🇧🇾Belarus Political Stability: 8.3/100

Belarus has a population of approximately 9.41 million, with ethnic Belarusians making up 84.9% of the population. The capital city, Minsk, has a population of around 1.94 million, while other major cities include Gomel, Mogilev, and Vitebsk. The country faces a negative population growth rate, with a median age projected to rise significantly by 2050.

World Bank governance: rule of law 6th percentile, corruption control 20th percentile, political stability 13th percentile.

Belarus's strongest governance dimension is Control of Corruption at 20/100, placing it in the bottom quartile globally. This indicates relatively effective mechanisms for limiting misuse of public office for private gain.

The weakest dimension is Voice & Accountability at 0/100. Limited voice and accountability suggests constraints on citizen participation, expression, or media freedom.

A moderate spread of 19 points separates the strongest and weakest indicators. This suggests governance strengths in some areas but room for improvement in others. Travelers can generally rely on institutional frameworks, though certain aspects of governance may be less dependable.

Belarus's fragile governance environment presents real challenges for travelers. Institutional capacity is severely limited across most dimensions. Visitors should expect minimal government services, potential interactions with corruption, and limited recourse through legal systems. Travel to Belarus requires extensive preparation and risk awareness.

The U.S. State Department currently rates Belarus as Level 4 (Do Not Travel). Elevated advisory levels combined with governance data paint a fuller picture of conditions on the ground that travelers should consider.