Belarus

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Рэспубліка Беларусь
Республика Беларусь
Republic of Belarus
Anthem: Мы, беларусы  (Belarusian)
My, Belarusy  (transliteration)
We Belarusians
Location of Belarus (orange) in Europe (white)  –  [Legend]
Location of Belarus (orange)

in Europe (white)  –  [Legend]

Capital
and largest city
Minsk
Official languagesBelarusian, Russian
Demonym(s)Belarusian, Belarussian
GovernmentPresidential republic
• President
Alexander Lukashenko
Sergey Sidorsky
Independence 
from the Soviet Union
• Declared
July 27 1990
• Established
August 25 1991
• Completed
December 25 1991
Area
• Total
207,600 km2 (80,200 sq mi) (85th)
• Water (%)
negligible (183 km²)1
Population
• 2007 estimate
9,724,723 (86th)
• 1999 census
10,045,237
• Density
49/km2 (126.9/sq mi) (142nd)
GDP (PPP)2005 estimate
• Total
$79.13 billion (64th)
• Per capita
$7,700 (78th)
Gini (2002)29.7
low
HDI (2004)Increase 0.794
Error: Invalid HDI value (67th)
Currencyrouble (BYR)
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)
UTC+3 (EEST)
Calling code375
ISO 3166 codeBY
Internet TLD.by
  1. "Tourism". Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Retrieved 2006-03-26.

Belarus (/ˈbɛləruːs/) (Belarusian and Russian: Беларусь, transliteration: Byelarus’) listenⓘ is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe which borders Russia to the east, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the north. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno, Gomel, Mogilev, Vitebsk and Bobruisk. A third of the country is forested, and agriculture and manufacturing are the strongest economic sectors of Belarus.

Until the 20th century, the Belarusian nation lacked the opportunity to form their national polity, as the lands of modern-day Belarus belonged to several countries, including the Duchy of Polatsk, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and the Russian Empire. After the failure of a short-lived Belarusian People's Republic (1918–19), Belarus became a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, the Byelorussian SSR.

The final unification of the Belarusian lands in its modern borders took place in 1939, when the ethnically Belarusian lands that were a part of interwar Poland were annexed by the USSR and attached to the Soviet Belarus. The territory and its nation were devastated in World War II as Belarus lost about a quarter of its population and more than half of its economic resources;[1] but the republic recovered in the post-war years and became one of the founding members of the United Nations. The parliament of the republic declared the sovereignty of Belarus on July 27, 1990 and following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Belarus declared independence on August 25 1991. Since 1994, Alexander Lukashenko has been the country's president. During his presidency, Lukashenko has implemented Soviet-era policies, such as state ownership of the economy, despite objections from Western governments. Belarus is negotiating with Russia to unify into a single state called the Union of Russia and Belarus, although the discussions have stalled for several years.

Most of the Belarus's population of 9.85 million reside in the urban areas surrounding Minsk and other oblast (regional) capitals.[2] More than 80% of the population are native Belarusians, with sizable minorities of Russians, Ukrainians and Poles. Since a referendum in 1995, there have been two official languages: Belarusian and Russian. The Constitution of Belarus does not declare an official religion, though the primary religion in the country is Russian Orthodox.

Etymology

Historically, the country was referred to in English as "White Russia", although this is a slight mis-translation. The correct translation is "White Ruthenia" ('White Rus' phonetically), which either describes the area of Eastern Europe populated by Slavic people or the various states that occupied the area.[3] The first use of the term "White Russia" appeared in German and Latin medieval literature. The Latin term for the area, Russia Alba, is derived from the area of present-day Albania, where the inhabitants had very white skin and dogs that could kill large animals. The only area that fit the Latin description was the Great Novgorod, but it was never called White Russia at all.[4] Nonetheless, usage of the term 'White Russia' continues in many languages, e.g. "Weißrussland" in German, "Beyaz Rusya" in Turkish, "Λευκορωσία" (Leukorosía) in Greek, "Fehéroroszország" in Hungarian (see here for the full list).

