total: 50 country comparison to the world: 70 by type: bulk carrier 16, cargo 25, container 5, petroleum tanker 4
foreign-owned: 4 (China 1, Singapore 3)
registered in other countries: 9 (Comoros 1, Malta 1, Panama 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Sierra Leone 1, Singapore 2) (2010)
Ports and terminals:
Chittagong, Mongla Port
Transportation - note:
the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial waters of Bangladesh as high risk for armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked both at anchor and while underway; crews have been robbed and stores or cargoes stolen
Military ::Bangladesh
Military branches:
Bangladesh Defense Force: Bangladesh Army (Sena Bahini), Bangladesh Navy (Noh Bahini, BN), Bangladesh Air Force (Biman Bahini, BAF) (2010)
Military service age and obligation:
16 years of age for voluntary enlisted military service (Air Force); 17 years of age (Army and Navy); conscription is by law possible in times of emergency, but has never been implemented (2010)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 36,560,110 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 25,310,750
females age 16-49: 32,154,153 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 1,550,385
female: 1,676,137 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.3% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 112
Transnational Issues ::Bangladesh
Disputes - international:
discussions with India remain stalled to delimit a small section of river boundary, exchange territory for 51 small Bangladeshi exclaves in India and 111 small Indian exclaves in Bangladesh, allocate divided villages, and stop illegal cross-border trade, migration, violence, and transit of terrorists through the porous border; Bangladesh protests India's fencing and walling off high-traffic sections of the porous boundary; a joint Bangladesh-India boundary commission resurveyed and reconstructed 92 missing pillars in 2007; after 21 years, Bangladesh in January 2008 resumed talks with Burma on delimiting a maritime boundary
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 26,268 (Burma)
IDPs: 65,000 (land conflicts, religious persecution) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Bangladesh is a source and transit country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; a significant share of Bangladesh's trafficking victims are men recruited for work overseas with fraudulent employment offers who are subsequently exploited under conditions of forced labor or debt bondage; children are trafficked within Bangladesh for commercial sexual exploitation, bonded labor, and forced labor; women and children from Bangladesh are also trafficked to India and Pakistan for sexual exploitation
tier rating: Bangladesh is placed on Tier 2 Watch List because it does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so, including some progress in addressing sex trafficking; the government did not demonstrate sufficient progress in criminally prosecuting and convicting labor trafficking offenders, particularly those responsible for the recruitment of Bangladeshi workers for the purpose of labor trafficking (2009)
Illicit drugs:
transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries
page last updated on January 20, 2011
======================================================================
@Barbados (Central America and Caribbean)
Introduction ::Barbados
Background:
The island was uninhabited when first settled by the British in 1627. Slaves worked the sugar plantations established on the island until 1834 when slavery was abolished. The economy remained heavily dependent on sugar, rum, and molasses production through most of the 20th century. The gradual introduction of social and political reforms in the 1940s and 1950s led to complete independence from the UK in 1966. In the 1990s, tourism and manufacturing surpassed the sugar industry in economic importance.
Geography ::Barbados
Location:
Caribbean, island in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 430 sq km country comparison to the world: 200 land: 430 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
97 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; rainy season (June to October)
Terrain:
relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Hillaby 336 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, fish, natural gas
Land use:
arable land: 37.21%
permanent crops: 2.33%
other: 60.46% (2005)
Irrigated land:
50 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
0.1 cu km (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.09 cu km/yr (33%/44%/22%)
per capita: 333 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides
Environment - current issues:
pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination of aquifers
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
easternmost Caribbean island
People ::Barbados
Population:
285,653 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 180
Age structure:
0-14 years: 19.2% (male 27,383/female 27,352)
15-64 years: 71.3% (male 99,829/female 103,049)
65 years and over: 9.5% (male 10,464/female 16,512) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 36.2 years
male: 35.1 years
female: 37.2 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.374% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 167
Birth rate:
12.43 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 159
Death rate:
8.39 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 89
Net migration rate:
-0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 133
Urbanization:
urban population: 40% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.012 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 12.09 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 138 male: 13.42 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 10.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.14 years country comparison to the world: 101 male: 71.88 years
female: 76.42 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.68 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 171
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 49
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
2,200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 137
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 100 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 152
Nationality:
noun: Barbadian(s) or Bajan (colloquial)
adjective: Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial)
Ethnic groups:
black 93%, white 3.2%, mixed 2.6%, East Indian 1%, other 0.2% (2000 census)
Religions:
Protestant 63.4% (Anglican 28.3%, Pentecostal 18.7%, Methodist 5.1%, other 11.3%), Roman Catholic 4.2%, other Christian 7%, other 4.8%, none or unspecified 20.6% (2008 est.)
