The 2010 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

(2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 5 1.6% (2005)

      note: official registered unemployed; large number of underemployed workers

      Population below poverty line:

      27.1% (2003 est.)

      Household income or consumption by percentage share:

      lowest 10%: 3.6%

      highest 10%: 22% (2005)

      Distribution of family income - Gini index:

      27.9 (2005) country comparison to the world: 124 21.7 (1998)

      Investment (gross fixed):

      36% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 7

      Inflation rate (consumer prices):

      7% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 177 12.9% (2009 est.)

      Central bank discount rate:

      13.5% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 30 12% (31 December 2008)

      Commercial bank prime lending rate:

      11.68% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 111 8.55% (31 December 2008 est.)

      Stock of narrow money:

      $4.747 billion (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 92 $4.381 billion (31 December 2009 est)

      Stock of broad money:

      $13.62 billion (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 92 $14.07 billion (31 December 2008)

      Stock of domestic credit:

      $19.99 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 78 $17.15 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

      Market value of publicly traded shares:

      $NA

      Agriculture - products:

      grain, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beets, flax; beef, milk

      Industries:

      metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earthmovers, motorcycles, televisions, synthetic fibers, fertilizer, textiles, radios, refrigerators

      Industrial production growth rate:

      10.5% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 13

      Electricity - production:

      29.92 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 63

      Electricity - consumption:

      30.54 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 58

      Electricity - exports:

      5.062 billion kWh (2007 est.)

      Electricity - imports:

      9.406 billion kWh (2007 est.)

      Oil - production:

      31,400 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 70

      Oil - consumption:

      173,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 59

      Oil - exports:

      303,900 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 40

      Oil - imports:

      444,800 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

      Oil - proved reserves:

      198 million bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 59

      Natural gas - production:

      152 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 77

      Natural gas - consumption:

      17 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 37

      Natural gas - exports:

      0 cu m (2009) country comparison to the world: 58

      Natural gas - imports:

      17.6 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 13

      Natural gas - proved reserves:

      2.832 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 94

      Current account balance:

      -$5.062 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 169 -$6.402 billion (2009 est.)

      Exports:

      $24.49 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 66 $21.34 billion (2009 est.)

      Exports - commodities:

      machinery and equipment, mineral products, chemicals, metals, textiles, foodstuffs

      Exports - partners:

      Russia 33.6%, Netherlands 13.78%, Ukraine 8.68%, Latvia 6.32%,

       Poland 4.19%, Germany 4.17% (2009)

      Imports:

      $29.79 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 60 $28.31 billion (2009 est.)

      Imports - commodities:

      mineral products, machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs, metals

      Imports - partners:

      Russia 56.42%, Germany 8.31%, Ukraine 4.79%, China 4.04% (2009)

      Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

      $5.755 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 63 $4.831 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

      Debt - external:

      $24.8 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 68 $19.74 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

      Exchange rates:

      Belarusian rubles (BYB/BYR) per US dollar - 3,019.9 (2010), 2,789.5 (2009), 2,130 (2008), 2,145 (2007), 2,144.6 (2006)

      Communications ::Belarus

      Telephones - main lines in use:

      3.969 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 40

      Telephones - mobile cellular:

      9.686 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 67

      Telephone system:

      general assessment: Belarus lags behind its neighbors in upgrading telecommunications infrastructure; modernization of the network progressing with roughly two-thirds of switching equipment now digital

      domestic: state-owned Beltelcom is the sole provider of fixed-line local and long distance service; fixed-line teledensity is improving although rural areas continue to be underserved; multiple GSM mobile-cellular networks are experiencing rapid growth; mobile-cellular teledensity reached 100 telephones per 100 persons in 2009

      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); 3 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 (2008)

      Broadcast media:

      4 state-controlled national TV channels; Polish and Russian TV broadcasts are available in some areas; state-run Belarusian Radio operates 3 national networks and an external service; Russian and Polish radio broadcasts are available (2007)

      Internet country code:

      .by

      Internet hosts: