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Compare Morocco (2003) - Belarus (2001)

Compare Morocco (2003) z Belarus (2001)

 Morocco (2003)Belarus (2001)
 MoroccoBelarus
Administrative divisions 37 provinces and 2 wilayas*; Agadir, Al Hoceima, Azilal, Beni Mellal, Ben Slimane, Boulemane, Casablanca*, Chaouen, El Jadida, El Kelaa des Sraghna, Er Rachidia, Essaouira, Fes, Figuig, Guelmim, Ifrane, Kenitra, Khemisset, Khenifra, Khouribga, Laayoune, Larache, Marrakech, Meknes, Nador, Ouarzazate, Oujda, Rabat-Sale*, Safi, Settat, Sidi Kacem, Tanger, Tan-Tan, Taounate, Taroudannt, Tata, Taza, Tetouan, Tiznit; three additional provinces of Ad Dakhla (Oued Eddahab), Boujdour, and Es Smara as well as parts of Tan-Tan and Laayoune fall within Moroccan-claimed Western Sahara


note: as part of a 1997 decentralization/regionalization law passed by the legislature 16 new regions (provided below) were created although full details and scope of the reorganization are limited : Casablanca, Chaouia-Ourdigha, Doukkala-Abda, Fes-Boulmane, Gharb-Chrarda-Beni Hssen, Guelmim-Es Smara, Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra, Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz, Meknes-Tafilalet, Oriental, Oued Eddahab-Lagouira, Rabat-Sale-Zemmour-Zaer, Souss-Massa-Draa, Tadla-Azilal, Tangier-Tetouan, Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate
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: 33.2% (male 5,360,666; female 5,162,168)


15-64 years: 62% (male 9,766,222; female 9,876,647)


65 years and over: 4.8% (male 676,357; female 847,205) (2003 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 barley, wheat, citrus, wine, vegetables, olives; livestock grain, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beets, flax; beef, milk
Airports 63 (2002) 136 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 26


over 3,047 m: 11


2,438 to 3,047 m: 5


1,524 to 2,437 m: 8


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (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 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 37


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 11


914 to 1,523 m: 14


under 914 m: 11 (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 (2000 est.)
Area total: 446,550 sq km


land: 446,300 sq km


water: 250 sq km
total:
207,600 sq km

land:
207,600 sq km

water:
0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than California slightly smaller than Kansas
Background Morocco's long struggle for independence from France ended in 1956. The internationalized city of Tangier was turned over to the new country that same year. Morocco virtually annexed Western Sahara during the late 1970s, but final resolution on the status of the territory remains unresolved. Gradual political reforms in the 1990s resulted in the establishment of a bicameral legislature in 1997. 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 23.26 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 9.57 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $13.8 billion


expenditures: $14.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.1 billion (2001 est.)
revenues:
$4 billion

expenditures:
$4.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $180 million (1997 est.)
Capital Rabat Minsk
Climate Mediterranean, becoming more extreme in the interior cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime
Coastline 1,835 km 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution 10 March 1972, revised 4 September 1992, amended (to create bicameral legislature) September 1996 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: Kingdom of Morocco


conventional short form: Morocco


local long form: Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah


local short form: Al Maghrib
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 Moroccan dirham (MAD) Belarusian ruble (BYB/BYR)
Death rate 5.78 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 13.97 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $17.7 billion (2002 est.) $1 billion (2000 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Ms. Margaret TUTWILER


embassy: 2 Avenue de Mohamed El Fassi, Rabat


mailing address: PSC 74, Box 021, APO AE 90718


telephone: [212] (37) 76 22 65


FAX: [212] (37) 76 56 61


consulate(s) general: Casablanca
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 Aziz MEKOUAR


