CapitalMinsk
Population9,460,972
Area207,600 km²
GDP per capita$29,000
LanguagesRussian, Belarusian, other , unspecified
CurrencyBelarusian rubles
Life Expectancy74.7 yr
Governmenta presidential republic in name, yet effectively operates as a dictatorship
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
water
4,700 sq km
total
207,600 sq km
Climate
characterized by cold winters and cool, humid summers; it represents a transition between continental and maritime climates
Terrain
predominantly flat and contains extensive marshland
Land use
other
16.5% (2023 est.)
forest
44% (2023 est.)
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.)
Location
located in Eastern Europe, to the east of Poland
Coastline
0 km (landlocked)
Elevation
lowest point
Nyoman River 90 m
highest point
Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m
mean elevation
160 m
Irrigated land
260 sq km (2022)
Map references
Europe
Land boundaries
total
3,599 km
border countries
Latvia: 161 km; Lithuania: 640 km; Poland: 375 km; Russia: 1,312 km; Ukraine: 1,111 km
Maritime claims
none (landlocked)
Natural hazards
vast areas of wetland
Geography - note
being landlocked, the flat landscape of Belarus is a result of glacial erosion, contributing to its 11,000 lakes
Natural resources
resources include timber, peat, minor reserves of oil and natural gas, as well as granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, and clay
Area - comparative
approximately 1.8 times the area of Kentucky; somewhat smaller than Kansas
Geographic coordinates
53 00 N, 28 00 E
Population distribution
there is a relatively uniform population distribution across most of the nation, with urban regions experiencing higher density
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Atlantic Ocean drainage
(Black Sea) Dnieper (533,966 sq km)
Major rivers (by length in km)
Dnyapro (Dnieper) (shared with Russia [s] and Ukraine [m]) - 2,287 km
note: [s] denotes river source after the country name; [m] denotes river mouth after the country name
People & Society
Literacy
male
99.9% (2019 est.)
female
99.9% (2019 est.)
total population
99.9% (2019 est.)
Languages
Languages
Russian (official) 71.4%, Belarusian (official) 26%, other 0.3% (which includes small minorities speaking Polish and Ukrainian), unspecified 2.3% (2019 estimation)
major-language sample(s)
Книга фактов о мире – незаменимый источник базовой информации. (Russian)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions
Orthodox 48.3%, Catholic 7.1%, other 3.5%, non-religious 41.1% (2011 estimation)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years
1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years
0.96 male(s)/female
total population
0.88 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
65 years and over
0.51 male(s)/female
Birth rate
8.16 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
13.21 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median age
male
39.5 years
total
42.5 years (2025 est.)
female
45 years
Population
male
4,414,771
total
9,460,972 (2025 est.)
female
5,046,201
Nationality
noun
Belarusian(s)
adjective
Belarusian
Tobacco use
male
44.5% (2025 est.)
total
26.4% (2025 est.)
female
11.6% (2025 est.)
Urbanization
urban population
80.7% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
0.28% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
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)
Ethnic groups
Belarusian 83.7%, Russian 8.3%, Polish 3.1%, Ukrainian 1.7%, other 2.4%, unspecified 0.9% (2009 estimation)
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)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio
52 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio
24.1 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio
3.6 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio
27.9 (2025 est.)
Physician density
4.72 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
Health expenditure
Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
6.6% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
12.3% of national budget (2022 est.)
Net migration rate
0.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Hospital bed density
9.7 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.45 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Drinking water source
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.)
Infant mortality rate
male
2.5 deaths/1,000 live births
total
2.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
female
1.7 deaths/1,000 live births
Population growth rate
-0.44% (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
0.7 (2025 est.)
Population distribution
a relatively uniform distribution across most regions of the nation, with urban centers drawing in larger and more concentrated populations
Life expectancy at birth
male
69.8 years
female
80 years
total population
74.7 years (2024 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
1 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Sanitation facility access
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.)
Alcohol consumption per capita
beer
2.26 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine
0.98 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
total
10.57 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits
4.67 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols
2.66 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Major urban areas - population
2.057 million MINSK (capital) (2023)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
24.5% (2016)
Mother's mean age at first birth
26.8 years (2019 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
62.4% (2019 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
male
14 years (2023 est.)
total
14 years (2023 est.)
female
15 years (2023 est.)
