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Compare Belarus (2004) - Greenland (2003)

Compare Belarus (2004) z Greenland (2003)

 Belarus (2004)Greenland (2003)
 BelarusGreenland
Administrative divisions 6 provinces (voblastsi, singular - voblasts') and 1 municipality* (horad); Brest, Homyel', Horad Minsk*, Hrodna, Mahilyow, Minsk, Vitsyebsk


note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers
3 districts (landsdele); Avannaa (Nordgronland), Tunu (Ostgronland), Kitaa (Vestgronland)


note: there are 18 municipalities in Greenland
Age structure 0-14 years: 16.3% (male 859,219; female 823,839)


15-64 years: 69.2% (male 3,469,926; female 3,662,203)


65 years and over: 14.5% (male 496,204; female 999,129) (2004 est.)
0-14 years: 25.9% (male 7,463; female 7,161)


15-64 years: 68.3% (male 20,885; female 17,605)


65 years and over: 5.8% (male 1,508; female 1,763) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products grain, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beets, flax; beef, milk forage crops, garden and greenhouse vegetables; sheep, reindeer; fish
Airports 135 (2003 est.) 14 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total: 50


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 21


1,524 to 2,437 m: 6


under 914 m: 21 (2003 est.)
total: 9


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 5 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 85


over 3,047 m: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 5


914 to 1,523 m: 11


under 914 m: 64 (2003 est.)
total: 5


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Area total: 207,600 sq km


land: 207,600 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 2,166,086 sq km


land: 2,166,086 sq km (410,449 sq km ice-free, 1,755,637 sq km ice-covered) (2000 est.)
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Kansas slightly more than three times the size of Texas
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. The world's largest non-continental island, about 81% ice-capped, Greenland was granted self-government in 1978 by the Danish parliament. The law went into effect the following year. Denmark continues to exercise control of Greenland's foreign affairs.
Birth rate 10.52 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) 16.09 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues: $2.976 billion


expenditures: $3.211 billion, including capital expenditures of $180 million (2003 est.)
revenues: $646 million


expenditures: $629 million, including capital expenditures of $85 million (1999)
Capital Minsk Nuuk (Godthab)
Climate cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 44,087 km
Constitution 30 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 5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)
Country name 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
conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Greenland


local long form: none


local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat
Currency Belarusian ruble (BYB/BYR) Danish krone (DKK)
Death rate 14.1 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) 7.66 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $851 million (2001 est.) $25 million (1999)
Dependency status - part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1979
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador George A. KROL


embassy: 46 Starovilenskaya St., Minsk 220002


mailing address: PSC 78, Box B Minsk, APO 09723


telephone: [375] (17) 210-12-83, 217-7347, 217-7348


FAX: [375] (17) 234-7853
none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Mikhail KHVOSTOV


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


telephone: [1] (202) 986-1604


FAX: [1] (202) 986-1805


consulate(s) general: New York
none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)
Disputes - international 1997 boundary treaty with Ukraine remains unratified over unresolved financial claims, preventing demarcation and diminishing border security; boundaries with Latvia and Lithuania remain undemarcated despite European Union financial support uncontested dispute between Canada and Denmark over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenland
Economic aid - recipient $194.3 million (1995) $380 million subsidy from Denmark
Economy - overview Belarus' economy in 2003 posted 6.1 percent growth and is likely to continue expanding through 2004, albeit at a slower growth rate. The Belarusian economy in 2004 is likely to be hampered by high inflation, persistent trade deficits, and ongoing rocky relations with Russia, Belarus' largest trading partner and energy supplier. 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 enterprises. In addition, businesses have been subject to pressure on the part of central and local governments, e.g., arbitrary changes in regulations, numerous rigorous inspections, retroactive application of new business regulations, and arrests of "disruptive" businessmen and factory owners. A wide range of redistributive policies has helped those at the bottom of the ladder. For the time being, Belarus remains self-isolated from the West and its open-market economies. The economy remains critically dependent on exports of fish and substantial support from the Danish Government, which supplies about half of government revenues. The public sector, including publicly owned enterprises and the municipalities, plays the dominant role in the economy. Despite several interesting hydrocarbon and minerals exploration activities, it will take several years before production can materialize. Tourism is the only sector offering any near-term potential, and even this is limited due to a short season and high costs.
Electricity - consumption 26.69 billion kWh (2001) 227.9 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 300 million kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 4.3 billion kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 24.4 billion kWh (2001) 245 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0%


note: Greenland is shifting its electricity production from fossil fuel to hydropower production (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Nyoman River 90 m


highest point: Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Gunnbjorn 3,700 m
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 protection of the arctic environment; preservation of the Inuit traditional way of life, including whaling and seal hunting
Environment - international agreements party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
-
Ethnic groups Belarusian 81.2%, Russian 11.4%, Polish, Ukrainian, and other 7.4% Greenlander 88% (Inuit and Greenland-born whites), Danish and others 12% (January 2000)
Exchange rates Belarusian rubles per US dollar - 1,790.92 (2003), 1,920 (2002), 1,390 (2001), 876.75 (2000), 248.795 (1999) Danish kroner per US dollar - 7.8947 (2002), 8.323 (2001), 8.083 (2000), 6.976 (1999), 6.701 (1998)
Executive branch chief of state: President Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (since 20 July 1994)


head of government: Prime Minister Sergei SIDORSKY (since 19 December 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir SEMASHKO (since December 2003); Deputy Prime Ministers Andrei KOBYAKOV (since December 2003), Vladimir DRAZHIN (since 24 September 2001), Ivan BAMBIZA (since 25 May 2004), Anatoly TYUTYUNOV (since July 2002)


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; according to the 1994 constitution, the next election should have been held in 1999, however LUKASHENKO extended his term to 2001 via a November 1996 referendum; new election held 9 September 2001; October 2004 referendum ended presidential term limits allowing president to run for a third term in September 2006; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president


election results: Aleksandr LUKASHENKO reelected president; percent of vote - Aleksandr LUKASHENKO 75.6%, Vladimir GONCHARIK 15.4%
chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Gunnar MARTENS (since NA 1995)


head of government: Prime Minister Hans ENOKSEN (since 14 December 2002)


cabinet: Home Rule Government is elected by the Parliament (Landstinget) on the basis of the strength of parties


elections: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by the monarch; prime minister is elected by Parliament (usually the leader of the majority party); election last held 3 December 2002 (next to be held NA December 2006)


election results: Hans ENOKSEN elected prime minister


note: government coalition - Siumut and Inuit Ataqatigiit
Exports NA (2001) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities machinery and equipment, mineral products, chemicals, metals; textiles, foodstuffs fish and fish products 94% (prawns 63%)
Exports - partners Russia 49.1%, UK 9.4%, Poland 4.4%, Germany 4.2%, Netherlands 4.2% (2003) Denmark 60.3%, Japan 15.5%, US 6%, Thailand 5%, Germany 4% (2002)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
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 ornamention in red two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a large disk slightly to the hoist side of center - the top half of the disk is red, the bottom half is white
GDP purchasing power parity - $62.56 billion (2003 est.) purchasing power parity - $1.1 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 11.1%


industry: 36.4%


services: 52.5% (2003 est.)
agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $6,100 (2003 est.) purchasing power parity - $20,000 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 6.8% (2003 est.) 1.8% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 53 00 N, 28 00 E 72 00 N, 40 00 W
Geography - note landlocked; glacial scouring accounts for the flatness of Belarusian terrain and for its 11,000 lakes; the country is geologically well endowed with extensive deposits of granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, and clay dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe; sparse population confined to small settlements along coast, but close to one-quarter of the population lives in the capital, Nuuk; world's second largest ice cap
Heliports 1 (2003 est.) -
Highways total: 74,385 km


paved: 66,203 km


unpaved: 8,182 km (2000)
total: NA (there are no roads between towns) (2003)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 5.1%


