Belarus Facts, Map, Population, GDP

Capital

Minsk

Population

9,460,972 (2025 est.)

Area

207,600 sq km

Location

Eastern Europe, east of Poland

🧭 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

Location

Eastern Europe, east of Poland

Geographic coordinates

53 00 N, 28 00 E

Map references

Europe

Area — total

207,600 sq km

Area — land

202,900 sq km

Area — water

4,700 sq km

Area - comparative

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

Land boundaries — total

3,599 km

Land boundaries — border countries

Latvia 161 km; Lithuania 640 km; Poland 375 km; Russia 1,312 km; Ukraine 1,111 km

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims

None (landlocked)

Climate

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

Terrain

Generally flat with much marshland

Elevation — highest point

Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m

Elevation — lowest point

Nyoman River 90 m

Elevation — mean elevation

160 m

Natural resources

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

Land use — agricultural land

39.6% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: arable land

Arable land: 27.4% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent crops

Permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent pasture

Permanent pasture: 11.7% (2023 est.)

Land use — forest

44% (2023 est.)

Land use — other

16.5% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land

260 sq km (2022)

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)

Population distribution

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

Natural hazards

Large tracts of marshy land

Geography - note

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

👥 People and Society⬆️ Top

Population — total

9,460,972 (2025 est.)

Population — male

4,414,771

Population — female

5,046,201

Nationality — noun

Belarusian(s)

Nationality — adjective

Belarusian

Ethnic groups

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

Languages — 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-believers 41.1% (2011 est.)

Age structure — 0-14 years

16.1% (male 787,849/female 741,293)

Age structure — 15-64 years

66.1% (male 3,073,507/female 3,204,088)

Age structure — 65 years and over

17.8% (2024 est.) (male 572,483/female 1,122,231)

Dependency ratios — total dependency ratio

52 (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios — youth dependency ratio

24.1 (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios — elderly dependency ratio

27.9 (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios — potential support ratio

3.6 (2025 est.)

Median age — total

42.5 years (2025 est.)

Median age — male

39.5 years

Median age — female

45 years

Population growth rate

-0.44% (2025 est.)

Birth rate

8.16 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

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

Net migration rate

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

Population distribution

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

Urbanization — urban population

80.7% of total population (2023)

Urbanization — rate of urbanization

0.28% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas - population

2.057 million MINSK (capital) (2023)

Sex ratio — at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — 0-14 years

1.06 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — 15-64 years

0.96 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — 65 years and over

0.51 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — total population

0.88 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

26.8 years (2019 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

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

Infant mortality rate — total

2.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Infant mortality rate — male

2.5 deaths/1,000 live births

Infant mortality rate — female

1.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth — total population

74.7 years (2024 est.)

Life expectancy at birth — male

69.8 years

Life expectancy at birth — female

80 years

Total fertility rate

1.45 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.7 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source — improved: urban

Urban: 99.5% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — improved: rural

Rural: 98.1% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — improved: total

Total: 99.2% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — unimproved: urban

Urban: 0.5% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — unimproved: rural

Rural: 1.9% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — unimproved: total

Total: 0.8% of population (2022 est.)

Health expenditure — Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

6.6% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure — Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

12.3% of national budget (2022 est.)

Physician density

4.72 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

Hospital bed density

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

Sanitation facility access — improved: urban

Urban: 99.9% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — improved: rural

Rural: 98.3% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — improved: total

Total: 99.6% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — unimproved: urban

Urban: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — unimproved: rural

Rural: 1.7% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — unimproved: total

Total: 0.4% of population (2022 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

24.5% (2016)

Alcohol consumption per capita — total

10.57 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — beer

2.26 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — wine

0.98 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — spirits

4.67 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — other alcohols

2.66 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use — total

26.4% (2025 est.)

Tobacco use — male

44.5% (2025 est.)

Tobacco use — female

11.6% (2025 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

62.4% (2019 est.)

Child marriage — women married by age 15

0.1% (2019)

Child marriage — women married by age 18

4.7% (2019)

Child marriage — men married by age 18

1.6% (2019)

Education expenditure — Education expenditure (% GDP)

5% of GDP (2023 est.)

Education expenditure — Education expenditure (% national budget)

13.2% national budget (2024 est.)

Literacy — total population

99.9% (2019 est.)

Literacy — male

99.9% (2019 est.)

Literacy — female

99.9% (2019 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) — total

14 years (2023 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) — male

14 years (2023 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) — female

15 years (2023 est.)

🌿 Environment⬆️ Top

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

International environmental agreements — signed, but not ratified

None of the selected agreements

Climate

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

Land use — agricultural land

39.6% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: arable land

Arable land: 27.4% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent crops

Permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent pasture

Permanent pasture: 11.7% (2023 est.)

Land use — forest

44% (2023 est.)

Land use — other

16.5% (2023 est.)

