Belarus
Code: BO | Region: Europe
Introduction
Background
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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
Location
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Eastern Europe, east of Poland
Geographic coordinates
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53 00 N, 28 00 E
Map references
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Europe
Area
total
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207,600 sq km
land
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202,900 sq km
water
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4,700 sq km
Area - comparative
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slightly less than twice the size of Kentucky; slightly smaller than Kansas
Land boundaries
total
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3,599 km
border countries
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Latvia 161 km; Lithuania 640 km; Poland 375 km; Russia 1,312 km; Ukraine 1,111 km
Coastline
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0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims
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none (landlocked)
Climate
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cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime
Terrain
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generally flat with much marshland
Elevation
highest point
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Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m
lowest point
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Nyoman River 90 m
mean elevation
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160 m
Natural resources
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timber, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas, granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, clay
Land use
agricultural land
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39.6% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
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arable land: 27.4% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
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permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
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permanent pasture: 11.7% (2023 est.)
forest
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44% (2023 est.)
other
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16.5% (2023 est.)
Irrigated land
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260 sq km (2022)
Major rivers (by length in km)
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Dnyapro (Dnieper) (shared with Russia [s] and Ukraine [m]) - 2,287 km<br><br><strong>note:</strong>Β [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Atlantic Ocean drainage
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<em>(Black Sea) </em>Dnieper (533,966 sq km)
Population distribution
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a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations
Natural hazards
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large tracts of marshy land
Geography - note
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landlocked; glacial scouring accounts for the flatness of Belarusian terrain and for its 11,000 lakes
People and Society
Population
total
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9,460,972 (2025 est.)
male
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4,414,771
female
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5,046,201
Nationality
noun
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Belarusian(s)
adjective
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Belarusian
Ethnic groups
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Belarusian 83.7%, Russian 8.3%, Polish 3.1%, Ukrainian 1.7%, other 2.4%, unspecified 0.9% (2009 est.)
Languages
Languages
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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)
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<br>ΠΠ½ΠΈΠ³Π° ΡΠ°ΠΊΡΠΎΠ² ΠΎ ΠΌΠΈΡΠ΅ β Π½Π΅Π·Π°ΠΌΠ΅Π½ΠΈΠΌΡΠΉ ΠΈΡΡΠΎΡΠ½ΠΈΠΊ Π±Π°Π·ΠΎΠ²ΠΎΠΉ ΠΈΠ½ΡΠΎΡΠΌΠ°ΡΠΈΠΈ. (Russian)<br><br>The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions
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Orthodox 48.3%, Catholic 7.1%, other 3.5%, non-believers 41.1% (2011 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
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16.1% (male 787,849/female 741,293)
15-64 years
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66.1% (male 3,073,507/female 3,204,088)
65 years and over
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17.8% (2024 est.) (male 572,483/female 1,122,231)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio
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52 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio
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24.1 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio
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27.9 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio
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3.6 (2025 est.)
Median age
total
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42.5 years (2025 est.)
male
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39.5 years
female
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45 years
Population growth rate
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-0.44% (2025 est.)
Birth rate
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8.16 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
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13.21 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate
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0.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Population distribution
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a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations
Urbanization
urban population
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80.7% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
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0.28% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
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2.057 million MINSK (capital) (2023)
Sex ratio
at birth
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1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years
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1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years
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0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over
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0.51 male(s)/female
total population
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0.88 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
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26.8 years (2019 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
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1 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total
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2.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male
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2.5 deaths/1,000 live births
female
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1.7 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth
total population
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74.7 years (2024 est.)
male
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69.8 years
female
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80 years
Total fertility rate
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1.45 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
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0.7 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: urban
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urban: 99.5% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural
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rural: 98.1% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
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total: 99.2% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
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urban: 0.5% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural
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rural: 1.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
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total: 0.8% of population (2022 est.)
Health expenditure
Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
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6.6% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
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12.3% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density
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4.72 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
Hospital bed density
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9.7 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban
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urban: 99.9% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural
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rural: 98.3% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
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total: 99.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
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urban: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural
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rural: 1.7% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
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total: 0.4% of population (2022 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
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24.5% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita
total
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10.57 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer
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2.26 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine
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0.98 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits
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4.67 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols
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2.66 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Tobacco use
total
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26.4% (2025 est.)
male
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44.5% (2025 est.)
female
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11.6% (2025 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
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62.4% (2019 est.)
Child marriage
women married by age 15
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0.1% (2019)
women married by age 18
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4.7% (2019)
men married by age 18
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1.6% (2019)
Education expenditure
Education expenditure (% GDP)
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5% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget)
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13.2% national budget (2024 est.)
Literacy
total population
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99.9% (2019 est.)
male
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99.9% (2019 est.)
female
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99.9% (2019 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total
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14 years (2023 est.)
male
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14 years (2023 est.)
female
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15 years (2023 est.)
Environment
Environmental issues
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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
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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
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none of the selected agreements
Climate
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cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime
Land use
agricultural land
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39.6% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
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arable land: 27.4% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
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permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
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permanent pasture: 11.7% (2023 est.)
forest
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44% (2023 est.)
other
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16.5% (2023 est.)
Urbanization
urban population
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80.7% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
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0.28% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
total emissions
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46.709 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke
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1.497 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids
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15.884 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas
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29.328 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions
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13.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually
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4.28 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled
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19% (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal
municipal
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600 million cubic meters (2022)
industrial
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430 million cubic meters (2022)
agricultural
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385 million cubic meters (2022)
Total renewable water resources
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57.9 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Government
Country name
conventional long form
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Republic of Belarus
conventional short form
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Belarus
local long form
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Respublika Byelarus' (Belarusian)/ Respublika Belarus' (Russian)
local short form
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Byelarus' (Belarusian)/ Belarus' (Russian)
former
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Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic
etymology
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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
Government type
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presidential republic in name, although in fact a dictatorship
Capital
name
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Minsk
geographic coordinates
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53 54 N, 27 34 E
time difference
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UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology
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the origin of the name is disputed; it may be derived from the Menka River
Administrative divisions
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6 regions (<em>voblastsi</em>, singular - <em>voblasts</em>') and 1 municipality* (<em>horad</em>); Brest, Homyel' (Gomel'), Horad Minsk* (Minsk City), Hrodna (Grodno), Mahilyow (Mogilev), Minsk, Vitsyebsk (Vitebsk)
note
<strong>note:</strong> administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers; Russian spelling provided for reference when different from Belarusian
Legal system
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civil law system
note
<strong>note:</strong>Β nearly all major codes (civil, civil procedure, criminal, criminal procedure, family, and labor) were revised and came into force in 1999 and 2000
Constitution
history
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several previous; latest drafted between late 1991 and early 1994, signed 15 March 1994
amendment process
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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
note
<strong>note: </strong>one of several amendments passed in the February 2022 referendum -- the presidential 5-year, two-term limit -- will be imposed after the 2025 election
International law organization participation
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has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship
citizenship by birth
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no
citizenship by descent only
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at least one parent must be a citizen of Belarus
dual citizenship recognized
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no
residency requirement for naturalization
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7 years
Suffrage
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18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state
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President Alyaksandr LUKASHENKA (since 20 July 1994)
head of government
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Prime Minister Alyaksandr TURCHYN (since 10 March 2025)
cabinet
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Council of Ministers appointed by the president
election/appointment process
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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
most recent election date
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first election held on 23 June and 10 July 1994; the 1994 constitution set the next election for 1999, but Alyaksandr LUKASHENKA extended his term to 2001 via a referendum; subsequent election held in 2001; a 2004 referendum ended presidential term limits and allowed LUKASHENKA to run and win a third term (19 March 2006), fourth term (19 December 2010), fifth term (11 October 2015), sixth term (9 August 2020), and seventh term (26 January 2025)
election results
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<em><br>2025: </em>Alyaksandr LUKASHENKA reelected president; percent of vote - Alyaksandr LUKASHENKA (independent) 86.8%, Sergey Syrankov (Communist Party) 3.2%, 3.6% voting against all<em><br><br>2020:</em>Β 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<br><em><br>2015:</em> 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%.
expected date of next election
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2030
Legislative branch
legislature name
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National Assembly (Natsionalnoye Sobranie)
legislative structure
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bicameral
Legislative branch - lower chamber
chamber name
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House of Representatives (Palata Predstaviteley)
number of seats
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110 (all directly elected)
electoral system
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plurality/majority
scope of elections
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full renewal
term in office
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5 years
most recent election date
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2/25/2024
parties elected and seats per party
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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
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33.9%
expected date of next election
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February 2029
Legislative branch - upper chamber
chamber name
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Council of the Republic (Soviet Respubliki)
number of seats
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65 (56 indirectly elected; 8 appointed)
scope of elections
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full renewal
term in office
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5 years
most recent election date
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4/4/2024
percentage of women in chamber
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30.5%
expected date of next election
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March 2029
Judicial branch
highest court(s)
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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
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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
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oblast courts; Minsk City Court; town courts; Minsk city and oblast economic courts
Political parties
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Belaya Rus or BR<br>Republican Party of Labour and Justice or RPTS<br>Communist Party of Belarus or CBP<br>Liberal Democratic Party of Belarus or LDPB
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission
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Ambassador (vacant; recalled by Belarus in 2008); Chargé d'Affaires Pavel SHIDLOWSKI (since 9 August 2022)
chancery
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1619 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone
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[1] (202) 986-1606
FAX
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[1] (202) 986-1805
email address and website
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<br>usa@mfa.gov.by<br><br>Embassy of the Republic of Belarus in the United States of America (mfa.gov.by)
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission
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Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Michael KREIDLER (since July 2025)
embassy
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46 Starovilenskaya Street, Minsk 220002
mailing address
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7010 Minsk Place, Washington DC 20521-7010
telephone
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[375] (17) 210-12-83
FAX
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[375] (17) 334-78-53
email address and website
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<br>ConsularMinsk@state.gov<br><br>https://by.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation
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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
Independence
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25 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
National holiday
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Independence Day, 3 July (1944)
note
<strong>note:</strong>Β 3 July 1944 was the date Minsk was liberated from German troops, 25 August 1991 was the date of independence from the Soviet Union
Flag
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<strong>description:</strong> 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<br><br><strong>meaning:</strong> the red stands for past struggles to escape oppression, and the green for hope and the country's forests
National symbol(s)
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no official symbol; the mounted knight known as Pahonia (the Chaser) is the traditional symbol
National color(s)
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green, red, white
National anthem(s)
title
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"My, Bielarusy" (We Belarusians)
lyrics/music
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Mikhas KLIMKOVICH and Uladzimir KARYZNA/Nester SAKALOUSKI
history
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music adopted 1955, lyrics adopted 2002; after the fall of the Soviet Union, Belarus kept the music of its Soviet-era anthem but adopted new lyrics; also known as "Dziarzauny himn Respubliki Bielarus" (State Anthem of the Republic of Belarus)
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites
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4 (3 cultural, 1 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales
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BiaΕowieΕΌa Forest (n); Mir Castle Complex (c); Architectural, Residential, and Cultural Complex of the Radziwill Family at Nesvizh (c)
Economy
Economic overview
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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
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
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$265.22 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
text
$254.995 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
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$244.89 billion (2022 est.)
note
<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP growth rate
Real GDP growth rate 2024
text
4% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023
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4.1% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022
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-4.7% (2022 est.)
note
<b>note:</b> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Real GDP per capita
Real GDP per capita 2024
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$29,000 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023
text
$27,800 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022
text
$26,500 (2022 est.)
note
<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate)
text
$75.962 billion (2024 est.)
note
<b>note:</b> data in current dollars at official exchange rate
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
text
5.8% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
text
5% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
text
15.2% (2022 est.)
note
<b>note:</b> annual % change based on consumer prices
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture
text
6.9% (2024 est.)
industry
text
30.7% (2024 est.)
services
text
49.7% (2024 est.)
note
<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption
text
56.8% (2024 est.)
government consumption
text
19% (2024 est.)
investment in fixed capital
text
23.8% (2024 est.)
investment in inventories
text
2% (2024 est.)
exports of goods and services
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65.1% (2024 est.)
imports of goods and services
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-66.9% (2024 est.)
note
<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
Agricultural products
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milk, sugar beets, potatoes, wheat, triticale, barley, maize, rapeseed, rye, chicken (2023)
note
<b>note:</b> top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Industries
text
metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earthmovers, motorcycles, synthetic fibers, fertilizer, textiles, refrigerators, washing machines and other household appliances
Industrial production growth rate
text
6% (2024 est.)
note
<b>note:</b> annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
Labor force
text
4.817 million (2024 est.)
note
<b>note:</b> number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
Unemployment rate
Unemployment rate 2024
text
3.4% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023
text
3.5% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022
text
3.6% (2022 est.)
note
<b>note:</b> % of labor force seeking employment
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total
text
10.1% (2024 est.)
male
text
11.7% (2024 est.)
female
text
8.4% (2024 est.)
note
<b>note:</b> % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
Population below poverty line
text
3.9% (2022 est.)
note
<b>note:</b> % of population with income below national poverty line
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2020
text
24.4 (2020 est.)
note
<b>note:</b> index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
Average household expenditures
on food
text
29.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco
text
7.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
text
4.5% (2020 est.)
highest 10%
text
20.7% (2020 est.)
note
<b>note:</b> % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
Remittances
Remittances 2024
text
1.8% of GDP (2024 est.)