Environment
Climate
frigid winters, temperate and humid summers; intermediate climate between continental and maritime
Land use
other
16.5% (2023 est.)
forest
44% (2023 est.)
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.)
Urbanization
urban population
80.7% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
0.28% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually
4.28 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled
19% (2022 est.)
Environmental issues
contamination of soil due to pesticide application; the southern region of the nation affected by fallout from the 1986 nuclear reactor disaster at Chornobyl' in northern Ukraine
Total water withdrawal
municipal
600 million cubic meters (2022)
industrial
430 million cubic meters (2022)
agricultural
385 million cubic meters (2022)
Carbon dioxide emissions
total emissions
46.709 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas
29.328 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke
1.497 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids
15.884 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions
13.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Total renewable water resources
57.9 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
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
Government
Flag
description: a red horizontal stripe at the top, beneath which lies a green horizontal stripe that is half the width of the red band; to the left, a white vertical stripe displays traditional Belarusian patterns in red
meaning: the red symbolizes historical struggles against oppression, while the green represents hope and the nation's forests
Capital
name
Minsk
etymology
the etymology of the name is contested; it could possibly originate from the Menka River
time difference
UTC+3 (8 hours in advance of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
geographic coordinates
53 54 N, 27 34 E
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
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
Constitution
history
multiple prior versions; the most recent was crafted between late 1991 and early 1994, officially signed on 15 March 1994
amendment process
initiated by the republic's president through a petition to the National Assembly or by a petition signed by at least 150,000 eligible voters; ratification demands a two-thirds majority in both legislative chambers or a simple majority in a referendum
Country name
former
Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic
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
local long form
Respublika Byelarus' (Belarusian)/ Respublika Belarus' (Russian)
local short form
Byelarus' (Belarusian)/ Belarus' (Russian)
conventional long form
Republic of Belarus
conventional short form
Belarus
Independence
25 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
Legal system
civil law system
Government type
a presidential republic in name, yet effectively operates as a dictatorship
Judicial branch
highest court(s)
Supreme Court (composed of a chairman, a deputy chairman, and various specialized panels, including economic and military; the president of the republic and the court chairman determine the number of judges); Constitutional Court (comprises 12 judges, including a chairman and deputy chairman)
subordinate courts
oblast courts; Minsk City Court; municipal courts; economic courts in Minsk city and oblast
judge selection and term of office
Supreme Court judges are appointed by the president with the approval of the Council of the Republic; they are initially appointed for five years and assessed for potential life tenure; Constitutional Court judges consist of six appointed by the president and six elected by the Council of the Republic; the presiding judge is directly elected by the president and confirmed by the Council of the Republic; judges can serve for 11 years, with a maximum age limit of 70
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 retains the presidency; election results show Alyaksandr LUKASHENKA (independent) at 86.8%, Sergey Syrankov (Communist Party) at 3.2%, and 3.6% voting against all
2020: Alyaksandr LUKASHENKA reelected as president; vote percentages - Alyaksandr LUKASHENKA (independent) 80.1%, Svyatlana TSIKHANOWSKAYA (independent) 10.1%, others 9.8%; note - significant public protests erupted after the announcement of the election results due to allegations of electoral fraud
2015: Alyaksandr LUKASHENKA elected president; vote percentages - Alyaksandr LUKASHENKA (independent) 84.1%, Tatsyana KARATKEVIC (BSDPH) 4.4%, Sergey GAYDUKEVICH (LDP) 3.3%, others 8.2%.
head of government
Prime Minister Alyaksandr TURCHYN (since 10 March 2025)
most recent election date
the inaugural election took place on 23 June and 10 July 1994; the 1994 constitution scheduled the next election for 1999, but Alyaksandr LUKASHENKA prolonged his term to 2001 through a referendum; the following election occurred in 2001; a 2004 referendum abolished presidential term limits, enabling LUKASHENKA to run and secure a third term (19 March 2006), a fourth term (19 December 2010), a fifth term (11 October 2015), a sixth term (9 August 2020), and a seventh term (26 January 2025)
election/appointment process
the president is directly elected by an absolute-majority popular vote in two rounds, if necessary, for a five-year term (with no term limits); the prime minister and deputy prime ministers are appointed by the president and must be approved by the National Assembly
expected date of next election
2030
National holiday
Independence Day, 3 July (1944)
National color(s)
green, red, white
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites
4 (3 cultural, 1 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales
Białowieża Forest (n); Mir Castle Complex (c); Architectural, Residential, and Cultural Complex of the Radziwill Family at Nesvizh (c)
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
Legislative branch
legislature name
National Assembly (Natsionalnoye Sobranie)
legislative structure
bicameral
National anthem(s)
title
"My, Bielarusy" (We Belarusians)
history
music adopted in 1955, lyrics adopted in 2002; following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Belarus preserved the melody of its Soviet-era anthem but introduced new lyrics; it is also referred to as "Dziarzauny himn Respubliki Bielarus" (State Anthem of the Republic of Belarus)
lyrics/music
Mikhas KLIMKOVICH and Uladzimir KARYZNA/Nester SAKALOUSKI
National symbol(s)
there is no official symbol; however, the mounted knight known as Pahonia (the Chaser) serves as the traditional emblem
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)
Legislative branch - lower chamber
chamber name
House of Representatives (Palata Predstaviteley)
term in office
5 years
number of seats
110 (all directly elected)
electoral system
plurality/majority
scope of elections
full renewal
most recent election date
2/25/2024
expected date of next election
February 2029
percentage of women in chamber
33.9%
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)
Legislative branch - upper chamber
chamber name
Council of the Republic (Soviet Respubliki)
term in office
5 years
number of seats
65 (56 indirectly elected; 8 appointed)
scope of elections
full renewal
most recent election date
4/4/2024
expected date of next election
March 2029
percentage of women in chamber
30.5%
Diplomatic representation in the US
FAX
[1] (202) 986-1805
chancery
1619 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone
[1] (202) 986-1606
chief of mission
Ambassador (vacant; recalled by Belarus in 2008); Chargé d'Affaires Pavel SHIDLOWSKI (since 9 August 2022)
email address and website
[email protected]
Embassy of the Republic of Belarus in the United States of America (mfa.gov.by)
Diplomatic representation from the US
FAX
[375] (17) 334-78-53
embassy
46 Starovilenskaya Street, Minsk 220002
telephone
[375] (17) 210-12-83
mailing address
7010 Minsk Place, Washington DC 20521-7010
chief of mission
Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Michael KREIDLER (since July 2025)
email address and website
[email protected]
https://by.usembassy.gov/
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
International law organization participation
has not filed a declaration of jurisdiction with the ICJ; is not a member of the ICCt
Economy
Budget
revenues
$22.876 billion (2023 est.)
expenditures
$21.912 billion (2023 est.)
Exports
Exports 2022
$47.124 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2023
$47.714 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2024
$49.386 billion (2024 est.)
Imports
Imports 2022
$42.438 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2023
$47.459 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2024
$50.679 billion (2024 est.)
Industries
metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earthmovers, motorcycles, synthetic fibers, fertilizers, textiles, refrigerators, washing machines, and various other household appliances
Labor force
4.817 million (2024 est.)
Public debt
Public debt 2019
33.2% of GDP (2019 est.)
Remittances
Remittances 2022
2% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2023
1.7% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2024
1.8% of GDP (2024 est.)
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.)
Debt - external
Debt - external 2023
$18.01 billion (2023 est.)
Economic overview
the reduction of Russian energy subsidies is set to conclude in 2024; increasing public debt; significant currency pressures have resulted in heightened inflation; recent implementation of price controls on essential food items and medications; increases in public sector wages alongside a vulnerable private sector pose risks to household income growth and overall economic advancement
Unemployment rate
Unemployment rate 2022
3.6% (2022 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023
3.5% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2024
3.4% (2024 est.)
Exports - partners
China 34%, Kazakhstan 10%, Uzbekistan 7%, Poland 6%, Brazil 5% (2023)
Imports - partners
China 33%, Poland 16%, Germany 11%, Lithuania 10%, Turkey 9% (2023)
Real GDP per capita
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.)
Real GDP growth rate
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.)
Agricultural products
milk, sugar beets, potatoes, wheat, triticale, barley, maize, rapeseed, rye, chicken (2023)
Exports - commodities
fertilizers, rapeseed oil, wood, poultry, beef (2023)
Imports - commodities
cars, broadcasting equipment, fabric, plastic products, video displays (2023)
Current account balance
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.)
