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Belarus-Transportation and Telecommunications





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Belarus Index

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Figure 9. Transportation System of Belarus, 1995

In the former Soviet Union, the central government owned and operated the transportation system of the Belorussian SSR and used it primarily to serve the economic needs of the entire country as determined by the CPSU. Because of the Belorussian SSR's generally flat landscape and its location, building a transportation system there did not entail the difficulties of building on rugged terrain, over permafrost, or in remote areas far from industrial centers.

Railroads were the premier mode of transportation in the Belorussian SSR. Minsk is a major railroad junction, located on the lines connecting the Baltic states with Ukraine to the south and the line connecting Moscow with Warsaw to the west (see fig. 9). In 1993 Belarus had a total of 5,488 kilometers of 1,520- millimeter-gauge railroads; of these, 873 kilometers were electrified. Minsk also has an underground Metro that has eighteen stations on two lines (totaling seventeen kilometers).

Belarus's railroads accelerated industrial development and, in wartime, played a significant military role. Well developed compared with those in the other former Soviet republics, the country's railroads continued to play a major role in the early years of independent Belarus. They moved raw materials, manufactured goods, and passengers over long hauls, transporting 30 percent of the country's bulk cargo and 10 percent of its passengers in 1992 (see table 5, Appendix A).

Railroad freight transport in 1994 declined 19 percent (to 50.1 million tons) from its 1993 levels; this drop approximated the decline in gross industrial output over the same period (unlike previous years, when it had been greater). As a result, experts believed that gross inefficiencies of the past had been eliminated and that railroad transportation would not be a bottleneck in the future when industrial output rose.

Because automotive transport is not generally used for long hauls, many roads outside urban areas have gravel or dirt surfaces, especially in the more remote rural areas. The lack of paved roads in these rural areas seriously hampers the movement of agricultural products and supplies. Privately owned automobiles are relatively few per capita, and so have been of limited importance in transportation, although this began to change slowly with the demise of communism. At the beginning of 1994, the country had 92,200 kilometers of roads, two-thirds of which were paved, and many of which were deteriorating. There were no expressways or major national highways. Truck transport of freight declined in 1994 by 41 percent to 122.8 million tons.

In 1994 Belarus received funds and promises of funds from the European Union (EU), Russia, Germany, and Poland to upgrade road and railroad links between Moscow and Berlin. A project funded jointly by Belarus and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will upgrade segments of the highway linking Poland to Russia through Belarus.

Belarus has extensive and widely used canal and river systems, especially the Dnyapro River and its tributaries, and the Dnyaprowska-Buhski Canal, which connects the Buh (Bug, in Russian) and Prypyats' rivers. Homyel', Babruysk (Bobruysk, in Russian), Barysaw (Borisov, in Russian), and Pinsk are major river ports. In 1991 some 800,000 passengers and 18.6 million tons of freight were carried on the country's inland waterways. Although Belarus has no direct access to the sea, it is relatively close to Baltic Sea ports and has an agreement with Poland to transport Belarusian goods to the port of Gdynia and to use the port itself. In 1995 Lithuanian officials spoke of giving Belarus access to the Lithuanian port of Klaipéda.

Of Belarus's 124 airports, only fifty-five were usable in 1993, and only thirty-one had permanent-surface runways. Minsk has one airport, Minsk International Airport. In 1994 Belavia, the Belarusian state airline, planed to use US$80 million of a US$220 million credit from Switzerland to build an aircraft service center at the airport.

At the beginning of 1992, Belarus had 1.9 million telephone lines, or about eighteen lines per 100 persons; more than 700,000 applications for household telephones were still pending. Only about 15 percent of the telephone lines were switched automatically. Connections to other former Soviet republics are by landline or microwave, and connections to other countries are by means of a leased connection through the Moscow international gateway switch. An NMT-450 analog cellular telecommunications network was under construction in Minsk in the early 1990s, and approximately 300 kilometers of fiber-optic cable were being added to the city network. Progress in establishing an International Telecommunications Satellite Organization (Intelsat) earth station was slow.

