Demographics of Belarus

Belarus: Population and rural population 1913-2008 (beginning of year). Source: official statistics from BelStat.

The demographics of Belarus is about the demographic features of the population of Belarus, including population growth, population density, ethnicity, education level, health, economic status, religious affiliations, and other aspects of the population. The ethnic majority in Belarus are called Belarusians.

Demographic trends

The population of Belarus suffered a dramatic decline during World War II, dropping from more than 9 million in 1940 to 7.7 million in 1951. It then resumed its long-term growth, rising to 10 million in 1999.[1] After that the population began a steady decline, dropping to 9.7 million in 2006-2007.[2] Originally a highly agrarian country with nearly 80% of its population in rural areas, Belarus has been undergoing a process of continuous urbanization. The share of its rural population decreased from 70% in 1959 to less than 30% in the 2000s.[3]

Population

9,608,058 (July 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93

Age structure

Population pyramid of Belarus
0-14 years: 15.4% (male 759,285/female 717,118)
15-24 years: 11.7% (male 575,907/female 544,170)
25-54 years: 45.5% (male 2,141,419/female 2,227,433)
55-64 years: 13.3% (male 562,639/female 716,216)
65 years and over: 14.2% (male 430,225/female 933,646) (2014 est.)

Median age

Total: 39.4 years
Male: 36.3 years
Female: 42.4 years (2014 est.)

Sex ratio

At birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.46 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.87 male(s)/female (2014 est.)
Population change in Belarus, 1970 - 2010[4]
1970–1989 1970–2010 1999–2010

Vital statistics

Belarusian provinces of the Russian Empire

The figures below refer to the five governorates of the Russian Empire (Grodno, Vitebsk, Minsk, Mogilev, Vilna, ) with a Belarusian majority.[5]

Average population (x 1000) Live births Deaths Natural change Crude birth rate (per 1000) Crude death rate (per 1000) Natural change (per 1000)
1900 9 009 393 612222 350171 262 43.724.719.0
1901 9 176 386 064235 223150 841 42.125.616.4
1902 9 328 408 209220 421187 788 43.823.620.1
1903 9 512 372 206236 846135 360 39.124.914.2
1904 9 676 387 501236 530150 971 40.024.415.6
1905 9 828 372 119239 956132 163 37.924.413.4
1906 10 004 381 101210 556170 545 38.121.017.0
1907 10 152 380 932193 273187 659 37.519.018.5
1908 10 373 363 095204 611158 484 35.019.715.3
1909 10 561 382 501209 211173 290 36.219.816.4
1910 10 725 371 091224 884146 207 34.621.013.6
1911 10 858 380 034202 405177 629 35.018.616.4
1912 11 072 387 594188 434199 160 35.017.018.0
1913 11 283 372 229202 323169 906 33.017.915.1
1914 11 587 384 682210 515174 167 33.218.215.0

After WW II [6][7]

