(s)/female
total population: 0.89 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 13.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 68.4 years
male: 62.48 years
female: 74.61 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.35 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Belarusian(s)
adjective: Belarusian

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

Religions: Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic,
Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.)

Languages: Byelorussian, Russian, other

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

@Belarus:Government

Country name:
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

Government type: republic

National 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: administrative divisions have the same names as their
administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name
following in parentheses)

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

National holiday: Independence Day, 3 July (1990); note - date set by
referendum of November 1996

Constitution: referendum of 27 November 1996 (declared illegitimate by
the international community) adopted a new constitution massing power
in the hands of the president; signed into law on 28 November 1996

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)
head of government: Prime Minister Sergey LING (acting since NA
November 1996, confirmed NA February 1997); First Deputy Prime
Minister Pyotr PROKOPOVICH (since NA); Deputy Prime Ministers Vladimir
GARKUN (since NA), Valeriy KOKAREV (since NA), Vladimir RUSAKEVICH
(since NA), Vasyl DALGALYOV (since NA)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
elections: