Belarus

Background
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 but, to date, neither side has actively sought to implement the accord.

 

Location:	Eastern Europe
Geographic coordinates:	53 00 N, 28 00 E
Area:	total:  207,600 sq km
Population:	10,350,194 (July 2001 est.)
Currency:	Belarusian ruble (BYB/BYR)