The first known use of the term "White Russia" to refer to Belarus was in the late sixteenth century by Englishman Sir Jerome Horsey. During the seventeenth century, Russian tsars used "White Rus'", asserting that they were trying to recapture their heritage from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.[4]

Belarus was named "Belorussia" (Russian: Белоруссия) in the days of Imperial Russia, and the Russian tsar was usually styled "Czar of All the Russias — Great, Little, and White". "Belorussia" was the only Russian language name of the country (its names in other languages such as English being based on the Russian form) until 1991, when the Supreme Soviet of the Belorussian Soviet Socialist Republic decreed by law that the new independent republic should be called "Belarus" (Беларусь) in Russian and in all other language transcriptions of its name. The change was made to reflect adequately the Belarusian language form of the name.[5] Accordingly, the name "Belorussia" was replaced by "Belarus" in English, and, to some extent, in Russian (although the traditional name still persists in that language as well); likewise, the adjective "Belorussian" or "Byelorussian" was replaced by "Belarusian" in English (though Russian has not developed a new adjective). Some Belarusians object to the name "Belorussia", as an unwelcome reminder of the days under Russian and Soviet rule.[6] Officially, the full name of the country is the Republic of Belarus (Рэспубліка Беларусь, Республика Беларусь, Respublika Byelarus'). listenⓘ[7]

In 2002, an informal survey was conducted by the Web site pravapis.org to see which version of the name was used on a majority of Web sites. By using Google, Pravapis.org looked up various terms and it found that "Belarus", the official short form of the name, was used on 93% of Web sites checked. Other spellings used included "Belorussia", "Bielorussia" and "Byelorussia," which were used in 1%–2% of cases.[8]

History

Main article: History of Belarus
File:Mir Castle Radziwills.jpg
The Mir Castle near Minsk, built in the 15th century
Map of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, 1619

The area of modern-day Belarus was first settled by early East Slavs in the 6th century. They gradually came into contact with the Varangians, a band of warriors consisting of Scandinavians and Slavs from the Baltics.[9] Though defeated and briefly exiled by the local population, the Varangians were later asked to return [9] and helped to form a polity—commonly referred to as the Kievan Rus'—in exchange for tribute. The start of the Kievan Rus' state began approximately in 862 at the present-day city of Novgorod.[10]

Upon the death of Kievan Rus' ruler Prince Yaroslav the Wise, the state broke apart and became independent principalities, including Polatsk.[11] These Ruthenian principalities were badly affected by a Mongol invasion in the 13th century and many were later incorporated into the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.[12] Of all the principalities held by the Duchy, nine were settled by ancestors of the Belarusian people.[13] During this time, the Duchy was involved with battles between different forces. One of the major battles was at the side of Poland against the Teutonic Knights at the Battle of Grunwald in 1410. The joint victory allowed the Duchy to control the northwestern border lands of Eastern Europe.[14]

On February 2, 1386, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland were joined together in a personal union through a marriage of their rulers.[15] This union set in motion the developments that eventually resulted in the formation of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, created in 1569. The Russians, led by Tsar Ivan the III, began military conquests in 1486 in an attempt to gain the Kievan Rus' lands, specifically Belarus and Ukraine.[16] The union between Poland and Lithuania ended in 1795, with the commonwealth partitioned between Imperial Russia, Prussia, and Austria, dividing Belarus.[17] Belarusian territories were acquired by the Russian Empire during the reign of Catherine II[18] and held them until their occupation by Germany during World War I.[19]

Map of the Russian Empire, 1762-—1801

During the negotiations of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, Belarus first declared independence on 25 March 1918, forming the Belarusian People's Republic. The Germans supported the BNR, which lasted for about 10 months.[20] Soon after the Germans were defeated, the BPR fell under the influence of Russia and became the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (BSSR) in 1919.[20] After Russian occupation of eastern and northern Lithuania, it was merged into the Lithuanian-Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic. Byelorussian lands were then split between Poland and the Soviets after the Polish-Soviet War ended in 1921, and the recreated Byelorussian SSR became a founding member of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in 1922.[20]

A memorial to World War II tank drivers in Minsk

In September 1939, as a result of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, the Soviet Union invaded Poland and annexed its eastern lands, including most of Polish-held Byelorussian land.[21] In 1941, Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union. Byelorussia was hardest hit in the war and remained in Nazi hands until 1944. During that time, 209 out of 290 cities in the republic were destroyed, the Nazis destroyed or removed to Germany 85% of the republic industry, over one million buildings were destroyed and the human losses are estimated between two and three million, (approximately a quarter to one-third of their total population).[1] These huge losses were due to Byelorussia's direct path between Berlin and Moscow and to purges ordered by Stalin that caused 300,000 Belarusians to either disappear or perish.[21] The Jewish population of Byelorussia was devastated during The Holocaust and never recovered after the war.[22] The population of Belarus did not regain its pre-war level until 1971.[22] After the war ended, Byelorussia was among the fifty-one founding signatories of the United Nations Charter in 1945 and began to rebuilding the Soviet Republic. During this time, the Byelorussian SSR became a major center of manufacturing in the western region of the USSR, increasing jobs and bringing an influx of ethnic Russians into the republic.[23] The borders of Byelorussian SSR and Poland were redrawn to a point known as the Curzon Line.[21]

