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Compare Ireland (2002) - Belarus (2002)

Compare Ireland (2002) z Belarus (2002)

 Ireland (2002)Belarus (2002)
 IrelandBelarus
Administrative divisions 26 counties; Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow


note: Cavan, Donegal, and Monaghan are part of Ulster Province
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: 21.3% (male 425,366; female 403,268)


15-64 years: 67.3% (male 1,307,469; female 1,305,038)


65 years and over: 11.4% (male 191,927; female 250,091) (2002 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 turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; beef, dairy products grain, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beets, flax; beef, milk
Airports 41 (2001) 136 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total: 16


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 4


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 6 (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: 20


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 17 (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: 70,280 sq km


land: 68,890 sq km


water: 1,390 sq km
total: 207,600 sq km


land: 207,600 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than West Virginia slightly smaller than Kansas
Background Celtic tribes settled on the island in the 4th century B.C. Invasions by Norsemen that began in the late 8th century were finally ended when King Brian BORU defeated the Danes in 1014. English invasions began in the 12th century and set off more than seven centuries of Anglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce rebellions and harsh repressions. A failed 1916 Easter Monday Rebellion touched off several years of guerrilla warfare that in 1921 resulted in independence from the UK for 26 southern counties; six northern (Ulster) counties remained part of the United Kingdom. In 1948 Ireland withdrew from the British Commonwealth; it joined the European Community in 1973. Irish governments have sought the peaceful unification of Ireland and have cooperated with Britain against terrorist groups. A peace settlement for Northern Ireland, known as the Good Friday Agreement and approved in 1998, is currently being implemented. 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 14.62 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 9.86 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $34 billion


expenditures: $27 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001)
revenues: $4 billion


expenditures: $4.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $180 million (1997 est.)
Capital Dublin Minsk
Climate temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime
Coastline 1,448 km 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution 29 December 1937; adopted 1 July 1937 by plebiscite 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: none


conventional short form: Ireland
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); Irish pound (IEP)


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 8.01 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 13.99 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $11 billion (1998) (1998) $770 million (2001 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Richard J. EGAN


embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4


mailing address: use embassy street address


telephone: [353] (1) 668-7122/668-8777


FAX: [353] (1) 668-9946
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 Noel FAHEY


chancery: 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 462-3939


FAX: [1] (202) 232-5993


consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco
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 disputes with Iceland, Denmark, and the UK over the Faroe Islands continental shelf boundary outside 200 NM boundary demarcation with Latvia and Lithuania is pending European Union funding
Economic aid - donor ODA, $283 million (2001) -
Economic aid - recipient - $194.3 million (1995) (1995)
Economy - overview Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy with growth averaging a robust 8% in 1995-2002. Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by industry, which accounts for 45% of GDP, about 80% of exports, and employs 28% of the labor force. Although exports remain the primary engine for Ireland's robust growth, the economy is also benefiting from a rise in consumer spending, construction, and business investment. Over the past decade, the Irish government has implemented a series of national economic programs designed to curb inflation, reduce government spending, increase labor force skills, and promote foreign investment. Ireland joined in launching the euro currency system in January 1999 along with 10 other EU nations. The economy felt the impact of the global economic slowdown in 2001-02, particularly in the high-tech export sector; the growth rate was cut by half. 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 20.823 billion kWh (2000) 26.78 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 71 million kWh (2000) 300 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 169 million kWh (2000) 4.15 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 22.285 billion kWh (2000) 24.66 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 95%


hydro: 4%


nuclear: 0%


other: 1% (2000)
fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Carrauntoohil 1,041 m
lowest point: Nyoman River 90 m


highest point: Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m
Environment - current issues water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural runoff 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, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, 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, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Endangered Species, Marine Life Conservation
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 Celtic, English Belarusian 81.2%, Russian 11.4%, Polish, Ukrainian, and other 7.4%
Exchange rates euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); Irish pounds per US dollar - 0.7014 (1998), 0.6588 (1997) 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 Mary MCALEESE (since 11 November 1997)