highest 10%: 20% (1998)
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs 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; a small and lightly regulated financial center; new anti-money-laundering legislation does not meet international standards; few investigations or prosecutions of money-laundering activities -
Imports NA (2001) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities mineral products, machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs, metals machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, petroleum products
Imports - partners Russia 65.8%, Germany 7.1%, Ukraine 3.1% (2003) Denmark 74.6%, Norway 14.2%, Russia 2.3% (2002)
Independence 25 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1979)


note: foreign affairs is the responsibility of Denmark, but Greenland actively participates in international agreements relating to Greenland
Industrial production growth rate 5% (2003 est.) NA%
Industries metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earthmovers, motorcycles, television sets, chemical fibers, fertilizer, textiles, radios, refrigerators fish processing (mainly shrimp and Greenland halibut), handicrafts, hides and skins, small shipyards, mining
Infant mortality rate total: 13.62 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 14.71 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 12.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
total: 16.8 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 18.09 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 15.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 28.2% (2003 est.) 1.6% (1999 est.)
International organization participation CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer) NC, NIB
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 1 (2000)
Irrigated land 1,150 sq km (1998 est.) NA sq km
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) High Court or Landsret (appeals can be made to the Ostre Landsret or Eastern Division of the High Court or Supreme Court in Copenhagen)
Labor force 4.8 million (2000 est.) 24,500 (1999 est.)
Labor force - by occupation NA -
Land boundaries total: 2,900 km


border countries: Latvia 141 km, Lithuania 502 km, Poland 407 km, Russia 959 km, Ukraine 891 km
0 km
Land use arable land: 29.55%


permanent crops: 0.6%


other: 69.85% (2001)
arable land: 0%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 100% (1998 est.)
Languages Belarusian, Russian, other Greenlandic (East Inuit), Danish, English
Legal system based on civil law system Danish
Legislative branch bicameral Parliament or Natsionalnoye Sobranie consists of the Council of the Republic or Soviet Respubliki (64 seats; 56 members elected by regional councils and 8 members appointed by the president, all for 4-year terms) and the Chamber of Representatives or Palata Predstaviteliy (110 seats; members elected by universal adult suffrage to serve 4-year terms)


elections: last held 18 March and 1 April 2001 and 17 and 31 October 2004 (bi-election will be held March 2005 to fill one unfilled seat in the Palata Predstaviteliy); international observers widely denounced the October 2004 elections as flawed and undemocratic, based on massive government falsification; pro-Lukashenko candidates won every seat, after many opposition candidates were disqualified for technical reasons


election results: Soviet Respubliki - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Palata Pretsaviteley - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA
unicameral Parliament or Landstinget (31 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held on 3 December 2002 (next to be held by NA December 2006)


election results: percent of vote by party - Siumut 28.7%, Inuit Ataqatigiit 25.5%, Atassut Party 20.4%, Demokratiit 15.6%, Katusseqatigiit 5.3%; seats by party - Siumut 10, Inuit Ataqatigiit 8, Atassut 7, Demokratiit 5, Katusseqatigiit 1


note: two representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament or Folketing on 20 November 2001 (next to be held no later than November 2005); percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Siumut 1, Inuit Ataqatigiit 1
Life expectancy at birth total population: 68.57 years


male: 62.79 years


female: 74.65 years (2004 est.)
total population: 69 years


male: 65.44 years


female: 72.65 years (2003 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 99.6%


male: 99.8%


female: 99.5% (2003 est.)
definition: NA


total population: NA%


male: NA%


female: NA%


note: similar to Denmark proper
Location Eastern Europe, east of Poland Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada
Map references Europe Arctic Region
Maritime claims none (landlocked) continental shelf: 200 NM or agreed boundaries or median line


exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM or agreed boundaries or median line


territorial sea: 3 NM
Merchant marine - total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,593 GRT/3,640 DWT


ships by type: cargo 2, passenger 1


note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Denmark 1 (2002 est.)
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of Denmark
Military branches Army, Air and Air Defense Force -
Military expenditures - dollar figure $176.1 million (FY02) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.4% (FY02) -
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 2,764,856 (2004 est.) -
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 2,164,923 (2004 est.) -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 86,716 (2004 est.) -
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 June 21 (longest day)
Nationality noun: Belarusian(s)


