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Belarus Index
Belarus's transition from communism to democracy proved
to be
more difficult than expected, economically as well as
politically. What had once been a boon to industry in the
Belorussian SSR--large volumes of inexpensive oil, natural
gas,
and electricity from the Russian Republic--quickly became
a
considerable problem for independent Belarus. Under the
communist
regime, industry had had no incentive to use fuels
efficiently,
modernize equipment, reduce pollution, maintain factories
adequately, recycle, or allot energy resources
efficiently.
However, once Russian fuel prices began to approach world
levels,
Belarusian industry had to adjust in order to survive.
Logic
would seem to call for enterprises improving their
industrial
efficiency, but the oil refineries at Navapolatsk
(capacity 22
million tons a year) and Mazyr (capacity 18 million tons a
year),
as well as many enterprises, cut their output instead. The
30
percent drop in energy consumption between 1990 and 1993
was the
result of a drop in demand for industrial goods produced
in
Belarus, partly because of the chaotic state of the Soviet
economy in the last years of the Soviet Union's existence,
and
partly because the Soviet Union no longer needed so many
goods
for its military.
By mid-1993 Belarus's debt to Russia for oil and
natural gas
had reached US$450 million. After several warnings, Russia
temporarily cut off Belarus's supply in August and
threatened to
do so again on at least two other occasions. In an attempt
to
head off a crisis, government authorities resorted to
allocating
energy to priority sectors in 1994.
Russia's suspension of fuel shipments to Belarus yet
again in
September 1994 over unpaid fuel bills was the impetus for
Belarus
to sign an agreement giving the Russian state gas company
ownership of its Belarusian counterpart, Beltransgaz, in
exchange
for the resumption of gas deliveries, but the agreement
was not
ratified by the Supreme Soviet of Belarus. Beltransgaz
made
additional offers of means of repayment, and Russia
countered
with conditions of its own and hinted that failure to meet
these
conditions would result in Russia's rerouting pipelines to
Western Europe through either Lithuania or Latvia--a blow
to
Belarus.
Because delivery of natural gas in 1995 at
lower-than-world
prices was made contingent upon Belarus's timely payment
of its
bills, Belarus felt the need to diversify its sources of
fuels.
The government's long-term energy program, in place in
early
1995, aimed to diversify its sources of fuels from such
countries
as Poland, Australia, Turkmenistan, and Norway.
In 1993 Belarus imported some 90 percent of its fuel
from
Russia via the Druzhba (Friendship) oil pipeline and the
Northern
Lights natural gas pipeline, both of which pass through
the
country en route to Central Europe. Refineries at Polatsk
and
Mazyr processed some of the crude oil for fuel, and the
Polatsk
refinery also provided raw material for fertilizer,
plastics, and
artificial fibers. In 1992 Belarus had 1,470 kilometers of
pipeline carrying crude oil, 1,100 kilometers of pipeline
carrying refined products, and 1,980 kilometers of
pipeline
carrying natural gas.
In January 1995, Russia and Belarus signed an agreement
under
which Russia was to deliver some 66 percent of Belarus's
yearly
required crude oil at prices that did not exceed domestic
Russian
prices (which were set to rise significantly over the
course of
the year). In exchange, Belarus would export products to
Russia,
although finding enough products that Russia wants could
be a
problem.
Although Belarus imports most of its fuels, it has
small
deposits of oil and natural gas close to the Polish
border, as
well as oil shale, coal, and lignite. Belarus's production
of 13
percent (2 million tons) of its crude oil production and 2
percent (2.4 million tons) of its natural gas consumption
was
stable in 1994.
Belarus also has a large supply of peat (more than
one-third
of the total for the former Soviet Union), which is used
to power
industry, heat homes, and fuel boilers at electric power
plants.
In 1993 thirty-seven factories produced about 2 million
tons of
peat briquettes.
In 1994 Belarus's twenty-two thermal power plants had a
production capacity of 7,033 megawatts and produced 31,400
million kilowatt-hours of electricity. Additional small
power
plants had a total capacity of 188 megawatts. There were
also
nine small hydroelectric power plants with a total
installed
capacity of some six megawatts. All but three plants
produced
heat as well as electricity.
