Part 9
Economy-overview: Despite sustained domestic and international efforts to improve economic and demographic prospects, Bangladesh remains one of the world's poorest, most densely populated, and least developed nations. Annual GDP growth has averaged over 4% in recent years from a low base. Its economy is largely agricultural, with the cultivation of rice the single most important activity in the economy. Major impediments to growth include frequent cyclones and floods, the inefficiency of state-owned enterprises, a rapidly growing labor force that cannot be absorbed by agriculture, delays in exploiting energy resources (natural gas), inadequate power supplies, and slow implementation of economic reforms. Frequent strikes that crippled the economy in 1995 and early 1996 subsided after Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA Wajed's Awami League government assumed power in mid-1996, allowing a return to normal economic activity. The current government has made some headway improving the climate for foreign investors and liberalizing the capital markets; for example, it has negotiated with foreign firms for oil and gas exploration, better countrywide distribution of cooking gas, and the construction of natural gas pipelines and power plants. Progress on other economic reforms has been halting because of opposition from the bureaucracy, public sector unions, and other vested interest groups.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$167 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 5.5% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$1,330 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: 30% industry: 18% services: 52% (1996)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 2.5% (1996)
Labor force: total: 56 million by occupation: agriculture 63%, services 25%, industry and mining 10% (1996) note: extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, and Oman (1996)
Unemployment rate: 35.2% (1996)
Budget: revenues: $3.6 billion expenditures: $5.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $3 billion (FY96/97)
Industries: jute manufacturing, cotton textiles, food processing, steel, fertilizer
Industrial production growth rate: 5.3% (1996)
Electricity-capacity: 2.978 million kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 11.5 billion kWh (1997)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 71 kWh (1997 est.)
Agriculture-products: rice, jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes; beef, milk, poultry
Exports: total value: $3.9 billion (1996) commodities: garments, jute and jute goods, leather, frozen fish and seafood partners: Western Europe 42%, US 30%, Hong Kong 4%, Japan 3% (FY95/96 est.)
Imports: total value: $6.9 billion (1996) commodities: capital goods, textiles, food, petroleum products partners: India 21%, China 10%, Western Europe 8%, Hong Kong 7%, Singapore 6% (FY95/96 est.)
Debt-external: $17.1 billion (1996)
Economic aid: recipient: $1.475 billion (FY96/97)
Currency: 1 taka (Tk) = 100 poisha
Exchange rates: taka (Tk) per US$1-45.450 (January 1998), 43.892 (1997), 41.794 (1996), 40.278 (1995), 40.212 (1994), 39.567 (1993)
Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
Communications
Telephones: 249,800 (1994 est.)
Telephone system: domestic: poor domestic telephone service international: satellite earth stations-2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); international radiotelephone communications and landline service to neighboring countries
Radio broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 6, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 11
Televisions: 350,000 (1993 est.)
@Bangladesh:Transportation
Railways: total: 2,892 km broad gauge: 978 km 1.676-m gauge narrow gauge: 1,914 km 1.000-m gauge (1992)
Highways: total: 223,391 km paved: 16,084 km unpaved: 207,307 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: 5,150-8,046 km navigable waterways (includes 2,575-3,058 km main cargo routes)
Pipelines: natural gas 1,220 km
Ports and harbors: Chittagong, Dhaka, Chalna Port (Mongla)
Merchant marine: total: 39 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 310,728 GRT/444,245 DWT ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 31, oil tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2 (1997 est.)
Airports: 16 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways: total: 15 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 7 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (1997 est.)
@Bangladesh:Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary forces (includes Bangladesh Rifles, Bangladesh Ansars, Armed Police Reserve, Village Defense Parties, National Cadet Corps)
Military manpower-availability: males age 15-49: 33,780,741 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 19,984,761 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $481 million (FY95/96)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 1.7% (FY95/96)
@Bangladesh:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: a portion of the boundary with India is indefinite
Illicit drugs: transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries
______________________________________________________________________
BARBADOS
@Barbados:Geography
Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela
Geographic coordinates: 13 10 N, 59 32 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 430 sq km land: 430 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 97 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; rainy season (June to October)
Terrain: relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Hillaby 336 m
Natural resources: petroleum, fish, natural gas
Land use: arable land: 37% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: 12% other: 46% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides
Environment-current issues: pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination of aquifers
Environment-international agreements: party to: Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity
Geography-note: easternmost Caribbean island
@Barbados:People
Population: 259,025 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 23% (male 30,592; female 29,747) 15-64 years: 67% (male 84,725; female 87,730) 65 years and over: 10% (male 9,926; female 16,305) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.09% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 14.92 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 8.21 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -5.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 17.25 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.79 years male: 72.03 years female: 77.62 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.85 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality: noun: Barbadian(s) adjective: Barbadian
Ethnic groups: black 80%, white 4%, other 16%
Religions: Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%, other 12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, unknown 3%, other 9% (1980)
Languages: English
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 97.4% male: 98% female: 96.8% (1995 est.)
@Barbados:Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Barbados
Data code: BB
Government type: parliamentary democracy
National capital: Bridgetown
Administrative divisions: 11 parishes; Christ Church, Saint Andrew, Saint George, Saint James, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Lucy, Saint Michael, Saint Peter, Saint Philip, Saint Thomas note: the city of Bridgetown may be given parish status
Independence: 30 November 1966 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 30 November (1966)
Constitution: 30 November 1966
Legal system: English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Clifford Straughn HUSBANDS (since 1 June 1996) head of government: Prime Minister Owen Seymour ARTHUR (since 6 September 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Billie MILLER (since 6 September 1994) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor general appointed by the queen; prime minister appointed by the governor general
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (21-member body appointed by the governor general) and the House of Assembly (28 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Assembly-last held 6 September 1994 (next to be held by January 1999) election results: House of Assembly-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party - BLP 19, DLP 8, NDP 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Judicature, judges are appointed by the Service Commissions for the Judicial and Legal Service
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Labor Party or DLP [David THOMPSON]; Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Owen ARTHUR]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Richard HAYNES]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Barbados Workers Union [Leroy TROTMAN]; People's Progressive Movement [Eric SEALY]; Workers' Party of Barbados [Dr. George BELLE]; Clement Payne Labor Union [David COMMISSIONG]
International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Courtney N. BLACKMAN chancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-9200 consulate(s) general: Coral Gables and New York consulate(s): Los Angeles
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Deputy Chief of Mission Donald K. HOLM embassy: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, Broad Street, Bridgetown mailing address: P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown; FPO AA 34055 telephone: [1] (246) 436-4950 FAX: [1] (246) 429-5246
Flag description: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold, and blue with the head of a black trident centered on the gold band; the trident head represents independence and a break with the past (the colonial coat of arms contained a complete trident)
@Barbados:Economy
Economy-overview: Historically, the Barbadian economy had been dependent on sugarcane cultivation and related activities, but production in recent years has diversified into manufacturing and tourism. The start of the Port Charles Marina project in Speightstown helped the tourism industry continue to expand in 1996-97. The government continues its efforts to reduce the unacceptably high unemployment rate, encourage direct foreign investment, and privatize remaining state-owned enterprises.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$2.8 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 3% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$10,900 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: 7% industry: 17% services: 76% (1996 est.)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 2.4% (1996)
Labor force: total: 68,900 (1996) by occupation: services 75%, industry 15%, agriculture 10% (1996 est.)
Unemployment rate: 16.2% (1996)
Budget: revenues: $600 million expenditures: $645 million, including capital expenditures of $80 million (FY96/97 est.)
Industries: tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export
Industrial production growth rate: 0.8% (1996)
Electricity-capacity: 140,000 kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 591.5 million kWh (1996)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 2,145 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: sugarcane, vegetables, cotton
Exports: total value: $235 million (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals, electrical components, clothing partners: US 15%, UK 15%, Trinidad and Tobago 9%, Windward Islands 8%
Imports: total value: $763 million (c.i.f., 1995) commodities: consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components partners: US 37%, Trinidad and Tobago 11%, UK 10%, Japan 7%
Debt-external: $359 million (December 1996)
Economic aid: $NA
Currency: 1 Barbadian dollar (Bds$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Barbadian dollars (Bds$) per US$1-2.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the dollar)
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
Communications
Telephones: 87,343 (1991 est.)
