Country Details
| Land Area |
207,600 sq km |
Population |
10019000 |
| Capital City |
Minsk |
People |
Byelorussian 81.2%, Russian 11.4%, Polish, Ukrainian, and other 7.4% |
| Language |
Byelorusssian, Russian |
Religion |
Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.) |
| Government Type |
republic |
Life Expectancy |
68.14 years |
| HIV/AIDS Rate |
0.28% (1999 est.) |
GNP per Capita |
$7,500 |
| Currency |
Belarusian ruble (BYB/BYR) |
Major Exports |
machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, textil |
| National Holiday |
Independence Day, 3 July (1944); note - 3 July 1944 was the date Minsk was liberated from German troops, 25 August 1991 was the date of independence from the Soviet Union |
Dialing Code |
375 |
| Electricity |
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Malaria Risk |
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| Water Quality |
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Inoculations |
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| Crime |
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Driving License |
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| Photography |
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Entry Regs |
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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. Belarus and Russia signed a treaty on a two-state union on 8 December 1999 envisioning greater political and economic integration. Although Belarus agreed to a framework to carry out the accord, serious implementation has yet to take place.
