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Compare Colombia (2004) - Belarus (2001)

Compare Colombia (2004) z Belarus (2001)

 Colombia (2004)Belarus (2001)
 ColombiaBelarus
Administrative divisions 32 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1 capital district* (distrito capital); Amazonas, Antioquia, Arauca, Atlantico, Distrito Capital de Bogota*, Bolivar, Boyaca, Caldas, Caqueta, Casanare, Cauca, Cesar, Choco, Cordoba, Cundinamarca, Guainia, Guaviare, Huila, La Guajira, Magdalena, Meta, Narino, Norte de Santander, Putumayo, Quindio, Risaralda, San Andres y Providencia, Santander, Sucre, Tolima, Valle del Cauca, Vaupes, Vichada 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: 31% (male 6,644,080; female 6,489,677)


15-64 years: 63.9% (male 13,171,416; female 13,879,115)


65 years and over: 5% (male 940,762; female 1,185,725) (2004 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 coffee, cut flowers, bananas, rice, tobacco, corn, sugarcane, cocoa beans, oilseed, vegetables; forest products; shrimp grain, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beets, flax; beef, milk
Airports 980 (2003 est.) 136 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 101


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 9


1,524 to 2,437 m: 39


914 to 1,523 m: 39


under 914 m: 12 (2004 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: 879


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 34


914 to 1,523 m: 272


under 914 m: 572 (2004 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: 1,138,910 sq km


land: 1,038,700 sq km


water: 100,210 sq km


note: includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, Serrana Bank, and Serranilla Bank
total:
207,600 sq km

land:
207,600 sq km

water:
0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly less than three times the size of Montana slightly smaller than Kansas
Background Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Ecuador and Venezuela). A 40-year insurgent campaign to overthrow the Colombian Government escalated during the 1990s, undergirded in part by funds from the drug trade. Although the violence is deadly and large swaths of the countryside are under guerrilla influence, the movement lacks the military strength or popular support necessary to overthrow the government. An anti-insurgent army of paramilitaries has grown to be several thousand strong in recent years, challenging the insurgents for control of territory and the drug trade, and also the government's ability to exert its dominion over rural areas. While Bogota steps up efforts to reassert government control throughout the country, neighboring countries worry about the violence spilling over their borders. 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 21.19 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) 9.57 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $24 billion


expenditures: $25.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2004 est.)
revenues:
$4 billion

expenditures:
$4.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $180 million (1997 est.)
Capital Bogota Minsk
Climate tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime
Coastline 3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean 1,448 km) 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution 5 July 1991 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: Republic of Colombia


conventional short form: Colombia


local long form: Republica de Colombia


local short form: Colombia
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 Colombian peso (COP) Belarusian ruble (BYB/BYR)
Death rate 5.61 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) 13.97 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $38.26 billion (2003 est.) $1 billion (2000 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador William B. WOOD


embassy: Calle 22D-BIS, numbers 47-51, Apartado Aereo 3831


mailing address: Carrera 45 #22D-45, Bogota, D.C., APO AA 34038


telephone: [57] (1) 315-0811


FAX: [57] (1) 315-2197
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 Luis Alberto MORENO Mejia


chancery: 2118 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 387-8338


FAX: [1] (202) 232-8643


consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Washington, DC


consulate(s): Atlanta
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 Nicaragua filed a claim against Honduras in 1999 and against Colombia in 2001 at the ICJ over disputed maritime boundary involving 50,000 sq km in the Caribbean Sea, including the Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank; maritime boundary dispute with Venezuela in the Gulf of Venezuela; Colombian drug activities penetrate Peruvian border area; the continuing civil disorder in Colombia has created a serious refugee crisis in neighboring states, especially Ecuador none
Economic aid - recipient NA $194.3 million (1995)
Economy - overview Colombia's economy suffers from weak domestic and foreign demand, austere government budgets, and serious internal armed conflict, but seems poised for recovery. Other economic problems facing President URIBE range from reforming the pension system to reducing high unemployment. Two of Colombia's leading exports, oil and coffee, face an uncertain future; new exploration is needed to offset declining oil production, while coffee harvests and prices are depressed. On the positive side, several international financial institutions have praised the economic reforms introduced by URIBE, which includes measures designed to reduce the public-sector deficit below 2.5% of GDP in 2004. The government's economic policy and democratic security strategy have engendered a growing sense of confidence in the economy, particularly within the business sector, and GDP growth in 2003 was among the highest in Latin America. 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 39.81 billion kWh (2001) 27.647 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 210 million kWh (2001) 2.62 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 40 million kWh (2001) 7.1 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 42.99 billion kWh (2001) 24.911 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel:
99.9%