adjective: Belarusian
noun: Greenlander(s)


adjective: Greenlandic
Natural hazards NA continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island
Natural resources forests, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas, granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, clay zinc, lead, iron ore, coal, molybdenum, gold, platinum, uranium, fish, seals, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas
Net migration rate 2.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) -8.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines gas 5,223 km; oil 2,443 km; refined products 1,686 km (2004) -
Political parties and leaders Pro-government parties: Agrarian Party or AP; Belarusian Communist Party or KPB; Belarusian Patriotic Movement (Belarusian Patriotic Party) or BPR [Anatoliy BARANKEVICH, chairman]; Liberal Democratic Party of Belarus [Sergei GAYDUKEVICH]; Social-Sports Party; Opposition parties: Belarusian Popular Front or BNF [Vintsuk VYACHORKA]; Belarusian Social-Democrat Party Narodnaya Gromada or BSDP NG [Nikolay STATKEVICH, chairman]; Belarusian Social-Democratic Party Hromada [Stanislav SHUSHKEVICH, chairman]; United Civic Party or UCP [Anatol LEBEDKO]; Party of Communists Belarusian or PKB [Sergei KALYAKIN, chairman]; Women's Party "Nadezhda" [Valentina MATUSEVICH, chairperson]


note: the opposition Belarusian Party of Labor [Aleksandr BUKHVOSTOV] was liquidated in August 2004, but remains active
Akulliit Party [Bjarne KREUTZMANN]; Atassut Party (Solidarity, a conservative party favoring continuing close relations with Denmark) [Augusta SALLING]; Demokratiit [Per BERTHELSEN]; Inuit Ataqatigiit or IA (Eskimo Brotherhood, a leftist party favoring complete independence from Denmark rather than home rule) [Josef MOTZFELDT]; Issituup (Polar Party) [Nicolai HEINRICH]; Kattusseqatigiit (Candidate List, an independent right-of-center party with no official platform [leader NA]; Siumut (Forward Party, a social democratic party advocating more distinct Greenlandic identity and greater autonomy from Denmark) [Hans ENOKSEN]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 10,310,520 (July 2004 est.) 56,385 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line 22% (1995 est.) NA%
Population growth rate -0.11% (2004 est.) 0.01% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors Mazyr Aasiaat (Egedesminde), Ilulissat (Jakobshavn), Kangerlussuaq, Nanortalik, Narsarsuaq, Nuuk (Godthab), Qaqortoq (Julianehab), Sisimiut (Holsteinsborg), Tasiilaq (March 2001)
Radio broadcast stations AM 28, FM 37, shortwave 11 (1998) AM 5, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998)
Railways total: 5,523 km


broad gauge: 5,523 km 1.520-m gauge (875 km electrified) (2003)
0 km
Religions Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.) Evangelical Lutheran
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.5 male(s)/female


total population: 0.88 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.19 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female


total population: 1.13 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system 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' fiber optics form synchronous digital hierarchy rings through other countries' systems; an inadequate analog system remains operational


international: country code - 375; 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
general assessment: adequate domestic and international service provided by satellite, cables and microwave radio relay; totally digitalized in 1995


domestic: microwave radio relay and satellite


international: satellite earth stations - 12 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 2 Americom GE-2 (all Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 3,071,300 (2003) 25,617 (yearend 1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1.118 million (2003) 12,676 (yearend 1999)
Television broadcast stations 47 (plus 27 repeaters) (1995) 1 publicly-owned station, some local low-power stations, and three AFRTS (US Air Force) stations (1997)
Terrain generally flat and contains much marshland flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow, mountainous, barren, rocky coast
Total fertility rate 1.36 children born/woman (2004 est.) 2.43 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate 2.1% officially registered unemployed (December 2000); large number of underemployed workers (2003 est.) 10% (2000 est.)
Waterways 2,500 km (use limited by location on perimeter of country and by shallowness) (2003) none
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