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Compare Uzbekistan (2005) - Belarus (2005)

Compare Uzbekistan (2005) z Belarus (2005)

 Uzbekistan (2005)Belarus (2005)
 UzbekistanBelarus
Administrative divisions 12 provinces (viloyatlar, singular - viloyat), 1 autonomous republic* (respublika), and 1 city** (shahar); Andijon Viloyati, Buxoro Viloyati, Farg'ona Viloyati, Jizzax Viloyati, Namangan Viloyati, Navoiy Viloyati, Qashqadaryo Viloyati (Qarshi), Qaraqalpog'iston Respublikasi* (Nukus), Samarqand Viloyati, Sirdaryo Viloyati (Guliston), Surxondaryo Viloyati (Termiz), Toshkent Shahri**, Toshkent Viloyati, Xorazm Viloyati (Urganch)


note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)
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: 33.5% (male 4,575,443/female 4,408,146)


15-64 years: 61.7% (male 8,201,993/female 8,371,933)


65 years and over: 4.8% (male 528,334/female 765,346) (2005 est.)
0-14 years: 16% (male 839,292/female 804,738)


15-64 years: 69.5% (male 3,481,432/female 3,672,991)


65 years and over: 14.6% (male 498,717/female 1,003,313) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products cotton, vegetables, fruits, grain; livestock grain, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beets, flax; beef, milk
Airports 226 (2004 est.) 133 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 33


over 3,047 m: 5


2,438 to 3,047 m: 14


1,524 to 2,437 m: 5


914 to 1,523 m: 5


under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)
total: 50


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 22


1,524 to 2,437 m: 4


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 193


2,438 to 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 187 (2004 est.)
total: 83


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 5


914 to 1,523 m: 11


under 914 m: 64 (2004 est.)
Area total: 447,400 sq km


land: 425,400 sq km


water: 22,000 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 Russia conquered Uzbekistan in the late 19th century. Stiff resistance to the Red Army after World War I was eventually suppressed and a socialist republic set up in 1924. During the Soviet era, intensive production of "white gold" (cotton) and grain led to overuse of agrochemicals and the depletion of water supplies, which have left the land poisoned and the Aral Sea and certain rivers half dry. Independent since 1991, the country seeks to gradually lessen its dependence on agriculture while developing its mineral and petroleum reserves. Current concerns include terrorism by Islamic militants, economic stagnation, and the curtailment of human rights and democratization. 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. Since his election in July 1995 as the country's first president, Alexander LUKASHENKO has steadily consolidated his power through authoritarian means. Government restrictions on freedom of speech and the press, peaceful assembly, and religion continue.
Birth rate 26.22 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 10.83 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget revenues: $2.457 billion


expenditures: $2.482 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
revenues: $3.326 billion


expenditures: $3.564 billion, including capital expenditures of $180 million (2004 est.)
Capital Tashkent (Toshkent) Minsk
Climate mostly midlatitude desert, long, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid grassland in east cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime
Coastline 0 km (doubly landlocked); note - Uzbekistan includes the southern portion of the Aral Sea with a 420 km shoreline 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution new constitution adopted 8 December 1992 15 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: Republic of Uzbekistan


conventional short form: Uzbekistan


local long form: Ozbekiston Respublikasi


local short form: Ozbekiston


former: Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic
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
Death rate 7.95 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 14.15 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external $4.351 billion (2004 est.) $600 million (2004 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Jon PURNELL


embassy: 82 Chilanzarskaya, Tashkent 700115


mailing address: use embassy street address


telephone: [998] (71) 120-5450


FAX: [998] (71) 120-6335
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 Abdulaziz KAMILOV


