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Compare Bangladesh (2001) - Belarus (2001)

Compare Bangladesh (2001) z Belarus (2001)

 Bangladesh (2001)Belarus (2001)
 BangladeshBelarus
Administrative divisions 5 divisions; Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi; note - there may be one additional division named Sylhet 6 voblastsi (singular - voblasts') and one municipality* (harady, singular - horad); Brestskaya (Brest), Homyel'skaya (Homyel'), Horad Minsk*, Hrodzyenskaya (Hrodna), Mahilyowskaya (Mahilyow), Minskaya, Vitsyebskaya (Vitsyebsk); note - when using a place name with the adjectival ending 'skaya' the word voblasts' should be added to the place name

note:
voblasti have the administrative center name following in parentheses
Age structure 0-14 years:
35.04% (male 23,550,607; female 22,451,006)

15-64 years:
61.6% (male 41,432,123; female 39,434,633)

65 years and over:
3.36% (male 2,389,639; female 2,011,852) (2001 est.)
0-14 years:
17.93% (male 947,820; female 908,210)

15-64 years:
68.21% (male 3,428,920; female 3,631,290)

65 years and over:
13.86% (male 473,992; female 959,962) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products rice, jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes, tobacco, pulses, oilseeds, spices, fruit; beef, milk, poultry grain, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beets, flax; beef, milk
Airports 18 (2000 est.) 136 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total:
15

over 3,047 m:
2

2,438 to 3,047 m:
3

1,524 to 2,437 m:
4

914 to 1,523 m:
1

under 914 m:
5 (2000 est.)
total:
33

over 3,047 m:
2

2,438 to 3,047 m:
19

1,524 to 2,437 m:
1

under 914 m:
11 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total:
3

1,524 to 2,437 m:
1

under 914 m:
2 (2000 est.)
total:
103

over 3,047 m:
3

2,438 to 3,047 m:
10

1,524 to 2,437 m:
11

914 to 1,523 m:
14

under 914 m:
65 (2000 est.)
Area total:
144,000 sq km

land:
133,910 sq km

water:
10,090 sq km
total:
207,600 sq km

land:
207,600 sq km

water:
0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Wisconsin slightly smaller than Kansas
Background Bangladesh came into existence in 1971 when Bengali East Pakistan seceded from its union with West Pakistan. About a third of this extremely poor country annually floods during the monsoon rainy season, hampering economic development. 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 but, to date, neither side has actively sought to implement the accord.
Birth rate 25.3 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 9.57 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues:
$4.9 billion

expenditures:
$6.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY99/00 est.)
revenues:
$4 billion

expenditures:
$4.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $180 million (1997 est.)
Capital Dhaka Minsk
Climate tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October) cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime
Coastline 580 km 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution 4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended following coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986, amended many times 30 March 1994; revised by national referendum of 24 November 1996 giving the presidency greatly expanded powers and became effective 27 November 1996
Country name conventional long form:
People's Republic of Bangladesh

conventional short form:
Bangladesh

former:
East Pakistan
conventional long form:
Republic of Belarus

conventional short form:
Belarus

local long form:
Respublika Byelarus'

local short form:
none

former:
Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic
Currency taka (BDT) Belarusian ruble (BYB/BYR)
Death rate 8.6 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 13.97 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $17 billion (2000) $1 billion (2000 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission:
Ambassador Mary Ann PETERS

embassy:
Road 27, House 110, Banani, Dhaka

mailing address:
G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1000

telephone:
[880] (2) 8824700 through 8824722

FAX:
[880] (2) 8823744
chief of mission:
Ambassador Michael KOZAK

embassy:
46 Starovilenskaya St., Minsk 220002

mailing address:
use embassy street address

telephone:
[375] (17) 210-12-83

FAX:
[375] (17) 234-7853
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission:
Ambassador-designate A. Tariq KARIM

chancery:
3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 244-0183

consulate(s) general:
Los Angeles and New York
chief of mission:
Ambassador Valeriy TSEPAKLO

chancery:
1619 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone:
[1] (202) 986-1604

