Belarus

Europe
Minsk

Population

9.46M

Area

207,600 km²

GDP

$75.96B

GDP Per Capita

$29,000

Quick FAQs

Region

Europe

Capital

Minsk

ISO 3166

by

Government Type

presidential republic in name, although in fact a dictatorship

Language

Russian (official) 71.4%, Belarusian (official) 26%, Learn more

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About Belarus

Belarus is a landlocked country located in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia, covering an area of approximately 207,600 square kilometers. As of 2025, Belarus has a population of over 9 million, with Belarusian and Russian as official languages. The country features mostly flat terrain with extensive forested areas and numerous lakes, experiencing a temperate continental climate with cold winters and mild summers. Minsk serves as the capital.

Belarus has a state-dominated economy with key industries including machinery, chemicals, food processing, and agriculture. The country maintains strong economic and political ties with Russia as part of the Union State framework. Major agricultural products include potatoes, flax, and grains, while industrial output focuses on heavy machinery, tractors, and petrochemicals. The population enjoys high literacy rates and universal healthcare, though the country faces challenges including international sanctions and limited economic diversification.

Geography & Environment

Geographic Location

Eastern Europe, east of Poland

Geographic Coordinate

53 00 N, 28 00 E

Geographic Area

207,600 km²

Climate

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

Terrain

generally flat with much marshland

Natural Hazards

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

Natural Resources

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

Geography Note

N/A

People & Society

Ave. Life Expentancy at Birth

74.4 years

Urbanization

80.70%

Population Growth Rate

-0.44% (2025 est.)

Literacy Rate

N/A

Health Expendeture

11% of GDP (2021)

Education Expenditure

N/A

Languages

Russian (official) 71.4%, Belarusian (official) 26%, other 0.3% (includes small Polish- and Ukrainian-speaking minorities), unspecified 2.3% (2019 est.)

Religions

Orthodox 48.3%, Catholic 7.1%, other 3.5%, non-believers 41.1% (2011 est.)

Government

Country Name

conventional long form

Republic of Belarus

conventional short form

Belarus

local long form

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

local short form

Byelarus' (Belarusian)/ Belarus' (Russian)

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

Economy

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

GDP Per Capita

$29,000

Unemployment Rate

5.9% (2025 est.)

Population Below Poverty Line

3.9% (2022 est.)

Industries

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

Agricultural Products

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

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