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Compare Belarus (2007) - Paraguay (2001)

Compare Belarus (2007) z Paraguay (2001)

 Belarus (2007)Paraguay (2001)
 BelarusParaguay
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
17 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and one capital city; Alto Paraguay, Alto Parana, Amambay, Asuncion (city), Boqueron, Caaguazu, Caazapa, Canindeyu, Central, Concepcion, Cordillera, Guaira, Itapua, Misiones, Neembucu, Paraguari, Presidente Hayes, San Pedro
Age structure 0-14 years: 14.7% (male 733,010/female 691,734)


15-64 years: 70.4% (male 3,327,119/female 3,520,690)


65 years and over: 14.9% (male 471,863/female 980,307) (2007 est.)
0-14 years:
38.9% (male 1,133,306; female 1,097,360)

15-64 years:
56.39% (male 1,622,743; female 1,610,659)

65 years and over:
4.71% (male 124,321; female 145,750) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products grain, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beets, flax; beef, milk cotton, sugarcane, soybeans, corn, wheat, tobacco, cassava (yucca), fruits, vegetables; beef, pork, eggs, milk; timber
Airports 67 (2007) 915 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 36


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 22


1,524 to 2,437 m: 4


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 7 (2007)
total:
11

over 3,047 m:
3

1,524 to 2,437 m:
4

914 to 1,523 m:
4 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 31


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 27 (2007)
total:
904

1,524 to 2,437 m:
29

914 to 1,523 m:
340

under 914 m:
535 (2000 est.)
Area total: 207,600 sq km


land: 207,600 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total:
406,750 sq km

land:
397,300 sq km

water:
9,450 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Kansas slightly smaller than California
Background After seven decades as a constituent republic of the USSR, Belarus attained its independence in 1991. It has retained closer political and economic ties to Russia than any of the other former Soviet republics. Belarus and Russia signed a treaty on a two-state union on 8 December 1999 envisioning greater political and economic integration. Although Belarus agreed to a framework to carry out the accord, serious implementation has yet to take place. Since his election in July 1994 as the country's first president, Alexandr LUKASHENKO has steadily consolidated his power through authoritarian means. Government restrictions on freedom of speech and the press, peaceful assembly, and religion continue. In the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance (1865-70), Paraguay lost two-thirds of all adult males and much of its territory. It stagnated economically for the next half century. In the Chaco War of 1932-35, large, economically important areas were won from Bolivia. The 35-year military dictatorship of Alfredo STROESSNER was overthrown in 1989, and, despite a marked increase in political infighting in recent years, relatively free and regular presidential elections have been held since then.
Birth rate 9.5 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 30.88 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $13.24 billion


expenditures: $13.76 billion (2006 est.)
revenues:
$1.3 billion

expenditures:
$2 billion, including capital expenditures of $700 million (1999 est.)
Capital name: Minsk


geographic coordinates: 53 54 N, 27 34 E


time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)


daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Asuncion
Climate cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime subtropical to temperate; substantial rainfall in the eastern portions, becoming semiarid in the far west
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution 15 March 1994; revised by national referendum of 24 November 1996 giving the presidency greatly expanded powers and became effective 27 November 1996; revised again 17 October 2004 removing presidential term limits promulgated 20 June 1992
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Belarus


conventional short form: Belarus


local long form: Respublika Byelarus'


local short form: Byelarus'


former: Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic
conventional long form:
Republic of Paraguay

conventional short form:
Paraguay

local long form:
Republica del Paraguay

local short form:
Paraguay
Currency - guarani (PYG)
Death rate 13.98 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 4.75 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $5.929 billion (2006 est.) $3 billion (2000 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Karen B. STEWART


embassy: 46 Starovilenskaya Street, 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
chief of mission:
Ambassador David N. GREENLEE

embassy:
1776 Avenida Mariscal Lopez, Casilla Postal 402, Asuncion

mailing address:
Unit 4711, APO AA 34036-0001

telephone:
[595] (21) 213-715

FAX:
[595] (21) 213-728
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
chief of mission:
Ambassador Leila RACHID

chancery:
2400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 483-6960 through 6962