The country's power grid is connected to the grids of
Lithuania, Russia, Ukraine, and Poland. Most electricity
imports
come from Lithuania (the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant) and
Russia
(the Smolensk Nuclear Power Plant), but even here, Belarus
has
had problems in paying for its imports. In May 1995,
Lithuania
resumed electricity exports after more than two years;
Belarus
agreed to make payment in Russian natural gas.
During the Soviet era, nuclear energy was promoted as
an
inexpensive source of electricity, but after the
Chornobyl'
accident, many people in Belarus were opposed to nuclear
power. A
nuclear power plant was under construction near Minsk in
the
early 1990s, and the country had no nuclear generating
capacity
at that time.
Data as of June 1995
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. 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. Since his election in July 1994 as the country's first president, Aleksandr LUKASHENKO has steadily consolidated his power through authoritarian means. Government restrictions on freedom of speech and the press, peaceful assembly, and religion remain in place.
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Location | | Eastern Europe, east of Poland
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Area(sq km) | | total: 207,600 sq km land: 202,900 sq km water: 4,700 sq km
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Geographic coordinates | | 53 00 N, 28 00 E
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Land boundaries(km) | | total: 3,306 km border countries: Latvia 171 km, Lithuania 680 km, Poland 605 km, Russia 959 km, Ukraine 891 km
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Coastline(km) | | 0 km (landlocked)
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Climate | | cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime
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Elevation extremes(m) | | lowest point: Nyoman River 90 m highest point: Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m
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Natural resources | | forests, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas, granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, clay
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Land use(%) | | arable land: 26.77% permanent crops: 0.6% other: 72.63% (2005)
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Irrigated land(sq km) | | 1,310 sq km (2003)
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Total renewable water resources(cu km) | | 58 cu km (1997)
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Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) | | total: 2.79 cu km/yr (23%/47%/30%) per capita: 286 cu m/yr (2000)
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Natural hazards | | NA
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Environment - current issues | | soil pollution from pesticide use; southern part of the country contaminated with fallout from 1986 nuclear reactor accident at Chornobyl' in northern Ukraine
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Environment - international agreements | | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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Geography - note | | landlocked; glacial scouring accounts for the flatness of Belarusian terrain and for its 11,000 lakes
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Population | | 9,648,533 (July 2009 est.)
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Age structure(%) | | 0-14 years: 14.3% (male 707,550/female 667,560) 15-64 years: 71.3% (male 3,337,253/female 3,540,916) 65 years and over: 14.5% (male 446,746/female 948,508) (2009 est.)
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Median age(years) | | total: 38.6 years male: 35.6 years female: 41.6 years (2009 est.)
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Population growth rate(%) | | -0.378% (2009 est.)
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Birth rate(births/1,000 population) | | 9.71 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
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Death rate(deaths/1,000 population) | | 13.86 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
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Net migration rate(migrant(s)/1,000 population) | | 0.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
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Urbanization(%) | | urban population: 73% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
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Sex ratio(male(s)/female) | | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.47 male(s)/female total population: 0.87 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
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Infant mortality rate(deaths/1,000 live births) | | total: 6.43 deaths/1,000 live births male: 7.45 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth(years) | | total population: 70.63 years male: 64.95 years female: 76.67 years (2009 est.)
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Total fertility rate(children born/woman) | | 1.24 children born/woman (2009 est.)
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Nationality | | noun: Belarusian(s) adjective: Belarusian
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Ethnic groups(%) | | Belarusian 81.2%, Russian 11.4%, Polish 3.9%, Ukrainian 2.4%, other 1.1% (1999 census)
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Religions(%) | | Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.)
