After seven decades as a constituent republic of the USSR, Belarus attained its independence in 1991. It has retained closer political and economic ties to Russia than any of the other former Soviet republics. Belarus and Russia signed a treaty on a two-state union on 8 December 1999 envisioning greater political and economic integration. Although Belarus agreed to a framework to carry out the accord, serious implementation has yet to take place.

GEOGRAPHY
The territory of Belarus is 207.6 thousand square kilometers. It is a compact country. By the size of its territory, the Republic occupies the 13th place among the European countries and the 6th among the CIS countries (following Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan). On 1.1.2000, the population of Belarus constituted 10,018 thousand people. Belarus is 5th among the CIS countries by its population, following Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Representatives of more than 100 nationalities live in Belarus.

HISTORY
Belarus is a country with an ancient and rich history and unique culture. It has a significant number of historical towns and cities - Novogrudok, the first capital of the Great Principality of Lithuania, Russia and Jemoit; Polotsk - the historical capital of the Principality of Polotsk with its valuable architectural monuments like the Sofia's Cathedral and Saviour Transfiguration Church with unique frescoes of the 11th century; Turov and Grodno - centres of Slavic principalities of the 9th and 12th centuries. Many towns and cities have preserved ancient temples and cloisters, palaces and castles of magnates of Rzecz Pospolita and of the Russian Empire, as well as valuable architectural, historical and cultural monuments.

ECONOMY
As part of the former Soviet Union, Belarus had a relatively well developed industrial base; it retained this industrial base following the breakup of the U.S.S.R. The country also has a broad agricultural base and a high education level. Among the former republics of the Soviet Union, it had one of the highest standards of living.

Area: 207,600 sq km
Population: 10.4 million
Capital City: Minsk
People: Belarusian (81.2%), Russian (11.4%), Polish (4%), Ukrainian 2.4%
Language: Belarusian, Russian
Religion: Eastern Orthodox Christianity, Roman Catholic
Government: republic
Head of State: President Alyaksandr Lukashenko
Head of Government: Prime Minister Syarhey Sidorski
GDP: US$90.19 billion
GDP per capita: US$8,700
Annual Growth: 7%
Inflation: 182%
Major Industries: Food, chemicals, textiles, agricultural machinery, timber
Major Trading Partners: Russia, Austria, Germany, UK
Member of EU: No