Republic of Belarus

Рэспубліка Беларусь Республика Беларусь Republic of Belarus


Anthem Дзяржаўны гімн Рэспублікі Беларусь Dziaržaŭny himn Respubliki Biełaruś (transliteration)
Location of Belarus

Capital	Minsk

Government	Presidential republic
President
- From 1994	Alexander Lukashenko
Prime Minister
- From 2010	Mikhail Myasnikovich

Legislature	National Assembly
- Upper house	Council of the Republic
- Lower house	House of Representatives

History
- July 27, 1990	Declaration of Independence
- August 25, 1991	Established
- December 25, 1991	End of the Soviet Union

Area	207,595 km²

Population
- 2009	9,648,533
Density	46.4/km²

GDP	2009 (PPP)
- Total	US$ 133.7 billion
- Per capita	US$ 13,864

Currency	Belarusian ruble

Soviet Union Byelorussian SSR
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The Republic of Belarus is a presidential republic in Eastern Europe.

Background

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 1994 as the country's first president, Aleksandr LUKASHENKO has steadily consolidated his power through authoritarian means. Government restrictions on freedom of speech and the press, peaceful assembly, and religion remain in place.^[1]

Economy

Belarus has seen limited 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. Since 2005, the government has re-nationalized a number of private companies. In addition, businesses have been subjected to pressure by central and local governments, including arbitrary changes in regulations, numerous rigorous inspections, retroactive application of new business regulations, and arrests of "disruptive" businessmen and factory owners. Continued state control over economic operations hampers market entry for businesses, both domestic and foreign. Government statistics indicate GDP growth was strong, surpassing 10% in 2008, despite the roadblocks of a tough, centrally directed economy with a high rate of inflation and a low rate of unemployment. However, the global crisis pushed the country into recession in 2009, and GDP grew only 0.2% for the year. Slumping foreign demand hit the industrial sector hard. Minsk has depended on a standby-agreement with the IMF to assist with balance of payments shortfalls. In line with IMF conditions, in 2009, Belarus devalued the ruble more than 40% and tightened some fiscal and monetary policies. On 1 January 2010, Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus launched a customs union, with unified trade regulations and customs codes still under negotiation. In late January, Russia and Belarus amended their 2007 oil supply agreement. The new terms raised prices for above quota purchases, increasing Belarus' current account deficit. GDP grew 4.8% in 2010, in part, on the strength of renewed export growth. In December 2010, Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan signed an agreement to form a Common Economic Space and Russia removed all Belarusian oil duties.^[2]