Belarus country profile
Belarus's economy is a mixed, upper-middle income economy characterized by strong state involvement and limited privatization efforts.
The present borders of Belarus were established during the turmoil of the World War Two.
The former Soviet republic was occupied by the Nazis between 1941 and 1944, when it lost 2.2 million people, including almost all of its large Jewish population.
Belarus has been ruled with an iron fist since 1994 by President Alexander Lukashenko. Opposition figures are subjected to harsh penalties for organising protests.
In the Soviet post-war years, Belarus became one of the most prosperous parts of the USSR, but with independence came economic decline.
President Lukashenko has steadfastly opposed the privatisation of state enterprises, and the country is heavily dependent on Russia for its energy supplies.
Poland and Lithuania do not recognize Lukashenko as the legitimate president of Belarus, and Lithuania hosts the main opposition candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and other members of the Belarusian opposition in Vilnius.
REPUBLIC OF BELARUS: FACTS
Capital: Minsk
Area: 207,595 sq km
Population: 9.4 million
Languages: Belarusian, Russian
Life expectancy: 69 years (men) 79 years (women)
LEADERS
President: Alexander Lukashenko
Alexander Lukashenko, often referred to as Europe's last dictator, has repeatedly been re-elected as leader in contests that opposition candidates and foreign observers have labelled as unfair and undemocratic.
A former state farm director, Mr Lukashenko was first elected president in 1994, following his energetic performance as chairman of the parliamentary anti-corruption committee.
He has managed a balancing act between Russia, his closest economic and political partner, and overtures to the West, while maintaining authoritarian rule at home.
The EU, UK, USA and Canada have all imposed sanctions against Belarus because of political oppression, and further sanctions were imposed in 2022 following the country's role in the invasion of Ukraine.
In January 2025, Lukashenko won a seventh consecutive presidential term. The opposition ignored the vote as its leaders and activists are either jailed or exiled, and no dissent is tolerated inside the country.
MEDIA
Belarus has been heavily criticised by rights bodies for suppressing free speech, muzzling the press and denying the opposition access to state media.
TV is the main news source. National channels are state-controlled. Their main competitors are Russian networks.
The internet is used by the opposition to make its voice heard. The government has sought to increase its online controls.
TIMELINE
Image caption,
Victory Day celebrations on 9 May in Minsk marking the surrender of Nazi Germany to the USSR at the end of World War Two
Key dates in the history of Belarus:
1918 - Towards the end of World War One, Belarus proclaims its independence as the Belarusian National Republic.
1919 - The Russian Red Army conquers Belarus, and establishes communist rule.
1921 - The Treaty of Riga divides Belarus between Poland and Soviet Russia.
1930s - Belarus suffers heavily from the purges of intellectuals and political opponents ordered by Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin. More than 100,000 people are executed in Belarus, and thousands more sent to labour camps.
1941 - Nazi Germany invades during the course of World War Two. More than one million people are killed during the occupation, including most of the large Jewish population.
1944 - The Soviet Red Army drives the Germans out of Belarus.
1960s - A policy of Russification relegates the Belarusian language and culture to second-class status.
1986 - Belarus is heavily affected by the fall-out from the nuclear explosion at Chernobyl in neighbouring Ukraine. Around 20% of agricultural land is contaminated and rendered unusable.
1988 - The Belarusian Popular Front formed as part of nationalist revival prompted by Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev's political liberalisation.
1990 - Belarusian becomes the official state language.
1991 - Belarus declares its independence as the Soviet Union breaks up.
1994 - Alexander Lukashenko wins the first presidential election on a campaign of fighting corruption and re-establishing close ties with Russia.
1995 - Friendship and cooperation pact signed with Russia, and referendums restore Russian as co-official language and boost the president's powers.
2001 - Lukashenko re-elected president in election that opposition and Western observers say is undemocratic.
2004 - Referendum backs change allowing president to serve more than previous limit of two terms. Opposition fail to win any seat in parliamentary elections. Western observers say vote is not free. Demonstrators clash with police and dozens are arrested.
2004 - EU extends travel restrictions on senior officials. US imposes sanctions.
2006 - Lukashenko wins third election, condemned as unfair by West. EU imposes visa ban on Lukashenko and numerous ministers and officials.
Defeated presidential candidate Alyaksandr Kazulin convicted of hooliganism and incitement to mass disorder and is jailed for five and a half years.