FAX:
[1] (202) 234-4508

consulate(s) general:
Detroit (honorary), Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Juan (honorary)
Disputes - international as of January 2007, ground demarcations of the boundaries with Latvia and Lithuania were complete and mapped with final ratification documentation in preparation; 1997 boundary delimitation treaty with Ukraine remains unratified over unresolved financial claims, preventing demarcation and diminishing border security -
Economic aid - recipient $53.76 million (2005) $NA
Economy - overview Belarus's economy in 2006 posted more than 8% growth. Trade with Russia - by far its largest single trade partner - decreased in 2006, largely as a result of a change in the way the Value Added Tax (VAT) on trade was collected. Trade with European countries increased. 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. Since 2005, the government has re-nationalized a number of private companies. In addition, businesses have been subject to pressure by 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; the Gini coefficient is among the lowest in the world. Because of these restrictive economic policies, Belarus has had trouble attracting foreign investment, which remains low. Growth has been strong in recent years, despite the roadblocks in a tough, centrally directed economy with a high, but decreasing, rate of inflation. Belarus receives heavily discounted oil and natural gas from Russia and much of Belarus' growth can be attributed to the re-export of Russian oil at market prices. This growth will be threatened in 2007, however, when Russia raises energy prices closer to world market prices for Belarus. Russia is planning to increase Belarusian gas prices from $47 per thousand cubic meters (tcm) to $100 per tcm for 2007, gradually increasing to world prices by 2011. Russia has also introduced an export duty on oil shipped to Belarus, which will increase gradually through 2009, and a requirement that Belarusian duties on re-exported Russian oil be shared with Russia - 70% will go to Russia in 2007, 80% in 2008, and 85% in 2009. Paraguay has a market economy marked by a large informal sector. The informal sector features both reexport of imported consumer goods to neighboring countries as well as the activities of thousands of microenterprises and urban street vendors. Because of the importance of the informal sector, accurate economic measures are difficult to obtain. A large percentage of the population derives their living from agricultural activity, often on a subsistence basis. The formal economy grew by an average of about 3% annually in 1995-97, but GDP declined slightly in 1998 and 1999. On a per capita basis, real income has stagnated at 1980 levels. Most observers attribute Paraguay's poor economic performance to political uncertainty, corruption, lack of progress on structural reform, substantial internal and external debt, and deficient infrastructure. Growth rebounded slightly in 2000.
Electricity - consumption 29.49 billion kWh (2005) 1.915 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 5.053 billion kWh (2005) 46.03 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 9.091 billion kWh (2005) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 29.08 billion kWh (2005) 51.554 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel:
0.07%

hydro:
99.79%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0.15% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Nyoman River 90 m


highest point: Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m
lowest point:
junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m

highest point:
Cerro Pero (Cerro Tres Kandu) 842 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 deforestation (an estimated 2 million hectares of forest land were lost from 1958-85); water pollution; inadequate means for waste disposal present health risks for many urban residents
Environment - international agreements party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:
Nuclear Test Ban
Ethnic groups Belarusian 81.2%, Russian 11.4%, Polish 3.9%, Ukrainian 2.4%, other 1.1% (1999 census) mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian) 95%
Exchange rates Belarusian rubles per US dollar - 2,144.6 (2006), 2,150 (2005), 2,160.26 (2004), 2,051.27 (2003), 1,790.92 (2002) guarani per US dollar - 3,570.0 (January 2001), 3,486.4 (2000), 3,119.1 (1999), 2,726.5 (1998), 2,177.9 (1997), 2,056.8 (1996); note - since early 1998, the exchange rate has operated as a managed float; prior to that, the exchange rate was determined freely in the market
Executive branch chief of state: President Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (since 20 July 1994)


head of government: Prime Minister Sergei SIDORSKIY (since 19 December 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir SEMASHKO (since NA December 2003)


