The 2008 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

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

      Industrial production growth rate:

      5% (2007 est.)

      Electricity - production:

      29.91 billion kWh (2006 est.)

      Electricity - consumption:

      30.43 billion kWh (2006 est.)

      Electricity - exports:

      5.789 billion kWh (2006 est.)

      Electricity - imports:

      10.15 billion kWh (2006 est.)

      Electricity - production by source:

      fossil fuel: 99.5% hydro: 0.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0.4% (2001)

      Oil - production:

      33,700 bbl/day (2007 est.)

      Oil - consumption:

      179,700 bbl/day (2006 est.)

      Oil - exports:

      256,400 bbl/day (2005 est.)

      Oil - imports:

      394,100 bbl/day (2005 est.)

      Oil - proved reserves:

      198 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)

      Natural gas - production:

      164 million cu m (2007 est.)

      Natural gas - consumption:

      21.76 billion cu m (2007 est.)

      Natural gas - exports:

      0 cu m (2007 est.)

      Natural gas - imports:

      21.6 billion cu m (2007 est.)

      Natural gas - proved reserves:

      2.832 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)

      Current account balance:

      -$2.876 billion (2007 est.)

      Exports:

      $24.47 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

      Exports - commodities:

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

      Exports - partners:

      Russia 36.5%, Netherlands 17.8%, UK 6.3%, Ukraine 6.1%, Poland 5%,

       Latvia 4.1% (2007)

      Imports:

      $28.32 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

      Imports - commodities:

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

      Imports - partners:

      Russia 59.9%, Germany 7.6%, Ukraine 5.4% (2007)

      Economic aid - recipient:

      $53.76 million (2005)

      Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

      $4.266 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

      Debt - external:

      $7.347 billion (31 December 2007)

      Market value of publicly traded shares:

      $NA

      Currency (code):

      Belarusian ruble (BYB/BYR)

      Currency code:

      BYB/BYR

      Exchange rates:

      Belarusian rubles (BYB/BYR) per US dollar - 2,145 (2007), 2,144.6 (2006), 2,150 (2005), 2,160.26 (2004), 2,051.27 (2003)

      Communications

       Belarus

      Telephones - main lines in use:

      3.672 million (2007)

      Telephones - mobile cellular:

      5.96 million (2006)

      Telephone system:

      general assessment: Belarus lags behind its neighbors in upgrading telecommunications infrastructure; state-owned Beltelcom is the sole provider of fixed-line local and long distance service; fixed-line teledensity of roughly 35 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density of about 60 per 100 persons; modernization of the network progressing with roughly two-thirds of switching equipment now digital domestic: fixed-line penetration is improving although rural areas continue to be underserved; 3 GSM wireless networks are experiencing rapid growth; strict government controls on telecommunications technologies 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 (2007)

      Radio broadcast stations:

      AM 28, FM 37, shortwave 11 (1998)

      Radios:

      3.02 million (1997)

      Television broadcast stations:

      47 (plus 27 repeaters) (1995)

      Televisions:

      2.52 million (1997)

      Internet country code:

      .by

      Internet hosts:

      68,118 (2008)

      Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

      23 (2002)

      Internet users:

      6 million (2007)

      Transportation

       Belarus

      Airports:

      67 (2007)

      Airports - with paved runways:

      total: 36 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: 7 (2007)

      Airports - with unpaved runways:

      total: 31 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 27 (2007)

      Heliports:

      1 (2007)

      Pipelines:

      gas 5,250 km; oil 1,528 km; refined products 1,730 km (2007)

      Railways:

      total: 5,512 km broad gauge: 5,497 km 1.520-m gauge (874 km electrified) standard gauge: 15 km 1.435 m (2006)

      Roadways:

      total: 94,797 km paved: 84,028 km unpaved: 10,769 km (2005)

      Waterways:

      2,500 km (use limited by location on perimeter of country and by shallowness) (2003)

      Ports and terminals:

      Mazyr

      Military

       Belarus

      Military branches:

      Belarus Armed Forces: Land Force, Air and Air Defense Force (2008)

      Military service age and obligation:

      18–27 years of age for compulsory military service;