Territory.
Belarus occupies the territory of 207,600 square km. Extension of its territory: from the north to the south - 560 km., from the west to the east - 650 km. Extension of the borders - 2,900 km. (with Latvia - 141 km., with Lithuania - 502 km., with Poland - 407 km., with Russia - 959 km., the Ukraine - 891 km.) After the enlargement of the European Union in May 2004 Belarus will obtain common border with the EU border of 1,050 km.
Natural resources.
Forests, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas, granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, clay.
Population.
The population of the Republic - 10,322,150 people (2003)
Трудоспособное population constitutes 68,9 %
Main ethnic groups in Belarus: Belarussians - 81,2%; Russians - 11,4%; Polish - 4,1%; the Ukranians - 2,9%; other - 1,1%
Official languages: Belarussian, Russian
Literacy level - 99,6% of the whole population.
Industry.
The main branches of industry: machine and tool building, heavy machine building, production of tractors, heavy-duty lorries, excavators, bicycle, motorcycles, chemical fibers, home electronics, textile goods, mineral fertilizers.
The number of people involved into industrial sector - 4,8 million.
Unemployment rate - 2,1%.
Exports volume - 7,7 billions USD per year.
Main exports commodities: machines, agricultural and road building equipment, chemical fertilizers, metals, textile, food products.
Main trade partners: Russia (50,8%), Latvia (7,3%), the Ukraine (6,3%), Lithuania (4,1%), Germany (4,1%)
Currency - Belarusian ruble (BYR).
Total length of railroads - 5,523 km.
Total length of motorways - 74,385 km.
The number of international airports - 8
