Belarus

Presidential Republic In Name, Although In Fact A DictatorshipPop9.5MGDP (PPP)$265.2BCI16Beta CP0.0→Beta

Belarus

⌘K

Overview

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

Area

Land: 202,900 sq km
Water: 4,700 sq km
Total: 207,600 sq km

Climate: cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime
Terrain: generally flat with much marshland

Land Use

Other: 16.5% (2023 est.)
Forest: 44% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: 39.6% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 27.4% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 11.7% (2023 est.)

Location: Eastern Europe, east of Poland
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Elevation

Lowest point: Nyoman River 90 m
Highest point: Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m
Mean elevation: 160 m

Irrigated land: 260 sq km (2022)
Map references: Europe

Land Boundaries

Total: 3,599 km
Border countries: Latvia 161 km; Lithuania 640 km; Poland 375 km; Russia 1,312 km; Ukraine 1,111 km

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
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
Natural resources: timber, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas, granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, clay
Area comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Kentucky; slightly smaller than Kansas
Geographic coordinates: 53 00 N, 28 00 E
Population distribution: a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations

Major Watersheds (Area Sq Km)

Atlantic ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Dnieper (533,966 sq km)

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

People & Society

Literacy

Male: 99.9% (2019 est.)
Female: 99.9% (2019 est.)
Total population: 99.9% (2019 est.)

Languages

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.

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

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
Total population: 0.88 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
65 years and over: 0.51 male(s)/female

Birth rate: 8.16 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 13.21 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Median Age

Male: 39.5 years
Total: 42.5 years (2025 est.)
Female: 45 years

Population

Male: 4,414,771
Total: 9,460,972 (2025 est.)
Female: 5,046,201

Nationality

Noun: Belarusian(s)
Adjective: Belarusian

Tobacco Use

Male: 44.5% (2025 est.)
Total: 26.4% (2025 est.)
Female: 11.6% (2025 est.)

Urbanization

Urban population: 80.7% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.28% annual rate of change (2020-25 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)

Ethnic groups: Belarusian 83.7%, Russian 8.3%, Polish 3.1%, Ukrainian 1.7%, other 2.4%, unspecified 0.9% (2009 est.)

Child Marriage

Men married BY age 18: 1.6% (2019)
Women married BY age 15: 0.1% (2019)
Women married BY age 18: 4.7% (2019)

Dependency Ratios

Total dependency ratio: 52 (2025 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 24.1 (2025 est.)
Potential support ratio: 3.6 (2025 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 27.9 (2025 est.)

Physician density: 4.72 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

Health Expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 6.6% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 12.3% of national budget (2022 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Hospital bed density: 9.7 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.45 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Drinking Water Source

Improved: rural: rural: 98.1% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: total: total: 99.2% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: urban: urban: 99.5% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: rural: rural: 1.9% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: total: total: 0.8% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: urban: urban: 0.5% of population (2022 est.)

Education Expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP): 5% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 13.2% national budget (2024 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

Male: 2.5 deaths/1,000 live births
Total: 2.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
Female: 1.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Population growth rate: -0.44% (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 0.7 (2025 est.)
Population distribution: a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations

Life Expectancy at Birth

Male: 69.8 years
Female: 80 years
Total population: 74.7 years (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 1 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Sanitation Facility Access

Improved: rural: rural: 98.3% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: total: total: 99.6% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: urban: urban: 99.9% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: rural: rural: 1.7% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: total: total: 0.4% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: urban: urban: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)

Alcohol Consumption Per Capita

Beer: 2.26 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Wine: 0.98 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Total: 10.57 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.)

Major urban areas population: 2.057 million MINSK (capital) (2023)
Obesity adult prevalence rate: 24.5% (2016)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 26.8 years (2019 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15 49): 62.4% (2019 est.)

School Life Expectancy (Primary to Tertiary Education)

Male: 14 years (2023 est.)
Total: 14 years (2023 est.)
Female: 15 years (2023 est.)

Government

Civica · structure

How power is organised

ExecutiveLegislative

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

Capital

Name: Minsk
Etymology: the origin of the name is disputed; it may be derived from the Menka River
Time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Geographic coordinates: 53 54 N, 27 34 E

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

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

Constitution

Note: 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
History: several previous; latest drafted between late 1991 and early 1994, signed 15 March 1994
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

Country Name

Former: Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic
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
Local long form: Respublika Byelarus' (Belarusian)/ Respublika Belarus' (Russian)
Local short form: Byelarus' (Belarusian)/ Belarus' (Russian)
Conventional long form: Republic of Belarus
Conventional short form: Belarus

Independence: 25 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
Legal system: civil law system
Government type: presidential republic in name, although in fact a dictatorship

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)
Subordinate courts: oblast courts; Minsk City Court; town courts; Minsk city and oblast economic courts
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

Executive Branch

Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
Chief of state: President Alyaksandr LUKASHENKA (since 20 July 1994)
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%.
Head of government: Prime Minister Alyaksandr TURCHYN (since 10 March 2025)
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)
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
Expected date of next election: 2030

National holiday: Independence Day, 3 July (1944)
National color(s): green, red, white

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)

