Parliamentary elections were held on Sept. 11, 2016, andtwo opposition politicians won seats; this marked thefirst time in more than a decade that opposition par-

ties could claim any representation in the legislature. InFebruary the EU had eased economic sanctions againstBelarus, and the participation of opposition candidates in theelection was seen as a concession by a country desperatelyin need of foreign economic aid. Independent observersreported widespread voting irregularities, however, and par-liament remained overwhelmingly dominated by supportersof Pres. Alyaksandr Lukashenka.Lukashenka had ruled Belarussince 1994, and his tight controlover the former Soviet republichad earned him the nicknameEurope’s “last dictator.”

Vital statisticsBirth rate per 1,000 population(2015): 12.5 (world avg. 19.5).

Death rate per 1,000 population(2015): 12.6 (world avg. 8.1).

Natural increase rate per 1,000 popu-lation (2015): –0.1 (world avg. 11.4).

Life expectancy at birth (2013): male67.3 years; female 77.9 years.

DemographyPopulation (2016): 9,507,000.Density (2016): persons per sq mi118.5, persons per sq km 45.8.

Sex distribution (20164): male46.54%; female 53.46%.

Population projection: (2020)9,390,000; (2030) 9,001,000.

Major cities (20164): Minsk1,959,781; Homyel 521,452;Mahilyow 378,077; Vitsyebsk368,574; Hrodna 365,610.

Urban-rural (20164):

Belarus

Official name: Respublika Belarus(Republic of Belarus).

Form of government: republic with twolegislative houses (Council of theRepublic [641]; House ofRepresentatives [110]).

Head of state and government: PresidentAlyaksandr Lukashenka, assisted byPrime Minister Andrey Kabyakow.

Capital: Minsk.Official languages: Belarusian; Russian.Official religion: none2.Monetary unit: new Belarusian rubel3

(or ruble; Br); valuation (Sept. 1, 2016) 1 U.S.$ = Br 2.01; 1 £ = Br 2.67.

Ethnic composition (2009):

Age breakdown (2009):

Religious affiliation (2007):

Area and population area5 population

20164

Provinces Capitals sq mi sq km estimate

Brest Brest 12,500 32,300 1,386,982Homyel (Gomel) Homyel 15,600 40,400 1,422,941Hrodna (Grodno) Hrodna 9,650 25,000 1,050,125Mahilyow (Mogilev) Mahilyow 11,200 29,000 1,067,645Minsk (Myensk) Minsk 14,800 38,300 1,417,303Vitsyebsk (Vitebsk) Vitsyebsk 15,500 40,100 1,193,587

CityMinsk (Myensk) — 950 2,500 1,959,781TOTAL 80,200 207,600 9,498,364

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National economyBudget (2013). Revenue: Br 105,804,000,000 (tax revenue 84.7%, of

which taxes on goods and services 56.0%, taxes onforeign trade 22.0%, taxes on income and profits5.0%; nontax revenue 15.3%). Expenditures: Br108,062,000,000 (general government activities 48.7%;social protection 21.0%; economic affairs 15.6%).

Public debt (external, outstanding; 2014): U.S.$15,628,-094,000.

Average household size (2009): 2.4.Population economically active (2015): 4,535,000; par-ticipation rates (2014): ages 15–64, male 78.9%;female 84.9%; officially unemployed 0.5%, of whichyouth (ages 15–24; 2009) 12.5%.

Production (metric tons except as noted). Agriculture, forestry, fishing (2014): potatoes 6,279,715, sugar beets 4,805,559,wheat 2,924,035, barley 1,988,121, rye 867,331, rapeseed 675,546, corn(maize) 599,442, oats 522,198, dry beans 347,781, cabbages (2013)340,533, apples (2013) 311,462, carrots and turnips (2013) 275,788,strawberries 45,000, walnuts (2013) 15,861; livestock (number of liveanimals) 4,364,400 cattle, 2,924,100 pigs; roundwood (2013) 18,522,300cu m, of which fuelwood 41%; fisheries production (2013) 14,245(from aquaculture 95%). Mining and quarrying (2013): potash4,243,000; peat 2,433,000. Manufacturing (value added inU.S.$’000,000; 2011): chemicals and chemical products 3,830; foodproducts and beverages 2,474; machinery and apparatus 1,896; basemetals 1,342; motor vehicles and tractors 1,323; mineral fuels 980.Energy production (consumption): electricity (kW-hr; 2015)33,767,000,000 ([2013] 37,880,000,000), by source (2012): fossil fuels99.3%; renewable energy 0.7%, of which biomass 0.4%, hydroelectric0.2%, wind 0.1%; coal (metric tons; 2011) none (91,000); crude petro-leum (barrels; 2015) 11,559,150 ([2011] 148,950,000); petroleum prod-ucts (metric tons; 2012) 21,668,000 ([2011] 7,860,000); natural gas (cu m; 2015) 224,600,000 ([2013] 22,280,000,000).