Urbanization — urban population

80.7% of total population (2023)

Urbanization — rate of urbanization

0.28% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions — total emissions

46.709 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions — from coal and metallurgical coke

1.497 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions — from petroleum and other liquids

15.884 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions — from consumed natural gas

29.328 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

13.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Waste and recycling — municipal solid waste generated annually

4.28 million tons (2024 est.)

Waste and recycling — percent of municipal solid waste recycled

19% (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal — municipal

600 million cubic meters (2022)

Total water withdrawal — industrial

430 million cubic meters (2022)

Total water withdrawal — agricultural

385 million cubic meters (2022)

Total renewable water resources

57.9 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

🏛️ Government⬆️ Top

Country name — conventional long form

Republic of Belarus

Country name — conventional short form

Belarus

Country name — local long form

Respublika Byelarus' (Belarusian)/ Respublika Belarus' (Russian)

Country name — local short form

Byelarus' (Belarusian)/ Belarus' (Russian)

Country name — former

Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic

Country name — 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

Government type

Presidential republic in name, although in fact a dictatorship

Capital — name

Minsk

Capital — geographic coordinates

53 54 N, 27 34 E

Capital — time difference

UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Capital — etymology

The origin of the name is disputed; it may be derived from the Menka River

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)

Legal system

Civil law system

Constitution — history

Several previous; latest drafted between late 1991 and early 1994, signed 15 March 1994

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

International law organization participation

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

Citizenship — citizenship by birth

No

Citizenship — citizenship by descent only

At least one parent must be a citizen of Belarus

Citizenship — dual citizenship recognized

No

Citizenship — residency requirement for naturalization

7 years

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch — chief of state

President Alyaksandr LUKASHENKA (since 20 July 1994)

Executive branch — head of government

Prime Minister Alyaksandr TURCHYN (since 10 March 2025)

Executive branch — cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president

Executive branch — 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

Executive branch — 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)

Executive branch — 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%.

Executive branch — expected date of next election

2030

Legislative branch — legislature name

National Assembly (Natsionalnoye Sobranie)

Legislative branch — legislative structure

Bicameral

Legislative branch - lower chamber — chamber name

House of Representatives (Palata Predstaviteley)

Legislative branch - lower chamber — number of seats

110 (all directly elected)

Legislative branch - lower chamber — electoral system

Plurality/majority

Legislative branch - lower chamber — scope of elections

Full renewal

Legislative branch - lower chamber — term in office

5 years

Legislative branch - lower chamber — most recent election date

2/25/2024

Legislative branch - lower chamber — 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 - lower chamber — percentage of women in chamber

33.9%

Legislative branch - lower chamber — expected date of next election

February 2029

Legislative branch - upper chamber — chamber name

Council of the Republic (Soviet Respubliki)

Legislative branch - upper chamber — number of seats

65 (56 indirectly elected; 8 appointed)

Legislative branch - upper chamber — scope of elections

Full renewal

Legislative branch - upper chamber — term in office

5 years

Legislative branch - upper chamber — most recent election date

4/4/2024

Legislative branch - upper chamber — percentage of women in chamber

30.5%

Legislative branch - upper chamber — expected date of next election

March 2029

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)

Judicial branch — 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

Judicial branch — subordinate courts

Oblast courts; Minsk City Court; town courts; Minsk city and oblast economic courts

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

Diplomatic representation in the US — chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant; recalled by Belarus in 2008); Chargé d'Affaires Pavel SHIDLOWSKI (since 9 August 2022)

Diplomatic representation in the US — chancery

1619 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation in the US — telephone

[1] (202) 986-1606

Diplomatic representation in the US — FAX

[1] (202) 986-1805

Diplomatic representation in the US — email address and website

Usa@mfa.gov.by Embassy of the Republic of Belarus in the United States of America (mfa.gov.by)

Diplomatic representation from the US — chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Michael KREIDLER (since July 2025)

Diplomatic representation from the US — embassy

46 Starovilenskaya Street, Minsk 220002

Diplomatic representation from the US — mailing address

7010 Minsk Place, Washington DC 20521-7010

Diplomatic representation from the US — telephone

[375] (17) 210-12-83

Diplomatic representation from the US — FAX

[375] (17) 334-78-53

Diplomatic representation from the US — email address and website

ConsularMinsk@state.gov 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

Independence

25 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday

Independence Day, 3 July (1944)

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

National symbol(s)

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

National color(s)

Green, red, white

National anthem(s) — title

"My, Bielarusy" (We Belarusians)

National anthem(s) — lyrics/music

Mikhas KLIMKOVICH and Uladzimir KARYZNA/Nester SAKALOUSKI

National anthem(s) — history

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

4 (3 cultural, 1 natural)

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)

💹 Economy⬆️ Top

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

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) — Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$265.22 billion (2024 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) — Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$254.995 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) — Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$244.89 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate — Real GDP growth rate 2024

4% (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate — Real GDP growth rate 2023

4.1% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate — Real GDP growth rate 2022

-4.7% (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita — Real GDP per capita 2024

$29,000 (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita — Real GDP per capita 2023

$27,800 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita — Real GDP per capita 2022

$26,500 (2022 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$75.962 billion (2024 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) — Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

5.8% (2024 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) — Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

5% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) — Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

15.2% (2022 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin — agriculture

6.9% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin — industry

30.7% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin — services

49.7% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — household consumption

56.8% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — government consumption

19% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — investment in fixed capital

23.8% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — investment in inventories

2% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — exports of goods and services

65.1% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — imports of goods and services

-66.9% (2024 est.)

