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Belarus

2025 Edition · 426 data fields

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Introduction

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
Total: 207,600 sq km
Water: 4,700 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly less than twice the size of Kentucky; slightly smaller than Kansas

Climate

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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Continent

Europe

Elevation

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

Geographic coordinates

53 00 N, 28 00 E

Geography - note

landlocked; glacial scouring accounts for the flatness of Belarusian terrain and for its 11,000 lakes

Irrigated land

260 sq km (2022)

Land boundaries

Border countries: Latvia 161 km; Lithuania 640 km; Poland 375 km; Russia 1,312 km; Ukraine 1,111 km
number of neighbors: 5
Total: 3,599 km

Land use

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.)
arable land: 27.43%
Forest: 44% (2023 est.)
Other: 16.5% (2023 est.)
permanent crops: 0.42%

Landlocked

Yes

Location

Eastern Europe, east of Poland

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

Major watersheds (area sq km)

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

Map links

Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/PJUDU3EBPSszCQcu6
OpenStreetMap: https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/59065

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

large tracts of marshy land

Natural resources

timber, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas, granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, clay

Population distribution

a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations

Subregion

Eastern Europe

Terrain

generally flat with much marshland

Time zone

UTC+03:00
number of time zones: 1

People and Society

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)

Alcohol consumption per capita

Beer: 2.26 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Other alcohols: 2.66 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Spirits: 4.67 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Total: 10.57 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Wine: 0.98 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

8.16 births/1,000 population (2025 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)

Children under 5 years underweight

1.2%

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

62.4% (2019 est.)

Death rate

13.21 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

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

Drinking water source

improved total: 93.06%
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.)

Education expenditures

5 % of GDP

Ethnic groups

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

Gross reproduction rate

0.7 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

7 % of GDP
Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 6.6% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 12.3% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

9.7 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.)

Infant mortality rate

Female: 1.7 deaths/1,000 live births
Male: 2.5 deaths/1,000 live births
neonatal: 1 deaths/1,000 live births
Total: 2.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 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.
number of languages: 2

Life expectancy at birth

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

Literacy

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

Major urban areas - population

2.057 million MINSK (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

1 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

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

Mother's mean age at first birth

26.8 years (2019 est.)

Nationality

Adjective: Belarusian
Noun: Belarusian(s)

Net migration rate

0.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

24.5% (2016)

Physician density

4.72 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

Population

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

Population growth rate

-0.44% (2025 est.)

Religions

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

Sanitation facility access

improved total: 74.44%
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.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

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

Sex ratio

0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.51 male(s)/female
At birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.88 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

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

Total fertility rate

1.45 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

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

Vaccination rate

measles: 98%

Government

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)
note: note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers; Russian spelling provided for reference when different from Belarusian

Capital

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

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

Coat of arms

svg: https://mainfacts.com/media/images/coats_of_arms/by.svg

Constitution

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

Country name

alternative spellings: BY, Bielaruś, Republic of Belarus, Белоруссия, Республика Белоруссия
Conventional long form: Republic of Belarus
Conventional short form: Belarus
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
FIFA code: BLR
Former: Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic
Local long form: Respublika Byelarus' (Belarusian)/ Respublika Belarus' (Russian)
local long form (bel): Рэспубліка Беларусь
Local short form: Byelarus' (Belarusian)/ Belarus' (Russian)

Diplomatic representation from the US

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

Chancery: 1619 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
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)
FAX: [1] (202) 986-1805
Telephone: [1] (202) 986-1606

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%.
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
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)

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

Flag description

The flag of Belarus features a vertical band, with a white and red ornamental pattern, spanning about one-fifth the width of the field on the hoist side. Adjoining the vertical band are two horizontal bands of red and green, with the red band twice the height of the green band.

Flag image

svg: https://flagcdn.com/by.svg

Government type

presidential republic in name, although in fact a dictatorship

Independence

25 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation

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

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

Legal system

civil law system
note: note: nearly all major codes (civil, civil procedure, criminal, criminal procedure, family, and labor) were revised and came into force in 1999 and 2000

Legislative branch

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

Legislative branch - lower chamber

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

Legislative branch - upper chamber

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

National color(s)

green, red, white

National heritage

Selected World Heritage Site locales: Białowieża Forest (n); Mir Castle Complex (c); Architectural, Residential, and Cultural Complex of the Radziwill Family at Nesvizh (c)
Total World Heritage Sites: 4 (3 cultural, 1 natural)

National holiday

Independence Day, 3 July (1944)
note: note: 3 July 1944 was the date Minsk was liberated from German troops, 25 August 1991 was the date of independence from the Soviet Union

National symbol(s)

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

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

Start of week

Monday

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

UN Member

Yes

Economy

Agricultural products

milk, sugar beets, potatoes, wheat, triticale, barley, maize, rapeseed, rye, chicken (2023)
note: note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Average household expenditures

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

Budget

Expenditures: $21.912 billion (2023 est.)
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.)

