BELARUSA Presentation by the Model United Nations Club

Where is Belarus?

Who borders Belarus?

A Feel of Belarus! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWWsmUFvEu8

Parade of Weapons http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYQ8Ia0lHiw&feature=related Dance

Statistics of Belarus

Population - 9,648,533 (July 2009 est.) Population Growth Rate- -0.378% (2009 est.) Urban population: 73% of total population

(2008) Ethnicities - Belarusian 81.2%, Russian 11.4%,

Polish 3.9%, Ukrainian 2.4%, other 1.1% (1999 census)

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

Education – 99.6 Literate Educational investment - 6.1% of GDP (2006)

Statistics Cont.

Belarus Border length Russia 959 km Latvia 141 km Lithuania 502 km Ukraine 891 km Poland 407 km

The Reality…

History Essentials

Important to note that before these dates Belarus was pushed around by Russia and others of the area

1945: On April 25, delegates from Belarus and Ukraine are invited to the San Francisco Conference

1986: On April 26 - The Chernobyl explosion Seventy percent of the fallout covers southeastern

Belarus with radioactive dust 1991: On August 25, Belarus declares independence

On December 8, Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine form the Commonwealth of Independent States. The Soviet Union comes to a virtual end

Government Type/Setup

Properly known as Republic of Belarus (Respublika Byelarus‘)

Government type – Republic 6 Provinces and 1 Municipality

Provinces known as “voblasts‘” Municipality known as “horad”

Legal system Based on civil law system; has not

accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Our Glorious Leader in action!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbgojgzAPQg&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UzjIUFgRfE Anthem/Inauguration of

Lukashenko (Part 1 and 2)

More detailed map of Belarus

Government Breakdown

Executive Branch Chief of State - Aleksandr Lukashenko Head of Government - Prime Minister Sergey Sidorskiy Cabinet - Council of Ministers

Legislative Branch Bicameral (consists of two chambers or houses)

National Assembly Consists of the Council of the Republic Chamber of Representatives

Judicial Branch Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the

president); Constitutional Court (half of the judges appointed by the president and half appointed by the Chamber of Representatives)

Important Facts

Independence gained on 25 August 1991 Belarus and Russia signed a treaty on a two-

state union on 8 December 1999 envisioning greater political and economic integration

Aleksandr Lukashenko elected in 1994 maintains power through “authoritarian means”

Government restrictions on freedom of speech and the press, peaceful assembly, and religion remain in place

Gave all nuclear weapons back to Russia However has kept all infrastructure to mass

produce and all of the capabilities for launch

I leave you with this…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDQADUCKFc0&feature=related