File:Belorussian SSR 1940.jpg
Map of the Byelorussian SSR, 1940

Joseph Stalin implemented a policy of Sovietization to isolate the Byelorussian SSR from Western influences.[22] This policy involved sending Russians from various parts of the Soviet Union and placing them in key positions in the Byelorussian SSR government. The official use of the Belarusian language and other cultural aspects were limited by Moscow. After Stalin died in 1953, successor Nikita Khrushchev continued this program, stating, "The sooner we all start speaking Russian, the faster we shall build communism."[22] When Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev began pushing through his reform plan, the Belarusian people delivered a petition to him in December 1986 explaining the loss of their culture. Earlier that year, Byelorussian SSR was exposed to nuclear fallout from the explosion at the Chernobyl power plant in neighboring Ukrainian SSR.[24] In June 1988, mass graves were discovered at the city of Kurapaty by archaeologist Zianon Pazniak which contained about 250,000 bodies from the Stalin era.[24] Some contend that this discovery was proof that the Soviet government was trying to erase the Belarusian people, and caused some to seek independence.[25]

A banner of Belarusian students displayed near Warsaw University during students' demonstration in May 1988. Banner says "We're with you. Students of Belarus".

Two years later, in March 1990, elections for seats in the Supreme Soviet of the Byelorussian SSR took place. While the pro-independence Belarusian Popular Front took only 10 percent of the seats, the populace was content with the selection of the delegates. Belarus declared itself sovereign on July 27, 1990 by the issuance of the Declaration of State Sovereignty of the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic. With the support of the Communist Party, the country's name was changed to the Republic of Belarus on August 25, 1991.[26] Stanislav Shushkevich, the Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of Belarus met with Boris Yeltsin of Russia and Leonid Kravchuk of Ukraine on December 8, 1991 in Belavezhskaya Pushcha to formally declare the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the formation of the Commonwealth of Independent States.[26] In March 1994, a national constitution was adopted, which replaced the office of prime minister with that of a president. Elections for the presidency resulted in the politically unknown Alexander Lukashenko winning over 80% of the vote.[26] Lukashenko continues to hold the office of president, being reelected in 2001 and in 2006.

Politics

Main article: Politics of Belarus
Victory Square, Minsk.

Belarus is a presidential republic, governed by a President and a bicameral parliament—the National Assembly. The assembly comprises a lower house, the 110-member House of Representatives, and an upper house, the 64-member Council of the Republic. The House of Representatives has the power to appoint the Prime Minister of Belarus, make constitutional amendments, call for a vote of confidence on the prime minister, and make suggestions on the foreign and domestic policy of Belarus. The Council of the Republic has the power to select various government officials, conduct an impeachment trial of the president, and accept or reject the bills passed by the House of Representatives. Each chamber has the ability to veto any law passed by local officials if it is contrary to the Constitution of Belarus.[27] The Belarusian President since 1994 has been Alexander Lukashenko. The government is a Council of Ministers, headed by a prime minister. The members of the Council of Ministers need not be members of the legislature, and are appointed by the President. The judiciary comprises the Supreme Court and various specialized courts, such as the Constitutional Court, which deals with specific issues related to the constitution or business law. The judges of the national courts are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Council of the Republic. When dealing with criminal issues, the highest court of appeal is the Supreme Court According to Article 109 of the Constitution, special extra-judicial courts are not allowed to be set up in Belarus.[27]

File:Belarus-Minsk-House of Government and Vladimir Lenin Monument (perspective corrected).jpg
House of Government, with a statue to Vladimir Lenin in the front in Minsk

Three political parties currently have seats in the House of Representatives: the Communist Party of Belarus (eight seats), the Agrarian Party of Belarus (three seats), and the Liberal Democratic Party of Belarus (one seat). The remaining 98 members are not affiliated with a political party. The pro-Lukashenko parties, the Belarusian Socialist Sporting Party and the Republican Party of Labor and Justice, and opposition parties, such as the Belarusian People's Front (BPF) and the United Civil Party of Belarus (UCPB), did not gain any seats in the 2004 election. The UCPB and the BPF are two of the parties that make up the People's Coalition 5 Plus, a group of political parties who oppose Lukashenko. Several organizations, including the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), declared the election "un-free" due to opposition parties' negative results and the bias of the Belarusian media in favor of the government.[28] The last presidential election took place on March 19, 2006. Lukashenko was opposed in the election by Alexander Milinkevich, a candidate representing a coalition of opposition parties and Alaksandar Kazulin of the Social Democrats. Kazulin was detained and beaten by police during protests surrounding the All Belarusian People's Assembly. While Lukashenko won with 80% of the vote, the OSCE and other organizations stated the election was not fair.[29]