Languages:
English
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 99.7%
male: 99.7%
female: 99.7% (2002 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 13 years
male: 13 years
female: 14 years (2001)
Education expenditures:
6.7% of GDP (2008) country comparison to the world: 26
Government ::Barbados
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Barbados
Government type:
parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
Capital:
name: Bridgetown
geographic coordinates: 13 06 N, 59 37 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
11 parishes and 1 city*; Bridgetown*, Christ Church, Saint Andrew, Saint George, Saint James, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Lucy, Saint Michael, Saint Peter, Saint Philip, Saint Thomas
Independence:
30 November 1966 (from the UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 30 November (1966)
Constitution:
30 November 1966
Legal system:
English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Sir Clifford Straughn HUSBANDS (since 1 June 1996)
head of government: Prime Minister Fruendel STUART (since 23 October 2010)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; the prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (21 seats; members appointed by the governor general - 12 on the advice of the Prime Minister, 2 on the advice of the opposition leader, and 7 at his discretion) and the House of Assembly (30 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Assembly - last held on 15 January 2008 (next to be called in 2012)
election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - DLP 52.5%, BLP 47.3%; seats by party - DLP 20, BLP 10
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Judicature consists of a High Court and a Court ofAppeal (judges are appointed by the Service Commissions for theJudicial and Legal Services); Caribbean Court of Justice or CCJ isthe highest court of appeal; based in Port of Spain, Trinidad andTobago
Political parties and leaders:
Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Owen ARTHUR]; Democratic Labor Party orDLP [Freundel STUART]; People's Empowerment Party or PEP [DavidCOMISSIONG]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Barbados Secondary Teachers' Union or BSTU [Patrick FROST]; BarbadosUnion of Teachers or BUT [Herbert GITTENS]; Congress of Trade Unionsand Staff Associations of Barbados or CTUSAB, (includes the BWU,NUPW, BUT, and BSTU) [Leroy TROTMAN]; Barbados Workers Union or BWU[Leroy TROTMAN]; Clement Payne Labor Union [David COMISSIONG];National Union of Public Workers [Joseph GODDARD]
International organization participation:
ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO,ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador John BEALE
chancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 939-9200
consulate(s) general: Miami, New York
consulate(s): Los Angeles
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d' Affaires D. Brent HARDT
embassy: U.S. Embassy, Wildey Business Park, Wildey, St. Michael BB 14006
mailing address: P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown BB 11000; CMR 1014, APO AA 34055
telephone: [1] (246) 227-4399
Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold, and blue with the head of a black trident centered on the gold band; the band colors represent the blue of the sea and sky and the gold of the beaches; the trident head represents independence and a break with the past (the colonial coat of arms contained a complete trident)
National anthem:
name: "The National Anthem of Barbados"
lyrics/music: Irving BURGIE/C. Van Roland EDWARDS
note: adopted 1966; the anthem is also known as "In Plenty and In Time of Need"
Economy ::Barbados
Economy - overview:
Historically, the Barbadian economy was dependent on sugarcane cultivation and related activities. However, in recent years the economy has diversified into light industry and tourism with about three-quarters of GDP and 80% of exports being attributed to services. Growth has rebounded since 2003, bolstered by increases in construction projects and tourism revenues, reflecting its success in the higher-end segment, but the sector faced declining revenues in 2009 with the global economic downturn. The country enjoys one of the highest per capita incomes in the region. Offshore finance and information services are important foreign exchange earners and thrive from having the same time zone as eastern US financial centers and a relatively highly educated workforce. The government continues its efforts to reduce unemployment, to encourage direct foreign investment, and to privatize remaining state-owned enterprises. The public debt-to-GDP ratio rose to over 100% in 2009, largely because a sharp slowdown in tourism and financial services led to a wide budget deficit.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$6.196 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 154 $6.24 billion (2009 est.)
