a population of 9,570,376 making it the 92nd largest in the world. The population of the country is fairly distributed.

Russian is the official language; Belarussian is also spoken. The majority ethnic group reported is Belarusian followed by Russian. The population is mostly Orthodox Christian, with some Catholic and irreligious groups.

Belarusian and Russian are the two official languages of Belarus. Belarussian consist of 45 to 54 phonemes: 39 to 48 consonants and six vowels. Russian consists of five vowels and 21 consonants. The Russian alphabet consists of 33 letters while Belarusian has 32 letters. Belarusian is spoken by 11.9% of the population although 53.2% consider it their mother tongue. Russian is spoken by 72% of the population although only 41.5% consider it their mother tongue. Polish, Eastern Yiddish, and Ukrainian and Trasianka are minority languages.

Government

Belarus is an independent country. It gained independence when the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. Its constitution was last ratified in 1994.

Belarus is a presidential republic where the president is the head of state while the prime minister heads the government. The National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus is a bicameral parliament that consists of the Council of the Republic and the House of Representatives. The parliament building is located at Independence Square in the capital city of Minsk. National elections in Belarus elect the president and the legislature. The House of Representatives has 110 members elected by single-seat constituencies to serve for a four-year term.

Economy

Factoring in Purchasing Power Parity, Belarus's GDP is $166,000,000,000.00 (USD) with $17,500.00 (USD) per capita. This makes it the 71st largest economy and its citizens the 90th richest in the world. The currency of Belarus is the Ruble (BYR).

Its major export partners are Germany, France, and the Netherlands. Its main exports are machinery and equipment, mineral products, and chemicals. Its major import partners are Russia, China, and Germany. Its major imports include mineral products, machinery, and chemicals.

Flag

The Belarusian flag consists of two horizontal stripes of blue on top and red at the bottom, and a vertical red-ornament-pattern stripe on the staff end. It was adopted in 2012 although it was passed as the design of the national flag during the 2005 referendum. The design replaced the white-red-white flag that was adopted in 1918 by the Belarusian People's Republic. The green color represents the future of Belarus. It is associated with hope and the forests and fields of the country. The red color symbolizes the struggle for independence and the blood that was shed by those who fought for independence. The vertical decorative stripe symbolizes the country's rich cultural heritage, unity and the spirit of continuity.