Lukashenko was quoted as saying that he has an "authoritarian ruling style" that he uses to run the country.[30] The Council of Europe has barred Belarus from membership since 1997 for undemocratic voting and election irregularities in the November 1996 constitutional referendum and parliament by-elections.[31] The Belarusian government is also criticized for human rights violations and its actions against non-governmental organizations, independent journalists, national minorities, and opposition politicians.[32][33] Belarus is the only nation in Europe that retains the death penalty for certain crimes during times of peace and war.[34] In testimony to the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice labeled Belarus, among six nations, as part of the "outposts of tyranny".[35] The Belarusian Foreign Ministry announced that the statements from Secretary Rice "are a poor basis" to form a good Belarusian-American alliance.[36]

Foreign relations and military

Main articles: Foreign relations of Belarus and Armed Forces of Belarus
File:Lukashenko NAM meeting.jpg
President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko in Cuba, 2006

Belarus and Russia have been close financial and diplomatic allies since the fall of the Soviet Union. Russia provides Belarus with raw materials[37] and is working with Belarus on economic integration since 1996. The Union treaty, signed by Lukashenko and Boris Yeltsin of the Russian Federation, called for a greater cooperation in the realms of politics, social welfare and economic integration.[38] The last major discussions about the union states took place in December 2006 inside Russia[39] and January 2007 inside Belarus. The only thing Belarus does not wish to do is to completely give-up complete independence and become a subject of the Russia, according to a speech by President Lukashenko.[40]

However, the ties between Belarus and the CIS has been strained recently because of the color revolutions that took place inside Georgia, Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan. Despite the European Union travel ban on Lukashenko and top officials, Belarus has trade agreements with several EU member states.[41] The neighboring Lithuania, Poland and Latvia also have trade agreements with Belarus.[41]

Bilateral relations with the United States continued without problems until 1997, when the United States State Department began to issue grants to pro-democratization oriented NGOs and the Belarus Government made it harder for US based organizations to carry out their duties.[42] In 2004, the United States passed a bill called the Belarus Democracy Act, which allowed American resources to be spent on groups who promote democratic efforts and forbid American businesses to grant loans to the Belarusian Government, except for humanitarian purposes.[43] Despite this, the two nations cooperate on issues dealing with human trafficking, technology crime, intellectual property rights and prevention of natural and man made disasters.[44]

Belarus has been increasing cooperation with Middle Eastern and Asian countries. China and Belarus have been building ties, strengthened by the visit of President Lukashenko to China in October 2005.[45] In the Middle East, Belarus has strong ties with Syria[46] and considered by President Lukashenko as a key partner in the Middle East.[47] Other than the CIS, Belarus has membership in the regional organizations Eurasian Economic Community and the Collective Security Treaty Organization.[41] In international organizations, Belarus has membership in the Non-Aligned Movement[48] since 1998[49] and Belarus was one of the founder members of the United Nations in 1945.[50]

The Armed Forces of Belarus was officially formed in 1992 using parts of the former Soviet Armed Forces which were on the new republic's territory. It took from 1993 until 1997 to transform the ex-Soviet forces into the Armed Forces of Belarus; it was completed by reducing the number of soldiers by 30,000 and to restructure the leadership and military formations.[51] There are three branches of military; the army, air force and Ministry of Defense joint staff. There are currently 72,940 servicemembers (IISS 2007). Most soldiers are conscripts serving for a period 12 months (with higher education) or 18 month (without).[52] The number of the conscripted soldiers have been decreasing; 2006 estimates had conscripted soldiers at 85,000. Further cuts in conscriptions have been planned to only needing approximately 60,000 soldiers by 2016.[53] In addition to conscription, contract soldiers have been used since 1995 for low-ranked soldiers, such as privates and sergeants.[53] Despite this, 1.6 million males and 2.1 million females were considered fit for military service in 2005,[54] with 85,000 males and 82,000 females reaching military service age annually.[54] The official head of the Ministry of Defense is Colonel-General Leonid Maltsev[55] with the President of Belarus serving as the Commander-in-Chief.[56] In a 2005 estimate, 1.4% of the gross domestic product of Belarus went to military expenditures.[54] Belarus does have a partnership with NATO, being the recipient of the Individual Partnership Program since 1997 and Belarusian scientists received NATO grants to study abroad since 1993.[57] Belarus has not expressed a desire to join the organization.