hydro:
0.1%

nuclear:
0%

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


highest point: Pico Cristobal Colon 5,775 m


note: nearby Pico Simon Bolivar also has the same elevation
lowest point:
Nyoman River 90 m

highest point:
Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; soil and water quality damage from overuse of pesticides; air pollution, especially in Bogota, from vehicle emissions 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: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, 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 mestizo 58%, white 20%, mulatto 14%, black 4%, mixed black-Amerindian 3%, Amerindian 1% Byelorussian 81.2%, Russian 11.4%, Polish, Ukrainian, and other 7.4%
Exchange rates Colombian pesos per US dollar - 2,877.65 (2003), 2,504.24 (2002), 2,299.63 (2001), 2,087.9 (2000), 1,756.23 (1999) 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 Alvaro URIBE Velez (since 7 August 2002); Vice President Francisco SANTOS (since 7 August 2002); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Alvaro URIBE Velez (since 7 August 2002); Vice President Francisco SANTOS (since 7 August 2002); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


cabinet: Cabinet consists of a coalition of the two dominant parties - the PL and PSC - and independents


elections: president and vice president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 26 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2006)


election results: President Alvaro URIBE Velez received 53% of the vote; Vice President Francisco SANTOS was elected on the same ticket
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 NA (2001) $7.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities petroleum, coffee, coal, apparel, bananas, cut flowers machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, textiles, foodstuffs
Exports - partners US 47.1%, Ecuador 6%, Venezuela 5.3% (2003) Russia 66%, Ukraine, Poland, Germany, Lithuania (1998)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double-width), blue, and red; similar to the flag of Ecuador, which is longer and bears the Ecuadorian coat of arms superimposed in the center 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 - $263.2 billion (2003 est.) purchasing power parity - $78.8 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 13.7%


industry: 32.1%


services: 54.2% (2003 est.)
agriculture:
13%

industry:
46%

services:
41% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $6,300 (2003 est.) purchasing power parity - $7,500 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 3.7% (2003 est.) 4% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 4 00 N, 72 00 W 53 00 N, 28 00 E
Geography - note only South American country with coastlines on both North Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea landlocked
Heliports 1 (2003 est.) -
Highways total: 110,000 km


paved: 26,000 km


unpaved: 84,000 km (2000)
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%: 1%


highest 10%: 44% (1999)
lowest 10%:
4.9%

highest 10%:
19.4% (1993)
Illicit drugs illicit producer of coca, opium poppy, and cannabis; world's leading coca cultivator (cultivation of coca in 2002 was 144,450 hectares, a 15% decline since 2001); potential production of opium between 2001 and 2002 declined by 25% to 91 metric tons; potential production of heroin declined to 11.3 metric tons; the world's largest processor of coca derivatives into cocaine; supplier of about 90% of the cocaine to the US market and the great majority of cocaine to other international drug markets; important supplier of heroin to the US market; active aerial eradication program; a significant portion of non-US narcotics proceeds are either laundered or invested in Colombia through the black market peso exchange 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 NA (2001) $8.3 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Imports - commodities industrial equipment, transportation equipment, consumer goods, chemicals, paper products, fuels, electricity mineral products, machinery and equipment, metals, chemicals, foodstuffs
Imports - partners US 29.6%, Brazil 5.5%, Mexico 5.4%, Venezuela 5.2%, China 5%, Japan 4.6%, Germany 4.4% (2003) Russia 54%, Ukraine, Germany, Poland, Lithuania (1998)
Independence 20 July 1810 (from Spain) 25 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Industrial production growth rate 3.5% (2003 est.) 5% (2000 est.)
Industries textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear, beverages, chemicals, cement; gold, coal, emeralds metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earth movers, motorcycles, television sets, chemical fibers, fertilizer, textiles, radios, refrigerators
Infant mortality rate total: 21.72 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 25.69 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 17.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
14.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 7.1% (2003 est.) 200% (2000 est.)
International organization participation BCIE, CAN, CDB, FAO, G-3, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO 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) - 4 (2000)
Irrigated land 8,500 sq km (1998 est.) 1,000 sq km (1993 est.)
Judicial branch four roughly coequal, supreme judicial organs; Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (highest court of criminal law; judges are selected by their peers from the nominees of the Superior Judicial Council for eight-year terms); Council of State (highest court of administrative law; judges are selected from the nominees of the Superior Judicial Council for eight-year terms); Constitutional Court (guards integrity and supremacy of the constitution; rules on constitutionality of laws, amendments to the constitution, and international treaties); Superior Judicial Council (administers and disciplines the civilian judiciary; resolves jurisdictional conflicts arising between other courts; members are elected by three sister courts and Congress for eight-year terms) 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 20.34 million (2003 est.) 4.8 million (2000)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 30%, industry 24%, services 46% (1990) industry and construction NA%, agriculture and forestry NA%, services NA%
Land boundaries total: 6,004 km