Average population (x 1000) Live births Deaths Natural change Crude birth rate (per 1000) Crude death rate (per 1000) Natural change (per 1000) Total fertility rate Abortions. reported
1950 7 745 197 20062 000135 200 25.58.017.5
1951 7 765 198 20061 200137 000 25.57.917.6
1952 7 721 191 10064 200126 900 24.88.316.4
1953 7 690 176 20061 900114 300 22.98.014.9
1954 7 722 193 10061 600131 500 25.08.017.0
1955 7 804 194 40058 000136 400 24.97.417.5
1956 7 880 199 50056 000143 500 25.37.118.2
1957 7 936 200 80058 000142 800 25.37.318.0
1958 8 009 207 70053 700154 000 25.96.719.2
1959 8 112 204 60062 600142 000 25.27.717.5
1960 8 190 200 218 54 037 146 181 24.4 6.6 17.8 2.80 170 787
1961 8 284 194 239 53 682 140 557 23.4 6.5 17.0 2.61 178 290
1962 8 385 185 302 60 676 124 626 22.1 7.2 14.9 2.57 185 554
1963 8 458 173 889 58 291 115 598 20.6 6.9 13.7 2.46 191 137
1964 8 519 161 794 53 967 107 827 19.0 6.3 12.7 2.36 200 534
1965 8 607 153 865 58 156 95 709 17.9 6.8 11.1 2.27 205 999
1966 8 709 153 414 58 265 95 149 17.6 6.7 10.9 2.28 203 430
1967 8 800 147 501 61 263 86 238 16.8 7.0 9.8 2.26 203 722
1968 8 877 146 095 62 354 83 741 16.5 7.0 9.4 2.23 198 955
1969 8 957 142 652 65 912 76 740 15.9 7.4 8.6 2.18 191 637
1970 9 038 146 676 68 974 77 702 16.2 7.6 8.6 2.30 187 935
1971 9 112 149 135 68 511 80 624 16.4 7.5 8.8 2.34 190 169
1972 9 178 147 813 71 866 75 947 16.1 7.8 8.3 2.36 185 101
1973 9 245 144 729 73 927 70 802 15.7 8.0 7.7 2.29 193 503
1974 9 312 146 876 73 181 73 695 15.8 7.9 7.9 2.24 194 247
1975 9 367 146 517 79 701 66 816 15.6 8.5 7.1 2.20 194 710
1976 9 411 147 912 82 400 65 512 15.7 8.8 7.0 2.16 199 121
1977 9 463 148 963 84 565 64 398 15.7 8.9 6.8 2.11 202 146
1978 9 525 151 053 86 612 64 441 15.9 9.1 6.8 2.08 201 619
1979 9 590 151 800 90 837 60 963 15.8 9.5 6.4 2.05 203 446
1980 9 658 154 432 95 514 58 918 16.0 9.9 6.1 2.04 201 852
1981 9 732 157 899 93 136 64 763 16.2 9.6 6.7 2.08 202 340
1982 9 804 159 364 93 840 65 524 16.3 9.6 6.7 2.02 198 011
1983 9 872 173 510 97 849 75 661 17.6 9.9 7.7 2.09 207 461
1984 9 938 168 749 104 274 64 475 17.0 10.5 6.5 2.14 210 844
1985 9 999 165 034 105 690 59 344 16.6 10.6 5.9 2.09 200 888
1986 10 058 171 611 97 276 74 335 17.1 9.7 7.4 2.10 171 114
1987 10 111 162 937 99 921 63 016 16.2 9.9 6.2 2.04 163 761
1988 10 144 163 193 102 671 60 522 16.1 10.1 6.0 2.031 140 921
1989 10 171 153 449 103 479 49 970 15.1 10.2 4.9 2.02 256 041
1990 10 190 142 167 109 582 32 585 14.0 10.8 3.2 1.91 260 839
1991 10 194 132 045 114 650 17 395 13.0 11.2 1.7 1.80 241 138
1992 10 217 127 971 116 674 11 297 12.5 11.4 1.1 1.76 240 387
1993 10 240 117 384 128 544 -11 160 11.5 12.6 -1.1 1.62 217 957
1994 10 227 110 599 130 003 -19 404 10.8 12.7 -1.9 1.53 212 533
1995 10 194 101 144 133 775 -32 631 9.9 13.1 -3.2 1.40 193 280
1996 10 160 95 798 133 422 -37 624 9.4 13.1 -3.7 1.33 174 098
1997 10 118 89 586 136 653 -47 067 8.9 13.5 -4.7 1.25 152 660
1998 10 069 92 645 137 296 -44 651 9.2 13.6 -4.4 1.30 145 339
1999 10 032 92 975 142 027 -49 052 9.3 14.2 -4.9 1.31 135 829
2000 9 988 93 691 134 867 -41 176 9.4 13.5 -4.1 1.31 121 895
2001 9 929 91 720 140 299 -48 579 9.2 14.1 -4.9 1.28 101 402
2002 9 866 88 743 146 665 -57 922 9.0 14.9 -5.9 1.24 89 895
2003 9 797 88 512 143 200 -54 688 9.0 14.6 -5.6 1.23 80 174
2004 9 730 88 943 140 064 -51 121 9.1 14.4 -5.3 1.23 71 700
2005 9 664 90 508 141 857 -51 349 9.4 14.7 -5.3 1.25 64 655
2006 9 605 96 721 138 426 -41 705 10.1 14.4 -4.3 1.33 58 516
2007 9 561 103 626 132 993 -29 367 10.8 13.9 -3.1 1.42 46 287
2008 9 528 107 876133 879-26 003 11.314.1-2.7 1.48 42 197
2009 9 507 109 263135 056-25 793 11.514.2-2.7 1.50 35 967
2010 9 491 108 050137 305-29 255 11.414.5-3.1 1.49 27 662
2011 9 473 109 147135 099-25 952 11.514.3-2.7 1.51 26 858
2012 9 464 115 893126 531-10 638 12.213.4-1.2 1.62
2013 9 468 117 997125 326-7 329 12.513.2-0.7 1.67
2014 9 469 118 534121 542-3 008 12.512.8-0.3 1.69
2015[8] 9 481 119 509120 130-621 12.612.7-0.1 1.72

