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PEOPLE

Language
Belarusian (official), Russian (second language for most of the population), Polish, Ukrainian, Yiddish and Tatar
Source: New Internationalist World Guide

Population

2009	9.6 million	U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2009)
2007	9.8 million	U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2006)
2006	9.8 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2005	9.8 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2004	9.8 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2003	9.9 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2002	10.0 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2001	10.0 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2000	10.1 million	U.N. DESA (2006)

Future population estimates
7.3 million (2050)
Source: U.N. DESA (2009)

Ethnic groups
Ethnic Belarusians account for 81 percent of the population. Minorities include Russians (11 percent), Poles and Ukrainians.
Source: NI World Guide

Religion
Christian Orthodox in the east, Roman Catholic in the west of the country.
Source: NI World Guide

Percentage urban population

2007	73.2 percent	U.N. DESA - World Urbanisation Prospects 2005
2006	72.7 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2005	72.2 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2004	71.8 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2003	71.3 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2002	70.9 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2001	70.4 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2000	70.0 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)

Year women granted right to vote
1919
Source: U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report
Where two figures are shown, the first refers to a partial recognition of the right to vote and the second to the year women received the right to vote on a universal and equal basis.

Net percentage of girls enrolled in primary education
No data available (2007)

Percentage of population under 15

2005	15.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	15.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	16.4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	17.1 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	17.9 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	18.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

USEFUL INFORMATION

Time zone
Standard Time GMT +2, Summer Time GMT +3

Climate description
Continental maritime; cold winters and cool, moist summers

Currency
Belarusian ruble

Telephone dialling code
(+) 375

Driving (left/right)
Right

STANDARD OF LIVING

Average life expectancy

2005	68.7 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	68.2 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	68.1 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	70.1 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	69.6 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	68.5 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - male

2005	62.7 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	62.5 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	62.4 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	64.7 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	64.3 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	62.8 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - female

2005	74.9 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	74.1 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	74.0 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	75.2 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	75.0 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	74.4 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Infant mortality

2007	12 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2006	12 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005	10 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2007
2004	9 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003	13 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	17 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	17 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	17 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Child mortality - deaths before the age of five

2007	13 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2006	13 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005	12 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007
2004	11 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003	17 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	20 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	20 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	20 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Births attended by skilled personnel

1997-2005	100 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1996-2004	100 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1995-2003	100 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1995-2002	100 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1995-2001	No data available percent
1995-2000	No data available percent

Maternal mortality

2005	18 per 100,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2000	35 per 100,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006

Human development index (HDI rank)

2005	64	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	67	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	67	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	62	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	53	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	56	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Percentage of children under weight for age (under age 5)

2000-2007	1 percent	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2000-2006	1 percent	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008

Percentage of undernourished population

2003-2005	<5 percent	U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2008
2002-2004average	4 percent	U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2006
2001-2003average	3 percent	FAO 2006
2000-2002average	2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1999-2001average	3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1998-2000average	2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Food intake falls below the minimum requirement.

Population with access to improved water

2006	100 percent	UNICEF and WHO 2008
2004	100 percent	UNICEF and World Health Organisation (WHO) 2006
2002	100 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2000	100 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004

Population with access to improved sanitation

2006	93 percent	UNICEF and WHO 2008
2004	84 percent	UNICEF and WHO 2006
2002	No data available percent
2000	No data available percent

Literacy - average

2004	99.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	99.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	99.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	99.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	99.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - male

2004	99.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	99.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	99.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	99.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	99.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - female

2004	99.4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	99.4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	99.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	99.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	99.4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Landlines telephones

2008	378 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2007	378 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2006	345 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2005	335 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2004	322 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2003	310 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2002	298 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2001	286 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2000	274 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009

Cellular telephone subscribers

2008	716 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2007	716 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2006	610 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2005	418 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2004	227 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2003	113 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2002	47 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2001	14 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2000	5 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009

Internet users

2008	290 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2007	290 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2006	251 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2005	251 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2004	251 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2003	163 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2002	90 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2001	43 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2000	19 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009

Transparency International corruption ranking (Scale: 1 = least corrupt, >175 = most corrupt)

2008	151 (joint)	Transparency International 2008
2007	150 (joint)	Transparency International 2007
2006	151 (joint)	Transparency International
2005	107 (joint)	Transparency International
2004	74 (joint)	Transparency International
2003	53	Transparency International
2002	36 (joint)	Transparency International
2001	Not ranked
2000	43 (joint)	Transparency International

Signatory of International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment for the crime of Genocide
Yes (1948)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
Yes (1984)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Yes (1989)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

ECONOMY & AID

Percentage of population living on less than US$1 a day

1990-2005	No data available percent
1990-2004	No data available percent
1990-2002	No data available percent
1990-2001	<2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

GNI per capita, Atlas method

2007	4220 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2006	3470 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005	2780 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004	2150 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003	1610 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	1370 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	1300 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	1380 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

The purpose of the Atlas conversion factor is to reduce the impact of exchange rate fluctuations in a cross-country comparison of national incomes. The Atlas conversion factor for any year is the average of a country's exchange rate (or alternative conversion factor) for that year and its exchange rates for the two preceding years.

GDP

2007	44.8 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2006	37.0 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005	30.2 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004	23.1 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003	17.8 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	14.6 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	12.4 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	12.7 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

Annual GDP growth

2006	9.9 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2005	9.4 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2004	11.4 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2003	7.0 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2002	5.0 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2001	4.7 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2000	5.8 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

Annual inflation

2007	12.1 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2006	10.8 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005	18.9 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004	22.7 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003	30.7 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	44.9 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	79.5 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	185.3 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

Share of income or consumption (poorest 10 percent)
3.4 (latest available year)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008

Share of income or consumption (richest 10 percent)
23.5 (latest available year)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008

HEALTH

Physicians

2000-2004	455 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1990-2004	455 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1990-2003	450 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1990-2002	457 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage HIV+ (adults aged 15-49)

2007	0.2 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2006	0.2 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2005	0.2 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2004	0.2 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2003	0.2 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008

Malaria
No risk
Source: WHO

TB cases

2007	61 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2006	61 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2005	61 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2004	61 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2003	60 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2002	60 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2001	66 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2000	73 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009

CONFLICT & MIGRATION

Number of refugees originating here

2008	5384	UNHCR
2007	4964	UNHCR
2006	9371	Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
2005	8857	UNHCR
2004	8244	UNHCR
2003	7815	UNHCR
2002	6364	UNHCR
2001	3696	UNHCR
2000	2519	UNHCR

Number of refugees residing here

2008	609	UNHCR
2007	649	UNHCR
2006	690	UNHCR
2005	725	UNHCR
2004	725	UNHCR
2003	638	UNHCR
2002	618	UNHCR
2001	584	UNHCR
2000	458	UNHCR

Number of internally displaced people\Estimate

	No data available

No data available

Landmine casualties per year

2007	3	Landmine Monitor Report 2008
2006	2	Landmine Monitor Report 2008
2004	At least 16	Landmine Monitor Report 2005
2003	9	Landmine Monitor Report 2004

Casualty figures may include both civilians and military personnel injured or killed by landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Signatory to landmine convention?
Yes (2003 )
Source: Landmine Monitor Report

Percentage of GDP spent on military

2005	1.2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	1.4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	1.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005

Percentage of GDP spent on education

2002-2005	6.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2002-2004	5.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2000-2002	6.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1999-2001	6.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1998-2000	6.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage of GDP spent on health

2004	4.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2003-2004	3.9 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2002	4.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2001	4.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2000	4.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003