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

Legislative Branch

Legislature name: National Assembly (Natsionalnoye Sobranie)
Legislative structure: bicameral

National Anthem(s)

Title: "My, Bielarusy" (We Belarusians)
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)
Lyrics/music: Mikhas KLIMKOVICH and Uladzimir KARYZNA/Nester SAKALOUSKI

National symbol(s): no official symbol; the mounted knight known as Pahonia (the Chaser) is the traditional symbol
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)

Legislative Branch Lower Chamber

Chamber name: House of Representatives (Palata Predstaviteley)
Term in office: 5 years
Number of seats: 110 (all directly elected)
Electoral system: plurality/majority
Scope of elections: full renewal
Most recent election date: 2/25/2024
Expected date of next election: February 2029
Percentage of women in chamber: 33.9%
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)

Legislative Branch Upper Chamber

Chamber name: Council of the Republic (Soviet Respubliki)
Term in office: 5 years
Number of seats: 65 (56 indirectly elected; 8 appointed)
Scope of elections: full renewal
Most recent election date: 4/4/2024
Expected date of next election: March 2029
Percentage of women in chamber: 30.5%

Diplomatic Representation in the US

Fax: [1] (202) 986-1805
Chancery: 1619 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
Telephone: [1] (202) 986-1606
Chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant; recalled by Belarus in 2008); Chargé d'Affaires Pavel SHIDLOWSKI (since 9 August 2022)
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

Fax: [375] (17) 334-78-53
Embassy: 46 Starovilenskaya Street, Minsk 220002
Telephone: [375] (17) 210-12-83
Mailing address: 7010 Minsk Place, Washington DC  20521-7010
Chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Michael KREIDLER (since July 2025)
Email address and website: ConsularMinsk@state.gov

https://by.usembassy.gov/

International organisations: 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
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Legislature

BELARUS · LOWER HOUSE

House of Representatives

110 seats · hover a seat for the party

Total seats

110

Majority line

Largest party

Communist Party of the Soviet Union

Parties

All political parties21 parties · 110 seats · click to dim in hemicycle

Upper house

BELARUS · UPPER HOUSE

Council of the Republic

65 seats · hover a seat for the party

Total seats

Majority line

Largest party

Communist Party of the Soviet Union

Parties

All political parties15 parties · 65 seats · click to dim in hemicycle

Leaders

Current

AL
Alexander Lukashenko
- Head of StateSince 1994
AT
Alaksandar Turčyn
- Head of GovernmentSince 2025

Economy

Budget

Note: note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
Revenues: $22.876 billion (2023 est.)
Expenditures: $21.912 billion (2023 est.)

Exports

Civica canonical (reconciled): $49.4B

Note: note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports 2022: $47.124 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2023: $47.714 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2024: $49.386 billion (2024 est.)

Imports

Civica canonical (reconciled): $50.8B

Note: note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports 2022: $42.438 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2023: $47.459 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2024: $50.679 billion (2024 est.)

Industries: metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earthmovers, motorcycles, synthetic fibers, fertilizer, textiles, refrigerators, washing machines and other household appliances
Labor force: 4.817 million (2024 est.)

Public Debt

Civica canonical (reconciled): 33.2%

Note: note: central government debt as a % of GDP
Public debt 2019: 33.2% of GDP (2019 est.)

Remittances

Note: note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Remittances 2022: 2% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2023: 1.7% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2024: 1.8% of GDP (2024 est.)

Exchange Rates

Currency: Belarusian rubles (BYB/BYR) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2020: 2.44 (2020 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 2.539 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 2.626 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2023: 3.007 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2024: 3.246 (2024 est.)

Debt External

Note: note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
Debt external 2023: $18.01 billion (2023 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 fragile private sector threaten household income gains and economic growth

Unemployment Rate

Civica canonical (reconciled): 3.4%

Note: note: % of labor force seeking employment
Unemployment rate 2022: 3.6% (2022 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 3.5% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2024: 3.4% (2024 est.)

Exports partners: China 34%, Kazakhstan 10%, Uzbekistan 7%, Poland 6%, Brazil 5% (2023)
Imports partners: China 33%, Poland 16%, Germany 11%, Lithuania 10%, Turkey 9% (2023)

Real GDP Per Capita

Civica canonical (reconciled): $33,010

Note: note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP per capita 2022: $26,500 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $27,800 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2024: $29,000 (2024 est.)

Real GDP Growth Rate

Civica canonical (reconciled): 4.0%

Note: note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Real GDP growth rate 2022: -4.7% (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 4.1% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2024: 4% (2024 est.)

Agricultural products: milk, sugar beets, potatoes, wheat, triticale, barley, maize, rapeseed, rye, chicken (2023)
Exports commodities: fertilizers, rapeseed oil, wood, poultry, beef (2023)
Imports commodities: cars, broadcasting equipment, fabric, plastic products, video displays (2023)

Current Account Balance

Civica canonical (reconciled): -$1.6B

Note: note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Current account balance 2022: $2.628 billion (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2023: -$1.104 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2024: -$1.925 billion (2024 est.)

Taxes and other revenues: 12.7% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $75.962 billion (2024 est.)