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, Aleksandr LUKASHENKO extended his term to 2001 via a November 1996 referendum; subsequent election held 9 September 2001; an October 2004 referendum ended presidential term limits and allowed the president to run in a third election, which was held on 19 March 2006; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president


election results: Aleksandr LUKASHENKO reelected president; percent of vote - Aleksandr LUKASHENKO 82.6%, Aleksandr MILINKEVICH 6%, Aleksandr KOZULIN 2.3%; note - election marred by electoral fraud
chief of state:
President Luis GONZALEZ MACCHI (since 28 March 1999); vice president Julio Cesar FRANCO (since NA August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government:
President Luis GONZALEZ MACCHI (since 28 March 1999); vice president Julio Cesar FRANCO (since NA August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet:
Council of Ministers nominated by the president

elections:
president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 10 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2003)

election results:
Raul CUBAS Grau elected president; percent of vote - 55.3%; resigned 28 March 1999

note:
President Luis GONZALEZ MACCHI, formerly president of the Chamber of Senators, constitutionally succeeded President Raul CUBAS Grau, who resigned after being impeached soon after the assassination of Vice President Luis Maria ARGANA; the successor to ARGANA was decided in an election held in August 2000
Exports 249,900 bbl/day (2004 est.) $3.5 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Exports - commodities machinery and equipment, mineral products, chemicals, metals, textiles, foodstuffs electricity, soybeans, feed, cotton, meat, edible oils
Exports - partners Russia 34.7%, Netherlands 17.7%, UK 7.5%, Ukraine 6.3%, Poland 5.2% (2006) Brazil, Argentina, EU
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 ornamentation in red three equal, horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue with an emblem centered in the white band; unusual flag in that the emblem is different on each side; the obverse (hoist side at the left) bears the national coat of arms (a yellow five-pointed star within a green wreath capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles); the reverse (hoist side at the right) bears the seal of the treasury (a yellow lion below a red Cap of Liberty and the words Paz y Justicia (Peace and Justice) capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles)
GDP - purchasing power parity - $26.2 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 9.2%


industry: 41.7%


services: 49.1% (2006 est.)
agriculture:
28%

industry:
21%

services:
51% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $4,750 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 9.9% (2006 est.) 1% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 53 00 N, 28 00 E 23 00 S, 58 00 W
Geography - note landlocked; glacial scouring accounts for the flatness of Belarusian terrain and for its 11,000 lakes landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil
Heliports 1 (2007) -
Highways - total:
25,901 km

paved:
3,067 km

unpaved:
22,834 km (2001)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 3.4%


highest 10%: 23.5% (2002)
lowest 10%:
0.7%

highest 10%:
46.6% (1995)
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 illicit producer of cannabis, most or all of which is consumed in South America; transshipment country for Andean cocaine headed for Southern Cone markets and Europe
Imports 378,200 bbl/day (2004 est.) $3.3 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Imports - commodities mineral products, machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs, metals road vehicles, consumer goods, tobacco, petroleum products, electrical machinery
Imports - partners Russia 58.6%, Germany 7.5%, Ukraine 5.5% (2006) Brazil, US, Argentina, Uruguay, EU, Hong Kong
Independence 25 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) 14 May 1811 (from Spain)
Industrial production growth rate 15.6% (2005 est.) 0% (2000 est.)
Industries metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earthmovers, motorcycles, televisions, chemical fibers, fertilizer, textiles, radios, refrigerators sugar, cement, textiles, beverages, wood products
Infant mortality rate total: 6.63 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 7.67 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 5.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
29.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 7% (2006 est.) 8% (2000 est.)
International organization participation BSEC (observer), CEI, CIS, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 4 (2000)
Irrigated land 1,310 sq km (2003) 670 sq km (1993 est.)
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) Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges appointed on the proposal of the Counsel of Magistrates or Consejo de la Magistratura)
Labor force 4.3 million (31 December 2005) 2 million (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 14%