head of government: Prime Minister Bertie AHERN (since 26 June 1997)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with previous nomination by the prime minister and approval of the House of Representatives


elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 31 October 1997 (next to be held NA November 2004); prime minister nominated by the House of Representatives and appointed by the president


election results: Mary MCALEESE elected president; percent of vote - Mary MCALEESE 44.8%, Mary BANOTTI 29.6%


note: government coalition - Fianna Fail and the Progressive Democrats
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 $85.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) $7.5 billion f.o.b. (2001)
Exports - commodities machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; live animals, animal products machinery and equipment, mineral products, chemicals, textiles, foodstuffs, metals
Exports - partners EU 62.8% (UK 19.8%, Germany 11.3%, France 7.7%, Netherlands 5.6%, Belgium 4.8%), US 17.1% (2000) Russia 51%, Ukraine 8%, Poland 4%, Germany 3% (2000)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and orange; similar to the flag of Cote d'Ivoire, which is shorter and has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green; also similar to the flag of Italy, which is shorter and has colors of green (hoist side), white, and red 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 - $111.3 billion (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $84.8 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 4%


industry: 36%


services: 60% (2001)
agriculture: 13%


industry: 42%


services: 45% (2000)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $28,500 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $8,200 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 3.9% (2002 est.) 4.1% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 53 00 N, 8 00 W 53 00 N, 28 00 E
Geography - note strategic location on major air and sea routes between North America and northern Europe; over 40% of the population resides within 97 km of Dublin 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
Highways total: 92,500 km


paved: 87,043 km (including 115 km of expressways)


unpaved: 5,457 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%: 2%


highest 10%: 27% (1997)
lowest 10%: 5%


highest 10%: 20% (1998)
Illicit drugs transshipment point for and consumer of hashish from North Africa to the UK and Netherlands and of European-produced synthetic drugs; minor transshipment point for heroin and cocaine destined for Western Europe 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 $48.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) $8.1 billion f.o.b. (2001)
Imports - commodities data processing equipment, other machinery and equipment, chemicals; petroleum and petroleum products, textiles, clothing mineral products, machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs, metals
Imports - partners EU 61.4% (UK 33.4%, Germany 5.9%, France 4.5%, Netherlands 3.5%), US 16.2%, Japan 4% (2000) Russia 65%, Germany 7%, Poland 3% (2000)
Independence 6 December 1921 (from UK by treaty) 25 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Industrial production growth rate 6% (2002 est.) 5.4% (2001 est.)
Industries food products, brewing, textiles, clothing; chemicals, pharmaceuticals, machinery, transportation equipment, glass and crystal; software metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earthmovers, motorcycles, television sets, chemical fibers, fertilizer, textiles, radios, refrigerators
Infant mortality rate 5.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) 14.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 4.6% (2002 est.) 46.1% (2001 est.)
International organization participation Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNTAET, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, 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) 22 (2000) 23 (2002)
Irrigated land NA sq km 1,150 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister and cabinet) 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 1.8 million (2001) 4.8 million (2000)
Labor force - by occupation services 64%, industry 28%, agriculture 8% (2000 est.) industry and construction NA%, agriculture and forestry NA%, services NA%
Land boundaries total: 360 km


border countries: UK 360 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: 19.49%


permanent crops: 0.04%


other: 80.47% (1998 est.)
arable land: 29.76%


permanent crops: 0.69%


other: 69.55% (1998 est.)
Languages English is the language generally used, Irish (Gaelic) spoken mainly in areas located along the western seaboard Belarusian, Russian, other
Legal system based on English common law, substantially modified by indigenous concepts; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on civil law system
Legislative branch bicameral Parliament or Oireachtas consists of the Senate or Seanad Eireann (60 seats - 49 elected by the universities and from candidates put forward by five vocational panels, 11 are nominated by the prime minister; members serve five-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Dail Eireann (166 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve five-year terms)


elections: Senate - last held 16 and 17 July 2002 (next to be held NA July 2007); House of Representatives - last held 17 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2007)


election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Fianna Fail 30, Fine Gael 15, Labor Party 5, Progressive Democrats 4, independents and others 6; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - Fianna Fail 41.5%, Fine Gael 22.5%, Labor Party 10.8%, Sinn Fein 6.5%, Progressive Democrats 4.0%, Green Party 3.8%, others 10.9%; seats by party - Fianna Fail 81, Fine Gael 31, Labor Party 21, Progressive Democrats 8, Green Party 6, Sinn Fein 5, others 14
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: 77.17 years


male: 74.41 years


female: 80.12 years (2002 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: 98% (1981 est.)