chancery: 1601 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009


telephone: [1] (202) 462-7979 through 7982


FAX: [1] (202) 265-0161


consulate(s) general: New York
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 claims and administers Western Sahara, but sovereignty remains unresolved - UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since September 1991, but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected other proposals; Morocco protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, the islands of Penon de Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; Morocco also rejected Spain's unilateral designation of a median line from the Canary Islands in 2002 to set limits to undersea resource exploration and refugee interdiction; Morocco allowed Spanish fishermen to fish temporarily off the coast of Western Sahara after an oil spill soiled Spanish fishing grounds none
Economic aid - recipient $565.6 million (1995) $194.3 million (1995)
Economy - overview Morocco faces the problems typical of developing countries - restraining government spending, reducing constraints on private activity and foreign trade, and achieving sustainable economic growth. Following structural adjustment programs supported by the IMF, World Bank, and the Paris Club, the dirham is now fully convertible for current account transactions, and reforms of the financial sector have been implemented. Droughts depressed activity in the key agricultural sector and contributed to a stagnant economy in 1999 and 2000. During that time, however, Morocco reported large foreign exchange inflows from the sale of a mobile telephone license and partial privatization of the state-owned telecommunications company. Favorable rainfall in 2001 led to a growth of 6.5%. Good harvest conditions continued to support GDP growth in 2002. Formidable long-term challenges include: servicing the external debt; modernizing the industrial sector; preparing the economy for freer trade with the EU and US; and improving education and attracting foreign investment to boost living standards and job prospects for Morocco's youth. 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 14.61 billion kWh (2001) 27.647 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 2.62 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 2.2 billion kWh (2001) 7.1 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 13.35 billion kWh (2001) 24.911 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 95.4%


hydro: 4.6%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
fossil fuel:
99.9%

hydro:
0.1%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Sebkha Tah -55 m


highest point: Jbel Toubkal 4,165 m
lowest point:
Nyoman River 90 m

highest point:
Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m
Environment - current issues land degradation/desertification (soil erosion resulting from farming of marginal areas, overgrazing, destruction of vegetation); water supplies contaminated by raw sewage; siltation of reservoirs; oil pollution of coastal waters 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: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, 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 Arab-Berber 99.1%, other 0.7%, Jewish 0.2% Byelorussian 81.2%, Russian 11.4%, Polish, Ukrainian, and other 7.4%
Exchange rates Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 11.02 (2002), 11.3 (2001), 10.63 (2000), 9.8 (1999), 9.6 (1998) 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: King MOHAMED VI (since 23 July 1999)


head of government: Prime Minister Driss JETTOU (since 9 October 2002)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch following legislative elections
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 clothing, fish, inorganic chemicals, transistors, crude minerals, fertilizers (including phosphates), petroleum products, fruits, vegetables machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, textiles, foodstuffs
Exports - partners France 26.5%, Spain 14.3%, UK 7.9%, Germany 5.8%, Italy 5.6%, US 4.8% (2002) Russia 66%, Ukraine, Poland, Germany, Lithuania (1998)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description red with a green pentacle (five-pointed, linear star) known as Solomon's seal in the center of the flag; green is the traditional color of Islam 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 - $121.8 billion (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $78.8 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 15%


industry: 33%


services: 52% (2000 est.)
agriculture:
13%

industry:
46%

services:
41% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $3,900 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $7,500 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 4.6% (2002 est.) 4% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 32 00 N, 5 00 W 53 00 N, 28 00 E
Geography - note strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar landlocked
Heliports 1 (2002) -
Highways total: 57,707 km


paved: 32,547 km (including 481 km of expressways)