Telephone system: domestic: island wide automatic telephone system international: satellite earth station-1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and Saint Lucia
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 2 (1 pay)
Televisions: 69,350 (1993 est.)
@Barbados:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 1,640 km paved: 1,573 km unpaved: 67 km (1996 est.)
Ports and harbors: Bridgetown
Merchant marine: total: 57 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 869,363 GRT/1,365,640 DWT ships by type: bulk 15, cargo 30, container 1, combination bulk 4, multifunction large-load carrier 1, oil tanker 4, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships of 2 countries: Canada owns 2 ships, Hong Kong 1 (1997 est.)
Airports: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (1997 est.)
@Barbados:Military
Military branches: Royal Barbados Defense Force (includes Ground Forces and Coast Guard), Royal Barbados Police Force
Military manpower-availability: males age 15-49: 71,891 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 49,562 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: NA%
@Barbados:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
Illicit drugs: one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for the US and Europe
______________________________________________________________________
BASSAS DA INDIA
(possession of France)
@Bassas da India:Geography
Location: Southern Africa, islands in the southern Mozambique Channel, about one-half of the way from Madagascar to Mozambique
Geographic coordinates: 21 30 S, 39 50 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 0.2 sq km land: 0.2 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative: about one-third the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 35.2 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical
Terrain: a volcanic rock 2.4 meters high
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 2.4 m
Natural resources: none
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% (all rock)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: maritime hazard since it is usually under water during high tide and surrounded by reefs; subject to periodic cyclones
Environment-current issues: NA
Environment-international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
@Bassas da India:People
Population: uninhabited
@Bassas da India:Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Bassas da India
Data code: BS
Dependency status: possession of France; administered by a high commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion
Legal system: NA
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (possession of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (possession of France)
Flag description: the flag of France is used
@Bassas da India:Economy
Economy-overview: no economic activity
@Bassas da India:Transportation
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
@Bassas da India:Military
Military-note: defense is the responsibility of France
@Bassas da India:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: claimed by Madagascar
______________________________________________________________________
BELARUS
@Belarus:Geography
Location: Eastern Europe, east of Poland
Geographic coordinates: 53 00 N, 28 00 E
Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States
Area: total: 207,600 sq km land: 207,600 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly smaller than Kansas
Land boundaries: total: 3,098 km border countries: Latvia 141 km, Lithuania 502 km, Poland 605 km, Russia 959 km, Ukraine 891 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime
Terrain: generally flat and contains much marshland
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Nyoman River 90 m highest point: Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m
Natural resources: forests, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas
Land use: arable land: 29% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 15% forests and woodland: 34% other: 21% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,000 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment-current issues: soil pollution from pesticide use; southern part of the country contaminated with fallout from 1986 nuclear reactor accident at Chornobyl' in northern Ukraine
Environment-international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Biodiversity, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Climate Change, Law of the Sea
Geography-note: landlocked
@Belarus:People
Population: 10,409,050 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 20% (male 1,062,012; female 1,018,154) 15-64 years: 67% (male 3,365,065; female 3,564,078) 65 years and over: 13% (male 460,633; female 939,108) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.05% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 9.71 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 13.47 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 3.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 14.16 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 68.26 years male: 62.26 years female: 74.56 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.34 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality: noun: Belarusian(s) adjective: Belarusian
Ethnic groups: Byelorussian 77.9%, Russian 13.2%, Polish 4.1%, Ukrainian 2.9%, other 1.9%
Religions: Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.)
Languages: Byelorussian, Russian, other
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 99% female: 97% (1989 est.)