FAX:
[1] (202) 986-1805

consulate(s) general:
New York
Disputes - international a portion of the boundary with India is indefinite; exchange of 151 enclaves along border with India subject to ratification by Indian parliament; dispute with India over South Talpatty/New Moore Island none
Economic aid - recipient $1.575 billion (2000 est.) $194.3 million (1995)
Economy - overview Despite sustained domestic and international efforts to improve economic and demographic prospects, Bangladesh remains one of the world's poorest, most densely populated, and least developed nations. Although more than half of GDP is generated through the service sector, nearly two-thirds of Bangladeshis are employed in the agriculture sector, with rice as the single most important product. Major impediments to growth include frequent cyclones and floods, inefficient state-owned enterprises, inadequate port facilities, a rapidly growing labor force that cannot be absorbed by agriculture, delays in exploiting energy resources (natural gas), insufficient power supplies, and slow implementation of economic reforms. Reform is stalled in many instances by political infighting and corruption at all levels of government. Even so, Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA's Awami League government has made some headway improving the climate for foreign investors and liberalizing the capital markets. Progress on other economic reforms has been halting because of opposition from the bureaucracy, public sector unions, and other vested interest groups. Belarus has seen little 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 enterprise. In addition to the burdens imposed by extremely high inflation, businesses have been subject to pressure on the part of central and local governments, e.g., arbitrary changes in regulations, numerous rigorous inspections, and retroactive application of new business regulations prohibiting practices that had been legal. Further economic problems are two consecutive bad harvests, 1998-99, and persistent trade deficits. Close relations with Russia, possibly leading to reunion, color the pattern of economic developments. For the time being, Belarus remains self-isolated from the West and its open-market economies.
Electricity - consumption 11.216 billion kWh (1999) 27.647 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 2.62 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (1999) 7.1 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 12.06 billion kWh (1999) 24.911 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
93.7%

hydro:
6.3%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
fossil fuel:
99.9%

hydro:
0.1%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point:
Keokradong 1,230 m
lowest point:
Nyoman River 90 m

highest point:
Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m
Environment - current issues many people are landless and forced to live on and cultivate flood-prone land; water-borne diseases prevalent in surface water; water pollution, especially of fishing areas, results from the use of commercial pesticides; ground water contaminated by naturally-occurring arsenic; intermittent water shortages because of falling water tables in the northern and central parts of the country; soil degradation and erosion; deforestation; severe overpopulation 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:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:
Law of the Sea
party to:
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:
Law of the Sea
Ethnic groups Bengali 98%, tribal groups, non-Bengali Muslims (1998) Byelorussian 81.2%, Russian 11.4%, Polish, Ukrainian, and other 7.4%
Exchange rates taka per US dollar - 54.000 (January 2001), 52.142 (2000), 49.085 (1999), 46.906 (1998), 43.892 (1997), 41.794 (1996) Belarusian rubles per US dollar - 1,180 (yearend 2000), 730,000 (15 December 1999), 139,000 (25 January 1999), 46,080 (second quarter 1998), 25,964 (1997), 15,500 (yearend 1996); note - on 1 January 2000, the national currency was redenominated at one new ruble to 2,000 old rubles
Executive branch chief of state:
President Shahabuddin AHMED (since 9 October 1996); note - the president's duties are normally ceremonial, but with the 13th amendment to the constitution ("Caretaker Government Amendment"), the president's role becomes significant at times when Parliament is dissolved and a caretaker government is installed - at presidential direction - to supervise the elections

head of government:
Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA (since 13 July 1996)

cabinet:
Cabinet selected by the prime minister and appointed by the president

elections:
president elected by National Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 24 July 1996 (next to be held by NA October 2001); following legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins the most seats is usually appointed prime minister by the president