unpaved: 25,160 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%: 2.6%


highest 10%: 30.9% (1998-99)
lowest 10%:
4.9%

highest 10%:
19.4% (1993)
Illicit drugs illicit producer of hashish; trafficking increasing for both domestic and international drug markets; shipments of hashish mostly directed to Western Europe; transit point for cocaine from South America 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
Imports NA (2001) $8.3 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Imports - commodities crude petroleum, textile fabric, telecommunications equipment, wheat, gas and electricity, transistors, plastics mineral products, machinery and equipment, metals, chemicals, foodstuffs
Imports - partners France 20.9%, Spain 12.6%, Italy 6.3%, Germany 5.5%, US 4.6%, UK 4.1%, Saudi Arabia 4.1% (2002) Russia 54%, Ukraine, Germany, Poland, Lithuania (1998)
Independence 2 March 1956 (from France) 25 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Industrial production growth rate 0.5% (1999 est.) 5% (2000 est.)
Industries phosphate rock mining and processing, food processing, leather goods, textiles, construction, tourism metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earth movers, motorcycles, television sets, chemical fibers, fertilizer, textiles, radios, refrigerators
Infant mortality rate total: 44.87 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 48.76 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 40.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
14.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3.6% (2002 est.) 200% (2000 est.)
International organization participation ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, EBRD, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO 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) 8 (2000) 4 (2000)
Irrigated land 12,910 sq km (1998 est.) 1,000 sq km (1993 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court (judges are appointed on the recommendation of the Supreme Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the monarch) 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 11 million (1999) 4.8 million (2000)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 50%, services 35%, industry 15% (1999 est.) industry and construction NA%, agriculture and forestry NA%, services NA%
Land boundaries total: 2,017.9 km


border countries: Algeria 1,559 km, Western Sahara 443 km, Spain (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Spain (Melilla) 9.6 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: 20.12%


permanent crops: 2.05%


other: 77.83% (1998 est.)
arable land:
29%

permanent crops:
1%

permanent pastures:
15%

forests and woodland:
34%

other:
21% (1993 est.)
Languages Arabic (official), Berber dialects, French often the language of business, government, and diplomacy Byelorussian, Russian, other
Legal system based on Islamic law and French and Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of Supreme Court based on civil law system
Legislative branch bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or Chamber of Counselors (270 seats; members elected indirectly by local councils, professional organizations, and labor syndicates for nine-year terms; one-third of the members are renewed every three years) and a lower house or Chamber of Representatives (325 seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)


elections: Chamber of Counselors - last held 15 September 2000 (next to be held NA 2003); Chamber of Representatives - last held 27 September 2002 (next to be held NA 2007)


election results: Chamber of Counselors - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - USFP 50, PI 48, PJD 42, RNI 41, MP 27, MNP 18, UC 16, FFD 12, PND 12, PPS 11, UD 10, MDS 7, PSD 6, Al Ahd 5, ADL 4, GSU 3, PML 3, PRD 3, FC 2, PDI 2, PED 2, CNI 1
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: 70.04 years


male: 67.77 years


female: 72.41 years (2003 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: 51.7%


male: 64.1%


female: 39.4% (2003 est.)
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
98%

male:
99%

female:
97% (1989 est.)
Location Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Western Sahara Eastern Europe, east of Poland
Map references Africa Commonwealth of Independent States
Maritime claims contiguous zone: 24 NM


continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
none (landlocked)
Merchant marine total: 39 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 247,591 GRT/268,356 DWT


ships by type: cargo 8, chemical tanker 7, container 6, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 7, short-sea passenger 2


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 1, Hong Kong 1, Netherlands 2, Norway 2 (2002 est.)
-
Military branches Royal Armed Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie, Auxiliary Forces Army, Air Force, Air Defense Force, Interior Ministry Troops, Border Guards
Military expenditures - dollar figure $1.4 billion (FY99/00) $156 million (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 4% (FY99) 1.2% (FY98)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 8,595,797 (2003 est.) males age 15-49:
2,729,956 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 5,411,846 (2003 est.) males age 15-49:
2,138,743 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age 18 years of age (2003 est.) 18 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 351,671 (2003 est.) males:
86,396 (2001 est.)
National holiday Throne Day (accession of King MOHAMED VI to the throne), 30 July (1999) 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: Moroccan(s)


adjective: Moroccan
noun:
Belarusian(s)