@Belarus:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Belarus conventional short form: Belarus local long form: Respublika Byelarus' local short form: none former: Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic
Data code: BO
Government type: republic
National capital: Minsk
Administrative divisions: 6 voblastsi (singular-voblasts') and one municipality* (harady, singular - horad); Brestskaya (Brest), Homyel'skaya (Homyel'), Horad Minsk*, Hrodzyenskaya (Hrodna), Mahilyowskaya (Mahilyow), Minskaya, Vitsyebskaya (Vitsyebsk) note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)
Independence: 25 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday: Independence Day, 3 July (1990); note-date set by referendum of November 1996
Constitution: referendum of 24 November 1996; became effective on 17 November 1996
Legal system: based on civil law system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (since 20 July 1994) head of government: Prime Minister Sergey LING (acting since 18 November 1996, confirmed 19 February 1997); First Deputy Prime Minister Petr PRAKAPOVICH (since 23 December 1996); Deputy Prime Ministers Vladimir GARKUN (since 21 July 1994), Valeriy KOKAREV (since 23 August 1994), Vasiliy DOLGOLEV (since 30 October 1995), Vladimir ZAMETALIN (since 15 July 1997) cabinet: Council of Ministers elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 24 June and 10 July 1994 (next to be held NA 2001 because of the additional two years provided by the November 1996 referendum); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Aleksandr LUKASHENKO elected president; percent of vote-Aleksandr LUKASHENKO 85%, Vyacheslav KEBICH 15% note: first presidential elections took place in June-July 1994
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Natsionalnoye Sobranie established by the 27 November Constitution consists of the Council of the Republic or Soviet Republiki (64 seats; 8 appointed by the president and 56 indirectly elected by deputies of local councils for four-year terms) and the Chamber of Representatives or Palata Pretsaviteley (110 seats; note-present members came from the defunct Supreme Soviet) elections: last held May and November-December 1995 (two rounds, each with a run-off; next to be held NA 2000) election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-KPB 42, Agrarian 33, CAB 9, Party of People's Concord 8, UPNAZ 2, SDPB 2, BPR 1, Green Party 1, Republican Party of Labor and Justice 1, BSP 1, BNF 1, Social and Sports Party 1, Ecological Party 1, independents 95, vacant 62; note-the last election took place to fill seats in the former Supreme Soviet (260 seats); after the November 1996 referendum, seats for the Chamber of Representatives were filled by former Supreme Soviet members as follows: PKB 24, Agrarian 14, Party of Peoples Concord 5, LDPB 1, UPNAZ 1, Green World Party 1, Belarusian Social Sports Party 1, Ecological Party 1, Republican Party of Labor and Justice 1, independents 61; 58 of the 64 seats in the Council of the Republic have been appointed/elected
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the president; Constitutional Court, half of the judges appointed by the president and half appointed by the Chamber of Representatives
Political parties and leaders: Belarusian Communist Party or KPB [Viktor CHIKIN]; Agrarian Party [Aleksandr PAVLOV, chairman]; Civic Accord Bloc (United Civic Party) or CAB [Stanislav BOGDANKEVICH, chairman]; Party of People's Concord [Leonid SECHKO, chairman]; Party of All-Belarusian Unity and Concord or UPNAZ [Dmitriy BULAKOV, chairman]; Belarusian Social-Democrat Hramada or SDBP [Nikolay STATKEVICH, chairman]; Belarusian Patriotic Movement (Belarusian Patriotic Party) or BPR [Anatoliy BARANKEVICH]; Green Party of Belarus or BPZ [Nikolay KARTASH, chairman]; Republican Party of Labor and Justice or RPPS [Anatol NETYLKIN, chairman]; Belarusian Popular Front or BNF [Levon BARSHEVSKIY, chairman]; Belarusian Social Sports Party or BSSP [Aleksandr ALEKSANDROVICH, chairman]; Ecological Party or BEP [Liudmila YELIZAROVA, chairman]; United Democratic Party of Belarus or ADPB [Aleksandr DOBROVOLSKIY]; Slavic Assembly or SAB [Andrey TSEGALKA]; Liberal-Democratic Party or LDPB [Sergei GAYDUKEVICH, chairman]; Belarusian Christian-Democratic Unity or BKDZ [Petr SILKO]; Polish Democratic Union or PDZ [Eduard AKHREM]; Party of Beer Lovers [Yuriy GONCHAR]; Party of Communists Belarusian or KPB [Sergei KALYAKIN and Vasiliy NOVIKOV, chairmen]; Belarusian Labor Party or BPP [Aleksandr BUKHVOSTOV]