Currency

code: BYN
name: Belarusian ruble (BYN) [Br]

Current account balance

$-1,944,575,193
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.)
Note: note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external

$34.22 billion
Debt - external 2023: $18.01 billion (2023 est.)
Note: note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

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

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.)

Exports

$49.42 billion
Exports 2022: $47.124 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2023: $47.714 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2024: $49.386 billion (2024 est.)
Note: note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

fertilizers, rapeseed oil, wood, poultry, beef (2023)
note: note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

China 34%, Kazakhstan 10%, Uzbekistan 7%, Poland 6%, Brazil 5% (2023)
note: note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

Foreign direct investment

net inflows: $1.74 billion

GDP - composition, by end use

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

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

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

GDP (official exchange rate)

$75.962 billion (2024 est.)
note: note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

GDP per capita (nominal)

$8,318

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

25.3 (2019)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2020: 24.4 (2020 est.)
Note: note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

GNI (gross national income)

$74.32 billion

GNI per capita

$8,260

Gross domestic investment

26 % of GDP

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$50.78 billion
Imports 2022: $42.438 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2023: $47.459 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2024: $50.679 billion (2024 est.)
Note: note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

cars, broadcasting equipment, fabric, plastic products, video displays (2023)
note: note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

China 33%, Poland 16%, Germany 11%, Lithuania 10%, Turkey 9% (2023)
note: note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

6% (2024 est.)
note: note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earthmovers, motorcycles, synthetic fibers, fertilizer, textiles, refrigerators, washing machines and other household appliances

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

5.79%
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.)
Note: note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

4.817 million (2024 est.)
note: note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
total: 4.79 million persons

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 9.48%
industry: 31.06%
services: 59.46%

Population below poverty line

3.9% (2022 est.)
note: note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt

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

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$301.47 billion
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.)

Real GDP growth rate

4.01%
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.)

Real GDP per capita

$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.)

Remittances

$1.38 billion
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.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$8.91 billion
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.)

Revenue (excl grants)

28 % of GDP

Tax revenue

13 % of GDP

Taxes and other revenues

12.7% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
note: note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Unemployment rate

3.38%
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.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

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

Energy

Coal

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

Electricity

Consumption: 39.883 billion kWh (2023 est.)
consumption per capita: 3,903 kWh
Exports: 4.553 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Imports: 4 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 12.653 million kW (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 3.149 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

Electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

Biomass and waste: 1.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Fossil fuels: 70% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectric: 0.94%
Hydroelectricity: 0.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Nuclear: 26.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
renewable: 3.15%
Solar: 0.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Wind: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

2,862 kg of oil equivalent
Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 104.821 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Natural gas

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

Nuclear energy

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

Petroleum

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

Renewable energy consumption

8.2%

Communications

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

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

Internet users

Percent of population: 92% (2023 est.)

Postal code format

######

Telephone calling code

+375

Telephones - fixed lines

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

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100: 129 per 100
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 131 (2024 est.)
Total subscriptions: 11.9 million (2024 est.)

Transportation

Air transport

passengers carried: 1.32 million passengers
registered carrier departures: 13,168 departures

Airports

46 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Driving side

Right

Heliports

4 (2025)

Merchant marine

By type: other 4
Total: 4 (2023)

Railways

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

Vehicle registration code

Military and Security

Land forces

armored vehicles
tanks

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 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)
active duty personnel: 158,000
note: note: in early 2023, President LUKASHENKA ordered the formation of a new volunteer paramilitary territorial defense force to supplement the Army
percent of total labor force: 3.17 %

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 50-60,000 active-duty 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 expenditures

2 % of GDP
current USD: $1,491,391,768
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.)
percent of central government expenditure: 50.66 %
percent of GDP: 2.07 % of GDP

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)
note: note: conscripts can be assigned to the military, to the Ministry of Interior, or to the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection (alternative service)

Military strength ranking

PowerIndex score: 1.4072

Transnational Issues

Refugees and internally displaced persons

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

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/

Environment

Carbon dioxide emissions

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

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

Particulate matter emissions

13.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Protected areas

9 % of total land area

Renewable electricity output

2 % of total

Total renewable water resources

57.9 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

4 % of internal resources
Agricultural: 385 million cubic meters (2022)
Industrial: 430 million cubic meters (2022)
Municipal: 600 million cubic meters (2022)

Waste and recycling

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