Provinces and districts

Main article: Administrative divisions of Belarus
Provinces of Belarus

Belarus is divided into six provinces ("voblasts"), named after the cities that serve as their administrative centers. The city of Minsk, located in the Minsk province, has the special status of being a national subordinate, as it is not included in any voblast. Subdivision into voblasts was inherited from the Soviet era. Voblasts are further subdivided into raions (commonly translated as "districts" or "regions"). Local legislative authorities (raisovet, "raion council") are elected by the raion's residents. Local executive authorities (raion administration) are appointed by higher executive authorities. In the same way, each voblast has its own legislative authority (oblsovet), elected by residents, and an executive authority (voblast administration), whose leader is appointed by the President.

(Administrative centers are given in parentheses)

  1. Minsk (capital)
  2. Brest Province (Brest)
  3. Homyel Province (Homyel)
  4. Hrodna Province (Hrodna)
  5. Mahilyow Province (Mahilyow)
  6. Minsk Province (Minsk)
  7. Vitsebsk Province (Vitsebsk)

Geography

Main article: Geography of Belarus
Vaskowskae reservoir

Belarus is landlocked, relatively flat, and contains large tracts of marshy land. Lakes and rivers punctuate the country. The largest marsh territory is Polesie, which is among the largest marshes in Europe. There are 11,000 lakes in Belarus, but the majority of the lakes are smaller than 0.5 square kilometer (120 acres). Three major rivers run through the country; the Neman River, the Pripyat River, and the Dnepr River. Belarus' highest point is Dzyarzhynskaya Hara (Dzyarzhynsk Hill), 345 meters (1,132 ft), and its lowest point is on the Neman River, 90 meters (295 ft). Belarus is home, along with Poland, to the Belavezhskaya Pushcha (Белавежская пушча) or, by its Polish name, Białowieża Forest, the only remaining, virgin part of the immense forest that once spread across the European Plain.

The climate ranges from harsh winters (average January temperatures are in the range −8 to −2 °C (18 to 28 °F) to cool and moist summers (average temperature 15 to 20 °C (59 to 68 °F). On average, 15 to 30 centimeters (6 to 12 inches) of snow falls in the country, mostly in the northeast. Belarus experiences an average rainfall of 600 to 700 millimeters (23.6 to 27.5 inches) with over 70% of the rain falling during the warmer periods of the year.[58] Due to the weather patterns, natural disasters such as droughts and floods occasionally occur in Belarus. Between the period of 1881 until 2005, the average temperature of Belarus rose 1 degree Celsius (34 °F), with temperatures rising significantly during the winter and spring months. It has been projected that Belarus will face a 3 to 4 degree Celsius (34.5 to 39 °F) rise in average temperatures when the twenty-first century ends.[59]

Horses grazing in Minsk Province

Forest covers about 34% of the total landscape, making forestry products one of the most abundant natural resources in Belarus. Other natural resources found in Belarus include peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas, granite, dolomite (limestone), marl, chalk, sand, gravel, and clay. About one-fifth of the territory, mostly agricultural and forest lands in the southeastern provinces of Homyel and Mahilyow, continue to be affected by fallout from the 1986 nuclear power plant disaster in Chernobyl, Ukraine. While the amount of radiation has decreased since the disaster, most of the area is considered uninhabitable. Approximately 70% of the total radiation emitted from the Chernobyl plant entered into Belarusian territory.[60] The United Nations has created programs to help Belarus reduce the level of radiation in the affected areas, mostly reducing the levels of caesium-137 that are found in the soil. Another United Nations program is using the rapeseed cultivation method to increase agricultural output from the affected areas.[61]

Belarus is bordered by the following nations: Latvia (north), Lithuania (northwest), Poland (west), Russia (north and east) and Ukraine (south). Since its departure from the Soviet Union, Belarus signed a treaty with Latvia and Lithuania to demarcate the boundaries between the three countries. Ukraine signed a similar agreement with Belarus, though ratification on the Belarusian side is pending.[62] As of 2006, Belarus and Lithuania began to demarcate their border using water buoys.[63]

Economy

Main article: Economy of Belarus
Obverse of the 500 Belarusian ruble (BYB/BYR), the national currency.