Agricultural products

Milk, sugar beets, potatoes, wheat, triticale, barley, maize, rapeseed, rye, chicken (2023)

Industries

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

Industrial production growth rate

6% (2024 est.)

Labor force

4.817 million (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate — Unemployment rate 2024

3.4% (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate — Unemployment rate 2023

3.5% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate — Unemployment rate 2022

3.6% (2022 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) — total

10.1% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) — male

11.7% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) — female

8.4% (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

3.9% (2022 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income — Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2020

24.4 (2020 est.)

Average household expenditures — on food

29.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Average household expenditures — on alcohol and tobacco

7.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share — lowest 10%

4.5% (2020 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share — highest 10%

20.7% (2020 est.)

Remittances — Remittances 2024

1.8% of GDP (2024 est.)

Remittances — Remittances 2023

1.7% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances — Remittances 2022

2% of GDP (2022 est.)

Budget — revenues

$22.876 billion (2023 est.)

Budget — expenditures

$21.912 billion (2023 est.)

Public debt — Public debt 2019

33.2% of GDP (2019 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

12.7% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

Current account balance — Current account balance 2024

-$1.925 billion (2024 est.)

Current account balance — Current account balance 2023

-$1.104 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance — Current account balance 2022

$2.628 billion (2022 est.)

Exports — Exports 2024

$49.386 billion (2024 est.)

Exports — Exports 2023

$47.714 billion (2023 est.)

Exports — Exports 2022

$47.124 billion (2022 est.)

Exports - partners

China 34%, Kazakhstan 10%, Uzbekistan 7%, Poland 6%, Brazil 5% (2023)

Exports - commodities

Fertilizers, rapeseed oil, wood, poultry, beef (2023)

Imports — Imports 2024

$50.679 billion (2024 est.)

Imports — Imports 2023

$47.459 billion (2023 est.)

Imports — Imports 2022

$42.438 billion (2022 est.)

Imports - partners

China 33%, Poland 16%, Germany 11%, Lithuania 10%, Turkey 9% (2023)

Imports - commodities

Cars, broadcasting equipment, fabric, plastic products, video displays (2023)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold — Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$8.912 billion (2024 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold — Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$8.118 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold — Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$7.923 billion (2022 est.)

Debt - external — Debt - external 2023

$18.01 billion (2023 est.)

Exchange rates — Currency

Belarusian rubles (BYB/BYR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2024

3.246 (2024 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2023

3.007 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2022

2.626 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2021

2.539 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2020

2.44 (2020 est.)

⚡ Energy⬆️ Top

Electricity access — electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity — installed generating capacity

12.653 million kW (2023 est.)

Electricity — consumption

39.883 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity — exports

4.553 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity — imports

4 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity — transmission/distribution losses

3.149 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — fossil fuels

70% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — nuclear

26.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — solar

0.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — wind

0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — hydroelectricity

0.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — biomass and waste

1.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Nuclear energy — Number of operational nuclear reactors

2 (2025)

Nuclear energy — Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors

2.22GW (2025 est.)

Nuclear energy — Percent of total electricity production

28.6% (2023 est.)

Coal — consumption

710,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Coal — exports

966,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Coal — imports

1.635 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum — total petroleum production

30,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Petroleum — refined petroleum consumption

125,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Petroleum — crude oil estimated reserves

198 million barrels (2021 est.)

Natural gas — production

68.494 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

Natural gas — consumption

15.094 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Natural gas — imports

15.433 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Natural gas — proven reserves

2.832 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Energy consumption per capita — Total energy consumption per capita 2023

104.821 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

📡 Communications⬆️ Top

Telephones - fixed lines — total subscriptions

4.14 million (2024 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines — subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

46 (2024 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular — total subscriptions

11.9 million (2024 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular — subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

131 (2024 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.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions — total

3.2 million (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions — subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

35 (2023 est.)

🚚 Transportation⬆️ Top

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

EW

Airports

46 (2025)

Heliports

4 (2025)

Railways — total

5,528 km (2014)

Railways — standard gauge

25 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

Railways — broad gauge

5,503 km (2014) 1.520-m gauge (874 km electrified)

Merchant marine — total

4 (2023)

Merchant marine — by type

Other 4

🛡️ Military and Security⬆️ Top

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)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2024

2% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2023

1.8% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2022

1.7% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2021

1.4% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2020

1.5% of GDP (2020 est.)

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 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)

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)

🌐 Transnational Issues⬆️ Top

Refugees and internally displaced persons — refugees

44,621 (2024 est.)

Refugees and internally displaced persons — 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/