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Compare Slovakia (2004) - Belarus (2004)

Compare Slovakia (2004) z Belarus (2004)

 Slovakia (2004)Belarus (2004)
 SlovakiaBelarus
Administrative divisions 8 regions (kraje, singular - kraj); Banskobystricky, Bratislavsky, Kosicky, Nitriansky, Presovsky, Trenciansky, Trnavsky, Zilinsky 6 provinces (voblastsi, singular - voblasts') and 1 municipality* (horad); Brest, Homyel', Horad Minsk*, Hrodna, Mahilyow, Minsk, Vitsyebsk


note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers
Age structure 0-14 years: 17.5% (male 485,523; female 463,173)


15-64 years: 70.8% (male 1,908,425; female 1,929,861)


65 years and over: 11.7% (male 239,081; female 397,504) (2004 est.)
0-14 years: 16.3% (male 859,219; female 823,839)


15-64 years: 69.2% (male 3,469,926; female 3,662,203)


65 years and over: 14.5% (male 496,204; female 999,129) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products grains, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, cattle, poultry; forest products grain, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beets, flax; beef, milk
Airports 34 (2003 est.) 135 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 17


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)
total: 50


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 21


1,524 to 2,437 m: 6


under 914 m: 21 (2003 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 17


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 9


under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)
total: 85


over 3,047 m: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 5


914 to 1,523 m: 11


under 914 m: 64 (2003 est.)
Area total: 48,845 sq km


land: 48,800 sq km


water: 45 sq km
total: 207,600 sq km


land: 207,600 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative about twice the size of New Hampshire slightly smaller than Kansas
Background In 1918 the Slovaks joined the closely related Czechs to form Czechoslovakia. Following the chaos of World War II, Czechoslovakia became a Communist nation within Soviet-ruled Eastern Europe. Soviet influence collapsed in 1989 and Czechoslovakia once more became free. The Slovaks and the Czechs agreed to separate peacefully on 1 January 1993. Slovakia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004. 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 10.57 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) 10.52 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues: $12.03 billion


expenditures: $13.69 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003)
revenues: $2.976 billion


expenditures: $3.211 billion, including capital expenditures of $180 million (2003 est.)
Capital Bratislava Minsk
Climate temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution ratified 1 September 1992, fully effective 1 January 1993; changed in September 1998 to allow direct election of the president; amended February 2001 to allow Slovakia to apply for NATO and EU membership 30 March 1994; revised by national referendum of 24 November 1996 giving the presidency greatly expanded powers and became effective 27 November 1996; revised again 17 October 2004 removing presidential term limits
Country name conventional long form: Slovak Republic


conventional short form: Slovakia


local long form: Slovenska Republika


local short form: Slovensko
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 Slovak koruna (SKK) Belarusian ruble (BYB/BYR)
Death rate 9.48 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) 14.1 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external $18.31 billion (2003 est.) $851 million (2001 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Scott N. THAYER


embassy: Hviezdoslavovo Namestie 4, 81102 Bratislava


mailing address: P.O. Box 309, 814 99 Bratislava


telephone: [421] (2) 5443-3338


FAX: [421] (2) 5443-0096
chief of mission: Ambassador George A. KROL


embassy: 46 Starovilenskaya St., Minsk 220002


mailing address: PSC 78, Box B Minsk, APO 09723


telephone: [375] (17) 210-12-83, 217-7347, 217-7348


FAX: [375] (17) 234-7853
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Rastislav KACER