$6.603 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$3.963 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
-0.7% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 197 -5.5% (2009 est.)
-0.2% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$21,700 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 60 $21,900 (2009 est.)
$23,300 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 6%
industry: 16%
services: 78% (2000 est.)
Labor force:
175,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 174
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 10%
industry: 15%
services: 75% (1996 est.)
Unemployment rate:
10.7% (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 116
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Public debt:
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 151
Central bank discount rate:
7% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 45 10% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
9.25% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 91 10.03% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$1.793 billion (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 123 $1.748 billion (31 December 2008)
Stock of broad money:
$4.563 billion (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 124 $4.618 billion (31 December 2008)
Stock of domestic credit:
$4.554 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 111 $4.124 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 81 $4.964 billion (31 December 2008)
$5.599 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, vegetables, cotton
Industries:
tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export
Industrial production growth rate:
-3.2% (2000 est.) country comparison to the world: 163
Electricity - production:
1.003 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 145
Electricity - consumption:
939.9 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 146
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
765 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 107
Oil - consumption:
9,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 151
Oil - exports:
1,750 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 117
Oil - imports:
10,390 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 138
Oil - proved reserves:
1.79 million bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 96
Natural gas - production:
29.17 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 87
Natural gas - consumption:
29.17 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 110
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 49
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 74
Natural gas - proved reserves:
113.3 million cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 101
Current account balance:
-$254 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 94
Exports:
$385 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 172
Exports - commodities:
manufactures, sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals, electrical components
Exports - partners:
Trinidad and Tobago 17.48%, Jamaica 15.63%, US 8.93%, Saint Lucia 8.13%, UK 5.36%, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 5.04%, Antigua and Barbuda 4.12% (2009)
Imports:
$1.586 billion (2006) country comparison to the world: 159
Imports - commodities:
consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components
Imports - partners:
Trinidad and Tobago 28.52%, US 27.96%, Colombia 7.13%, China 4.76%,UK 4.39% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$620 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 117
Debt - external:
$668 million (2003) country comparison to the world: 155
Exchange rates:
Barbadian dollars (BBD) per US dollar - NA (2007), 2 (2006), 2 (2005), 2 (2004), 2 (2003)
Communications ::Barbados
Telephones - main lines in use:
135,700 (2009) country comparison to the world: 136
Telephones - mobile cellular:
337,100 (2009) country comparison to the world: 168
Telephone system:
general assessment: island-wide automatic telephone system
domestic: fixed-line teledensity of roughly 50 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density approaching 125 per 100 persons
international: country code - 1-246; landing point for the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) submarine cable with links to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad; satellite earth stations - 1 (Intelsat -Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and Saint Lucia (2009)
Broadcast media:
government-owned Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) operates the lone terrestrial television station; CBC also operates a multi-channel cable TV subscription service; roughly a dozen radio stations, consisting of a CBC-operated network alongside privately-owned radio stations, in operation (2007)
Internet country code:
.bb
Internet hosts:
1,508 (2010) country comparison to the world: 159
Internet users:
188,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 143
Transportation ::Barbados
Airports:
1 (2010) country comparison to the world: 233
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2010)
Roadways:
total: 1,600 km country comparison to the world: 176 paved: 1,600 km (2004)
Merchant marine:
total: 95 country comparison to the world: 52 by type: bulk carrier 19, cargo 55, chemical tanker 9, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 4, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: 89 (Canada 13, Greece 14, Iran 4, Lebanon 2, Norway 41, Sweden 6, Syria 1, Turkey 1, UK 7)