In 1993 four television channels were available in Belarus: Belarus's single state-run television station (Byelaruskaye telebachannye) and three Russian television stations-- Televideniye Ostankino (Ostankino Television, Channel 1), Rossiyskoye televideniye (Russian Television), and SanktPeterburg TV (St. Petersburg TV). By 1994 there was one private television station; its license was suspended during the parliamentary elections of 1994. No cable television service was available. In 1992 an estimated 3.5 million televisions were in use in Belarus.

In 1994 Belarus's state-run radio (Byelaruskaye Radyyo) broadcast two national programs, four Russian programs and various regional programs over thirty-five AM radio stations in seventeen cities and over eighteen FM radio stations in eighteen cities. There was also a shared relay with Voice of Russia. International shortwave radio service broadcasts were in Belarusian, English, German and Polish. In 1992 an estimated 3.1 million radios were in use in Belarus.

In 1995 the government continued to control both television and radio in Belarus. In April 1995, when opposition deputies to the Supreme Soviet clashed with President Lukashyenka over questions on the upcoming referendum, Lukashyenka cordoned off the national television and radio building (because of an alleged bomb threat). Before voting began both on the referendum and on parliamentary elections, discussion of the issues simply disappeared from the media.

Data as of June 1995



BackgroundAfter 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.
LocationEastern Europe, east of Poland
Area(sq km)total: 207,600 sq km
land: 202,900 sq km
water: 4,700 sq km
Geographic coordinates53 00 N, 28 00 E
Land boundaries(km)total: 3,306 km
border countries: Latvia 171 km, Lithuania 680 km, Poland 605 km, Russia 959 km, Ukraine 891 km

Coastline(km)0 km (landlocked)

Climatecold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime

Elevation extremes(m)lowest point: Nyoman River 90 m
highest point: Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m
Natural resourcesforests, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas, granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, clay
Land use(%)arable land: 26.77%
permanent crops: 0.6%
other: 72.63% (2005)

Irrigated land(sq km)1,310 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources(cu km)58 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)total: 2.79 cu km/yr (23%/47%/30%)
per capita: 286 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazardsNA
Environment - current issuessoil pollution from pesticide use; southern part of the country contaminated with fallout from 1986 nuclear reactor accident at Chornobyl' in northern Ukraine
Environment - international agreementsparty 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
Geography - notelandlocked; glacial scouring accounts for the flatness of Belarusian terrain and for its 11,000 lakes
Population9,648,533 (July 2009 est.)
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.)
Median age(years)total: 38.6 years
male: 35.6 years
female: 41.6 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate(%)-0.378% (2009 est.)
Birth rate(births/1,000 population)9.71 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
Death rate(deaths/1,000 population)13.86 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Net migration rate(migrant(s)/1,000 population)0.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
Urbanization(%)urban population: 73% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
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.)
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.)

Life expectancy at birth(years)total population: 70.63 years
male: 64.95 years
female: 76.67 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate(children born/woman)1.24 children born/woman (2009 est.)
Nationalitynoun: Belarusian(s)
adjective: Belarusian
Ethnic groups(%)Belarusian 81.2%, Russian 11.4%, Polish 3.9%, Ukrainian 2.4%, other 1.1% (1999 census)

Religions(%)Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.)
Languages(%)Belarusian, Russian, other

Country nameconventional long form: Republic of Belarus
conventional short form: Belarus
local long form: Respublika Byelarus'
local short form: Byelarus'
former: Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic
Government typerepublic in name, although in fact a dictatorship
Capitalname: 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
Administrative divisions6 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
Constitution15 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

Legal systembased on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage18 years of age; universal
Executive branchchief 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

Legislative branchbicameral 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

Judicial branchSupreme 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)

Political pressure groups and leadersAssembly 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]
International organization participationBSEC (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)
Flag descriptionred 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

Economy - overviewBelarus 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.
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
GDP (official exchange rate)$60.3 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate(%)10% (2008 est.)
8.2% (2007 est.)
9.9% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)$11,800 (2008 est.)
$10,700 (2007 est.)
$9,800 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector(%)agriculture: 8.5%
industry: 41.2%
services: 50.3% (2008 est.)
Labor force4.869 million (2007)