Remittances 2023
text
1.7% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022
text
2% of GDP (2022 est.)
note
<b>note:</b> personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Budget
revenues
text
$22.876 billion (2023 est.)
expenditures
text
$21.912 billion (2023 est.)
note
<b>note:</b> central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
Public debt
Public debt 2019
text
33.2% of GDP (2019 est.)
note
<b>note:</b> central government debt as a % of GDP
Taxes and other revenues
text
12.7% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
note
<b>note:</b> central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
Current account balance
Current account balance 2024
text
-$1.925 billion (2024 est.)
Current account balance 2023
text
-$1.104 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022
text
$2.628 billion (2022 est.)
note
<b>note:</b> balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Exports
Exports 2024
text
$49.386 billion (2024 est.)
Exports 2023
text
$47.714 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022
text
$47.124 billion (2022 est.)
note
<b>note:</b> balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports - partners
text
China 34%, Kazakhstan 10%, Uzbekistan 7%, Poland 6%, Brazil 5% (2023)
note
<b>note:</b> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Exports - commodities
text
fertilizers, rapeseed oil, wood, poultry, beef (2023)
note
<b>note:</b> top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Imports
Imports 2024
text
$50.679 billion (2024 est.)
Imports 2023
text
$47.459 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022
text
$42.438 billion (2022 est.)
note
<b>note:</b> balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports - partners
text
China 33%, Poland 16%, Germany 11%, Lithuania 10%, Turkey 9% (2023)
note
<b>note:</b> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Imports - commodities
text
cars, broadcasting equipment, fabric, plastic products, video displays (2023)
note
<b>note:</b> top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
text
$8.912 billion (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
text
$8.118 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
text
$7.923 billion (2022 est.)
note
<b>note:</b> holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Debt - external
Debt - external 2023
text
$18.01 billion (2023 est.)
note
<strong>note:</strong> present value of external debt in current US dollars
Exchange rates
Currency
text
Belarusian rubles (BYB/BYR) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2024
text
3.246 (2024 est.)
Exchange rates 2023
text
3.007 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2022
text
2.626 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2021
text
2.539 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2020
text
2.44 (2020 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population
text
100% (2022 est.)
Electricity
installed generating capacity
text
12.653 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption
text
39.883 billion kWh (2023 est.)
exports
text
4.553 billion kWh (2023 est.)
imports
text
4 billion kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses
text
3.149 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels
text
70% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
nuclear
text
26.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar
text
0.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
wind
text
0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity
text
0.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
biomass and waste
text
1.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Nuclear energy
Number of operational nuclear reactors
text
2 (2025)
Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors
text
2.22GW (2025 est.)
Percent of total electricity production
text
28.6% (2023 est.)
Coal
consumption
text
710,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
exports
text
966,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports
text
1.635 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
total petroleum production
text
30,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption
text
125,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves
text
198 million barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas
production
text
68.494 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption
text
15.094 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
imports
text
15.433 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves
text
2.832 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
Total energy consumption per capita 2023
text
104.821 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions
text
4.14 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
text
46 (2024 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions
text
11.9 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
text
131 (2024 est.)
Broadcast media
text
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
text
.by
Internet users
percent of population
text
92% (2023 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total
text
3.2 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
text
35 (2023 est.)
Transportation
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
text
EW
Airports
text
46 (2025)
Heliports
text
4 (2025)
Railways
total
text
5,528 km (2014)
standard gauge
text
25 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge
broad gauge
text
5,503 km (2014) 1.520-m gauge (874 km electrified)
Merchant marine
total
text
4 (2023)
by type
text
other 4
Military and Security
Military and security forces
text
Belarus Armed Forces: Army, Air and Air Defense Force, Special Operations Force, Special Troops, Territorial Defense Forces<br><br>Ministry of Interior: State Border Troops, Militia, Internal Troops (2025)
note
<strong>note:</strong> in early 2023, President LUKASHENKA ordered the formation of a new volunteer paramilitary territorial defense force to supplement the Army
Military expenditures
Military Expenditures 2024
text
2% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023
text
1.8% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022
text
1.7% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021
text
1.4% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2020
text
1.5% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths
text
approximately 50-60,000 active-duty military personnel (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
text
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 service age and obligation
text
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
<strong>note:</strong> conscripts can be assigned to the military, to the Ministry of Interior, or to the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection (alternative service)
Military - note
text
the military of Belarus is responsible for territorial defense; Russia is the countryβs 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<br><br>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)
Transnational Issues
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees
text
44,621 (2024 est.)
stateless persons
text
5,620 (2024 est.)
Trafficking in persons
tier rating
text
Tier 3 β 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/