Europe

Belarus
Last reviewed: 12 August 2011

Country information

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BELARUS TODAY

Country Facts

Population: 9.48m (end 2010 EST.)
Capital City: Minsk (population 1.8m)
People: Belarusian (77.9%), Russian (13.2%), Polish (4.1%), Ukrainian (2.9%), other (1.9%)
Languages: Belarusian and Russian are the official national languages.
Religions: Eastern Orthodox Christian (82.5%), Roman Catholic (12%), Protestant (4%), Islam, Bah’I or Krishna (4%). 2010 figures from the Office of the Commissioner on Religions and Nationalities.
Currency: Belarusian roubel (BYR)
Major political parties: “Belaya Rus” is a pro-Presidential NGO. The two main registered opposition parties are the Belarusian National Front (BNF) and United Civic Party (UCP): a third, the Belarusian Christian Democracy, is un-registered (see Human rights section for an explanation).
Form of government: Presidential Republic
Head of State: Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko
Prime Minister/Premier: Mikhail Myasnikovich
Foreign Minister: Sergei Martynov
Membership of international groupings/organisations: Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), EU’s Eastern Partnership, Euro Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), International Labour Organisation (ILO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), Interpol, NATO's Partnership for Peace, Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), United Nations (UN), World Bank, World Health Organisation (WHO)