Infant mortality rate

Total: 4.0 deaths/1,000 live births for 429 death. (2010)
Total: 3.9 deaths/1,000 live births for 422 death. (2011)
Total: 3.4 deaths/1,000 live births for 386 death. (2012)
Total: 3.5 Negative increase deaths/1,000 live births for 407 death. (2013)
Total: 3.5 Steady deaths/1,000 live births for 415 death. (2014)
Total: 3.5 deaths/1,000 live births for 321 death. (January–September 2014)
Total: 3.2 Negative increase deaths/1,000 live births for 283 death. (January–September 2015)

Life expectancy at birth

Total population: 72.15 years
country comparison to the world: 138
Male: 66.53 years
Female: 78.1 years (2014 est.)

Demographic situation in 2015

Top 10 cities with the highest birth rate 2015
Drybin 20.7
Brahin 19.9
Chachersk 19.3
Lahoysk 19.0
Logishin 18.0
Karma 17.4
Ivanava 17.3
Zhytkavichy 17.0
Obal 16.8
Slawharad 16.7
Zaslawye 16.5
Top 10 cities with the lowest birth rate 2015
Zarecha 4.8
Yanovichi 4.9
Vidzy 5.3
Horodyszcze 6.2
Damachava 6.5
Osveya 6.6
Lubcha 7.2
Vetrino 7.3
Kamaryn 7.4
Azarychy 8.1

Natural increase current

Since the beginning of the year 2016 population of Belarus increased by 6 799 people during the period January–September. In January–September 2016, 89 434 babies were born in the country, which is 455 babies more than in January–September 2015[9]

-Number of births from January–September 2015 = Increase 88,979

-Number of births from January–September 2016 = Increase 89,434

Conversely the number of deaths during the same period was down by 1,825.

-Number of deaths from January-September 2015 = Negative increase 90,741

-Number of deaths from January–September 2016 = 88,916

Total natural increase during January-September 2016 and January-September 2015.

Natural increase between January–September 2015 = Increase -1,762

Natural increase between January–September 2016 = Increase 518

Natural population growth in Belarus, 2014
Birth rate (per 1000) Death rate (per 1000) Natural growth rate (per 1000)

Ethnic groups

Belarusians 81.2%, Russians 11.4%, Poles 3.9%, Ukrainians 2.4%, Jews 0.3%, Armenians 0.1%, Lipka Tatars 0.1%, Ruska Roma 0.1%, Lithuanians 0.1%, Azerbaijanis 0.1%, others 0.3% (1999 census).[1]

Prior to the Second World War

Prior to World War II, Jews were the second largest ethnic group in Belarus, and at 400,000 in the 1926 and 1939 censuses they even exceeded the number of Russians (although admittedly by a small margin).[10] Jews accounted for 7%-8% of the total population at that time, comprising more than 40% of the population in cities and towns, where Jews and Poles were the majority, while Belarusians mostly lived in rural areas.

The Poles were the fourth largest ethnic group in Belarussian SSR (current Eastern portion of Belarus), before World War II, comprising 1-2% of the population in the pre-war censuses (less than 100,000).[10]

Population of the Byelorussian SSR according to ethnic group 1926–1939
Ethnic
group		 census 19261 census 19392
Number % Number %
Belarusians 4,017,301 80.6 4,615,496 82.9
Jews 407,059 8.2 375,092 6.7
Russians 383,806 7.7 364,705 6.6
Poles 97,498 2.0 58,380 1.1
Ukrainians 34,681 0.7 104,247 1.9
Germans 7,075 0.1 8,448 0.2
Latvians 14,080 0.3 8,117 0.2
Tatars 3,777 0.1 7,664 0.1
Lithuanians 6,864 0.1 4,284 0.1
Roma 2,366 0.1 3,632 0.1
Mordvins 1,051 0.0 2,042 0.0
Others 7,682 0.2 16,887 0.3
Total 4,983,240 5,568,994
1 Source: . 2 Source: .

After the Second World War

The Holocaust decimated the Jewish population in Belarus, and after World War II, in 1959, Jews accounted for only 1.9% of the population. Since then, Jewish emigration to Israel and other countries reduced the number of Jews to 0.1% of the population (13,000 in 2009).