election results:
Shahabuddin AHMED elected president without opposition; percent of National Parliament vote - NA%
chief of state:
President Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (since 20 July 1994)

head of government:
Prime Minister Vladimir YERMOSHIN (since 18 February 2000); First Deputy Prime Minister Andrey KOBYAKOV (since 13 March 2000); Deputy Prime Ministers Mikhail DEMCHUK (since 14 July 2000), Mikhail KHORSTOV (since 27 November 2000), Valeriy KOKOREV (since 23 August 1994), Leonid KOZIK (since 4 February 1997), Gennadiy NOVITSKIY (since 11 February 1997), Aleksandr POPKOV (since 10 November 1998)

cabinet:
Council of Ministers

elections:
president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; first election took place 23 June and 10 July 1994 (next to be held NA; according to the 1994 constitution, the next election should have been held in 1999, however LUKASHENKO extended his term to 2001 via the November 1996 referendum); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president

election results:
Aleksandr LUKASHENKO elected president; percent of vote - Aleksandr LUKASHENKO 85%, Vyacheslav KEBICH 15%
Exports $5.9 billion (2000) $7.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities garments, jute and jute goods, leather, frozen fish and seafood machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, textiles, foodstuffs
Exports - partners US 31.2%, Germany 9.95%, UK 8.06%, France 5.82%, Italy 4.42% (1999) Russia 66%, Ukraine, Poland, Germany, Lithuania (1998)
Fiscal year 1 July - 30 June calendar year
Flag description green with a large red disk slightly to the hoist side of center; the red sun of freedom represents the blood shed to achieve independence; the green field symbolizes the lush countryside, and secondarily, the traditional color of Islam 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 the Belarusian national ornament in red
GDP purchasing power parity - $203 billion (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $78.8 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
30%

industry:
18%

services:
52% (2000 est.)
agriculture:
13%

industry:
46%

services:
41% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,570 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $7,500 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5.3% (2000 est.) 4% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 24 00 N, 90 00 E 53 00 N, 28 00 E
Geography - note - landlocked
Highways total:
201,182 km

paved:
19,112 km

unpaved:
182,070 km (1997)
total:
63,355 km

paved:
60,567 km (these roads are said to be hard-surfaced, and include, in addition to conventionally paved roads, some that are surfaced with gravel or other coarse aggregate, making them trafficable in all weather)

unpaved:
2,788 km (these roads are made of unstabilized earth and are difficult to negotiate in wet weather) (1998)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%:
3.9%

highest 10%:
28.6% (1995-96 est.)
lowest 10%:
4.9%

highest 10%:
19.4% (1993)
Illicit drugs transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for the domestic market; transshipment point for illicit drugs to and via Russia, and to the Baltics and Western Europe
Imports $8.1 billion (2000) $8.3 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, chemicals, iron and steel, textiles, raw cotton, food, crude oil and petroleum products, cement mineral products, machinery and equipment, metals, chemicals, foodstuffs
Imports - partners India 12.2%, Singapore 7.8%, Japan 6.7%, China 6.4%, US 5.3% (1999) Russia 54%, Ukraine, Germany, Poland, Lithuania (1998)
Independence 16 December 1971 (from West Pakistan); note - 26 March 1971 is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is known as Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state of Bangladesh 25 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Industrial production growth rate 6.1% (2000 est.) 5% (2000 est.)
Industries cotton textiles, jute, garments, tea processing, paper newsprint, cement, chemical fertilizer, light engineering, sugar metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earth movers, motorcycles, television sets, chemical fibers, fertilizer, textiles, radios, refrigerators
Infant mortality rate 69.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) 14.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 5.8% (2000 est.) 200% (2000 est.)
International organization participation AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNTAET, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO CCC, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Inmarsat, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 10 (2000) 4 (2000)
Irrigated land 31,000 sq km (1993 est.) 1,000 sq km (1993 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court (the chief justices and other judges are appointed by the president) 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)
Labor force 64.1 million (1998)

