Exploring The Distance: Belarus And Russia's Proximity

Belarus is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, sharing borders with five countries: Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Russia, and Ukraine. The country is located in the centre of Europe and is part of a major transit route across the continent. The distance between Belarus and Russia is approximately 4,421 kilometres (2,747 miles). The Russian-Belarusian border is 1,239 kilometres (770 miles) long, including 857.7 kilometres (533 miles) of land, 362.3 kilometres (225.1 miles) of river, and 19 kilometres (12 miles) of lake. Belarus is slightly larger than Greece, Portugal, Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium, and the Czech Republic, and is nearly as big as Romania and the UK.

The distance between Belarus and Russia is 4,421km or 2,747 miles

Belarus and Russia share a land border, and prior to 1991, this was the border between the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic. The border still formally exists today, though it is not subject to customs checks or duties due to the Union State treaty and the Eurasian Union. The total length of the border is 1,239km (including 857.7km of land, 362.3km of river, and 19km of lake). The border is situated in the Polesian Lowland, which stretches from the Western Bug river in the west to the Dnieper river in the east, along the Pripyat river.

Belarus is located in Eastern Europe and is bordered by five countries: Poland to the west, Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest, Russia to the north and northeast, and Ukraine to the south. The total length of its state borders is 3,617km. Belarus is a medium-sized country, covering 207,600 square kilometres, or about 2% of the total area of Europe. It is the 13th largest country in Europe and the 84th largest in the world. The country has a predominantly flat terrain, with hills, flatlands, and lowlands featuring marshes and lakes. Belarus is located in the water basins of the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea and has numerous rivers and lakes.

Russia, meanwhile, is the largest country in the world by land area, covering more than 17 million square kilometres. It shares land borders with 14 countries and has a total border length of more than 22,000km. Russia also has a diverse landscape, ranging from expansive plains to mountainous regions in the south.

Belarus and Russia share a land border of 857.7km

The border between Belarus and Russia is not subject to customs checks or duties due to the Union State treaty and the Eurasian Union. However, there are some document checks and prohibitions for third-country nationals when travelling between the two countries.

In addition to Russia, Belarus also shares borders with Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Ukraine. The total length of the state border of Belarus is 3,617km. Belarus is located in Eastern Europe and is crossed by major transit routes of the continent, including one of Eurasia's main transport corridors from southwest to northeast.

There is virtually no border control when travelling between the two countries

Belarus and Russia are neighbouring countries in Eastern Europe. The distance between the two countries is approximately 4,421 kilometres (2,747 miles). The Russian-Belarusian border is about 1,239 kilometres (770 miles) long, including 857.7 kilometres (533 miles) of land, 362.3 kilometres (225 miles) of river, and 19 kilometres (12 miles) of lake.

Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Belarus and Russia have shared an official border. However, due to the Union State treaty and the Eurasian Union, there is virtually no border control when travelling between the two countries. The abolition of custom controls at the border means that travellers are not subject to customs checks or duties. However, Russia has instituted document checks and prohibitions against third-country nationals when travelling from Belarus to Russia by road. Air travel between the two countries is also treated as domestic and does not incur border controls, although there are identity checks similar to those for normal domestic air travel within Russia and Belarus.

The close proximity and ease of travel between Belarus and Russia have contributed to their strong diplomatic and economic ties. Belarus is dependent on Russia for imports of raw materials and as an export market. The two countries have also formed a supranational confederation known as the Union State, which aims to create a politically integrated confederation with a common currency.

In summary, while the Russian-Belarusian border formally exists, there is minimal border control when travelling between the two countries due to their close diplomatic and economic relationship. Travellers should, however, be aware of document checks and restrictions for third-country nationals when travelling by road or air.

Belarus is dependent on Russia for imports of raw materials and for its export market

Belarus is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, sharing a border with Russia to its east and northeast. It is dependent on Russia for imports of raw materials and for its export market.

Belarus has a mixed economy, with a dominant public sector. The country has retained centralised political and economic controls, eschewing privatisation efforts since the fall of the Soviet Union. Belarus is reliant on Russia for most of its oil and gas imports, and its main export markets are in Russia.

