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 have 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 1994 as the country's first and only directly elected president, Aleksandr LUKASHENKO has steadily consolidated his power through authoritarian means and a centralized economic system. Government restrictions on political and civil freedoms, freedom of speech and the press, peaceful assembly, and religion have remained in place. The situation was further aggravated after security services cracked down on protests challenging election results in the capital Minsk immediately following the December 2010 presidential election.

Location

Eastern Europe, east of Poland

Area Comparative

Slightly less than twice the size of Kentucky; 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

Signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography Note

Landlocked; glacial scouring accounts for the flatness of Belarusian terrain and for its 11,000 lakes

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

Europe

Irrigated Land 2003

1,150 sq km

Area 2015

Total

207,600 sq km
Land

202,900 sq km
Water

4,700 sq km

Coastline

0 km

Geographical Coordinates

53 00 N, 28 00 E

Land use 2015

Agricultural Land
43.7%;
Forest
42.7%
Other
13.6%

Terrain

Generally flat with much marshland

Land Boundaries

Total
3,642 km
Latvia km
Lithuania
640 km
Poland
418 km
Russia
1,312 km
Ukraine
1,111 km

Natural Resources

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

Marl
Chalk
Sand
Gravel
Clay

BELARUS