note:
extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Oman, Qatar, and Malaysia; workers' remittances estimated at $1.71 billion in 1998-99
4.8 million (2000)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 63%, services 26%, industry 11% (FY95/96) industry and construction NA%, agriculture and forestry NA%, services NA%
Land boundaries total:
4,246 km

border countries:
Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km
total:
3,098 km

border countries:
Latvia 141 km, Lithuania 502 km, Poland 605 km, Russia 959 km, Ukraine 891 km
Land use arable land:
73%

permanent crops:
2%

permanent pastures:
5%

forests and woodland:
15%

other:
5% (1993 est.)
arable land:
29%

permanent crops:
1%

permanent pastures:
15%

forests and woodland:
34%

other:
21% (1993 est.)
Languages Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English Byelorussian, Russian, other
Legal system based on English common law based on civil law system
Legislative branch unicameral National Parliament or Jatiya Sangsad (330 seats; 300 elected by popular vote from single territorial constituencies, 30 seats reserved for women; members serve five-year terms)

elections:
last held 12 June 1996 (next to be held before 13 October 2001)

election results:
percent of vote by party - AL 33.87%, BNP 30.87%; seats by party - AL 178, BNP 113, JP 33, JI 3, other 3; note - the elections of 12 June 1996 brought to power an Awami League government for the first time in twenty-one years; held under a neutral, caretaker administration, the elections were characterized by a peaceful, orderly process and massive voter turnout, ending a bitter two-year impasse between the former BNP and opposition parties that had paralyzed National Parliament and led to widespread street violence
bicameral Parliament or Natsionalnoye Sobranie consists of the Council of the Republic or Soviet Respubliki (64 seats) and the Chamber of Representatives or Palata Pretsaviteley (110 seats)

elections:
last held October 2000 (next to be held NA)

election results:
party affiliation data unavailable; under present political conditions party designations are meaningless
Life expectancy at birth total population:
60.54 years

male:
60.74 years

female:
60.33 years (2001 est.)
total population:
68.14 years

male:
62.06 years

female:
74.52 years (2001 est.)
Literacy definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
56%

male:
63%

female:
49% (2000 est.)
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
98%

male:
99%

female:
97% (1989 est.)
Location Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India Eastern Europe, east of Poland
Map references Asia Commonwealth of Independent States
Maritime claims contiguous zone:
18 NM

continental shelf:
up to the outer limits of the continental margin

exclusive economic zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM
none (landlocked)
Merchant marine total:
35 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 268,566 GRT/375,110 DWT

ships by type:
bulk 2, cargo 25, container 3, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 2 (2000 est.)
-
Military branches Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force, paramilitary forces (includes Bangladesh Rifles, Bangladesh Ansars, Village Defense Parties, National Cadet Corps), Armed Police battalions Army, Air Force, Air Defense Force, Interior Ministry Troops, Border Guards
Military expenditures - dollar figure $559 million (FY96/97) $156 million (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.8% (FY96/97) 1.2% (FY98)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49:
36,005,553 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49:
2,729,956 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49:
21,362,279 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49:
2,138,743 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males:
86,396 (2001 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 26 March (1971); note - 26 March 1971 is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state of Bangladesh 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
Nationality noun:
Bangladeshi(s)

adjective:
Bangladeshi
noun:
Belarusian(s)