Gross national income (GNI; 2014): U.S.$69,533,000,000 (U.S.$7,340per capita); purchasing power parity GNI (U.S.$17,610 per capita).

Land use as % of total land area (2009): in temporary crops or left fallow26.7%, in permanent crops 0.6%, in pasture 16.1%, forest area 42.4%.

MilitaryTotal active duty personnel (November 2015):

48,000 (army 34.4%, air force and airdefense 31.2%, centrally controlled units21.9%, special operations 12.5%); paramili-tary 110,000. Military expenditure as per-centage of GDP (2014): 1.1%; per capitaexpenditure U.S.$88.

Foreign trade9

Imports (2015): U.S.$30,311,700,000 (mineral prod-ucts 29.8%, machinery and transportation equip-ment 25.8%, chemical products and rubber 14.1%,foodstuffs and agricultural raw materials 11.8%,base and fabricated metals 9.1%). Major import sources:

Exports (2015): U.S.$26,685,500,000 (mineral prod-ucts 29.9%, chemical products and rubber 21.3%,foodstuffs and agricultural raw materials 16.3%,machinery and transportation equipment 13.8%,base and fabricated metals 6.5%). Major export destinations:

Transport and communicationsTransport. Railroads (2015): route length 3,412 mi,

5,491 km; passenger-km 7,117,000,000; metricton-km cargo 40,784,000,000. Roads (2015):total length 63,193 mi, 101,700 km (paved 86%);passenger-km 9,463,000,00012; metric ton-kmcargo 24,523,000,000. Vehicles (20164): passen-ger cars 3,037,213; trucks and buses 464,668.

Education and healthLiteracy (2015): total population age 15 and over literate, virtually 100%.

Health (20164): physicians 40,100 (1 per 237 persons); hospitalbeds10 80,700 (1 per 118 persons); infant mortality rate per1,000 live births (2015) 3.4; undernourished population(2006–08) less than 5% of total population based on the con-sumption of a minimum daily requirement of 1,940 calories.

1Statutory number. 2However, a 2003 concordat grants the Belarusian Orthodox Church privileged sta-tus. 3On July 1, 2016, the Belarusian ruble was redenominated at a rate of 1:10,000. 4January 1.5Rounded area figures; exact total area figures are 80,153 sq mi (207,595 sq km). 6Net taxes less imput-ed bank service charges. 7Registered unemployed only. 8Detail does not add to total given because ofrounding. 9Imports c.i.f.; exports f.o.b. 10Excludes sanatoriums. 11Subscribers. 12Buses only.

Internet resources for further information:• National Statistical Committee www.belstat.gov.by/en• National Bank of the Republic of Belarus www.nbrb.by/engl/

Structure of gross domestic product and labour force2014 2013

in value % of total labour % of labourBr ’000,000,000 value force force

Agriculture, forestry, fishing 59,012.8 7.6 435,800 9.5Mining and quarrying 6,022.5 0.8 16,800 0.4Manufacturing 172,355.5 22.2 1,010,900 22.1Construction 81,987.1 10.5 363,700 8.0Public utilities 22,515.8 2.9 116,100 2.5Transp. and commun. 61,556.3 7.9 342,800 7.5Trade, hotels 108,327.0 13.9 743,100 16.3Finance, real estate 92,124.0 11.8 412,200 9.0Public admin., defense 26,770.1 3.5 157,700 3.5Services 72,642.9 9.3 944,600 20.7Other 74,780.76 9.66 23,4007 0.57

TOTAL 778,094.7 100.0 4,569,0008 100.0

Communications units unitsnumber per 1,000 number per 1,000

Medium date in ’000s persons Medium date in ’000s persons

TelephonesCellular 2014 11,40111 1,22511

Landline 2014 4,514 485

Internet users 2009 4,437 460Broadband 2013 2,68411 28811

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