Population and Demographics

The majority of the population of Belarus are native Belarusians, who comprise 81.2% of the total population of 9,724,723 people. Russians are the second largest group making up 11.4% of the population. The Poles and Ukrainians account for 3.9% and 2.4% of the population, respectively.

The population density is about 49 persons per square kilometre, and 71.7% of the total population lives in urban areas. Of the urban population, 24% live in Minsk, the national capital and largest city.

Most of the population (70.4%) are between the ages of 14 and 64. 14.7% of the population is under 14 years, while 14.9% are age 65 or older. The median age of the population is 38. The average life expectancy for Belarusian citizens is 70 years; for males it is 64 years and for females it is 76 years.

Languages commonly spoken in Belarus are Russian and Belarusian, which are both official languages of Belarus. The literacy rate in Belarus, which is the number of people aged 15 and older who can read and write, is at 99.6%, with men at 99.8%, and women at 99.4%. The male-to-female ratio in 2007 was estimated to be .87 males to every female.

Most demographic indicators for Belarus resemble other European countries, notably with both the population growth rate and the natural growth rate in the negative. The population growth is currently at -0.41% in 2007, with a fertility rate of 1.22. The population is also growing older, and by the year 2050, the majority of the population will be over the age of 50. The migration rate is 0.38 for every 1,000 people in Belarus.

Facts and Figures

• Population: 9,724,723
• Age Structure:
  • 0-14 years: 14.7% (male 733,010/female 691,734)
  • 15-64 years: 70.4% (male 3,327,119/female 3,520,690)
  • 65 years and over: 14.9% (male 471,863/female 980,307)
• Median Age:
  • Total: 38.2 years
  • Male: 35.1 years
  • Female: 41.1 years
• Population Growth Rate: -0.41%
• Birth Rate: 9.5 births/1,000 population
• Death Rate: 13.98 deaths/1,000 population
• Net Migration Rate: 0.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population
• Sex Ratio:
  • At birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  • Under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  • 15-64 years: 0.945 male(s)/female
  • 65 years and over: 0.481 male(s)/female
  • Total population: 0.873 male(s)/female
• Infant Mortality Rate:
  • Total: 6.63 deaths/1,000 live births
  • Male: 7.67 deaths/1,000 live births
  • Female: 5.53 deaths/1,000 live births
• Life Expectancy at Birth:
  • Total population: 70.05 years
  • Male: 64.31 years
  • Female: 76.14 years
• Total Fertility Rate: 1.22 children born/woman
• HIV/AIDS:
  • Adult prevalence rate: 0.3%
  • People living with HIV/AIDS: 15,000
• Ethnic Groups:
  • Belarusian 81.2%
  • Russian 11.4%
  • Polish 3.9%
  • Ukrainian 2.4%
  • Other 1.1%
• Religions:
  • Eastern Orthodox 80%
  • Other (including Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 20%
• Languages:
  • Belarusian
  • Russian
  • Other
• Literacy:
  • Total population: 99.6%
  • Male: 99.8%
  • Female: 99.4%