The Belarusian economy remains mostly state-controlled, as in Soviet times. Over half of the companies are state controlled with foreign ownership under 4%.[64] The country is relatively stable economically, but depends to a large extent on import resources, like oil from Russia.[65] Agriculture is dominated by collective farming, with major sub-sectors being the cultivation of potatoes and cattle byproducts, such as meat.[66] The biggest export of Belarus is machinery, such as tractors and defense equipment.[67]

Historically important branches of industry include textiles and wood processing. After 1965, the development of heavy industry and mechanical engineering (tractors, refrigerators, etc.) significantly strengthened the country's development.[68] Within the Soviet Union, Belarus was one of the most industrially-developed republics and was the most developed CIS state during the fall of the Soviet Union.[69] Economically, Belarus involved itself in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Eurasian Economic Community, and Union with Russia. Soon after 1990, industrial production plunged due to decreased demand of Belarusian goods from traditional partners, lost investments and less production of military equipment.[70] Gross domestic product (GDP) for 2006 was US$83.1 billion in PPP dollars (estimate), or about $8,100 per capita.[66] In 2005, the gross domestic product increased by about 9.9%, with the inflation rate averaging about 9.5%.[66]

A Belarusian-made tractor being used to farm.

In 2006, 48.6% of the total trade was made with Russia, Belarus' largest trading partner. The largest European Union member that trades with Belarus is the Netherlands at 7.5% in 2006.[71] An agreement between the EU and the former Soviet Union, allowed Belarus bilateral trade with EU member states. Textiles were exported from Belarus to the EU, but only 0.1% of total EU trade is performed with Belarus.[72] Failing to achieve political goals, such as the protection of rights and liberties, Belarus was not permitted to receive benefits from the EU's Generalised System of Preferences program.[72] Belarus has applied to become a member of the World Trade Organization since 1993.[73]

The labor force consists of over four million people, with women holding slightly more jobs than men.[64] In 2005, nearly a quarter of the population were employed in industrial factories.[64] Employment is also high in agriculture, manufacturing sales, trading goods, and education. The unemployment rate, according to Belarusian government statistics, was about 1.5% in 2005.[64] The number of unemployed persons totaled 679,000, with approximately two-thirds being women.[64] The rate of unemployment has been decreasing since 2003, and the overall rate has been lower since statistics were first taken in 1995.[64]

Belarusian GDP growth since 1995 and estimate for 2007

The currency of Belarus is the Belarusian ruble (BYR). The currency was introduced in May 1992, replacing the Soviet ruble. The ruble was reintroduced with new values in 2000 and has been in use ever since.[74] As part of the Union of Russia and Belarus, there has been discussion between both states to use a single currency along the same lines as the Euro. This has led to the suggestion that the Belarusian ruble be discontinued in favor of the Russian ruble (RUB), starting as early as 1 January 2008. At last reports in August of 2007, the National Bank of Belarus will decide not to peg the Belarusian ruble to the Russian ruble.[75] The banking system of Belarus is composed of thirty state owned banks and one privatized bank.[76]

The Belarusian economy has been impacted by international politics, such as sanctions against the country or the leadership of Belarus. The European Union adopted Council Regulation (EC) No 765/2006 on 18 May 2006 freezing the funds of President Lukashenko and between 30 to 35 high-level officials of Belarus. The sanctions also provided for travel bans for the aforementioned leaders. The sanction was imposed by the EU after the nation-block declared that the 19 March 2006 elections were fraudulent and called for the crackdown on opposition groups.[77]

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Belarus
Population of Belarus, 1992–2003

Ethnic Belarusians, comprising 81.2% of the country's total population, constitute an overwhelming majority in Belarus.[78] Russians make up the second largest ethnic group, with 11.4% of the population, while ethnic Poles and Ukrainians account for 3.9% and 2.4% respectively. Languages commonly spoken in Belarus include Belarusian and Russian. Both are recognized as official as of a 1995 referendum.[79] Within Belarus, the Belarusian language is declared to be a "language spoken at home" by ~3,686,000 (36.7%) of the inhabitants, according to a 1999 national census.[80] Sizable minorities also speak Polish, Ukrainian and Eastern Yiddish.[81]

Population density is about 50 persons per square kilometre (127/sq mi), with 71.7% of the total population concentrated in urban areas. Of the urban population, 24% lives in Minsk, the national capital and largest city.[82] The total population in Minsk is approximately 1,741,400 people. Homel, with 481,000 people, is the second largest city and serves as the capital of the Homel Oblast. Other large cities are Mogilev (365,100), Vitebsk (342,400), Hrodna (314,800) and Brest (298,300).[83]

Some 69.7 percent of the population are between the ages of 14 and 64,[82] while 16 percent of the population is under 14, and 14.6 percent are aged 65 or older.[82] The median age 37.[82] The average life expectancy for Belarusian citizens is 68.72 years: for males it is 63.03 years, and for females it is 74.96 years.[82] The literacy rate in Belarus (the number of people aged 15 and older who can read and write) is 99%, with men at 99.8% and women at 99.3%.[82] The male-to-female ratio in 2005 was estimated to be .88 males to every female.[82]

Cathedral of Saint Sophia in Polatsk.