male: NA%


female: NA%
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 98%


male: 99%


female: 97% (1989 est.)
Location Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain Eastern Europe, east of Poland
Map references Europe Europe
Maritime claims exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
none (landlocked)
Merchant marine total: 26 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 110,741 GRT/127,342 DWT


ships by type: bulk 4, cargo 20, container 1, short-sea passenger 1


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 2 (2002 est.)
-
Military branches Army (including Naval Service and Air Corps), National Police (Garda Siochana) Army, Air Force (including air defense), Interior Ministry Troops, Border Guards
Military expenditures - dollar figure $700 million (FY00/01) $156 million (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 0.9% (FY00/01) 1% (FY01)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 1,013,739 (2002 est.) males age 15-49: 2,744,267 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 816,744 (2002 est.) males age 15-49: 2,149,873 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age 17 years of age (2002 est.) 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 32,287 (2002 est.) males: 86,396 (2002 est.)
National holiday Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March 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: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(women), Irish (collective plural)


adjective: Irish
noun: Belarusian(s)


adjective: Belarusian
Natural hazards NA NA
Natural resources zinc, lead, natural gas, barite, copper, gypsum, limestone, dolomite, peat, silver forests, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas, granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, clay
Net migration rate 4.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) 2.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines natural gas 7,592 km (transmission 1,158 km; distribution 6,434 km) (2000) crude oil 1,470 km; refined products 1,100 km; natural gas 1,980 km (1992)
Political parties and leaders Fianna Fail [Bertie AHERN]; Fine Gael [Enda KENNY]; Green Party [Trevor SARGENT]; Labor Party [Pat RABBITTE]; Progressive Democrats [Mary HARNEY]; Sinn Fein [Gerry ADAMS]; Socialist Party [Joe HIGGINS]; The Workers' Party [Tom FRENCH] 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 3,883,159 (July 2002 est.) 10,335,382 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line 10% (1997 est.) 22% (1995 est.)
Population growth rate 1.07% (2002 est.) -0.14% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors Arklow, Cork, Drogheda, Dublin, Foynes, Galway, Limerick, New Ross, Waterford Mazyr
Radio broadcast stations AM 9, FM 106, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 28, FM 37, shortwave 11 (1998)
Radios 2.55 million (1997) 3.02 million (1997)
Railways total: 3,314 km


broad gauge: 1,949 km 1.600-m gauge (38 km electrified; 485 km double-tracked)


narrow gauge: 1,365 km 0.914-m gauge (operated by the Irish Peat Board to transport peat to power stations and briqueting plants) (2001)
total: 5,523 km


broad gauge: 5,523 km 1.520-m gauge (875 km electrified) (2000 est.)
Religions Roman Catholic 91.6%, Church of Ireland 2.5%, other 5.9% (1998) 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: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female


total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 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 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: modern digital system using cable and microwave radio relay


domestic: microwave radio relay


international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
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 1.6 million (2002) 2.313 million (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 3 million (2002) 8,167 (1997)
Television broadcast stations 4 (many low-power repeaters) (2001) 47 (plus 27 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast generally flat and contains much marshland
Total fertility rate 1.9 children born/woman (2002 est.) 1.31 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 4.7% (2002 est.) 2.1% officially registered unemployed (December 2000); large number of underemployed workers
Waterways 700 km (limited facilities for commercial traffic) (1998) NA km; note - Belarus has extensive and widely used canal and river systems
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