registered in other countries: 1 (unknown 1) (2010)
Ports and terminals:
Bridgetown
Military ::Barbados
Military branches:
Royal Barbados Defense Force: Troops Command, Barbados Coast Guard (2010)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service (younger volunteers require parental consent); no conscription (2009)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 74,418
females age 16-49: 74,450 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 58,532
females age 16-49: 58,542 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 1,897
female: 1,884 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.8% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 151
Military - note:
the Royal Barbados Defense Force includes a land-based Troop Command and a small Coast Guard; the primary role of the land element is to defend the island against external aggression; the Command consists of a single, part-time battalion with a small regular cadre that is deployed throughout the island; it increasingly supports the police in patrolling the coastline to prevent smuggling and other illicit activities (2007)
Transnational Issues ::Barbados
Disputes - international:
Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago abide by the April 2006 Permanent Court of Arbitration decision delimiting a maritime boundary and limiting catches of flying fish in Trinidad and Tobago's exclusive economic zone; joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea
Illicit drugs:
one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for Europe and the US; offshore financial center
page last updated on January 11, 2011
======================================================================
@Belarus (Europe)
Introduction ::Belarus
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. 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. Since his election in July 1994 as the country's first president, Aleksandr LUKASHENKO has steadily consolidated his power through authoritarian means. Government restrictions on freedom of speech and the press, peaceful assembly, and religion remain in place.
Geography ::Belarus
Location:
Eastern Europe, east of Poland
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 207,600 sq km country comparison to the world: 85 land: 202,900 sq km
water: 4,700 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Kansas
Land boundaries:
total: 3,306 km
border countries: Latvia 171 km, Lithuania 680 km, Poland 605 km, Russia 959 km, Ukraine 891 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime
Terrain:
generally flat and contains much marshland
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Nyoman River 90 m
highest point: Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m
Natural resources:
timber, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas, granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, clay
Land use:
arable land: 26.77%
permanent crops: 0.6%
other: 72.63% (2005)
Irrigated land:
1,310 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
58 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 2.79 cu km/yr (23%/47%/30%)
per capita: 286 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
Environment - current issues:
soil pollution from pesticide use; southern part of the country contaminated with fallout from 1986 nuclear reactor accident at Chornobyl' in northern Ukraine
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, AirPollution-Sulfur 85, Biodiversity, Climate Change, ClimateChange-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, MarineDumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
landlocked; glacial scouring accounts for the flatness of Belarusian terrain and for its 11,000 lakes
People ::Belarus
Population:
9,612,632 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 88
Age structure:
0-14 years: 14.3% (male 707,550/female 667,560)
15-64 years: 71.3% (male 3,337,253/female 3,540,916)
65 years and over: 14.5% (male 446,746/female 948,508) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 38.8 years
male: 35.8 years
female: 41.8 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.368% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 221
Birth rate:
9.76 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 198
Death rate:
13.81 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 19
Net migration rate:
0.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 65
Urbanization:
urban population: 73% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.062 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.47 male(s)/female
total population: 0.87 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.34 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 174 male: 7.34 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.92 years country comparison to the world: 139 male: 65.26 years
female: 76.93 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.25 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 215
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 94
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
13,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 91
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
1,100 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 69
Nationality:
noun: Belarusian(s)
adjective: Belarusian
Ethnic groups:
Belarusian 81.2%, Russian 11.4%, Polish 3.9%, Ukrainian 2.4%, other 1.1% (1999 census)
Religions:
Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic, Protestant,Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.)