chancery: 1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036


telephone: [1] (202) 293-6803


FAX: [1] (202) 293-6804


consulate(s) general: New York
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 cotton monoculture in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan creates water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river states; delimitation with Kazakhstan complete with demarcation underway; delimitation is underway with Kyrgyzstan but serious disputes around enclaves and elsewhere continue to mar progress for some 130 km of border; talks continue with Tajikistan to delimit border and remove minefields 1997 boundary treaty with Ukraine remains unratified over unresolved financial claims, preventing demarcation and diminishing border security; boundary with Latvia remains undemarcated but a third of the border with Lithuania was demarcated in 2004
Economic aid - recipient $87.4 million from the US (2003) $194.3 million (1995)
Economy - overview Uzbekistan is a dry, landlocked country of which 11% consists of intensely cultivated, irrigated river valleys. More than 60% of its population lives in densely populated rural communities. Uzbekistan is now the world's second-largest cotton exporter, a large producer of gold and oil, and a regionally significant producer of chemicals and machinery. Following independence in December 1991, the government sought to prop up its Soviet-style command economy with subsidies and tight controls on production and prices. Uzbekistan responded to the negative external conditions generated by the Asian and Russian financial crises by emphasizing import substitute industrialization and by tightening export and currency controls within its already largely closed economy. The government, while aware of the need to improve the investment climate, sponsors measures that often increase, not decrease, the government's control over business decisions. A sharp increase in the inequality of income distribution has hurt the lower ranks of society since independence. In 2003, the government accepted the obligations of Article VIII under the International Monetary Fund (IMF), providing for full currency convertibility. However, strict currency controls and tightening of borders have lessened the effects of convertibility and have also led to some shortages that have further stifled economic activity. Belarus's economy in 2003-04 posted 6.1% and 6.4% growth. Still, the economy continues 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; the Gini coefficient is among the lowest in the world. For the time being, Belarus remains self-isolated from the West and its open-market economies. Growth has been strong in recent years, despite the roadblocks in a tough, centrally directed economy and the high, but decreasing, rate of inflation. Growth has been buoyed by increased Russian demand for generally noncompetitive Belarusian goods.
Electricity - consumption 46.66 billion kWh (2002) 34.3 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports 4.5 billion kWh (2002) 800 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports 6.8 billion kWh (2002) 3.2 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - production 47.7 billion kWh (2002) 30 billion kWh (2004)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Sariqarnish Kuli -12 m


highest point: Adelunga Toghi 4,301 m
lowest point: Nyoman River 90 m


highest point: Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m
Environment - current issues shrinkage of the Aral Sea is resulting in growing concentrations of chemical pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then blown from the increasingly exposed lake bed and contribute to desertification; water pollution from industrial wastes and the heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides is the cause of many human health disorders; increasing soil salination; soil contamination from buried nuclear processing and agricultural chemicals, including DDT 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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 Uzbek 80%, Russian 5.5%, Tajik 5%, Kazakh 3%, Karakalpak 2.5%, Tatar 1.5%, other 2.5% (1996 est.) Belarusian 81.2%, Russian 11.4%, Polish 3.9%, Ukrainian 2.4%, other 1.1% (1999 census)
Exchange rates Uzbekistani sums per US dollar - 1,020 (2004), 971.265 (2003), 771.03 (2001), 423.832 (2001), 236.61 (2000) Belarusian rubles per US dollar - 2,160.26 (2004), 2,051.27 (2003), 1,790.92 (2002), 1,390 (2001), 876.75 (2000)
Executive branch chief of state: President Islom KARIMOV (since 24 March 1990, when he was elected president by the then Supreme Soviet)


head of government: Prime Minister Shavkat MIRZIYAYEV (since 11 December 2003)


cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president with approval of the Supreme Assembly


elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (previously was a five-year term, extended by constitutional amendment in 2002); election last held 9 January 2000 (next to be held December 2007); prime minister and deputy ministers appointed by the president


election results: Islom KARIMOV reelected president; percent of vote - Islom KARIMOV 91.9%, Abdulkhafiz JALALOV 4.2%
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)


