Economy of Belarus
The economy of Belarus is an upper-middle income mixed economy. As a post-Soviet transition economy, Belarus rejected most privatisation efforts in favour of retaining centralised political and economic controls by the state. The highly centralized Belarusian economy emphasizes full employment and a dominant public sector. It has been described as a welfare state or market socialist. Belarus is the world's 74th-largest economy by GDP.
Minsk, the financial capital of Belarus | |
Currency | Belarusian ruble (BYN, Rbl) |
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Trade organisations | CIS, EAEU, CISFTA |
Country group |
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Statistics | |
Population | 9,408,350 (1 January 2020) |
GDP |
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GDP rank |
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GDP growth |
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GDP per capita |
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GDP per capita rank |
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GDP by sector |
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GDP by component |
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4.8% (2020 est.) | |
Population below poverty line |
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25.2 low (2018) | |
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Labour force |
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Labour force by occupation |
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Unemployment | 4.8% (2018) |
Average gross salary | Br 23,200 (annual) |
Average net salary | Br 20,200 (annual) |
Main industries | metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earthmovers, motorcycles, synthetic fibers, fertilizer, textiles, refrigerators, washing-machines and other household appliances Agricultural products: grain, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beets, flax; beef, milk |
External | |
Exports | $28.65 billion (2017 est.) |
Export goods |
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Main export partners | |
Imports | $31.58 billion (2017 est.) |
Import goods |
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Main import partners |
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FDI stock |
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−$931 million (2017 est.) | |
Gross external debt | $39.92 billion (31 December 2017 est.) |
Public finances | |
Government debt | 53.4% of GDP (2017 est.) |
+2.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | |
Revenues | 22.15 billion (2017 est.) |
Expenses | 20.57 billion (2017 est.) |
Credit rating |
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$7.315 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | |
As of 2018, Belarus ranks 53rd from 189 countries on the United Nations Human Development Index, and appeared in the group of states with "very high development". With an efficient health system, it has a very low infant-mortality rate of 2.9 (compared to 6.6 in Russia or 3.7 in the United Kingdom). The rate of doctors per capita is 40.7 per 10,000 inhabitants (the figure is 26.7 in Romania, 32 in Finland, 41.9 in Sweden) and the literacy rate is estimated at 99%. According to the United Nations Development Program, the Gini coefficient (inequality indicator) is one of the lowest (best) in Europe.