GDP Composition, BY End Use

Note: note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
Household consumption: 56.8% (2024 est.)
Government consumption: 19% (2024 est.)
Investment in inventories: 2% (2024 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 23.8% (2024 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 65.1% (2024 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -66.9% (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line: 3.9% (2022 est.)

Average Household Expenditures

On food: 29.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
On alcohol and tobacco: 7.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)

Civica canonical (reconciled): 5.8%

Note: note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 15.2% (2022 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 5% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 5.8% (2024 est.)

Industrial production growth rate: 6% (2024 est.)

Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)

Civica canonical (reconciled): $265.22 billion (2024 est.)

Note: note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $244.89 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $254.995 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $265.22 billion (2024 est.)

Youth Unemployment Rate (Ages 15 24)

Male: 11.7% (2024 est.)
Note: note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
Total: 10.1% (2024 est.)
Female: 8.4% (2024 est.)

Reserves of Foreign Exchange and Gold

Note: note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $7.923 billion (2022 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $8.118 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024: $8.912 billion (2024 est.)

GDP Composition, BY Sector of Origin

Note: note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
Industry: 30.7% (2024 est.)
Services: 49.7% (2024 est.)
Agriculture: 6.9% (2024 est.)

Note: note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
Lowest 10%: 4.5% (2020 est.)
Highest 10%: 20.7% (2020 est.)

Gini Index Coefficient Distribution of Family Income

Note: note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
Gini index coefficient distribution of family income 2020: 24.4 (2020 est.)

Energy

Coal

Exports: 966,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Imports: 1.635 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Consumption: 710,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum

Total petroleum production: 30,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 198 million barrels (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 125,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Electricity

Exports: 4.553 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Imports: 4 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Consumption: 39.883 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 12.653 million kW (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 3.149 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Natural Gas

Imports: 15.433 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Production: 68.494 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
Consumption: 15.094 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Proven reserves: 2.832 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Nuclear Energy

Number of operational nuclear reactors: 2 (2025)
Percent of total electricity production: 28.6% (2023 est.)
Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 2.22GW (2025 est.)

Electricity Access

Electrification total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Energy Consumption Per Capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 104.821 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Electricity Generation Sources

Wind: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Solar: 0.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Nuclear: 26.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Fossil fuels: 70% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Hydroelectricity: 0.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Biomass and waste: 1.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Communications

Internet Users

Percent of population: 92% (2023 est.)

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

Telephones Fixed Lines

Total subscriptions: 4.14 million (2024 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 46 (2024 est.)

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Total subscriptions: 11.9 million (2024 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 131 (2024 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

Total: 3.2 million (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 35 (2023 est.)

Transport

Airports: 46 (2025)

Railways

Total: 5,528 km (2014)
Broad gauge: 5,503 km (2014) 1.520-m gauge (874 km electrified)
Standard gauge: 25 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

Heliports: 4 (2025)

Merchant Marine

Total: 4 (2023)
BY type: other 4

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: EW

Environment

Climate: cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime

Land Use

Other: 16.5% (2023 est.)
Forest: 44% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: 39.6% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 27.4% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 11.7% (2023 est.)

Urbanization

Urban population: 80.7% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.28% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Waste and Recycling

Municipal solid waste generated annually: 4.28 million tons (2024 est.)
Percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 19% (2022 est.)

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

Total Water Withdrawal

Municipal: 600 million cubic meters (2022)
Industrial: 430 million cubic meters (2022)
Agricultural: 385 million cubic meters (2022)

Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Total emissions: 46.709 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 29.328 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 1.497 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 15.884 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Particulate matter emissions: 13.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 57.9 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

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
Signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Military & 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 Expenditures

Civica canonical (reconciled): 2.1%

Military expenditures 2020: 1.5% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military expenditures 2021: 1.4% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military expenditures 2022: 1.7% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military expenditures 2023: 1.8% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military expenditures 2024: 2% of GDP (2024 est.)

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 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)
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 service personnel strengths: approximately 50-60,000 active-duty military personnel (2025)

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/

Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons

Refugees: 44,621 (2024 est.)
Stateless persons: 5,620 (2024 est.)

Scores & Rankings

ScoreValueGlobal rankTrendAs of

Civica Index16.0 / 100as of 2024-Q4169 / 1902024-Q4

V-Dem Liberal Democracy0.04as of 2024-Q4163 / 1702024-Q4

Freedom House StatusNot Free (0/100)as of 2024-Q4—2024-Q4

Press Freedom (RSF)Restricted press (36/100)as of 2024—2024

Cite this page

Cite this pageAPA · BibTeX · Chicago · JSON

Civica. (2026). Civica Atlas — Belarus — vintage 2026-Q1: Belarus factbook. Civica Atlas. Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://civicaatlas.org/factbook/belarus

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Sources: FAO FAOSTAT, ILO ILOSTAT, IMF (WEO), UN Statistics Division, UNDP HDR, UNESCO Institute for Statistics, V-Dem, WHO Global Health Observatory, World Bank, WTO Stats, CIA World Factbook, Wikidata

Belarus

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Alexander Lukashenko

Alaksandar Turčyn

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