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 14,500 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities cotton 41.5%, gold 9.6%, energy products 9.6%, mineral fertilizers, ferrous metals, textiles, food products, automobiles (1998 est.) machinery and equipment, mineral products, chemicals, metals; textiles, foodstuffs
Exports - partners Russia 22%, China 14.7%, Turkey 6.4%, Tajikistan 6.1%, Kazakhstan 4.2%, Bangladesh 4% (2004) Russia 47%, UK 8.3%, Netherlands 6.7%, Poland 5.3% (2004)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and green separated by red fimbriations with a white crescent moon and 12 white stars in the upper hoist-side quadrant 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 - composition by sector agriculture: 38%


industry: 26.3%


services: 35.7% (2003 est.)
agriculture: 11%


industry: 36.4%


services: 52.6% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2004 est.) purchasing power parity - $6,800 (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 4.4% (2004 est.) 6.4% (2004 est.)
Geographic coordinates 41 00 N, 64 00 E 53 00 N, 28 00 E
Geography - note along with Liechtenstein, one of the only two doubly landlocked countries in the world 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 (2004 est.)
Highways total: 81,600 km


paved: 71,237 km


unpaved: 10,363 km (1999 est.)
total: 79,990 km


paved: 69,351 km


unpaved: 10,639 km (2002)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 3.6%


highest 10%: 22% (2000)
lowest 10%: 5.1%


highest 10%: 20% (1998)
Illicit drugs transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and, to a lesser extent, Western European markets; limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and small amounts of opium poppy for domestic consumption; poppy cultivation almost wiped out by government crop eradication program; transit point for heroin precursor chemicals bound for Afghanistan 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 360,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment 49.8%, foodstuffs 16.4%, chemicals, metals (1998 est.) mineral products, machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs, metals
Imports - partners Russia 26.8%, South Korea 12.6%, US 8%, Germany 7.7%, Kazakhstan 6.3%, China 5.8%, Turkey 5.1%, Ukraine 4.5% (2004) Russia 68.2%, Germany 6.6%, Ukraine 3.3% (2004)
Independence 1 September 1991 (from Soviet Union) 25 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Industrial production growth rate 6.2% (2003 est.) 4% (2004 est.)
Industries textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy, gold petroleum, natural gas, chemicals metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earthmovers, motorcycles, televisions, chemical fibers, fertilizer, textiles, radios, refrigerators
Infant mortality rate total: 71.1 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 74.78 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 67.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
total: 13.37 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 14.3 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 12.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3% (2004 est.) 17.4% (2004 est.)
International organization participation AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer) 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, WTO (observer)
Irrigated land 42,810 sq km (1998 est.) 1,150 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Supreme Assembly) 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 14.64 million (2004 est.) 4.305 million (31 December 2003)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 44%, industry 20%, services 36% (1995) agriculture 14%, industry 34.7%, services 51.3% (2003 est.)
Land boundaries total: 6,221 km


border countries: Afghanistan 137 km, Kazakhstan 2,203 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,099 km, Tajikistan 1,161 km, Turkmenistan 1,621 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: 10.83%


permanent crops: 0.83%


other: 88.34% (2001)
arable land: 29.55%


permanent crops: 0.6%


other: 69.85% (2001)
Languages Uzbek 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1% Belarusian, Russian, other
Legal system evolution of Soviet civil law; still lacks independent judicial system based on civil law system
Legislative branch bicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis consists of an Upper House or Senate (100 seats; 84 members are elected by regional governing councils to serve five-year terms and 16 are appointed by the president) and a Lower House or Legislative Chamber (120 seats; elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 26 December 2004 and 9 January 2005 (next to be held December 2009)


election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Legislative Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - LDPU 41, NDP 32, Fidokorlar 17, MTP 11, Adolat 9, unaffiliated 10


note: all parties in the Supreme Assembly support President KARIMOV
bicameral National Assembly 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 Predstaviteley (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; 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 Predstaviteley - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA
Life expectancy at birth total population: 64.19 years


male: 60.82 years


female: 67.73 years (2005 est.)
total population: 68.72 years


male: 63.03 years


female: 74.69 years (2005 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 99.3%


male: 99.6%


female: 99% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 99.6%


male: 99.8%


female: 99.5% (2003 est.)
Location Central Asia, north of Afghanistan Eastern Europe, east of Poland
Map references Asia Europe
Maritime claims none (doubly landlocked) none (landlocked)
Military branches Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard Army, Air and Air Defense Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure $200 million (FY97) $176.1 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2% (FY97) 1.4% (FY02)
National holiday Independence Day, 1 September (1991) 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: Uzbekistani


adjective: Uzbekistani
noun: Belarusian(s)