Languages:
Belarusian (official) 36.7%, Russian (official) 62.8%, other 0.5% (includes small Polish- and Ukrainian-speaking minorities) (1999 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.6%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.4% (1999 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 15 years
male: 14 years
female: 15 years (2007)
Education expenditures:
5.2% of GDP (2007) country comparison to the world: 56
Government ::Belarus
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Belarus
conventional short form: Belarus
local long form: Respublika Byelarus'
local short form: Byelarus'
former: Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic
Government type:
republic in name, although in fact a dictatorship
Capital:
name: Minsk
geographic coordinates: 53 54 N, 27 34 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
6 provinces (voblastsi, singular - voblasts') and 1 municipality* (horad); Brest, Homyel' (Gomel), Horad Minsk* (Minsk City), Hrodna (Grodno), Mahilyow (Mogilev), Minsk, Vitsyebsk (Vitebsk)
note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers; Russian spelling provided for reference when different from Belarusian
Independence:
25 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
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
Constitution:
15 March 1994; revised by national referendum of 24 November 1996 giving the presidency greatly expanded powers and became effective 27 November 1996; revised again 17 October 2004 removing presidential term limits
Legal system:
based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (since 20 July 1994)
head of government: Prime Minister Mikhail MYASNIKOVICH (since 28 December 2010); First Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir SEMASHKO (since December 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; first election took place on 23 June and 10 July 1994; according to the 1994 constitution, the next election should have been held in 1999, however, Aleksandr LUKASHENKO extended his term to 2001 via a November 1996 referendum; subsequent election held on 9 September 2001; an October 2004 referendum ended presidential term limits and allowed the president to run in a third (19 March 2006) and fourth election (19 December 2010); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president
election results: Aleksandr LUKASHENKO reelected president; percent of vote - Aleksandr LUKASHENKO 79.7%, Andrey SANNIKAU 2.6%, other candidates 17.7%; note - election marred by electoral fraud
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Assembly or Natsionalnoye Sobraniye consists of the Council of the Republic or Sovet Respubliki (64 seats; 56 members elected by regional and Minsk city councils and 8 members appointed by the president, to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Representatives or Palata Predstaviteley (110 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Palata Predstaviteley - last held on 28 September 2008 (next to be held in the spring of 2012); international observers determined that despite minor improvements the election ultimately fell short of democratic standards; pro-LUKASHENKO candidates won every seat
election results: Sovet Respubliki - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Palata Predstaviteley - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); Constitutional Court (half of the judges appointed by the president and half appointed by the Chamber of Representatives)
Political parties and leaders:
pro-government parties: Belarusian Agrarian Party or AP [MikhailSHIMANSKY]; Belarusian Patriotic Movement (Belarusian PatrioticParty) or BPR [Nikolay ULAKHOVICH, chairman]; Communist Party ofBelarus or KPB [Tatsyana HOLUBEVA]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP[Sergey GAYDUKEVICH]; Republican Party of Labor and Justice [VasiliyZADNEPRYANYY]
opposition parties: Belarusian Christian Democracy Party [Pavel SEVERINETS] (unregistered); Belarusian Party of Communists or PKB [Sergey KALYAKIN]; Belarusian Party of Labor [Aleksandr BUKHVOSTOV] (unregistered); Belarusian Popular Front or BPF [Aleksey YANUKEVICH]; Belarusian Social-Democratic Hramada [Stanislav SHUSHKEVICH]; Belarusian Social Democratic Party Hramada ("Assembly") or BSDPH [Anatoliy LEVKOVICH]; Belarusian Social Democratic Party People's Assembly ("Narodnaya Hramada") [Nikolay STATKEVICH] (unregistered); Belarusian Women's Party Nadzeya ("Hope") [Yelena YESKOVA, chairperson]; Christian Conservative Party or BPF [Zyanon PAZNIAK]; European Belarus Campaign [Andrey SANNIKOV]; Party of Freedom and Progress [Vladimir NOVOSYAD] (unregistered); "Tell the Truth" Campaign [Vladimir NEKLYAYEV]; United Civic Party or UCP [Anatoliy LEBEDKO]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Assembly of Pro-Democratic NGOs (unregistered) [Sergey MATSKEVICH];Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions [Aleksandr YAROSHUK];Belarusian Association of Journalists [Zhana LITVINA]; BelarusianHelsinki Committee [Aleh HULAK]; Belarusian Independence Bloc(unregistered) and For Freedom movement [Aleksandr MILINKEVICH];Belarusian Organization of Working Women [Irina ZHIKHAR]; BPF-Youth[Andrus KRECHKA]; Charter 97 (unregistered) [Andrey SANNIKOV];Perspektiva small business association [Anatol SHUMCHENKO]; NashaVyasna (unregistered) ("Our Spring") human rights center; "Tell theTruth" Movement [Vladimir NEKLYAYEV]; Women's Independent DemocraticMovement [Ludmila PETINA]; Young Belarus (Malady Belarus) [ZmitserKASPYAROVICH]; Youth Front (Malady Front) [Zmitser DASHKEVICH]