In the past, Belarus was known as "the Soviet assembly shop", as it was a producer of products made from raw materials imported from the Soviet Union. Today, Belarus is still dependent on Russia for raw materials, particularly oil and gas. Belarus has only small reserves of petroleum and natural gas and imports most of its oil from Russia.

The main branches of industry in Belarus produce tractors, trucks, metal-cutting machine tools, agricultural equipment, chemicals, fertilisers, textiles, and consumer goods. The country's chief trading partners are Russia, Ukraine, Poland, and Germany. Russia's share in Belarusian exports now exceeds 90%, and the country's exports are dependent on transit through Russian ports and railways.

The EU's economic sanctions against Belarus have resulted in the EU's share in Belarusian exports decreasing to around 5%. As a result, Russia has become the natural and only destination for Belarusian exports. The Russian market's share in Belarus's total trade is almost 70%. The value of bilateral trade between the two countries reached $18 billion in the first five months of 2023, a 20% increase compared to the same period in 2022.

Belarus's exports to Russia rose by 56% in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the first three months of 2022. This increase is due to the demand for Belarusian goods in Russia, likely because of their low price and the shortage of Western products due to sanctions. Belarusian suppliers also have privileged access to the Russian market.

The strengthening of Russia's role in the Belarusian economy has made Belarus increasingly dependent on its neighbour. This dependence is evident in the transit of goods from Belarus via Russian territory. Almost all Belarusian cargoes contain petroleum products, chemicals, and artificial fertilisers, which are subject to EU embargoes. Belarusian exporters are allowed to use 19 Russian ports and are also using Russian railway infrastructure to transport goods.

The Belarusian economy is highly dependent on Russia, and this poses a serious risk to its economic stability, especially as Russia is waging a costly war and is subject to Western sanctions.

The two countries signed a treaty for greater cooperation in 2000, forming the Union State

Belarus and Russia are neighbouring countries in Eastern Europe. Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country with Russia to its east and northeast. The two countries share a border of about 1,084 km (674 mi).

In 2000, Belarus and Russia signed a treaty for greater cooperation, forming the Union State. This supranational union, officially the Union State of Russia and Belarus, was based on a previous international treaty made on 2 April 1997. The Union State aimed to deepen the relationship between the two states through economic and defence policy integration, with the ultimate goal of achieving a federation like the Soviet Union. The Union State was to have a common head of state, legislature, flag, coat of arms, anthem, constitution, army, citizenship, and currency.

The formation of the Union State was the outcome of several years of negotiations and formal agreements between the two countries, largely driven by economic interests on the part of Belarus and political prestige on the part of Russia. The legal basis of the Union State lies in a number of treaties and more specific bilateral agreements. The first significant step in the integration process was taken in 1995 when Moscow and Minsk signed the Treaty of Friendship, Good-Neighbourliness and Cooperation, which sought deeper economic integration and the formation of a single economic space. This was followed by the Treaty on the creation of the Community of Russia and Belarus in 1996, which sought further integration in the economic and humanitarian domains, as well as cooperation in foreign policy, security, border protection, and crime prevention.

In 1997, the two countries signed the Treaty on the Union of Belarus and Russia, which stipulated the implementation of a coordinated foreign and defence policy, joint citizenship, and a common market for goods, services, capital, and labour. Finally, in the final days of Yeltsin's presidency, the Treaty on the Creation of the Union State was signed on 8 December 1999. The treaty was ratified by the Russian State Duma and the Belarusian Parliament on 22 December 1999 and 26 January 2000, respectively, with the Union coming into effect on the latter date.

While the Union State has been successful in the military domain, many of the economic and political plans have been merely declarative and symbolic in nature, or were never implemented. For example, plans for a monetary union, common energy market, and joint constitution never came to fruition. Additionally, the independent status of both countries within the Union has been a point of contention, with Russian leadership allegedly seeking to incorporate Belarus into the Russian Federation. Despite these challenges, the Union State continues to be a significant aspect of the relationship between Belarus and Russia, with ongoing negotiations for further economic integration.

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