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Compare Greece (2003) - Belarus (2002)

Compare Greece (2003) z Belarus (2002)

 Greece (2003)Belarus (2002)
 GreeceBelarus
Administrative divisions 51 prefectures (nomoi, singular - nomos)and 1 autonomous region*; Agion Oros* (Mt. Athos), Achaia, Aitolia kai Akarmania, Argolis, Arkadia, Arta, Attiki, Chalkidiki, Chanion, Chios, Dodekanisos, Drama, Evros, Evrytania, Evvoia, Florina, Fokidos, Fthiotis, Grevena, Ileia, Imathia, Ioannina, Irakleion, Karditsa, Kastoria, Kavala, Kefallinia, Kerkyra, Kilkis, Korinthia, Kozani, Kyklades, Lakonia, Larisa, Lasithi, Lefkas, Lesvos, Magnisia, Messinia, Pella, Pieria, Preveza, Rethynnis, Rodopi, Samos, Serrai, Thesprotia, Thessaloniki, Trikala, Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakynthos 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: 14.7% (male 811,080; female 761,728)


15-64 years: 67% (male 3,578,320; female 3,557,800)


65 years and over: 18.3% (male 866,425; female 1,090,636) (2003 est.)
0-14 years: 17.3% (male 914,579; female 876,346)


15-64 years: 68.6% (male 3,443,859; female 3,643,628)


65 years and over: 14.1% (male 482,624; female 974,346) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco, potatoes; beef, dairy products grain, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beets, flax; beef, milk
Airports 79 (note - new Athens airport at Spata opened in March 2001) (2002) 136 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total: 66


over 3,047 m: 6


2,438 to 3,047 m: 15


1,524 to 2,437 m: 19


914 to 1,523 m: 17


under 914 m: 9 (2002)
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 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 13


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 10 (2002)
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 (2002)
Area total: 131,940 sq km


land: 130,800 sq km


water: 1,140 sq km
total: 207,600 sq km


land: 207,600 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Alabama slightly smaller than Kansas
Background Greece achieved its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1829. During the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, it gradually added neighboring islands and territories, most with Greek-speaking populations. Following the defeat of Communist rebels in 1949, Greece joined NATO in 1952. A military dictatorship, which in 1967 suspended many political liberties and forced the king to flee the country, lasted seven years. Democratic elections in 1974 and a referendum created a parliamentary republic and abolished the monarchy; Greece joined the European Community or EC in 1981 (which became the EU in 1992). 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.
Birth rate 9.79 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 9.86 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $45 billion


expenditures: $47.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)
revenues: $4 billion


expenditures: $4.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $180 million (1997 est.)
Capital Athens Minsk
Climate temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime
Coastline 13,676 km 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution 11 June 1975; amended March 1986 and April 2001 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: Hellenic Republic


conventional short form: Greece


local long form: Elliniki Dhimokratia


local short form: Ellas or Ellada


former: Kingdom of Greece
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 euro (EUR)


note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries
Belarusian ruble (BYB/BYR)
Death rate 9.86 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 13.99 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $63.4 billion (2002 est.) $770 million (2001 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas J. MILLER


embassy: 91 Vasilissis Sophias Avenue, 101 60 Athens


mailing address: PSC 108, APO AE 09842-0108


telephone: [30] (210) 721-2951


FAX: [30] (210) 645-6282


consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael G. 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 Yeoryious SAVVAIDES


chancery: 2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 939-1300


FAX: [1] (202) 939-1324


consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco


consulate(s): Atlanta, Houston, and New Orleans
chief of mission: Ambassador Valeriy V. 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 Greece and Turkey have resumed discussions to resolve their complex maritime, air, territorial, and boundary disputes in the Aegean Sea; Cyprus question with Turkey; dispute with The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia over its name boundary demarcation with Latvia and Lithuania is pending European Union funding
Economic aid - recipient $5.4 billion from EU $194.3 million (1995) (1995)
Economy - overview Greece has a mixed capitalist economy with the public sector accounting for half of GDP and with per capita GDP 70% of the leading euro-zone economies. Tourism provides 15% of GDP. Immigrants make up nearly one-fifth of the work force, mainly in menial jobs. Greece is a major beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about 3.3% of GDP. The economy has improved steadily with economic growth averaging 4% since 1997, exceeding EU growth by more than 1 percentage point. Remaining challenges include the reduction of the public debt, inflation, and unemployment; and further restructuring of the economy, including privatizing several state enterprises, undertaking pension and other reforms, and minimizing bureaucratic inefficiencies. The Olympic Games will be held in Athens in mid-2004. 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 high inflation and persistent trade deficits, 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. 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 48.8 billion kWh (2001) 26.78 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 1.062 billion kWh (2001) 300 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 3.562 billion kWh (2001) 4.15 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 49.79 billion kWh (2001) 24.66 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 94.5%


hydro: 3.8%


nuclear: 0%


other: 1.7% (2001)
fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m


highest point: Mount Olympus 2,917 m
lowest point: Nyoman River 90 m


highest point: Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m
Environment - current issues air pollution; water pollution 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: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 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 Greek 98%, other 2%


note: the Greek Government states there are no ethnic divisions in Greece
Belarusian 81.2%, Russian 11.4%, Polish, Ukrainian, and other 7.4%
Exchange rates euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 365.4 (2000), 305.65 (1999), 295.53 (1998)


note: in January 2001, the drachma became a participating currency within the Eurosystem, and the euro market rate became applicable to all transactions
Belarusian rubles per US dollar - 1,590 (yearend 2001), 1,531.000 (November 2001), 876.750 (2000), 248.795 (1999), 46.127 (1998), 26.020 (1997); 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 Konstandinos (Kostis) STEPHANOPOULOS (since 10 March 1995)


head of government: Prime Minister Konstandinos SIMITIS (since 19 January 1996)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister


elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 8 February 2000 (next to be held by NA February 2005); prime minister appointed by the president


election results: Konstandinos STEPHANOPOULOS reelected president; percent of Parliament vote - 90%
chief of state: President Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (since 20 July 1994)


head of government: Prime Minister Gennadiy NOVITSKIY (since 1 October 2001); Deputy Prime Ministers Andrei KOBYAKOV (since 13 March 2000), Aleksandr POPKOV (since 10 November 1998), Sergei SIDORSKY (since NA September 2001), Vladimir DRAZHIN (since NA September 2001)


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 (next election to be held by 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%
Exports 84,720 bbl/day (2001) $7.5 billion f.o.b. (2001)
Exports - commodities food and beverages, manufactured goods, petroleum products, chemicals, textiles machinery and equipment, mineral products, chemicals, textiles, foodstuffs, metals
Exports - partners Germany 10.4%, Italy 8.5%, UK 6.3%, Bulgaria 5.4%, US 5.3%, Cyprus 4.7% (2002) Russia 51%, Ukraine 8%, Poland 4%, Germany 3% (2000)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white; there is a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white cross; the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established religion of the country 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 - $203.3 billion (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $84.8 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 8.1%


industry: 22.3%


services: 69.3% (2002 est.)
agriculture: 13%


industry: 42%


services: 45% (2000)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $19,100 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $8,200 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 4% (2002 est.) 4.1% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 39 00 N, 22 00 E 53 00 N, 28 00 E
Geography - note strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing an archipelago of about 2,000 islands 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
Heliports 7 (2002) -
Highways total: 117,000 km


paved: 107,406 km (including 470 km of expressways)


unpaved: 9,594 km (1999 est.)
total: 98,200 km


paved: 66,100 km (includes some all-weather gravel-surfaced roads)


unpaved: 32,100 km (these roads are made of unstabilized earth and are difficult to negotiate in wet weather) (1990)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 3%