International organization participation:
BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CEI, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD,FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMSO,Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, NSG, OPCW, OSCE,PCA, PFP, SCO (dialogue member), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO,UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Oleg KRAVCHENKO
chancery: 1619 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 986-1604
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Michael SCANLAN
embassy: 46 Starovilenskaya Street, Minsk 220002
mailing address: PSC 78, Box B Minsk, APO 09723
telephone: [375] (17) 210-12-83, 217-7347 through 7348
Flag description:
red horizontal band (top) and green horizontal band one-half the width of the red band; a white vertical stripe on the hoist side bears Belarusian national ornamentation in red; the red band color recalls past struggles from oppression, the green band represents hope and the many forests of the country
National anthem:
name: "My, Bielarusy" (We Belarusians)
lyrics/music: Mikhas KLIMKOVICH and Uladzimir KARYZNA/Nester SAKALOUSKI
note: 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)
Economy ::Belarus
Economy - overview:
Belarus has seen limited structural reform since 1995, when President LUKASHENKO launched the country on the path of "market socialism." In keeping with this policy, LUKASHENKO reimposed administrative controls over prices and currency exchange rates and expanded the state's right to intervene in the management of private enterprises. Since 2005, the government has re-nationalized a number of private companies. In addition, businesses have been subjected to pressure by central and local governments, including arbitrary changes in regulations, numerous rigorous inspections, retroactive application of new business regulations, and arrests of "disruptive" businessmen and factory owners. Continued state control over economic operations hampers market entry for businesses, both domestic and foreign. Government statistics indicate GDP growth was strong, surpassing 10% in 2008, despite the roadblocks of a tough, centrally directed economy with a high rate of inflation and a low rate of unemployment. However, the global crisis pushed the country into recession in 2009, and GDP grew only 0.2% for the year. Slumping foreign demand hit the industrial sector hard. Minsk has depended on a standby-agreement with the IMF to assist with balance of payments shortfalls. In line with IMF conditions, in 2009, Belarus devalued the ruble more than 40% and tightened some fiscal and monetary policies. On 1 January 2010, Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus launched a customs union, with unified trade regulations and customs codes still under negotiation. In late January, Russia and Belarus amended their 2007 oil supply agreement. The new terms raised prices for above quota purchases, increasing Belarus' current account deficit. GDP grew 4.8% in 2010, in part, on the strength of renewed export growth. In December 2010, Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan signed an agreement to form a Common Economic Space and Russia removed all Belarusian oil duties.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$128.4 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 60 $122.5 billion (2009 est.)
$122.3 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$52.89 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4.8% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 62 0.2% (2009 est.)
10.2% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$13,400 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 87 $12,700 (2009 est.)
$12,600 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 9%
industry: 42.9%
services: 48.1% (2010 est.)
Labor force:
5 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 75
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 14%
industry: 34.7%
services: 51.3% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate:
1% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 5 1.6% (2005)
note: official registered unemployed; large number of underemployed workers
Population below poverty line:
27.1% (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.6%
highest 10%: 22% (2005)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
27.9 (2005) country comparison to the world: 124 21.7 (1998)
Investment (gross fixed):
36% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 7