Birth rate: 12.15 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 13.64 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 3.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.48 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.89 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 13.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 68.57 years
male: 63.2 years
female: 74.21 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.69 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Belarusian(s)
adjective: Belarusian

Ethnic divisions: Byelorussian 77.9%, Russian 13.2%, Polish 4.1%,
Ukrainian 2.9%, other 1.9%

Religions: Eastern Orthodox 60%, other (including Roman Catholic
and Muslim) 40% (early 1990's)

Languages: Byelorussian, Russian, other

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1989 est.)
total population: 98%
male: 99%
female: 97%

Government
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Name of country:
conventional long form: Republic of Belarus
conventional short form: Belarus
local long form: Respublika Byelarus'
local short form: none
former: Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic

Data code: BO

Type of government: republic

Capital: Minsk

Administrative divisions: 6 voblastsi (singular - voblasts') and
one municipality* (harady, singular - horad); Brestskaya (Brest),
Homyel'skaya (Homyel'), Horad Minsk*, Hrodzyenskaya (Hrodna),
Mahilyowskaya (Mahilyow), Minskaya, Vitsyebskaya (Vitsyebsk)
note: the administrative centers of the voblastsi are included in
parentheses

Independence: 25 August 1991 (from Soviet Union); the Belarussian
Supreme Soviet issued a proclamation of independence; on 17 July
1990 Belarus issued a declaration of sovereignty

National holiday: Independence Day, 27 July (1990)

Constitution: adopted 15 March 1994; replaces constitution of
April 1978

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (since 20 July 1994)
was elected for a five-year term by popular vote; election last held
24 June and 10 July 1994 (next to be held NA 1999); results -
Aleksandr LUKASHENKO 85%, Vyacheslav KEBICH 15%
head of government: Prime Minister Mikhail CHIGIR (since NA July
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