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. Although Belarus agreed to a framework to carry out the accord, serious implementation has yet to take place. Since his election in July 1995 as the country's first president, Alexander LUKASHENKO has steadily consolidated his power through authoritarian means. Government restrictions on freedom of speech and the press, peaceful assembly, and religion continue.

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-Sulfur 85, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

Signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography Note

Landlocked; glacial scouring accounts for the flatness of Belarusian terrain and for its 11,000 lakes; the country is geologically well endowed with extensive deposits of granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, and clay

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Map Reference

Europe

Irrigated Land 1998

1,150 sq km

Area 2005

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 2005

Arable Land
29.55%
Permanent Crops
0.6%
Other
69.85%

Terrain

Generally flat and contains much marshland

Elevation

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

Land Boundaries

Total
2,900 km
Latvia
141 km
Lithuania
502 km
Poland
407 km
Russia
959 km
Ukraine
891 km

Natural Resources

Forests
Peat deposits
Small quantities of oil and natural gas
Granite
Dolomitic limestone

Marl
Chalk
Sand
Gravel
Clay

Belarus