Most demographic indicators for Belarus resemble other European countries, with both the population growth rate and the natural growth rate in the negative. Population growth stood at −0.06% in 2005,[82] with a fertility rate of 1.43. The population is also growing older, and by the year 2050, it is estimated that the majority of the population will be over the age of 50.[84] The migration rate is +2.3 for every 1,000 people in Belarus.[82]

According to a Save the Children international organization report (comparing 167 countries), Belarus has the highest rating for the quality of life for women and children among all countries in the former Soviet Union. Belarus ranked sixteenth for mothers' quality of life, fourteenth for women's quality of life, and twentieth for the quality of life of children. The closest former Soviet republics are Estonia (ranking eighteenth for women's quality of life), Ukraine (21/31/26 respectively), and Russia (27/34/64 respectively).[85]

Belarus has historically been a Russian Orthodox country, with minorities practicing Catholicism, Judaism, and other religions. Belarusians converted to the Russian Orthodox Church after Belarus was annexed by Russia after the Partitions of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Belarus' Roman Catholic minority, which makes up perhaps 10% of the country's population and is concentrated in the western part of the country, especially around Hrodna, is made up of a mixture of Belarusians and the country's Polish and Lithuanian minorities. A small minority (about 1%) belong to the Belarusian Greek Catholic Church.[86] Belarus was also about 10% Jewish until World War II, being a major center of European Jewry, but during the war Jews were reduced by war, starvation, and the Holocaust to a tiny minority of about 1% or less. Emigration from Belarus is also a cause for the shrinking number of Jewish residents.[87] According to Article 16 of the Constitution, Belarus has no official religion. While the freedom of worship is granted in the same article, religions that are deemed harmful to the government or social order of the country can be prohibited.[88] Christian Solidarity Worldwide has reported that some Protestant congregations experience harassment.[89]

Culture

Main article: Culture of Belarus
File:Belarus dress.jpg
Children in traditional dress

The traditional Belarusian dress originates from the Kievan Rus' period. Due to the cool climate, clothing, usually composed of flax or wool, was designed to keep the body warm. They were decorated with ornate patterns which became influenced by the neighboring cultures: Poles, Lithuanians, Latvians, Russians, and other European nations. Each region of Belarus has developed a specific pattern used on their designs.[90] An ornament pattern used on some early dresses is currently used to decorate the hoist of the Belarusian national flag, adopted in a disputed referendum in 1995.[91]

Belarusian cuisine consists mostly of vegetables, meats and breads. The food staples of Belarus include pork, cabbages, potatoes and bread. Because of traditional cooking methods in the pre-Soviet era, foods are usually either slowly cooked or stewed. A typical Belarusian eats a very light breakfast and two hearty meals, with dinner being the largest meal of the day. Wheat and rye breads are both consumed in Belarus, but rye is more plentiful as conditions are too harsh for growing wheat. When greeting a guest or visitor, an offering of bread salt is presented to show hospitality.[92] Drinks are popular among the Belarusians, mostly Russian wheat vodka or kvass. Kvass is a type of soft drink that is made from either brown bread or rye flour that has been malted. It can also be combined with sliced vegetables to create a cold soup called okroshka.[93]

Belarusian literature began with religious writing between the 11th and 13th century. Many of the works were written in one of the following languages: Old Belarusian, Latin, Polish and Church-Slavic.[94] The writings during the time frame had an element of rhyming. The 12th century poet Kiryla Turauski wrote on religious themes.[95] By the 16th century, Polatsk resident Francysk Skaryna, translated the Bible into the Belarusian language and had it published in Prague and Vilnius between 1517 until 1525. Not only was this the first printed Belarusian book, but the first printed books in Eastern Europe.[96] The modern period of Belarusian literature began in the late 19th century, and featured the writings of Yanka Kupala. Many of the writers at the time, such as Uładzimir Žyłka, Kazimir Svayak, Yakub Kolas, Źmitrok Biadula and Maksim Haretski, wrote for a Belarusian language paper called Nasha Niva, published in Vilnius. After Belarus was incorporated into the Soviet Union, the government took control of Belarusian culture and only Polish-held territory experienced free development of literature until 1939.[96] After the occupation of Belarus by Nazi Germany several poets and authors went into exile until the 1960s.[96] The last major revival of the Belarusian literature occurred in the 1960s with novels published by Vasil Bykaŭ and Uładzimir Karatkievič.