International organization participation: BIS, CCC, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Inmarsat, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Valeriy V. TSEPKALO chancery: 1619 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 986-1604 FAX: [1] (202) 986-1805 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel SPECKHARD embassy: Starovilenskaya #46-220002, Minsk mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [375] (172) 31-50-00 FAX: [375] (172) 34-78-53
Flag description: red horizontal band (top) and green horizontal band one-half the width of the red band; a white vertical stripe of white on the hoist side bears in red the Belarusian national ornament
@Belarus:Economy
Economy-overview: The Belarusian government has revived economic output since mid-1996 by pursuing a policy of rapid credit expansion, ending years of cumulative decline. Real GDP increased by 2.6% in 1996 and the growth rate tripled in 1997. Lack of profitability and resurgent inflation-which increased from an average monthly rate of 2.8% in 1996 to 4.4% in 1997-however, have kept enterprises from making much needed capital investments. As a result, infrastructure and equipment stocks have continued to deteriorate. Belarus has seen little structural reform since 1995, when LUKASHENKO launched the country on the path of "market socialism." Privatization of enterprises controlled by the central government virtually ceased in 1996. As of May 1997, only about 10% of all enterprises under central government control had been privatized. In addition, LUKASHENKO has re-imposed administrative control over prices and the national currency's exchange rate, and expanded the state's right to intervene arbitrarily in the management of private enterprise. Lack of structural reform, and a climate hostile to business, have inhibited foreign investment in Belarus in 1995-97. In 1995 Belarus ranked second to last among the 15 former Soviet republics in terms of the average amount of foreign investment it attracted per capita. Although it moved up to 11th place in 1996, this was largely due to inflows from Russia related to the construction of the Yamal natural gas pipeline. Belarus's trade deficit has grown steadily over the past three years - from 8% of total trade turnover in 1995 to 14% in the first quarter of 1997 - despite the government's efforts to promote exports and limit imports. Given Belarus's limited fiscal reserve, a continued growth in the trade deficit will increase vulnerability to a balance of payments crisis.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$50.4 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 8.5% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$4,800 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: 20% industry: 43% services: 37% (1997 est.)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 65% (1997 est.)
Labor force: total: 4.3 million by occupation: industry and construction 40%, agriculture and forestry 19%, services 41% (1997 est.)
Unemployment rate: 3.3% officially registered unemployed (July 1997); large numbers of underemployed workers
Budget: revenues: $4 billion expenditures: $4.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $180 million (1997 est.)
Industries: tractors, metal-cutting machine tools, off-highway dump trucks up to 110-metric-ton load capacity, wheel-type earth movers for construction and mining, eight-wheel-drive, high-flotation trucks with cargo capacity of 25 metric tons for use in tundra and roadless areas, equipment for animal husbandry and livestock feeding, motorcycles, television sets, chemical fibers, fertilizer, linen fabric, wool fabric, radios, refrigerators, other consumer goods
Industrial production growth rate: 17% (1997 est.)
Electricity-capacity: 7.21 million kW (1997)
Electricity-production: 23.7 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 3,144 kWh (1996)
Agriculture-products: grain, potatoes, vegetables; meat, milk
Exports: total value: $5.4 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs partners: Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Germany
Imports: total value: $6.7 billion (c.i.f., 1996) commodities: fuel, natural gas, industrial raw materials, textiles, sugar partners: Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Germany
Debt-external: $970 million (December 1997 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $186 million (1993) note: commitments, $3,930 million ($1,845 million disbursements), 1992-95
Currency: Belarusian rubel (BR)
Exchange rates: Belarusian rubels per US$1-31,030 (19 January 1998 official Belarusian exchange rate), 28,800 (October 1997 end of period),15,500 (yearend 1996), 11,500 (yearend 1995), 10,600 (yearend 1994), 699 (yearend 1993)