industry: 34.7%


services: 51.3% (2003 est.)
agriculture 45%
Land boundaries total: 2,900 km


border countries: Latvia 141 km, Lithuania 502 km, Poland 407 km, Russia 959 km, Ukraine 891 km
total:
3,920 km

border countries:
Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,290 km
Land use arable land: 26.77%


permanent crops: 0.6%


other: 72.63% (2005)
arable land:
6%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
55%

forests and woodland:
32%

other:
7% (1993 est.)
Languages Belarusian, Russian, other Spanish (official), Guarani (official)
Legal system based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on Argentine codes, Roman law, and French codes; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court of Justice
Legislative branch bicameral National Assembly or Natsionalnoye Sobranie consists of the Council of the Republic or Soviet Respubliki (64 seats; 56 members elected by regional councils and eight members appointed by the president, to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Representatives or Palata Predstaviteley (110 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 17 and 31 October 2004; international observers widely denounced the 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 Predstaviteley - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA
bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (45 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (80 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections:
Chamber of Senators - last held 10 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2003); Chamber of Deputies - last held 10 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2003)

election results:
Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Colorado Party 25, PLRA 13, PEN 7; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Colorado Party 45, PLRA 26, PEN 9
Life expectancy at birth total population: 70.05 years


male: 64.31 years


female: 76.14 years (2007 est.)
total population:
73.92 years

male:
71.44 years

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


total population: 99.6%


male: 99.8%


female: 99.4% (1999 census)
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
92.1%

male:
93.5%

female:
90.6% (1995 est.)
Location Eastern Europe, east of Poland Central South America, northeast of Argentina
Map references Europe South America
Maritime claims none (landlocked) none (landlocked)
Merchant marine - total:
20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 31,066 GRT/35,441 DWT

ships by type:
cargo 14, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 2 (2000 est.)
Military branches Belarus Armed Forces: Land Force, Air and Air Defense Force (2006) Army, Navy (includes Naval Air and Marines), Air Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $125 million (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.4% (2005 est.) 1.4% (FY98)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49:
1,388,436 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49:
1,001,516 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 17 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males:
58,359 (2001 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 Independence Day, 14 May (1811)
Nationality noun: Belarusian(s)


adjective: Belarusian
noun:
Paraguayan(s)

adjective:
Paraguayan
Natural hazards NA local flooding in southeast (early September to June); poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June)
Natural resources forests, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas, granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, clay hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone
Net migration rate 0.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) -0.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines gas 5,223 km; oil 2,321 km; refined products 1,686 km (2006) -
Political parties and leaders pro-government parties: Agrarian Party or AP [Mikhail SHIMANSKY]; Belarusian Communist Party or KPB; Belarusian Patriotic Movement (Belarusian Patriotic Party) or BPR [Nikolai ULAKHOVICH, chairman]; Liberal Democratic Party of Belarus [Sergei GAYDUKEVICH]; Party of Labor and Justice [Viktor SOKOLOV]; Social-Sports Party [Vladimir ALEXANDROVICH]


opposition parties: 10 Plus Coalition [Aleksandr MILINKEVICH], includes: Belarusian Party of Communists or PKB [Syarhey KALYAKIN]; Belarusian Party of Labor (unregistered) [Aleksandr BUKHVOSTOV, Leonid LEMESHONAK]; Belarusian Popular Front or BPF [Vintsyuk VYACHORKA]; Belarusian Social-Democratic Gramada [Stanislav SHUSHKEVICH]; Green Party [Oleg GROMYKO]; Party of Freedom and Progress (unregistered) [Vladimir NOVOSYAD]; United Civic Party or UCP [Anatol LYABEDKA]; Women's Party "Nadezhda" [Valentina MATUSEVICH, chairperson]