chancery: 3523 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 237-1054


FAX: [1] (202) 237-6438
chief of mission: Ambassador Mikhail KHVOSTOV


chancery: 1619 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009


telephone: [1] (202) 986-1604


FAX: [1] (202) 986-1805


consulate(s) general: New York
Disputes - international Hungary amended its status law extending special social and cultural benefits to ethnic Hungarians in Slovakia, many of whom had protested the law; Slovakia and Hungary have renewed discussions on ways to resolve differences over the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros hydroelectric dam on the Danube, with possible resort again to the ICJ for final resolution 1997 boundary treaty with Ukraine remains unratified over unresolved financial claims, preventing demarcation and diminishing border security; boundaries with Latvia and Lithuania remain undemarcated despite European Union financial support
Economic aid - recipient ODA $113 million (2000),; $92 million EU structural adjustment funds (2000 est.) $194.3 million (1995)
Economy - overview Slovakia has mastered much of the difficult transition from a centrally planned economy to a modern market economy. The DZURINDA government made excellent progress during 2001-03 in macroeconomic stabilization and structural reform. Major privatizations are nearly complete, the banking sector is almost completely in foreign hands, and foreign investment has picked up. Slovakia's economy exceeded expectations in 2001-03, despite the general European slowdown. Unemployment, at an unacceptable 15% in 2003, remains the economy's Achilles heel. The government faces other strong challenges in 2004, especially cutting the budget deficit, containing inflation, and strengthening the health care system. Belarus' economy in 2003 posted 6.1 percent growth and is likely to continue expanding through 2004, albeit at a slower growth rate. The Belarusian economy in 2004 is likely to be hampered by high inflation, persistent trade deficits, and ongoing rocky relations with Russia, Belarus' largest trading partner and energy supplier. Belarus has seen little structural reform since 1995, when President LUKASHENKO launched the country on the path of "market socialism." In keeping with this policy, LUKASHENKO reimposed administrative controls over prices and currency exchange rates and expanded the state's right to intervene in the management of private enterprises. In addition, 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. A wide range of redistributive policies has helped those at the bottom of the ladder. For the time being, Belarus remains self-isolated from the West and its open-market economies.
Electricity - consumption 24.41 billion kWh (2001) 26.69 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 5.141 billion kWh (2001) 300 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 1.381 billion kWh (2001) 4.3 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 30.29 billion kWh (2001) 24.4 billion kWh (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Bodrok River 94 m


highest point: Gerlachovsky Stit 2,655 m
lowest point: Nyoman River 90 m


highest point: Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m
Environment - current issues air pollution from metallurgical plants presents human health risks; acid rain damaging forests 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-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 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 Slovak 85.7%, Hungarian 10.6%, Roma 1.6% (the 1992 census figures underreport the Gypsy/Romany community, which is about 500,000), Czech, Moravian, Silesian 1.1%, Ruthenian and Ukrainian 0.6%, German 0.1%, Polish 0.1%, other 0.2% (1996) Belarusian 81.2%, Russian 11.4%, Polish, Ukrainian, and other 7.4%
Exchange rates koruny per US dollar - 36.7729 (2003), 45.3267 (2002), 48.3548 (2001), 46.0352 (2000), 41.3628 (1999) Belarusian rubles per US dollar - 1,790.92 (2003), 1,920 (2002), 1,390 (2001), 876.75 (2000), 248.795 (1999)
Executive branch chief of state: President Ivan GASPAROVIC (since 15 June 2004)


head of government: Prime Minister Mikulas DZURINDA (since 30 October 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Ivan MIKLOS (since 30 October 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Pal CSAKY (since 30 October 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Pavol RUSKO (since May 2004)


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


elections: president elected by direct, popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 3 April and 17 April 2004 (next to be held April 2009); following National Council elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president


election results: Ivan GASPAROVIC elected president in runoff; percent of vote - Ivan GASPAROVIC 59.9%, Vladimir MECIAR 40.1%; Mikulas DZURINDA reelected prime minister October 2002


note: government coalition - SDKU, SMK, KDH, ANO
chief of state: President Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (since 20 July 1994)


head of government: Prime Minister Sergei SIDORSKY (since 19 December 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir SEMASHKO (since December 2003); Deputy Prime Ministers Andrei KOBYAKOV (since December 2003), Vladimir DRAZHIN (since 24 September 2001), Ivan BAMBIZA (since 25 May 2004), Anatoly TYUTYUNOV (since July 2002)


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; October 2004 referendum ended presidential term limits allowing president to run for a third term in 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 NA (2001) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities machinery and transport equipment 39.4%, intermediate manufactured goods 27.5%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 13%, chemicals 8% (1999) machinery and equipment, mineral products, chemicals, metals; textiles, foodstuffs
Exports - partners Germany 37.2%, Czech Republic 12%, Austria 9.8%, Italy 5.4%, Poland 4.7%, US 4.7%, Hungary 4.2% (2003) Russia 49.1%, UK 9.4%, Poland 4.4%, Germany 4.2%, Netherlands 4.2% (2003)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red superimposed with the Slovak cross in a shield centered on the hoist side; the cross is white centered on a background of red and blue red horizontal band (top) and green horizontal band one-half the width of the red band; a white vertical stripe on the hoist side bears Belarusian national ornamention in red
GDP purchasing power parity - $72.29 billion (2003 est.) purchasing power parity - $62.56 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 5.9%


industry: 47.9%


services: 46.2% (2003)
agriculture: 11.1%


industry: 36.4%


services: 52.5% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $13,300 (2003 est.) purchasing power parity - $6,100 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 3.9% (2003 est.) 6.8% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates 48 40 N, 19 30 E 53 00 N, 28 00 E
Geography - note landlocked; most of the country is rugged and mountainous; the Tatra Mountains in the north are interspersed with many scenic lakes and valleys 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 1 (2003 est.) 1 (2003 est.)
Highways total: 42,717 km


