Names: conventional long form: Republic of Belarus conventional short form: Belarus local long form: Respublika Byelarus' local short form: Byelarus' former: Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic

Capital City: Minsk

Population: 10,293,011 (July 2006 est.)

GDP Per Capita: $7,800 (2006 est.)

Currency: Belarusian ruble (BYB/BYR)

Languages: Belarusian, Russian, other

Total Area: total: 207,600 sq km land: 207,600 sq km water: 0 sq km slightly smaller than Kansas

Region: Europe

Industries: metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earthmovers, motorcycles, televisions, chemical fibers, fertilizer, textiles, radios, refrigerators

Agriculture: grain, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beets, flax; beef, milk

Resources: forests, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas, granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, clay

Labor Force: 4.3 million (31 December 2005)
agriculture: 14% industry: 34.7% services: 51.3% (2003 est.)

Exports: $19.61 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
machinery and equipment, mineral products, chemicals, metals, textiles, foodstuffs

Imports: $21.12 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
mineral products, machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs, metals

Overview: Belarus's economy in 2006 posted more than 8% growth. The government has succeeded in lowering inflation over the past several years. Trade with Russia - by far its largest single trade partner - decreased in 2006, largely as a result of a change in the way the Value Added Tax (VAT) on trade was collected. Trade with European countries increased. Belarus has seen little structural reform since 1995, when President LUKASHENKO launched the country on the path of "market socialism." In keeping with this policy, LUKASHENKO reimposed administrative controls over prices and currency exchange rates and expanded the state's right to intervene in the management of private enterprises. Since 2005, the government has re-nationalized a number of private companies. In addition, businesses have been subject to pressure by central and local governments, e.g., arbitrary changes in regulations, numerous rigorous inspections, retroactive application of new business regulations, and arrests of "disruptive" businessmen and factory owners. A wide range of redistributive policies has helped those at the bottom of the ladder; the Gini coefficient is among the lowest in the world. Because of these restrictive economic policies, Belarus has had trouble attracting foreign investment, which remains low. Growth has been strong in recent years, despite the roadblocks in a tough, centrally directed economy with a high, but decreasing, rate of inflation. Belarus receives heavily discounted oil and natural gas from Russia and much of Belarus' growth can be attributed to the re-export of Russian oil at market prices. This growth will be threatened in 2007, however, when Russia raises energy prices closer to world market prices for Belarus. Russia is planning to increase Belarusian gas prices from $47 per thousand cubic meters (tcm) to $200 per tcm and introduce a first-time export duty of $180 per ton on oil shipped to Belarus.

_{CIA World Book}

In 2007 Missouri exported $241,348 in goods to Belarus. This ranks Belarus 104^th among the 223 international buyers of Missouri goods. Missouri exports to Belarus decreased from the previous year by $358,401 a change of -59.76%. State exports to Belarus have increased over the last 5 years by $299.421 a change of 1923.54%. Missouri exports account for .00%. of all 2007 US exports to Belarus.