other opposition includes: Belarusian Social-Democratic Party (People's Assembly) or BSDP NH [Aleksandr KOZULIN]; Christian Conservative BPF [Zyanon PAZNIAK]; Ecological Party of Greens [Mikhail KARTASH]; Party of Popular Accord [Sergei YERMAKK]; Republican Party [Vladimir BELAZOR]
Authentic Radical Liberal Party or PLRA [Miguel Abdon SAGUIER]; Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Adalina GUITERREZ DE GALEANO]; Febrerista Revolutionary Party or PRF [Carlos Maria LJUBETIC]; National Encounter or PEN [Euclides ACEVEDO]; National Republican Association - Colorado Party [acting president Bader RACHID LICHI]
Political pressure groups and leaders Assembly of Pro-Democratic NGOs [Sergey MATSKEVICH]; Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions [Alyaksandr YAROSHUK]; Belarusian Helsinki Committee [Tatiana PROTKO]; Belarusian Organization of Working Women [Irina ZHIKHAR]; Charter 97 [Andrey SANNIKOV]; Lenin Communist Union of Youth (youth wing of the Belarusian Party of Communists or PKB); National Strike Committee of Entrepreneurs [Aleksandr VASILYEV, Valery LEVONEVSKY]; Partnership NGO [Nikolay ASTREYKA]; Perspektiva kiosk watchdog NGO [Anatol SHUMCHENKO]; Vyasna [Ales BYALATSKY]; Women's Independent Democratic Movement [Ludmila PETINA]; Youth Front (Malady Front) [Dzmitryy DASHKEVICH, Syarhey BAKHUN]; Zubr youth group [Vladimir KOBETS] Ahorristas Estafados or AE; National Workers Central or CNT; Paraguayan Workers Confederation or CPT; Roman Catholic Church; Unitary Workers Central or CUT
Population 9,724,723 (July 2007 est.) 5,734,139 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line 27.1% (2003 est.) 36% (2000 est.)
Population growth rate -0.41% (2007 est.) 2.6% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors - Asuncion, Villeta, San Antonio, Encarnacion
Radio broadcast stations AM 28, FM 37, shortwave 11 (1998) AM 46, FM 27, shortwave 6 (three inactive) (1998)
Radios - 925,000 (1997)
Railways total: 5,512 km


broad gauge: 5,497 km 1.520-m gauge (874 km electrified)


standard gauge: 15 km 1.435 m (2006)
total:
971 km

standard gauge:
441 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge:
60 km 1.000-m gauge

note:
there are 470 km of various gauges that are privately owned
Religions Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.) Roman Catholic 90%, Mennonite, and other Protestant
Sex ratio at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.945 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.481 male(s)/female


total population: 0.873 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.03 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
1.01 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 75
Telephone system general assessment: Belarus lags behind its neighbors in upgrading telecommunications infrastructure; state-owned Beltelcom is the sole provider of fixed-line local and long distance service; fixed-line teledensity of 33 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density of 58 per 100 persons; modernization of the network progressing with roughly two-thirds of switching equipment now digital


domestic: fixed-line penetration is improving although rural areas continue to be underserved; 4 GSM wireless networks are experiencing rapid growth; strict government controls on telecommunications technologies


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); 3 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 (2007)
general assessment:
meager telephone service; principal switching center is Asuncion

domestic:
fair microwave radio relay network

international:
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 3.368 million (2006) 290,475 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular 5.96 million (2006) 510,000 (2001)
Television broadcast stations 47 (plus 27 repeaters) (1995) 4 (2001)
Terrain generally flat and contains much marshland grassy plains and wooded hills east of Rio Paraguay; Gran Chaco region west of Rio Paraguay mostly low, marshy plain near the river, and dry forest and thorny scrub elsewhere
Total fertility rate 1.22 children born/woman (2007 est.) 4.11 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 1.6% officially registered unemployed; large number of underemployed workers (2005) 16% (2000 est.)
Waterways 2,500 km (use limited by location on perimeter of country and by shallowness) (2003) 3,100 km
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