2 General Information O cial name: The Republic of Belarus Video Location: "A day in the life In the center of Europe of Belarus" on the watershed of the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea State system: Presidential Republic Administrative division: Belarusian ruble (BYN) 118 districts in 6 regions (oblast) Regional centers: BY GMT + 2 +375 Brest, Viciebsk, Homieĺ, Hrodna, Mahilioŭ, Minsk State languages: Natural Resources Belarusian, Russian Ethnic groups: Territory: Belarus is a multination state, 207 600 square kilometers where together with the Belarusians (more than 80 %), Russians, Poles, Jews, Ukrainians and Lithuanians Arable land 42 % live about 140 other nationalities Forests 39 % Religious denomination: There are 25 religious denominations and subgroups, Other land 17 % Orthodoxy and Catholicism are the largest Water 2 % Population Capital: Minsk (at the beginning of 2017) Population: 1 mln 974.8 thsd Urban Dwellers Rural Dwellers (77.9 %) (22.1 %) 9 504 700 people Trip Time In the world In Europe In CIS nd th th 1 hour 92position 17position 6 position Warsaw, Moscow, Riga 2 hours LATVIA Amsterdam, Vienna, Prague 3 hours London, Paris, Rome, Istanbul LITHUANIA 4 hours Abu Dhabi, Tel Aviv Minsk BELARUS RUSSIA POLAND UKRAINE Social Sphere 3 Education Culture and Science The principle of lifelong learning is implemented in Belarus. The Belarusians are talented writers, musicians, artists and performers, recognized scientists, who have made a significant contribution Annually the education system prepares about 140 000 skilled workers to the development of world science and culture. (white-collar workers) and specialists for the labour market. The classi cation of educational attainment levels in the Republic The World Intellectual Property Organization of Belarus based on the International Standard Classification nd of Education. ranked Belarus 52 in its Annual IP Survey. In 2014 the Republic of Belarus became Zhores Alferov, a notable Russian scientist born in Belarus, was awarded the Nobel Prize for physics in 2000. Svetlana Alexievich, the member of WorldSkills International. a Belarusian, won the 2015 Nobel Prize for literature. Many festivals and celebrations are held annually in Belarus; among them are the International Arts Festival "Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk", In 2015 the Republic of Belarus joined Minsk International Film Festival "Listapad" and others. the Bologna Process. Ranking of Countires based on Education Index Information and 18 Iceland 0.853 Communication 19 Sweden 0.842 20 BELARUS 0.834 Technologies 21 Greece 0.832 Video Cellular telecom network "Education covers 98.2 % of the country, 22 Belgium 0.829 in Belarus" telecommunication services st are now available to 99.9 % of 31 position Over Belarusians. 41st 58th position 7500 2 mln According to the State of position educational institutions pupils and students Broad band 2016 Report aided by UNESCO, Belarus ranks 23rd 2008 2012 2016 out of 187 countries. Accor ding to the report, the number of xed-broadband subscribers in Country Ranking Health Care by ICT Access Belarus amounts to 31.35 per The state-supported health care system of the Republic of Belarus according to International 100 inhabitants. In the world Communication Union is funded by the state. The indicator on practising doctors measured ranking Belarus is next to the per 10 000 inhabitants is 43.7 that is higher than the average (31.5) USA and Greece. across the EU member states. Belarus ranks rst among the CIS countries with regard to the high-tech medical care (by number of transplantations per 1 mln people). Health Care System in Figures Media Space 600 Hospitals In Belarus there are over 1500 print 1500 Ambulatory (Outpatient) Centers media and 160 elect ronic me- 17 Republican Scientifi c dia and prin ted pro duct manu- 70 % and Practical Centers factures. Online social and of media Video political sources for news are and printed product 143 Centers for Hygiene "Medicine in highly influential, the largest manufactures and Epidemiology are non-state Belarus" of them are private and eco- 134 First-Aid Stations nomically independent from the state. Olympic Games There are about 23 000 sports facilities in Physical Education (1994—2016) Belarus. The country has the necessary infra- structure to host the world’s largest tourna- and Sport ments, i.e. in 2014 Belarus hosted IIHF World Championship in Ice Hockey, and in 2019 Belarus is proud of its achievements in sport. Our country is among Belarus will host Second European Games. the 20 most athletic countries. More than 280 Belarusians are the champions of the world and Europe, 76 Belarusians are Olympic medalists. The names of Minsk ranks 22nd of the sporting cities such Belarusian athletes as Daria Domracheva, Max Mirnyi, Victoria Azarenka, according to Sportcal's Global Sports Cities Yulia Nesterenko, Alexei Grishin are known all over the world. 