paved: 37,036 km (including 296 km of expressways)


unpaved: 5,681 km (2000)
total: 74,385 km


paved: 66,203 km


unpaved: 8,182 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 5.1%


highest 10%: 18.2% (1992)
lowest 10%: 5.1%


highest 10%: 20% (1998)
Illicit drugs transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western Europe; producer of synthetic drugs for regional market limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for the domestic market; transshipment point for illicit drugs to and via Russia, and to the Baltics and Western Europe; a small and lightly regulated financial center; new anti-money-laundering legislation does not meet international standards; few investigations or prosecutions of money-laundering activities
Imports NA (2001) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities machinery and transport equipment 37.7%, intermediate manufactured goods 18%, fuels 13%, chemicals 11%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 9.5% (1999) mineral products, machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs, metals
Imports - partners Germany 27.5%, Czech Republic 18.3%, Russia 10.8%, Austria 6.4%, Italy 5.6%, Poland 4.1%, Hungary 4% (2003) Russia 65.8%, Germany 7.1%, Ukraine 3.1% (2003)
Independence 1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia) 25 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Industrial production growth rate 7.2% (2003 est.) 5% (2003 est.)
Industries metal and metal products; food and beverages; electricity, gas, coke, oil, nuclear fuel; chemicals and manmade fibers; machinery; paper and printing; earthenware and ceramics; transport vehicles; textiles; electrical and optical apparatus; rubber products metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earthmovers, motorcycles, television sets, chemical fibers, fertilizer, textiles, radios, refrigerators
Infant mortality rate total: 7.62 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 8.88 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 6.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
total: 13.62 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 14.71 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 12.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 8.6% (2003 est.) 28.2% (2003 est.)
International organization participation Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)
Irrigated land 1,740 sq km (1998 est.) 1,150 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Council); Constitutional Court (judges appointed by president from group of nominees approved by the National 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 2.58 million (2003) 4.8 million (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 8.9%, industry 29.3%, construction 8%, transport and communication 8.2%, services 45.6% (1994) NA
Land boundaries total: 1,524 km


border countries: Austria 91 km, Czech Republic 215 km, Hungary 677 km, Poland 444 km, Ukraine 97 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: 30.16%


permanent crops: 2.62%


other: 67.22% (2001)
arable land: 29.55%


permanent crops: 0.6%


other: 69.85% (2001)
Languages Slovak (official), Hungarian Belarusian, Russian, other
Legal system civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to comply with the obligations of Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory based on civil law system
Legislative branch unicameral National Council of the Slovak Republic or Narodna Rada Slovenskej Republiky (150 seats; members are elected on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 20-21 September 2002 (next to be held NA September 2006)


election results: percent of vote by party - HZDS-LS 19.5%, SDKU 15.1%, SMER 13.5%, SMK 11.2%, KDH 8.3%, ANO 8%, KSS 6.3%; seats by party - governing coalition 69 (SDKU 22, SMK 20, KDH 15, ANO 12), opposition 81 (HZDS 26, Smer 25, KSS 9, Free Forum 6, People's Union 5, and independents 10)
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 Predstaviteliy (110 seats; members elected by universal adult suffrage to serve 4-year terms)


elections: last held 18 March and 1 April 2001 and 17 and 31 October 2004 (bi-election will be held March 2005 to fill one unfilled seat in the Palata Predstaviteliy); international observers widely denounced the October 2004 elections as flawed and undemocratic, based on massive government falsification; pro-Lukashenko candidates won every seat, after many opposition candidates were disqualified for technical reasons


election results: Soviet Respubliki - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Palata Pretsaviteley - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA
Life expectancy at birth total population: 74.19 years


male: 70.21 years


female: 78.37 years (2004 est.)
total population: 68.57 years


male: 62.79 years


female: 74.65 years (2004 est.)
Literacy definition: NA


total population: NA


male: NA


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


total population: 99.6%


male: 99.8%


female: 99.5% (2003 est.)
Location Central Europe, south of Poland Eastern Europe, east of Poland
Map references Europe Europe
Maritime claims none (landlocked) none (landlocked)
Merchant marine total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 41,891 GRT/63,185 DWT


by type: bulk 4, cargo 4


foreign-owned: Bulgaria 3, Estonia 1, Greece 1, India 1, Liberia 1, Panama 1 (2004 est.)
-
Military branches Ground Forces (including Home Guard [Domobrana]), Air and Air Defense Forces (January 2003) Army, Air and Air Defense Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure $406 million (2002) $176.1 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.89% (2002) 1.4% (FY02)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 1,477,017 (2004 est.) males age 15-49: 2,764,856 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 1,129,935 (2004 est.) males age 15-49: 2,164,923 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 43,029 (2004 est.) males: 86,716 (2004 est.)
National holiday Constitution Day, 1 September (1992) 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: Slovak(s)