Babka, a traditional Belarusian potato dish.

In the field of music, the first major composition by a Belarusian was the opera Faust by Radzivill. In the 17th century, Polish composer Stanislau Maniushka resided in Minsk, where he composed many operas and chamber music pieces. During his stay, he worked with Belarusian poet Vincent Dunin-Marcinkevich and created the opera Sialianka (Peasant Woman). At the end of the 19th century, the major cities in Belarus were forming their own opera and ballet companies. The ballet "Nightingale" by M. Kroshner was composed during the Soviet era. After the Great Patriotic War, the music focused on the hardships of the Belarusian people or on those who took up arms in defense of the homeland.[97] This was the time period that A. Bogatyryov, the creator of the opera "In Polesye Virgin Forest," served as the "tutor" of Belarusian composers. The National Academic Theatre of Ballet, in Minsk, was awarded the Benois de la Dance Prize in 1996 as the top ballet company in the world.[98] Modern music has seen a rise in popularity and creation among Belarusians. Famous rock bands from the country include NRM, Neurodubel, Ulis, Nowaje Nieba, and Krama. Several Belarusian acts perform in Poland and Lithuania where the population of Belarusian speakers is very high. Poland hosts the Belarusian alternative music festival Basowiszcza.[99] Since 2004, Belarus has been sending artists to the Eurovision Song Contest.[100]

The Belarusian government sponsors several annual cultural festivals: "Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk", "Minsk Spring", "Slavonic Theatrical Meetings", International Jazz Festival, National Harvesting Festival, "Arts for Children and Youth", the Competition of Youth Variety Show Arts, "Muses of Niesvizh", "Mir Castle", and the National Festival of the Belarusian Song and Poetry. These events showcase talented Belarusian performers, artists, writers, musicians, or actors. The festivals end with a ceremony where prizes are awarded in honor of famous Belarusian composers. Several state holidays, like Independence Day or Victory Day draw big crowds and include various displays such as fireworks and military parades. Most of the festivals take place in Vitebsk or Minsk.[101] A government ministry, the Ministry of Culture, finance events that promote the arts and culture inside or outside the country. An example is their financial backing of a Union Youth Orchestra to be formed in 2008. The orchestra will comprise of youth players from both Belarus and Russia.[102]

Belarus has four World Heritage Sites; the Mir Castle Complex; the Niasvizh Castle; the Belovezhskaya Pushcha (shared with Poland); and the Struve Geodetic Arc (shared with Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Moldova, Russia, Sweden and Ukraine).[103]

Media

Main article: Media in Belarus
Broadcasting center of state-run TV in Minsk

The largest media holding group in Belarus is the state-owned National State Teleradiocompany. They operate several television stations and radio stations that broadcast content domestically and internationally, either through frequency signals or the Internet.[104] The Television Broadcasting Network is one of the major independent television stations in Belarus, mostly showing regional programming. Several newspapers, printed either in Belarusian or Russian, provide general information or special interest content, such as business, politics or sports. In 1998, there were fewer than 100 total radio stations in Belarus: 28 AM, 37 FM and 11 shortwave stations.[105]

Private TV company in Zhodino records a talk-show in a local night club, 2002

All media companies are regulated by the Law On Press and Other Mass Media, passed on January 13, 1995.[106] This grants the freedom of press, however, Article 5 states that slander cannot be made against the President of Belarus or other officials outlined in the national constitution.[106] The Belarusian Government has since been criticized for acting against media outlets. Several newspapers, such as Nasa Niva and the Belaruskaya Delovaya Gazeta, have been targeted for closure by the authorities after these papers, amongst others, published reports critical of President Lukashenko or other government officials.[107][108] The OSCE and Freedom House have commented regarding the loss of press freedom in Belarus. In 2005, Freedom House gave Belarus the score of 6.75 (not free) when it came to dealing with press freedom. Another issue for the Belarusian press is the disappearance of several journalists, which remain unsolved.[109]

See also

Template:Belarus-related topics

References

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External links

Media

Governmental websites

Informational/cultural

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