adjective: Belarusian
Natural hazards NA NA
Natural resources natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, uranium, silver, copper, lead and zinc, tungsten, molybdenum forests, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas, granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, clay
Net migration rate -1.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) 2.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Pipelines gas 9,149 km; oil 869 km; refined products 33 km (2004) gas 5,223 km; oil 2,443 km; refined products 1,686 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders Adolat (Justice) Social Democratic Party [Dilorom TOSHMUHAMMADOVA, chairman]; Democratic National Rebirth Party (Milly Tiklanish) or MTP [Xurshid DOSTMUHAMMADOV, chief]; Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan or LDPU [Adham SHODMONOV, chairman]; People's Democratic Party or NDP (formerly Communist Party) [Asliddin RUSTAMOV, first secretary]; Self-Sacrificers Party or Fidokorlar National Democratic Party [Ahtam TURSUNOV, chief]; note - Fatherland Progress Party merged with Self-Sacrificers Party Pro-government parties: Agrarian Party or AP [leader NA]; Belarusian Communist Party or KPB [leader NA]; Belarusian Patriotic Movement (Belarusian Patriotic Party) or BPR [Anatoliy BARANKEVICH, chairman]; Liberal Democratic Party of Belarus [Sergei GAYDUKEVICH]; Social-Sports Party [leader NA]; 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 Agrarian and Entrepreneurs' Party [Marat ZAHIDOV]; Birlik (Unity) Movement [Abdurakhim POLAT, chairman]; Erk (Freedom) Democratic Party [Muhammad SOLIH, chairman] was banned 9 December 1992; Ezgulik Human Rights Society [Vasilia INOYATOVA]; Free Farmers' Party or Ozod Dehqonlar [Nigara KHIDOYATOVA]; Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan [Tolib YAKUBOV, chairman]; Independent Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan [Mikhail ARDZINOV, chairman]; Mazlum [leader NA] NA
Population 26,851,195 (July 2005 est.) 10,300,483 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line 28% (2004 est.) 27.1% (2003 est.)
Population growth rate 1.67% (2005 est.) -0.09% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors Termiz (Amu Darya) Mazyr
Radio broadcast stations AM 20, FM 7, shortwave 10 (1998) AM 28, FM 37, shortwave 11 (1998)
Railways total: 3,950 km


broad gauge: 3,950 km 1.520-m gauge (620 km electrified) (2004)
total: 5,512 km


broad gauge: 5,497 km 1.520-m gauge (874 km electrified)


standard gauge: 15 km 1.435-m (2004)
Religions Muslim 88% (mostly Sunnis), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3% 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: 0.98 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female


total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 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 (2005 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: antiquated and inadequate; in serious need of modernization


domestic: the domestic telephone system is being expanded and technologically improved, particularly in Tashkent (Toshkent) and Samarqand, under contracts with prominent companies in industrialized countries; moreover, by 1998, six cellular networks had been placed in operation - four of the GSM type (Global System for Mobile Communication), one D-AMPS type (Digital Advanced Mobile Phone System), and one AMPS type (Advanced Mobile Phone System)


international: country code - 998; linked by landline or microwave radio relay with CIS member states and to other countries by leased connection via the Moscow international gateway switch; after the completion of the Uzbek link to the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable, Uzbekistan will be independent of Russian facilities for international communications; Inmarsat also provides an international connection, albeit an expensive one; satellite earth stations - NA (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' 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 1,717,100 (2003) 3,071,300 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular 320,800 (2003) 1.118 million (2003)
Television broadcast stations 4 (plus two repeaters that relay Russian programs), 1 cable rebroadcaster in Tashkent; approximately 20 stations in regional capitals (2003) 47 (plus 27 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain mostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes; broad, flat intensely irrigated river valleys along course of Amu Darya, Syr Darya (Sirdaryo), and Zarafshon; Fergana Valley in east surrounded by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral Sea in west generally flat and contains much marshland
Total fertility rate 2.94 children born/woman (2005 est.) 1.39 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate 0.6% officially, plus another 20% underemployed (2004 est.) 2% officially registered unemployed; large number of underemployed workers (2004)
Waterways 1,100 km (2004) 2,500 km (use limited by location on perimeter of country and by shallowness) (2003)
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