adjective: Slovak
noun: Belarusian(s)


adjective: Belarusian
Natural hazards NA NA
Natural resources brown coal and lignite; small amounts of iron ore, copper and manganese ore; salt; arable land forests, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas, granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, clay
Net migration rate 0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) 2.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Pipelines gas 6,769 km; oil 449 km (2004) gas 5,223 km; oil 2,443 km; refined products 1,686 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders Christian Democratic Movement or KDH [Pavol HRUSOVSKY]; Direction (Smer) [Robert FICO]; Free Forum [Zuzana MARTINAKOVA]; Movement for Democracy or HZD [Jozef GRAPA]; Movement for a Democratic Slovakia-People's Party or HZDS-LS [Vladimir MECIAR]; New Citizens Alliance or ANO [Pavol RUSKO]; Party of the Hungarian Coalition or SMK [Bela BUGAR]; People's Union or LU [Gustav KRAJCI]; Slovak Communist Party or KSS [Jozef SEVC]; Slovak Democratic and Christian Union or SDKU [Mikulas DZURINDA]; Slovak National Party or SNS [Peter SULOVSKY] Pro-government parties: Agrarian Party or AP; Belarusian Communist Party or KPB; Belarusian Patriotic Movement (Belarusian Patriotic Party) or BPR [Anatoliy BARANKEVICH, chairman]; Liberal Democratic Party of Belarus [Sergei GAYDUKEVICH]; Social-Sports Party; Opposition parties: Belarusian Popular Front or BNF [Vintsuk VYACHORKA]; Belarusian Social-Democrat Party Narodnaya Gromada or BSDP NG [Nikolay STATKEVICH, chairman]; Belarusian Social-Democratic Party Hromada [Stanislav SHUSHKEVICH, chairman]; United Civic Party or UCP [Anatol LEBEDKO]; Party of Communists Belarusian or PKB [Sergei KALYAKIN, chairman]; Women's Party "Nadezhda" [Valentina MATUSEVICH, chairperson]


note: the opposition Belarusian Party of Labor [Aleksandr BUKHVOSTOV] was liquidated in August 2004, but remains active
Political pressure groups and leaders Association of Employers of Slovakia; Association of Towns and Villages or ZMOS; Confederation of Trade Unions or KOZ; Metal Workers Unions or KOVO and METALURG NA
Population 5,423,567 (July 2004 est.) 10,310,520 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line NA 22% (1995 est.)
Population growth rate 0.14% (2004 est.) -0.11% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors Bratislava, Komarno Mazyr
Radio broadcast stations AM 15, FM 78, shortwave 2 (1998) AM 28, FM 37, shortwave 11 (1998)
Railways total: 3,661 km


broad gauge: 100 km 1.520-m gauge


standard gauge: 3,512 km 1.435-m gauge (1,588 km electrified)


narrow gauge: 49 km (1.000-m or 0.750-m gauge) (2003)
total: 5,523 km


broad gauge: 5,523 km 1.520-m gauge (875 km electrified) (2003)
Religions Roman Catholic 60.3%, atheist 9.7%, Protestant 8.4%, Orthodox 4.1%, other 17.5% 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: 1.05 male(s)/female


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


65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female


total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2004 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 (2004 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: a modernization and privatization program is increasing accessibility to telephone service, reducing the waiting time for new subscribers, and generally improving service quality


domestic: predominantly an analog system that is now receiving digital equipment and is being enlarged with fiber-optic cable, especially in the larger cities; mobile cellular capability has been added


international: country code - 421; three international exchanges (one in Bratislava and two in Banska Bystrica) are available; Slovakia is participating in several international telecommunications projects that will increase the availability of external services
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' fiber optics form synchronous digital hierarchy rings through other countries' systems; an inadequate analog system remains operational


international: country code - 375; Belarus is a member of the Trans-European Line (TEL), Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line, and has access to the Trans-Siberia Line (TSL); 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 1,294,700 (2003) 3,071,300 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular 3,678,800 (2003) 1.118 million (2003)
Television broadcast stations 6 national broadcasting, 7 regional, 67 local (2004) 47 (plus 27 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain rugged mountains in the central and northern part and lowlands in the south generally flat and contains much marshland
Total fertility rate 1.31 children born/woman (2004 est.) 1.36 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate 15.2% (2003 est.) 2.1% officially registered unemployed (December 2000); large number of underemployed workers (2003 est.)
Waterways 172 km (on Danube River) (2004) 2,500 km (use limited by location on perimeter of country and by shallowness) (2003)
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