18 31 45 Index. 4 State Structure The people of the Republic of Belarus are the only source of state power and the bearer of sovereignty. (The Constitution of the Republic of Belarus) The Republic of Belarus is a unitary democratic social state based on the rule of law. The President of the Republic of Belarus is the Head of the State The guarantor of the Constitution, the rights and freedoms of man and citizen, guarantees the implementation of the main guidelines of the domestic and foreign policy, represents the Republic of Belarus in relations with other states and international organizations Legislative Power Executive Power Judicial Power The Parliament — The Government — The Constitutional The Suprime Court The National Assembly The Council of Ministers Court The House The Council It ensures the implementation It reviews A leading court of general of Representatives of the Republic of the uni ed economic, nancial, the constitutionality jurisdiction and a supreme Legislative activities include issues credit and monetary policy, of normative legal acts judicial body which handles related to domestic and foreign state policy in the spheres of science, civil, criminal, administrative policy culture, education, labor remuneration and economic cases Party system: there are 15 registered political parties Local Councils of Deputies Local executive and administrative bodies that operate on three levels: (executive committees in Belarus representing practically the entire spectrum regional, basic and primary and local administrative bodies) of political forces in in the country. Exercise local government and self-government powers, Social and Political Situation: the majority of Be la- organize referenda and elections rusians (79 %) believe that the domestic political situation is stable. Civil Society: there are 2596 public associations (including 228 international public associations), 55 funds (including 14 international funds). Belarus actively develops its own social and political structure through the implementation of innovative approaches and technologies in State-Public-Citizen relations. Children's and youth societies, veteran organizations, over 100 national minority associations actively partici- pate in public life of the country. There are a number of ecological societies and environmental organizations functioning in the country. Economy 5 The Republic of Belarus is an export-oriented state with a well-developed production sector, services sector and agriculture. Agriculture, forestry and fi sheries 6.8 % Wholesale and retail trade; Construction repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles 10.8 % 6.3 % Belarus constantly improves its industrial and agricultural 5.7 % Transportation and storage, potential. The most important Net taxes postal and courier activities service branches such as edu- on products 13.7 % cation, health care and housing 5.4 % Real estate activities maintain the high level of ope- ration. GPD Information nd 5.1 % Currently, the national economy Belarus ranks 52 by Economic and communication in the Human is successfully adapting to the Activity* changes that have occurred Development Index List 4.3 % Education in foreign markets. The crisis phenomena in the Russian and Finance * According to Belstat. 4.0 % and insurance activities global economy, which initially caused Belarus GDP symmetric Industry 24.9 % Health care decline, have nally resulted in 3.6 % and social services restructuring and activation of Other services 0.6 % innovative activity of Belarusian 3.6 % State administration enterprises, the expansion of their businesses. Temporary accommodation 0.8 % Professional, scientifi c and food and beverage preparation services 2.6 % and technological activities Sports, entertainment and recreation services 0.9 % 0.9 % Administrative and ancillary services Belarus is a country attractive for foreign investments To attract investments Belarus introduced improvements in its investment regulatory framework easing the process of doing business for investors and foreign partners, which was positively assessed in Doing Business 2018, a World Bank Group publication (for 2018 Belarus ranks 38 out of 190 countries). Favorable Economic Conditions and Political Stability Belarus ranks the 5th on the ease of registering property A high ranking on the ease of doing business, contract performance security, foreign commerce, building licenses and permits, access to infrastructure Modern legislation Stable, transparent tax policies Corruption persecution Stable social and political situation Sustainable fi nancial system Direct access to the market of the EAEU member states