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Languages(%) | | Belarusian, Russian, other
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Country name | | conventional long form: Republic of Belarus conventional short form: Belarus local long form: Respublika Byelarus' local short form: Byelarus' former: Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic
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Government type | | republic in name, although in fact a dictatorship
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Capital | | name: Minsk geographic coordinates: 53 54 N, 27 34 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
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Administrative divisions | | 6 provinces (voblastsi, singular - voblasts') and 1 municipality* (horad); Brest, Homyel', Horad Minsk*, Hrodna, Mahilyow, Minsk, Vitsyebsk note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers
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Constitution | | 15 March 1994; revised by national referendum of 24 November 1996 giving the presidency greatly expanded powers and became effective 27 November 1996; revised again 17 October 2004 removing presidential term limits
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Legal system | | based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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Suffrage | | 18 years of age; universal
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Executive branch | | chief of state: President Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (since 20 July 1994) head of government: Prime Minister Sergey SIDORSKIY (since 19 December 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir SEMASHKO (since December 2003) cabinet: Council of Ministers elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; first election took place 23 June and 10 July 1994; according to the 1994 constitution, the next election should have been held in 1999, however, Aleksandr LUKASHENKO extended his term to 2001 via a November 1996 referendum; subsequent election held 9 September 2001; an October 2004 referendum ended presidential term limits and allowed the president to run in a third election, which was held on 19 March 2006; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president election results: Aleksandr LUKASHENKO reelected president; percent of vote - Aleksandr LUKASHENKO 82.6%, Aleksandr MILINKEVICH 6%, Aleksandr KOZULIN 2.3%; note - election marred by electoral fraud
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Legislative branch | | bicameral National Assembly or Natsionalnoye Sobranie consists of the Council of the Republic or Soviet Respubliki (64 seats; 56 members elected by regional councils and eight members appointed by the president, to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Representatives or Palata Predstaviteley (110 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Palata Predstaviteley - last held 28 September and 3 October 2008 (next to be held fall of 2012); international observers determined that despite minor improvements the election ultimately fell short of democratic standards; pro-LUKASHENKO candidates won every seat election results: Soviet Respubliki - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Palata Predstaviteley - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA
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Judicial branch | | Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); Constitutional Court (half of the judges appointed by the president and half appointed by the Chamber of Representatives)
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Political pressure groups and leaders | | Assembly of Pro-Democratic NGOs [Sergey MATSKEVICH]; Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions [Aleksandr YAROSHUK]; Belarusian Helsinki Committee [Aleh HULAK]; Belarusian Organization of Working Women [Irina ZHIKHAR]; BPF-Youth [Franak VYACHORKA]; Charter 97 [Andrey SANNIKOV]; For Freedom [Aleksandr MILINKEVICH]; National Strike Committee of Entrepreneurs [Aleksandr VASILYEV, Valery LEVONEVSKY]; Perspektiva kiosk watchdog NGO [Anatol SHUMCHENKO]; Vyasna ("Spring") human rights center; Women's Independent Democratic Movement [Ludmila PETINA]; Young Belarus (Malady Belarus); Youth Front (Malady Front) [Dmitriy DASHKEVICH]
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International organization participation | | BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CEI, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
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Flag description | | red horizontal band (top) and green horizontal band one-half the width of the red band; a white vertical stripe on the hoist side bears Belarusian national ornamentation in red; the red band color recalls past struggles from oppression, the green band represents hope and the many forests of the country
