Population, GDP, natural resources, leaders and history of Belarus: the Magna Factbook country file, with its Magna grade (MCB, ranked #110 of 195).
Belarus is a presidential republic in name, although in fact a dictatorship in Eastern Europe, east of Poland. The country's capital is Minsk; it covers 207,600 sq km. Independence: 25 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union). Terrain: generally flat with much marshland. Climate: cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime. Population: 9.5 million (2025 estimate). Population growth: +0.44% per year. Median age: 42.5 years. Life expectancy: 74.7 years (2024 est.). Languages: Russian (official) 71.4%, Belarusian (official) 26%, other 0.3% (includes small Polish- and Ukrainian-speaking minorities), unspecified 2.3% (2019 est.) Religions: Orthodox 48.3%, Catho…
| Capital | Minsk |
|---|---|
| Population | 9,460,972 (2025 est.) |
| GDP (PPP) | $265.22 billion (2024 est.) |
| GDP per capita (PPP) | $29,000 (2024 est.) |
| Real GDP growth | 4% (2024 est.) |
| Inflation | 5.8% |
| Unemployment | 3.4% |
| Public debt | 33.2% of GDP (2019 est.) |
| Exports | $49.386 billion (2024 est.) |
| Imports | $50.679 billion (2024 est.) |
| Life expectancy | 74.7 years (2024 est.) |
| Median age | 42.5 |
| Urbanization | 80.7% of total population (2023) |
| Government | presidential republic in name, although in fact a dictatorship |
| Independence | 25 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union) |
| Languages | Russian (official) 71.4%, Belarusian (official) 26%, other 0.3% (includes small Polish- and Ukrainian-speaking minorities), unspecified 2.3% (2019 est.) |
MCB · 46/100 — The Magna grade is our 0–100 composite of structural national power — five dimensions, 100+ indicators. It is the Bureau's own assessment, not a mirror of World Bank or CIA figures.
Momentum 0 — Quarterly momentum: the Bureau's read on the country's trajectory over the last quarter, from −10 (deteriorating fast) to +10 (accelerating).
Nothing in Jul–Sep 2026 moved the needle. The institutions functioned, the economy ran its course, and the world looked elsewhere.
That is the honest note: a quarter of normalcy, scored as such.
Timber, Natural gas.
Alexander Lukashenka — President. President Alyaksandr LUKASHENKA (since 20 July 1994)
Belarus maintains 57 embassies and 15 consulates abroad, hosts 51 foreign diplomatic missions, holds permanent missions to UN New York, UN Geneva, UNESCO Paris, OSCE Vienna. The breadth of a diplomatic network is a direct measure of diplomatic power — it shows how far a country’s influence, alliances and interests reach.
| Embassies abroad | 57 |
|---|---|
| Consulates abroad | 15 |
| Foreign missions hosted | 51 |
| Multilateral missions | UN New York, UN Geneva, UNESCO Paris, OSCE Vienna |
Source: Abroad: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus http://mfa.gov.by/en/bilateral/belarus/ (74 missions: 57 embassies, 14 consulates-general + 1 consulate, in 57 countries). Hosted: Consular Affairs Center in-country ranking, Jan 2026 (Minsk 51). Multilateral: UNOG Blue Book; OSCE delegations directory.
Transport networks are economic power made physical — ports, runways, railways and pipelines decide what a country can move, sell and defend.
| Sea access | Landlocked — no seacoast; exports move through transit corridors across neighbouring countries. |
|---|---|
| Airports (total) | 46 + 4 heliports (registration prefix EW) |
| Railways | 5528 km |
| Pipelines | 5,386 km gas, 1,589 km oil, 1,730 km refined products (2013) |
Brest International Airport (BQT) — Brest; Minsk National Airport (MSQ) — Minsk; Gomel Airport (GME) — Gomel; Mogilev Airport (MVQ) — Mogilev.
| River ports | Mazyr (Prypyats') |
|---|
Sources: OurAirports public-domain extract (2026-10-02); per-entry Wikipedia links included; CIA World Factbook via cia_factbook snapshot (2026-09-28); theodora.com CIA mirror (CIA World Factbook Transportation section), scraped 2026-10-02
| Political system | authoritarian rule |
|---|---|
| Next election | No election currently scheduled. |
MCB · 46 Ranked #110 of 195 countries in the Magna Country Rankings. Full ranking breakdown for Belarus.
Historical timeline of Belarus