Labor force - by occupation(%)agriculture: 14%
industry: 34.7%
services: 51.3% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate(%)1.6% (2005)
note: officially registered unemployed; large number of underemployed workers
Population below poverty line(%)27.1% (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share(%)lowest 10%: 3.6%
highest 10%: 22% (2005)
Distribution of family income - Gini index27.9 (2005)
21.7 (1998)
Investment (gross fixed)(% of GDP)31.9% of GDP (2008 est.)
Budgetrevenues: $25.15 billion
expenditures: $25.97 billion (2008 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)(%)14.8% (2008 est.)
8.4% (2007 est.)

Stock of money$4.872 billion (31 December 2008)
$4.065 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money$8.784 billion (31 December 2008)
$6.823 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit$18.42 billion (31 December 2008)
$12.16 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares$NA
Economic aid - recipient$53.76 million (2005)

Agriculture - productsgrain, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beets, flax; beef, milk
Industriesmetal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earthmovers, motorcycles, televisions, synthetic fibers, fertilizer, textiles, radios, refrigerators

Industrial production growth rate(%)12% (2008 est.)

Current account balance-$5.063 billion (2008 est.)
-$3.042 billion (2007 est.)
Exports$33.04 billion (2008 est.)
$24.33 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities(%)machinery and equipment, mineral products, chemicals, metals, textiles, foodstuffs
Exports - partners(%)Russia 32.2%, Netherlands 16.9%, Ukraine 8.5%, Latvia 6.6%, Poland 5.5%, UK 4.4% (2008)
Imports$39.16 billion (2008 est.)
$28.4 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities(%)mineral products, machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs, metals
Imports - partners(%)Russia 59.8%, Germany 7.1%, Ukraine 5.4% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold$2.687 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
$3.952 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external$15.15 billion (31 December 2008)
$12.49 billion (31 December 2007)

Exchange ratesBelarusian rubles (BYB/BYR) per US dollar - 2,130 (2008 est.), 2,145 (2007), 2,144.6 (2006), 2,150 (2005), 2,160.26 (2004)

Currency (code)Belarusian ruble (BYB/BYR)

Telephones - main lines in use3.718 million (2008)
Telephones - mobile cellular8.693 million (2008)
Telephone systemgeneral 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)
Internet country code.by
Internet users3.107 million (2008)
Airports65 (2009)
Pipelines(km)gas 5,250 km; oil 1,528 km; refined products 1,730 km (2008)
Roadways(km)total: 94,797 km
paved: 84,028 km
unpaved: 10,769 km (2005)

Ports and terminalsMazyr
Military branchesBelarus Armed Forces: Land Force, Air and Air Defense Force (2009)
Military service age and obligation(years of age)18-27 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2005)
Manpower available for military servicemales age 16-49: 2,491,643
females age 16-49: 2,528,779 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military servicemales age 16-49: 1,720,049
females age 16-49: 2,069,898 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annuallymale: 60,009
female: 56,834 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures(% of GDP)1.4% of GDP (2005 est.)
Disputes - internationalBoundary 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

Electricity - production(kWh)29.92 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source(%)fossil fuel: 99.5%
hydro: 0.1%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0.4% (2001)
Electricity - consumption(kWh)30.54 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - exports(kWh)5.062 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports(kWh)9.406 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production(bbl/day)32,950 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Oil - consumption(bbl/day)184,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Oil - exports(bbl/day)303,900 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - imports(bbl/day)444,800 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - proved reserves(bbl)198 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
Natural gas - production(cu m)152 million cu m (2008 est.)
Natural gas - consumption(cu m)21.75 billion cu m (2008 est.)
Natural gas - exports(cu m)0 cu m (2008)
Natural gas - proved reserves(cu m)2.832 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate(%)0.2% (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS13,000 (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths1,100 (2007 est.)
Literacy(%)definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.6%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.4% (1999 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)(years)total: 15 years
male: 14 years
female: 15 years (2006)
Education expenditures(% of GDP)6.1% of GDP (2006)








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