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Economy - overview | | Belarus has seen little structural reform since 1995, when President LUKASHENKO launched the country on the path of "market socialism." In keeping with this policy, LUKASHENKO reimposed administrative controls over prices and currency exchange rates and expanded the state's right to intervene in the management of private enterprises. Since 2005, the government has re-nationalized a number of private companies. In addition, businesses have been subject to pressure by central and local governments, e.g., arbitrary changes in regulations, numerous rigorous inspections, retroactive application of new business regulations, and arrests of "disruptive" businessmen and factory owners. A wide range of redistributive policies has helped those at the bottom of the ladder; the Gini coefficient is among the lowest in the world. Because of these restrictive economic policies, Belarus has had trouble attracting foreign investment. Nevertheless, government statistics indicate GDP growth has been strong in recent years, reaching 10% in 2008, despite the roadblocks of a tough, centrally directed economy with a high rate of inflation. Belarus receives discounted oil and natural gas from Russia and much of Belarus' growth can be attributed to the re-export of Russian oil at market prices. Trade with Russia - by far its largest single trade partner - decreased in 2007-08, largely as a result of a change in the way the Value Added Tax (VAT) on trade was collected. Russia has introduced an export duty on oil shipped to Belarus, which will increase gradually through 2009, and a requirement that Belarusian duties on re-exported Russian oil be shared with Russia - 80% was slated to go to Russia in 2008, and 85% in 2009. Russia also increased Belarusian natural gas prices from $47 per thousand cubic meters (tcm)in 2006 to $100 per tcm in 2007, and to $128 per tcm in 2008, and plans to increase prices gradually to world levels by 2011. Russia's recent policy of bringing energy prices for Belarus to world market levels may result in a slowdown in economic growth in Belarus over the next few years. Some policy measures, including improving energy efficiency and diversifying exports, have been introduced, but external borrowing has been the main mechanism used to manage the growing pressures on the economy. Belarus felt the effects of the global financial crisis in late 2008 and reached agreement with Russia in November for a $2 billion stabilization loan and with the IMF for a $2.5 billion stand-by agreement in January 2009. In line with IMF conditionality, Belarus devalued the ruble approximately 20% in January 2009 and has tightened some fiscal and monetary policies. Belarus's economic growth is likely to slow in 2009 as it faces decreasing demand for its exports, and will find it difficult to increase external borrowing if the credit markets continue to tighten.
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GDP (purchasing power parity) | | $114.3 billion (2008 est.) $103.9 billion (2007 est.) $96.06 billion (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars
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GDP (official exchange rate) | | $60.3 billion (2008 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate(%) | | 10% (2008 est.) 8.2% (2007 est.) 9.9% (2006 est.)
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GDP - per capita (PPP) | | $11,800 (2008 est.) $10,700 (2007 est.) $9,800 (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars
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GDP - composition by sector(%) | | agriculture: 8.5% industry: 41.2% services: 50.3% (2008 est.)
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Labor force | | 4.869 million (2007)
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Labor force - by occupation(%) | | agriculture: 14% industry: 34.7% services: 51.3% (2003 est.)
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Unemployment rate(%) | | 1.6% (2005) note: officially registered unemployed; large number of underemployed workers
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Population below poverty line(%) | | 27.1% (2003 est.)
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Household income or consumption by percentage share(%) | | lowest 10%: 3.6% highest 10%: 22% (2005)
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Distribution of family income - Gini index | | 27.9 (2005) 21.7 (1998)
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Investment (gross fixed)(% of GDP) | | 31.9% of GDP (2008 est.)
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Budget | | revenues: $25.15 billion expenditures: $25.97 billion (2008 est.)
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Inflation rate (consumer prices)(%) | | 14.8% (2008 est.) 8.4% (2007 est.)
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Stock of money | | $4.872 billion (31 December 2008) $4.065 billion (31 December 2007)
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Stock of quasi money | | $8.784 billion (31 December 2008) $6.823 billion (31 December 2007)
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Stock of domestic credit | | $18.42 billion (31 December 2008) $12.16 billion (31 December 2007)
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Market value of publicly traded shares | | $NA
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Economic aid - recipient | | $53.76 million (2005)
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Agriculture - products | | grain, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beets, flax; beef, milk
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Industries | | metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earthmovers, motorcycles, televisions, synthetic fibers, fertilizer, textiles, radios, refrigerators
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Industrial production growth rate(%) | | 12% (2008 est.)
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Current account balance | | -$5.063 billion (2008 est.) -$3.042 billion (2007 est.)
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Exports | | $33.04 billion (2008 est.) $24.33 billion (2007 est.)
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Exports - commodities(%) | | machinery and equipment, mineral products, chemicals, metals, textiles, foodstuffs
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Exports - partners(%) | | Russia 32.2%, Netherlands 16.9%, Ukraine 8.5%, Latvia 6.6%, Poland 5.5%, UK 4.4% (2008)
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Imports | | $39.16 billion (2008 est.) $28.4 billion (2007 est.)