adjective:
Belarusian
Natural hazards northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to earthquakes; periodic droughts NA
Natural resources phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt forests, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas
Net migration rate -1.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) 2.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines gas 695 km; oil 285 km (2003) crude oil 1,470 km; refined products 1,100 km; natural gas 1,980 km (1992)
Political parties and leaders Action Party or PA [Muhammad EL IDRISSI]; Alliance of Liberties or ADL [Ali BELHAJ]; Annahj Addimocrati or Annahj [Abdellah EL HARIF]; Avant Garde Social Democratic Party or PADS [Ahmed BENJELLOUN]; Citizen Forces or FC [Abderrahman LAHJOUJI]; Citizen's Initiatives for Development [Mohamed BENHAMOU]; Constitutional Union or UC [Mohamed ABIED (interim)]; Democratic and Independence Party or PDI [Abdelwahed MAACH]; Democratic and Social Movement or MDS [Mahmoud ARCHANE]; Democratic Socialist Party or PSD [Aissa OUARDIGHI]; Democratic Union or UD [Bouazza IKKEN]; Environment and Development Party or PED [Ahmed EL ALAMI]; Front of Democratic Forces or FFD [Thami EL KHYARI]; Istiqlal Party (Independence Party) or PI [Abbas El FASSI]; Justice and Development Party (formerly the Constitutional and Democratic Popular Movement) or PJD [Abdelkrim EL KHATIB]; Moroccan Liberal Party or PML [Mohamed ZIANE]; National Democratic Party or PND [Abdallah KADIRI]; National Ittihadi Congress Party or CNI [Abdelmajid BOUZOUBAA]; National Popular Movement or MNP [Mahjoubi AHERDANE]; National Rally of Independents or RNI [Ahmed OSMAN]; National Union of Popular Forces or UNFP [Abdellah IBRAHIM]; Parti Al Ahd or Al Ahd [Najib EL OUAZZANI, chairman]; Party of Progress and Socialism or PPS [Ismail ALAOUI]; Party of Renewal and Equity or PRE [Chakir ACHABAR]; Party of the Unified Socialist Left or GSU [Mohamed Ben Said AIT IDDER]; Popular Movement or MP [Mohamed LAENSER]; Reform and Development Party or PRD [Abderrahmane EL KOUHEN]; Social Center Party or PSC [Lahcen MADIH]; Socialist Union of Popular Forces or USFP [Abderrahman EL-YOUSSOUFI] 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 Democratic Confederation of Labor or CDT [Noubir AMAOUI]; General Union of Moroccan Workers or UGTM [Abderrazzak AFILAL]; Moroccan Employers Association or CGEM [Hassan CHAMI]; National Labor Union of Morocco or UNMT [Abdelslam MAATI]; Union of Moroccan Workers or UMT [Mahjoub BENSEDDIK] NA
Population 31,689,265 (July 2003 est.) 10,350,194 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line 19% (1999 est.) 22% (1995 est.)
Population growth rate 1.64% (2003 est.) -0.15% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors Agadir, El Jadida, Casablanca, El Jorf Lasfar, Kenitra, Mohammedia, Nador, Rabat, Safi, Tangier; also Spanish-controlled Ceuta and Melilla Mazyr
Radio broadcast stations AM 27, FM 25, shortwave 6 (1998) AM 28, FM 37, shortwave 11 (1998)
Radios - 3.02 million (1997)
Railways total: 1,907 km


standard gauge: 1,907 km 1.435-m gauge (1,003 km electrified) (2002)
total:
5,523 km

broad gauge:
5,523 km 1.520-m gauge (875 km electrified) (2000)
Religions Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2% Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female


total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 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 (as of January 2003) 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: modern system with all important capabilities; however density is low with only 4.6 main lines available for each 100 persons


domestic: good system composed of open-wire lines, cables, and microwave radio relay links; Internet available but expensive; principal switching centers are Casablanca and Rabat; national network nearly 100% digital using fiber-optic links; improved rural service employs microwave radio relay


international: 7 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; microwave radio relay to Gibraltar, Spain, and Western Sahara; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria; participant in Medarabtel; fiber-optic cable link from Agadir to Algeria and Tunisia (1998)
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 1.391 million (1998) 2.313 million (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 116,645 (1998) 8,167 (1997)
Television broadcast stations 35 (plus 66 repeaters) (1995) 47 (plus 27 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain northern coast and interior are mountainous with large areas of bordering plateaus, intermontane valleys, and rich coastal plains generally flat and contains much marshland
Total fertility rate 2.89 children born/woman (2003 est.) 1.28 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 19% (2002 est.) 2.1% officially registered unemployed (December 2000); large number of underemployed workers
Waterways none NA km; note - Belarus has extensive and widely used canal and river systems
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