After the war, a large number of Poles (including Catholic Belarusians) were forced to move to Poland. In exchange, Belarusians from the former Belastok Voblast, which was returned to Poland in 1945, after being occupied in 1939 were displaced to Belarus. Due to changes in the western border of Belarus and Poland after World War II (see territorial changes of Poland), the number of Poles in Belarus increased to more than 500,000 according to the first post-war census (1959) and to about 400,000 according to the 1999 census. Poles are now the third largest ethnic group in Belarus (see Polish minority in Belarus). There are around 15,000 of Lipka Tatars and Ruska Roma (Russian Gypsies) who account for about 10,000 each.

In the post-war period Belarus experienced an influx of workers from other parts of the Soviet Union, for example Russians and Ukrainians. The decade after independence saw a decline in the population of most of these minority groups, either by assimilation or emigration. The most significant exception to this trend has been a continued (if small-scale) net immigration of Armenians and Azeris, whose numbers increased from less than 2,000 in 1959 to around 10,000 in 1999.[1]

Ethnic composition of Belarus according to 2009 census
Belarusian Russians Poles Ukrainians
Population of Belarus according to ethnic group 1959-2009
Ethnic
group		 census 19591 census 19702 census 19793 census 19894 census 19995 census 20096
Number % Number % Number % Number % Number % Number %
Belarusians 6,532,035 81.1 7,289,610 81.0 7,567,955 79.4 7,904,623 77.9 8,158,900 81.2 7,957,252 83.7
Russians 659,093 8.2 938,161 10.4 1,134,117 11.9 1,342,099 13.2 1,141,700 11.4 785,084 8.3
Poles 538,881 6.7 382,600 4.3 403,169 4.2 417,720 4.1 395,700 3.9 294,549 3.1
Ukrainians 133,061 1.7 190,839 2.1 230,985 2.4 291,008 2.9 237,000 2.4 158,723 1.7
Jews 150,084 1.9 148,011 1.6 135,450 1.4 111,975 1.1 27,800 0.3 12,926 0.1
Armenians 1,751 0.0 2,362 0.0 2,751 0.0 4,933 0.1 10,200 0.1 8,512 0.1
Tatars 8,650 0.1 9,992 0.1 10,851 0.1 12,436 0.1 10,100 0.1 7,316 0.1
Romani 4,662 0.1 6,843 0.1 8,408 0.1 10,762 0.1 9,900 0.1 7,316 0.1
Azerbaijanis 1,402 0.0 1,335 0.0 2,654 0.0 5,009 0.1 6,300 0.1 5,567 0.1
Lithuanians 8,363 0.1 8,092 0.1 6,993 0.1 7,606 0.1 6,400 0.1 5,087 0.1
Others 16,666 0.2 24,493 0.3 29,183 0.3 43,635 0.4 41,200 0.4 261,712 2.8
Total 8,054,648 9,002,338 9,532,516 10,151,806 10,045,200 9,503,807
1 Source: . 2 Source: . 3 Source: . 4 Source: . 5 Source: . 6 Source: .

Languages

Main article: Languages of Belarus

Belarusian and Russian are the official languages according to the Constitution of Belarus (Article 17). The constitution guarantees preservation of the cultural heritage of all ethnic minorities, including their languages (Article 15). Russian, and not Belarusian, is the dominant language in Belarus, spoken normally at home by 70% of the population (2009 census).

Languages of Belarus according to 2009 census (green - Belarusian, blue - Russian)
Native languages Spoken languages

Religion

Main article: Religion in Belarus

According to 1997 estimates, 80% of the religious population belonged to the Eastern Orthodox Church and the others are mainly Roman Catholic, Greek Catholic, Protestants, Muslims, and Jews.[11]

Urbanization

Urban population: 75% of total population (2011)
Rate of urbanization: 0.21% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Ethnic composition of the population, 1999 Belarus Census.
  2. ↑ Population estimates 1995-2007, BelStat
  3. ↑ Statistical Yearbook of the Republic of Belarus 2007, BelStat, Minsk, 2007
  4. ↑ http://pop-stat.mashke.org/belarus-division.htm
  5. ↑ Statistical Yearbooks of the Russian Empire
  6. ↑ United Nations. Demographic Yearbooks
  7. ↑ National Statistical Committee of the Republic of Belarus
  8. ↑
  9. ↑
  10. 1 2 Ethnic composition of Belarus: 1926 and 1939 censuses
  11. ↑ https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bo.html
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