highest 10%: 25.3% (1993 est.)
lowest 10%: 5%


highest 10%: 20% (1998)
Illicit drugs a gateway to Europe for traffickers smuggling cannabis and heroin from the Middle East and Southwest Asia to the West and precursor chemicals to the East; some South American cocaine transits or is consumed in Greece; money laundering related to drug trafficking and organized crime 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; lax money-laundering and banking regulations
Imports 468,300 bbl/day (2001) $8.1 billion f.o.b. (2001)
Imports - commodities machinery, transport equipment, fuels, chemicals mineral products, machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs, metals
Imports - partners Germany 12.2%, Italy 11.5%, Russia 7.4%, South Korea 6%, France 5.7%, Netherlands 5.6%, US 4.7%, Belgium 4.3%, UK 4.1% (2002) Russia 65%, Germany 7%, Poland 3% (2000)
Independence 1829 (from the Ottoman Empire) 25 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Industrial production growth rate 7% (2000 est.) 5.4% (2001 est.)
Industries tourism; food and tobacco processing, textiles; chemicals, metal products; mining, petroleum metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earthmovers, motorcycles, television sets, chemical fibers, fertilizer, textiles, radios, refrigerators
Infant mortality rate total: 6.12 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 6.64 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 5.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
14.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3.6% (2002 est.) 46.1% (2001 est.)
International organization participation Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, G- 6, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UPU, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC CCC, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, 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) 27 (2000) 23 (2002)
Irrigated land 14,220 sq km (1998 est.) 1,150 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Judicial Court; Special Supreme Tribunal; all judges appointed for life by the president after consultation with a judicial council 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 4.37 million (2002 est.) 4.8 million (2000)
Labor force - by occupation industry 20%, agriculture 20%, services 59% (2000 est.) industry and construction NA%, agriculture and forestry NA%, services NA%
Land boundaries total: 1,228 km


border countries: Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 246 km
total: 2,900 km


border countries: Latvia 141 km, Lithuania 502 km, Poland 407 km, Russia 959 km, Ukraine 891 km
Land use arable land: 22.12%


permanent crops: 8.47%


other: 69.41% (1998 est.)
arable land: 29.76%


permanent crops: 0.69%


other: 69.55% (1998 est.)
Languages Greek 99% (official), English, French Belarusian, Russian, other
Legal system based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into civil, criminal, and administrative courts based on civil law system
Legislative branch unicameral Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: elections last held 9 April 2000 (next to be held by NA May 2004)


election results: percent of vote by party - PASOK 43.8%, ND 42.7%, KKE 5.5%, Coalition of the Left and Progress 3.2%; seats by party - PASOK 158, ND 125, KKE 11, Coalition of the Left and Progress 6; note - seats by party as of January 2002 - PASOK 156, ND 122, KKE 11, Coalition of the Left and Progress 6, independents 5
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 Pretsaviteley (110 seats; members elected by universal adult suffrage to serve 4-year terms)


elections: last held October 2000 (next to be held NA 2004)


election results: party affiliation data unavailable; under present political conditions party designations are meaningless
Life expectancy at birth total population: 78.89 years


male: 76.32 years


female: 81.65 years (2003 est.)
total population: 68.28 years


male: 62.3 years


female: 74.56 years (2002 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 97.5%


male: 98.6%


female: 96.5% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 98%


male: 99%


female: 97% (1989 est.)
Location Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey Eastern Europe, east of Poland
Map references Europe Europe
Maritime claims continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation


territorial sea: 6 NM
none (landlocked)
Merchant marine total: 813 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 29,173,608 GRT/51,184,723 DWT


ships by type: bulk 289, cargo 59, chemical tanker 32, combination bulk 6, combination ore/oil 4, container 47, liquefied gas 7, passenger 14, petroleum tanker 281, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 18, short-sea passenger 49, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 2