2008 - Kazulin and two other dissidents freed from prison. EU lifts its travel ban on Lukashenko in a bid to encourage democratic reform, a month after US does the same.
2010 - Lukashenko wins fourth presidential term amid allegations of vote rigging. Mass protests in Minsk are broken up by force, with 600 arrests.
2011 - EU reinstates a travel ban on Lukashenko and freezes his assets, US imposes stricter financial controls and widens its travel bans on senior officials.
Explosion at a Minsk metro station kills 15. Lukashenko alleges a plot by "fifth columnists" to destabilize the country. Two suspects are executed.
Opposition leader Andrey Sannikau jailed for five years for organising protests over the presidential elections.
2012 - Opposition activists Andrei Sannikau and Zmitser Bandarenka are released from prison early, but others remain in jail.
2014 - Belarus asks Russia to deploy extra military aircraft to its territory after Nato boosts its forces in the Baltic amid increasing tension over Russia's annexation of Crimea.
2015 - Lukashenko wins fifth presidential term.
2020 - Mass protests after Lukshenko wins sixth presidential term, as opposition says the election was rigged.
2022 - Belarus allows its territory to be used by Russia's army to launch attacks into northern Ukraine as part of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
2025 - Lukashenko wins seventh presidential term against only nominal opposition.
Image caption,
Lenin and the Belarussian flag in front of the parliament building in Minsk
The BBC
Overview
Belarus's economy is a mixed, upper-middle income economy characterized by strong state involvement and limited privatization efforts. The country's economy is largely dependent on exports, particularly industrial products, with a significant portion going to Russia. Key sectors include machinery, metalworking, oil refining, and the service sector, which has been growing in importance.
Key Features of the Belarusian Economy:
State Dominance:
The Belarusian government maintains considerable control over the economy, rejecting most privatization initiatives.
Export-Oriented:
A large portion of the country's GDP is derived from exports, with industrial products and trade, especially with Russia, playing a crucial role.
Key Sectors:
Manufacturing: Particularly strong in food processing, and coke and refined petroleum products.
Services: The service sector, including financial services, IT, transportation, and tourism, has grown significantly since the breakup of the USSR, employing a large portion of the workforce.
Trade: A significant economic sector contributing to GDP, with a large share of the country's trade going to Russia.
Impact of Sanctions:
Western sanctions imposed in response to events like the 2020 election and the invasion of Ukraine have impacted Belarus's economy, leading to a focus on re-orienting export routes, particularly towards Russia, and non-aligned nations.
Recent Economic Trends:
GDP per capita (PPP): In 2023, GDP per capita reached 20180 EUR, a significant increase from 2022.
Gross Industrial Production: Experienced a notable increase of 7.7% in 2023.
Unemployment Rate: The unemployment rate remained relatively stable at 3.5% in 2023.
Real Disposable Income: Experienced a positive growth of 6.3% in 2023, reversing a previous decline.
Financial Sector:
The financial sector has shown strong performance, with state-owned banks investing in state bonds, according to the World Bank.
In summary, Belarus's economy is characterized by state control, a strong reliance on exports (particularly to Russia), a growing service sector, and significant economic challenges posed by Western sanctions.
Economy of Belarus
Article Talk
The economy of Belarus is an upper-middle income mixed economy. As a post-Soviet transition economy, Belarus rejected most privatisation efforts in favour of retaining centralised political and economic controls by the state. The highly centralized Belarusian economy emphasizes full employment and a dominant public sector. It has been described as a welfare state practicing market socialism.[not in body] Belarus is the world's 74th-largest economy by GDP.
Economy of
Belarus
Minsk, the financial capital of Belarus
Currency
Belarusian ruble (BYN, Rbl)
Fiscal year
Calendar year
Trade organisations
CIS, EAEU, CISFTA
Country group
Developing/Emerging
Upper-middle income economy
Statistics
Population
Decrease 9,408,350 (1 January 2020)
GDP
Increase $73,1 billion (nominal, 2024 est.)
Increase $293,140 billion (PPP, 2024 est.)
GDP rank
85th (nominal, 2024)
65rd (PPP, 2024)
GDP growth
3.9% (2023)
3.6% (2024)
1.1% (2025)
GDP per capita
Increase $8,008 (nominal, 2024 est.)
Increase $32.098 (PPP, 2024 est.)
Source: Wikipedia