border countries: Brazil 1,643 km, Ecuador 590 km, Panama 225 km, Peru 1,496 km (est.), Venezuela 2,050 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: 2.42%


permanent crops: 1.67%


other: 95.91% (2001)
arable land:
29%

permanent crops:
1%

permanent pastures:
15%

forests and woodland:
34%

other:
21% (1993 est.)
Languages Spanish Byelorussian, Russian, other
Legal system based on Spanish law; a new criminal code modeled after US procedures was enacted in 1992-93; judicial review of executive and legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations based on civil law system
Legislative branch bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Senate or Senado (102 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Camara de Representantes (166 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: Senate - last held 10 March 2002 (next to be held NA March 2006); House of Representatives - last held 10 March 2002 (next to be held NA March 2006)


election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PL 28, PSC 13, independents and smaller parties (many aligned with conservatives) 61; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PL 54, PSC 21, independents and other parties 91
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: 71.43 years


male: 67.58 years


female: 75.41 years (2004 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: 92.5%


male: 92.4%


female: 92.6% (2003 est.)
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
98%

male:
99%

female:
97% (1989 est.)
Location Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Panama and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Ecuador and Panama Eastern Europe, east of Poland
Map references South America Commonwealth of Independent States
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
none (landlocked)
Merchant marine total: 13 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 35,427 GRT/46,301 DWT


by type: bulk 4, cargo 5, container 1, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 2


registered in other countries: 16 (2004 est.)
-
Military branches Army (Ejercito Nacional), Navy (Armada Nacional, including Naval Aviation, Marines, and Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Colombiana) Army, Air Force, Air Defense Force, Interior Ministry Troops, Border Guards
Military expenditures - dollar figure $3.3 billion (FY01) $156 million (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 3.4% (FY01) 1.2% (FY98)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 11,252,027 (2004 est.) males age 15-49:
2,729,956 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 7,495,462 (2004 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: 392,656 (2004 est.) males:
86,396 (2001 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 20 July (1810) 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: Colombian(s)


adjective: Colombian
noun:
Belarusian(s)

adjective:
Belarusian
Natural hazards highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes; periodic droughts NA
Natural resources petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper, emeralds, hydropower forests, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas
Net migration rate -0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) 2.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines gas 4,360 km; oil 6,134 km; refined products 3,140 km (2004) crude oil 1,470 km; refined products 1,100 km; natural gas 1,980 km (1992)
Political parties and leaders Conservative Party or PSC [Carlos HOLGUIN Sardi]; Liberal Party or PL [Camilo SANCHEZ]; Colombian Communist Party or PCC [Jaime CAICEDO]; Democratic Pole or PDI [Antonio NAVARRO Wolff]


note: Colombia has about 60 formally recognized political parties, most of which do not have a presence in either house of Congress
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 two largest insurgent groups active in Colombia - Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC and National Liberation Army or ELN; largest anti-insurgent paramilitary group is United Self-Defense Groups of Colombia or AUC NA
Population 42,310,775 (July 2004 est.) 10,350,194 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line 55% (2001) 22% (1995 est.)
Population growth rate 1.53% (2004 est.) -0.15% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors Bahia de Portete, Barranquilla, Buenaventura, Cartagena, Leticia, Puerto Bolivar, San Andres, Santa Marta, Tumaco, Turbo Mazyr
Radio broadcast stations AM 454, FM 34, shortwave 27 (1999) AM 28, FM 37, shortwave 11 (1998)
Radios - 3.02 million (1997)
Railways total: 3,304 km


standard gauge: 150 km 1.435-m gauge


narrow gauge: 3,154 km 0.914-m gauge (2003)
total:
5,523 km

broad gauge:
5,523 km 1.520-m gauge (875 km electrified) (2000)
Religions Roman Catholic 90% Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


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


65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female


total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 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: modern system in many respects


domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system; domestic satellite system with 41 earth stations; fiber-optic network linking 50 cities


international: country code - 57; satellite earth stations - 6 Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat; 3 fully digitalized international switching centers; 8 submarine cables
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 8,768,100 (2003) 2.313 million (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 6,186,200 (2003) 8,167 (1997)
Television broadcast stations 60 (includes seven low-power stations) (1997) 47 (plus 27 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes Mountains, eastern lowland plains generally flat and contains much marshland
Total fertility rate 2.59 children born/woman (2004 est.) 1.28 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 14.2% (2003 est.) 2.1% officially registered unemployed (December 2000); large number of underemployed workers
Waterways 9,187 km (2004) NA km; note - Belarus has extensive and widely used canal and river systems
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