Getting started

Министерство образования Республики Беларусь

УО «Белорусский государственный экономический университет»

 

 

И.Н.ЧУГАЙ

BELARUS. BELARUSIAN ECONOMY

БЕЛАРУСЬ. БЕЛОРУССКАЯ ЭКОНОМИКА

Минск 2010
BELARUS. BELARUSIAN ECONOMY

Getting started

Learn some background information about the Republic of Belarus.

 

LocationEastern Europe. Borders Russian Federation, Ukraine, Poland, Latvia and Lithuania. The country is completely landlocked.

SizeTotal state border length 2,969km; area 207,600km²; maximum width west to east 650km; length 560km north to south

GeographyLowland terrain, with a mean elevation above sea level of only 160m, the highest point being 345m. Natural vegetation over nearly 70% of area, of which 38% is forest. Also 20,000 rivers and streams and 11,000 lakes, with significant areas of marsh territory.

ClimateModerately continental, with cold winters and warm summers. Average temperature January -6.7°C, July I7.8°C. Annual rainfall 550-750mm.

StatusRepublic

Administrative divisionsSix regions (oblasts), comprising 118 administrative districts

Capital cityMinsk

Other major citiesGomel, Brest, Vitebsk, Grodno and Mogilev

Population9,480,000 (2009), (density 49/km²)

PeopleEthnic Belarusians (81%), Russians (I 1%), Poles (4%), Ukrainians (2%) and the remaining 2% comprising Jews, Lithuanians, Tatars, Azerbaijanis, Armenians, Latvians, Koreans, Germans, Georgians, Ossets, Moldavians and traveling people

Life expectancyMale 64 years, female 75 years (2006 estimates)

LanguagesBelarusian and Russian have equal status as state languages

ReligionRussian Orthodox, Roman Catholicism and Judaism

EconomyLargely unchanged since Soviet times and currently around 80% state controlled

GDPBYR136 billion in total, BYR14 million per capita (2009 estimates)

National airline/airportBelavia/Minsk International

CurrencyBelarusian rouble (BYR)

Exchange rate£1 = BYR 5,100, US$ 1 = BYR 2,970, € 1 = BYR 3,980

(January 2010)

International dialing code+375

FlagTwo broad horizontal stripes of red and green, red being double the area of green, with traditional patterning of red on a white border down the left-hand side

National anthemМы,Беларусы ('We Belarusians')

National flowerFlax

National bird/animalBlack stork/European bison

National sportIce hockey

Public holidaysI January (New Year's Day), 7 January (Orthodox Christmas), 8 March (Women's Day), Orthodox Easter, Catholic Easter, I May (Labour Day), 9 May (Victory Day, a glorious celebration of the end of the 'Great Patriotic War'), 3 July (Independence Day), 7 November (October Revolution Day), 25 December (Catholic Christmas) and Radunitsa (Ancestors' Remembrance Day) on the ninth day after Orthodox Easter