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Ireland 1, Japan 1, Liberia 1, Norway 1, Panama 2, Russia 1, Saudi Arabia 1, United Kingdom 1 (2002 est.)
-
Military branches Hellenic Army, Hellenic Navy, Hellenic Air Force, Police, National Guard Army, Air Force (including air defense), Interior Ministry Troops, Border Guards
Military expenditures - dollar figure $6.12 billion (FY99/00 est.) $156 million (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 4.91% (FY99/00 est.) 1% (FY01)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 2,662,208 (2003 est.) males age 15-49: 2,744,267 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 2,026,409 (2003 est.) males age 15-49: 2,149,873 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age 21 years of age (2003 est.) 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 74,650 (2003 est.) males: 86,396 (2002 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 25 March (1821) 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: Greek(s)


adjective: Greek
noun: Belarusian(s)


adjective: Belarusian
Natural hazards severe earthquakes NA
Natural resources bauxite, lignite, magnesite, petroleum, marble, hydropower potential forests, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas, granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, clay
Net migration rate 1.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) 2.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines gas 1,531 km; oil 108 km (2003) crude oil 1,470 km; refined products 1,100 km; natural gas 1,980 km (1992)
Political parties and leaders Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) [Nikolaos KONSTANTOPOULOS]; Communist Party of Greece or KKE [Aleka PAPARIGA]; New Democracy or ND (conservative) [Konstandinos KARAMANLIS]; Panhellenic Socialist Movement or PASOK [Konstandinos SIMITIS] Agrarian Party or AP [Mikhail SHIMANSKY]; 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 Party or SDBP [Nikolay STATKEVICH, chairman]; Belarusian Social-Democratic Party or Hromada [Stanislav SHUSHKEVICH, chairman]; Belarusian Socialist Party [Vyacheslav KUZNETSOV]; Civic Accord Bloc (United Civic Party) or CAB [Anatol LIABEDZKA]; 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 or "Nadezhda" [Valentina POLEVIKOVA, chairperson]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 10,665,989 (July 2003 est.) 10,335,382 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 22% (1995 est.)
Population growth rate 0.19% (2003 est.) -0.14% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors Alexandroupolis, Elefsis, Irakleion (Crete), Kavala, Kerkyra, Chalkis, Igoumenitsa, Lavrion, Patrai, Peiraiefs (Piraeus), Thessaloniki, Volos Mazyr
Radio broadcast stations AM 26, FM 88, shortwave 4 (1998) AM 28, FM 37, shortwave 11 (1998)
Radios - 3.02 million (1997)
Railways total: 2,571 km (764 km electrified)


standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge


narrow gauge: 961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge


dual gauge: 23 km combined 1.435-m and 1.000-m gauges (three rail system) (2002)
total: 5,523 km


broad gauge: 5,523 km 1.520-m gauge (875 km electrified) (2000 est.)
Religions Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7% Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female


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


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


total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
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 (2002 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal and compulsory 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: adequate, modern networks reach all areas; good mobile telephone and international service


domestic: microwave radio relay trunk system; extensive open-wire connections; submarine cable to offshore islands


international: tropospheric scatter; 8 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)
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 5.431 million (1997) 2.313 million (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 937,700 (1997) 8,167 (1997)
Television broadcast stations 36 (plus 1,341 low-power repeaters); also two stations in the US Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (1995) 47 (plus 27 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain mostly mountains with ranges extending into the sea as peninsulas or chains of islands generally flat and contains much marshland
Total fertility rate 1.35 children born/woman (2003 est.) 1.31 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 10.3% (2002 est.) 2.1% officially registered unemployed (December 2000); large number of underemployed workers
Waterways 80 km


note: system consists of three coastal canals including the Corinth Canal (6 km) which crosses the Isthmus of Corinth connecting the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf and shortens the sea voyage from the Adriatic to Peiraiefs (Piraeus) by 325 km; there are also three unconnected rivers
NA km; note - Belarus has extensive and widely used canal and river systems
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