Taxes and other revenues
12.7% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$75.962 billion (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption
56.8% (2024 est.)
government consumption
19% (2024 est.)
investment in inventories
2% (2024 est.)
investment in fixed capital
23.8% (2024 est.)
exports of goods and services
65.1% (2024 est.)
imports of goods and services
-66.9% (2024 est.)
Population below poverty line
3.9% (2022 est.)
Average household expenditures
on food
29.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco
7.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
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.)
Industrial production growth rate
6% (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
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.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
male
11.7% (2024 est.)
total
10.1% (2024 est.)
female
8.4% (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
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.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
industry
30.7% (2024 est.)
services
49.7% (2024 est.)
agriculture
6.9% (2024 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
4.5% (2020 est.)
highest 10%
20.7% (2020 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2020
24.4 (2020 est.)
Energy
Coal
exports
966,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports
1.635 million metric tons (2023 est.)
consumption
710,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
total petroleum production
30,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves
198 million barrels (2021 est.)
refined petroleum consumption
125,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Electricity
exports
4.553 billion kWh (2023 est.)
imports
4 billion kWh (2023 est.)
consumption
39.883 billion kWh (2023 est.)
installed generating capacity
12.653 million kW (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses
3.149 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Natural gas
imports
15.433 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
production
68.494 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption
15.094 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves
2.832 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Nuclear energy
Number of operational nuclear reactors
2 (2025)
Percent of total electricity production
28.6% (2023 est.)
Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors
2.22GW (2025 est.)
Electricity access
electrification - total population
100% (2022 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
Total energy consumption per capita 2023
104.821 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources
wind
0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar
0.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
nuclear
26.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
fossil fuels
70% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity
0.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
biomass and waste
1.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Communications
Internet users
percent of population
92% (2023 est.)
Broadcast media
There are 7 national television channels that are under state control; in certain regions, broadcasts from Polish and Russian television can be accessed; the state-operated Belarusian Radio runs 5 national networks along with an external service; broadcasts in Russian and Polish are also available via radio (2019)
Internet country code
.by
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions
4.14 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
46 (2024 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions
11.9 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
131 (2024 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total
3.2 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
35 (2023 est.)
Transportation
Airports
46 (2025)
Railways
total
5,528 km (2014)
broad gauge
5,503 km (2014) 1.520-m gauge (874 km electrified)
standard gauge
25 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge
Heliports
4 (2025)
Merchant marine
total
4 (2023)
by type
other 4
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
EW
Military & Security
Military - note
The Belarusian military is tasked with safeguarding national territory; Russia serves as its primary security ally, and the military engages in collaborative training exercises alongside Russian forces. In 2022, Belarus permitted the Russian military to conduct operations from its territory as part of the invasion of Ukraine. Furthermore, in 2023, Belarus consented to allow Russia to station nuclear weapons within its borders.
Since 1994, Belarus has been a participant in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and has contributed an airborne brigade to the CSTO's rapid reaction force. The military frequently conducts training exercises with other CSTO member states (2025).
Military expenditures
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.)
Military and security forces
Belarus Armed Forces: Consists of Army, Air and Air Defense Force, Special Operations Force, Special Troops, and Territorial Defense Forces.
Ministry of Interior: Encompasses State Border Troops, Militia, and Internal Troops (2025).
Military service age and obligation
Individuals aged 18-27 are required to serve in military or alternative service; the duration of conscript service is between 12 to 18 months, contingent on educational qualifications, while alternative service lasts 24 to 36 months. Those who are 17 years old may enroll as cadets in military higher education institutions, where they are recognized as military personnel (2025).
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
The military's arsenal primarily consists of equipment of Russian and Soviet origin; Belarus's defense sector produces some military equipment, predominantly modernized Soviet designs, which includes vehicles, guided munitions, and electronic warfare systems (2025).
Military and security service personnel strengths
There are approximately 50,000 to 60,000 active-duty military personnel (2025).
Transnational Issues
Trafficking in persons
tier rating
Tier 3 — Belarus fails to fully satisfy the minimum criteria for eradicating trafficking and is not demonstrating substantial efforts to address this issue; consequently, Belarus continues to be classified as Tier 3. For further information, visit: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/belarus/
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees
44,621 (2024 est.)
stateless persons
5,620 (2024 est.)