adjective:
Belarusian
Natural hazards droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely inundated during the summer monsoon season NA
Natural resources natural gas, arable land, timber, coal forests, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas
Net migration rate -0.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) 2.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines natural gas 1,250 km crude oil 1,470 km; refined products 1,100 km; natural gas 1,980 km (1992)
Political parties and leaders Awami League or AL [Sheikh HASINA]; Bangladesh Communist Party or BCP [Saifuddin Ahmed MANIK]; Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP [Khaleda ZIAur Rahman]; Islami Oikya Jote or IOJ [Azizol HAQ]; Jamaat-E-Islami or JI [Motiur Rahman NIZAMI]; Jatiya Party or JP [Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD] Agrarian Party or AP [Semyon SHARETSKY, chairman]; Belarusian Communist Party or KPB [Viktor CHIKIN, chairman]; Belarusian Ecological Green Party (merger of Belarusian Ecological Party and Green Party of Belarus) [leader NA]; Belarusian Patriotic Movement (Belarusian Patriotic Party) or BPR [Anatoliy BARANKEVICH, chairman]; Belarusian Popular Front or BNF [Vintsuk VYACHORKA]; Belarusian Social-Democrat or SDBP [Nikolay STATKEVICH, chairman]; Belarusian Social-Democratic Party Hromada [Stanislav SHUSHKEVICH, chairman]; Belarusian Socialist Party [Vyacheslav KUZNETSOV]; Civic Accord Bloc (United Civic Party) or CAB [Stanislav BOGDANKEVICH, chairman]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDPB [Sergei GAYDUKEVICH, chairman]; Party of Communists Belarusian or PKB [Sergei KALYAKIN, chairman]; Republican Party of Labor and Justice or RPPS [Anatoliy NETYLKIN, chairman]; Social-Democrat Party of Popular Accord or PPA [Leanid SECHKA]; Women's Party Nadezhda [Valentina POLEVIKOVA, chairperson]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 131,269,860 (July 2001 est.) 10,350,194 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line 35.6% (FY95/96 est.) 22% (1995 est.)
Population growth rate 1.59% (2001 est.) -0.15% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors Chittagong, Dhaka, Mongla Port, Narayanganj (2001) Mazyr
Radio broadcast stations AM 12, FM 12, shortwave 2 (1999) AM 28, FM 37, shortwave 11 (1998)
Radios 6.15 million (1997) 3.02 million (1997)
Railways total:
2,745 km

broad gauge:
923 km 1.676-m gauge

narrow gauge:
1,822 km 1.000-m gauge (2000)
total:
5,523 km

broad gauge:
5,523 km 1.520-m gauge (875 km electrified) (2000)
Religions Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, other 1% (1998) Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.)
Sex ratio at birth:
1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years:
1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over:
1.19 male(s)/female

total population:
1.05 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years:
0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over:
0.49 male(s)/female

total population:
0.88 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment:
totally inadequate for a modern country

domestic:
modernizing; introducing digital systems; trunk systems include VHF and UHF microwave radio relay links, and some fiber-optic cable in cities

international:
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); international radiotelephone communications and landline service to neighboring countries (2000)
general assessment:
the Ministry of Telecommunications controls all telecommunications through its carrier (a joint stock company) Beltelcom which is a monopoly

domestic:
local - Minsk has a digital metropolitan network and a cellular NMT-450 network; waiting lists for telephones are long; local service outside Minsk is neglected and poor; intercity - Belarus has a partly developed fiber-optic backbone system presently serving at least 13 major cities (1998); Belarus's fiber optics form synchronous digital hierarchy rings through other countries' systems; an inadequate analog system remains operational

international:
Belarus is a member of the Trans-European Line (TEL), Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line, and has access to the Trans-Siberia Line (TSL); three fiber-optic segments provide connectivity to Latvia, Poland, Russia, and Ukraine; worldwide service is available to Belarus through this infrastructure; additional analog lines to Russia; Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik earth stations
Telephones - main lines in use 500,000 (2000) 2.313 million (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 283,000 (2000) 8,167 (1997)
Television broadcast stations 15 (1999) 47 (plus 27 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast generally flat and contains much marshland
Total fertility rate 2.78 children born/woman (2001 est.) 1.28 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 35.2% (1996) 2.1% officially registered unemployed (December 2000); large number of underemployed workers
Waterways up to 8,046 km depending on season

note:
includes 3,058 km main cargo routes
NA km; note - Belarus has extensive and widely used canal and river systems
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