GeoFroggy

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Background

After seven decades as a constituent republic of the USSR, Belarus attained its independence in 1991. It has retained closer political and economic ties to Russia than any of the other former Soviet republics. Belarus and Russia signed a treaty on a two-state union on 8 December 1999 envisioning greater political and economic integration but, to date, neither side has actively sought to implement the accord.

Location

Eastern Europe, east of Poland

Area Comparative

Slightly smaller than Kansas

Maritime Claims

none (landlocked)

Climate

Cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime

Natural Hazards

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, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

Signed, but not ratified: Climate Change, Law of the Sea

Geography Note

Landlocked

Year	2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000

Map Reference

Commonwealth of Independent States

Irrigated Land 1993

1,000 sq km

Area 2000

Total

207,600 sq km
Land

207,600 sq km
Water

0 sq km

Coastline

0 km

Geographical Coordinates

53 00 N, 28 00 E

Land use 2000

Arable Land
29%
Permanent Crops
1%
Permanent Pastures
15%
Forests And Woodland
34%
Other
21%

Terrain

Generally flat and contains much marshland

Elevation

Lowest Point: Nyoman River 90 m
Highest Point: Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m

Land Boundaries

Total
3,098 km
Latvia
141 km
Lithuania
502 km
Poland
605 km
Russia
959 km
Ukraine
891 km

Natural Resources

Forests
Peat deposits

Small quantities of oil and natural gas

Belarus