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Imports - commodities(%) | | mineral products, machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs, metals
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Imports - partners(%) | | Russia 59.8%, Germany 7.1%, Ukraine 5.4% (2008)
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | | $2.687 billion (31 December 2008 est.) $3.952 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
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Debt - external | | $15.15 billion (31 December 2008) $12.49 billion (31 December 2007)
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Exchange rates | | Belarusian rubles (BYB/BYR) per US dollar - 2,130 (2008 est.), 2,145 (2007), 2,144.6 (2006), 2,150 (2005), 2,160.26 (2004)
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Currency (code) | | Belarusian ruble (BYB/BYR)
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Telephones - main lines in use | | 3.718 million (2008)
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Telephones - mobile cellular | | 8.693 million (2008)
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Telephone system | | general assessment: Belarus lags behind its neighbors in upgrading telecommunications infrastructure; state-owned Beltelcom is the sole provider of fixed-line local and long distance service; fixed-line teledensity of roughly 35 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density of about 90 per 100 persons; modernization of the network progressing with roughly two-thirds of switching equipment now digital domestic: fixed-line penetration is improving although rural areas continue to be underserved; 3 GSM wireless networks are experiencing rapid growth; strict government controls on telecommunications technologies international: country code - 375; Belarus is a member of the Trans-European Line (TEL), Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line, and has access to the Trans-Siberia Line (TSL); 3 fiber-optic segments provide connectivity to Latvia, Poland, Russia, and Ukraine; worldwide service is available to Belarus through this infrastructure; additional analog lines to Russia; Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik earth stations (2008)
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Internet country code | | .by
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Internet users | | 3.107 million (2008)
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Airports | | 65 (2009)
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Pipelines(km) | | gas 5,250 km; oil 1,528 km; refined products 1,730 km (2008)
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Roadways(km) | | total: 94,797 km paved: 84,028 km unpaved: 10,769 km (2005)
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Ports and terminals | | Mazyr
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Military branches | | Belarus Armed Forces: Land Force, Air and Air Defense Force (2009)
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Military service age and obligation(years of age) | | 18-27 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2005)
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Manpower available for military service | | males age 16-49: 2,491,643 females age 16-49: 2,528,779 (2008 est.)
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Manpower fit for military service | | males age 16-49: 1,720,049 females age 16-49: 2,069,898 (2009 est.)
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Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually | | male: 60,009 female: 56,834 (2009 est.)
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Military expenditures(% of GDP) | | 1.4% of GDP (2005 est.)
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Disputes - international | | Boundary demarcated with Latvia and Lithuania in 2006; 1997 boundary delimitation treaty with Ukraine remains unratified over unresolved financial claims, preventing demarcation and diminishing border security
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Electricity - production(kWh) | | 29.92 billion kWh (2007 est.)
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Electricity - production by source(%) | | fossil fuel: 99.5% hydro: 0.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0.4% (2001)
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Electricity - consumption(kWh) | | 30.54 billion kWh (2007 est.)
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Electricity - exports(kWh) | | 5.062 billion kWh (2007 est.)
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Electricity - imports(kWh) | | 9.406 billion kWh (2007 est.)
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Oil - production(bbl/day) | | 32,950 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Oil - consumption(bbl/day) | | 184,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Oil - exports(bbl/day) | | 303,900 bbl/day (2007 est.)
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Oil - imports(bbl/day) | | 444,800 bbl/day (2007 est.)
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Oil - proved reserves(bbl) | | 198 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
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Natural gas - production(cu m) | | 152 million cu m (2008 est.)
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Natural gas - consumption(cu m) | | 21.75 billion cu m (2008 est.)
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Natural gas - exports(cu m) | | 0 cu m (2008)
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Natural gas - proved reserves(cu m) | | 2.832 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate(%) | | 0.2% (2007 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | | 13,000 (2007 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - deaths | | 1,100 (2007 est.)
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Literacy(%) | | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.6% male: 99.8% female: 99.4% (1999 census)
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School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)(years) | | total: 15 years male: 14 years female: 15 years (2006)
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Education expenditures(% of GDP) | | 6.1% of GDP (2006)
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