General Information

Belarus is one of economically developed CIS member-states. About one third of the national product is created by industry. Among the most developed branches of industry are automobile and tractor building, agricultural machinery, production of machine tools and bearings, electrotechnical industry, oil extraction and processing, production of synthetic fibers and mineral fertilizers, pharmaceutical industry, production of construction materials, light and food industries. A specific feature of the national industry is production of ready-made products, most of them are supplied for export.

Machine-building and metal processing are the leading industries of the Republic of Belarus. The branch structure of machine-building is very multiple, and comprises electrotechnical industry, chemistry and petroleum chemistry, machine tool building and instruments, production of devices and instruments, automobile and bearing industries, manufacture of tractors, agricultural, road and communal machines, machines for light and food industries and consumer goods.

The radio and electronic industry of Belarus is specialized mainly on production of computer means, mobile automated control systems, optical devices, communication means and systems, aviation equipment, telemetric equipment, articles of electronics, elements of armaments and military machinery. It is mainly due to that reason that most enterprises of radio technical and electronic branches of industry possess a well-developed production potential, highly qualified labour force and staff of engineers and technicians.

The main types of electrotechnical products manufactured in the Republic are AC electric motors, illumination lamps, cable articles and wires for electric consumer products, controlling complexes and various types of devices.

The leading enterprises of Belarusian chemical complex were commissioned in 70s with participation of specialists from England, Germany, Japan, Russia, USA and other countries. During later periods the operating production facilities were reconstructed more than once, and equipped with the newest national and foreign equipment.

It all allows to produce high-quality chemical products in permanent demand in many countries of the world. Such Belarusian products, like chemical fibers and threads, glass fabrics and polymer materials, fertilizers and tires, lacquers and paints, are in great demand and exported into many countries of Europe, America and Asia.

During latest years light industry of the Republic received great development. The leading role here belongs to textile, sowing and footwear industries. They are oriented to production of a rather wide range of products: various types of threads, yarn and fabrics from flax, cotton, wool and synthetic materials; carpets and carpet articles, non-woven materials, knitted ware and socks and stockings, sown products, corset articles, products from natural and artificial leather, artificial and natural fur, footwear, etc. Most of industrial enterprises of light industry are actively cooperating with foreign countries on the basis of technological and production cooperation.

Almost half of the territory of Belarus is covered with agrarian area. State-run farms (kolkhoses and sovkhoses) are main producers of agrarian goods. Private farmers' movement is in the state of development.

The natural conditions of the Republic of Belarus allow to produce such highly profitable types of products like milk, beef, pork and eggs, grain, potato, flax, beet-root, etc. Great attention is paid to technical retooling of industry which is processing agricultural products, to increase of export potentials of the agrarian sector.

Belarus possesses a developed scientific potential. At the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Belarus, at the Belarusian State University and scientific and research institutes applied and fundamental investigations are conducted in the fields of quantum electronics, solid-state physics, genetics, chemistry, powder metallurgy and other actual directions.

Market Transformations in Economy

Republic of Belarus stands on the road of building a democratic society with market economy. Lately in Belarus entrepreneurial structures have been consequently developing, denationalization of financial and banking spheres have been completed, the market is being saturated with goods and resources of local produce by enterprises of all property forms, and with imported goods.

Reformation of the economy of the Republic of Belarus goes along several directions, including reorganization of control of state-owned enterprises, denationalization and privatization of objects of state property, establishment of united and equal conditions for operation of enterprises and organizations of various property forms, step-by-step liberalization of economic activities, and provision of freedom of entrepreneurship in combination with application of mechanisms of state regulation, as well as establishment of favourable, corresponding to world practice, conditions to attract foreign investments to the Republic of Belarus.