Switzerland and Belarus
The relationship between Switzerland and Belarus is shaped by differences over human rights and the war in Ukraine. Diplomatic presence coexists with restrictions and sanctions.
Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-08 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-08History and institutional framework
Switzerland recognised Belarusian independence in 1991 and decided to upgrade its representation in Minsk to an embassy in May 2019.
Cooperation and bilateral issues
Switzerland adopted European sanctions in October 2020; current measures require consulting the current register, rather than being inferred solely from that historical date.
Cooperation and bilateral issues
Switzerland adopted European sanctions in October 2020; current measures require consulting the current register, rather than being inferred solely from that historical date.
Bilateral indicators
Blank cells: data unavailable.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Goods trade | ||
| Goods: Switzerland to Belarus | ||
| Goods: Belarus to Switzerland | ||
| Services trade | ||
| Export share: Switzerland to Belarus | ||
| Export share: Belarus to Switzerland | ||
| Investment stock: Switzerland in Belarus | ||
| Investment stock: Belarus in Switzerland |
Definitions and sources
Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.
Country comparison
Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.
| Indicator | Switzerland | Belarus |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP | 1.04 trillion USD2025 · WB | 93.4 billion USD2025 · World Bank |
| GDP per capita | 114,769.01 USD2025 · WB | 10,279.25 USD2025 · World Bank |
| GDP growth | 1.3 %2025 · WB | 1.3 %2025 · World Bank |
| Policy interest rate | ||
| Inflation · annual average | 0.15 %Annual average · 2025 · WB | 6.6 %Annual average · 2025 · World Bank |
| Inflation · latest year-on-year figure | ||
| Unemployment | 4.87 %ILO est.2025 · WB | 3.38 %ILO est.2025 · World Bank |
| Budget balance (% of GDP) | 0.5 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 0.2 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Gross public debt (% of GDP) | 39.4 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 33.1 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | 6.98 %2025 · WB | -1.94 %2025 · World Bank |
| Population | 9,092,436World Bank est.2025 · WB | 9,085,9912025 · World Bank |
| Area | 41,291 km²2023 · WB | 207,629 km²2023 · World Bank |
| Military expenditure | ||
| Military expenditure (% of GDP) |
Definitions, dates and sources
Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.
Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0
Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.
- Nominal GDP
- Current USDSwitzerland: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Belarus: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- GDP per capita
- Current USD per personSwitzerland: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Belarus: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- GDP growth
- Annual real change (%)Switzerland: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Belarus: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- Policy interest rate
- Central bank instrument (%)
- Inflation · annual average
- Average annual change in headline CPI (%)Switzerland: 2025 · Annual average CPI change (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Belarus: 2025 · Annual average change in CPI (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
- Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency stated
- Unemployment
- % of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionSwitzerland: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate; percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Belarus: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate, percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- Budget balance
- General government (% of GDP)Switzerland: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.Belarus: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO general-government estimate. Retains the source’s fiscal year when it differs from the calendar year.
- Gross public debt
- General government (% of GDP)Switzerland: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.Belarus: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO general-government estimate. Retains the source’s fiscal year when it differs from the calendar year.
- Current account balance
- % of GDPSwitzerland: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Belarus: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- Population
- PeopleSwitzerland: 2025 · World Bank · WB est. · The World Bank indicates a population extrapolation; this is not a 2025 census count.Belarus: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date. Extrapolated assuming the same growth rate as the one between 2024 average population and 2025 January 1st population of National Statistical Committee website.
- Area
- Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourceSwitzerland: 2023 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Belarus: 2023 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- Military expenditure
- Current USD per year; SIPRI series
- Military expenditure (% of GDP)
- Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship
What they buy and sell
Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.
Switzerland to Belarus
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
Belarus to Switzerland
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
Connections between people
Contacts between people and relations between governments are distinct dimensions. Published counts appear in the table with their date and definition; a resident community is not inferred from trade or diplomatic representation. [1]
Residents, study and travel
Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.
| Indicator | Value | Period / source |
|---|---|---|
| Residents from Switzerland living in Belarus | ||
| Residents from Belarus living in Switzerland | ||
| Study and training: Switzerland in Belarus | ||
| Study and training: Belarus in Switzerland | ||
| Academic stays: Switzerland in Belarus | ||
| Academic stays: Belarus in Switzerland | ||
| Travel: Switzerland to Belarus | ||
| Travel: Belarus to Switzerland |
What each figure measures
Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.
Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.
Underlying ties
History, institutions and long-standing issues.
History and institutional framework
Switzerland recognised Belarusian independence in 1991 and decided to upgrade its representation in Minsk to an embassy in May 2019. The profile describes deterioration after the August 2020 elections and because of the use of Belarusian territory in the Russian invasion. [1]
The scale of both economies
Switzerland's nominal GDP is 1,043.5 billion USD (2025), compared with 93.4 for Belarus (2025). The reference populations are 9.09 and 9.09 million, respectively. In the same year, Switzerland's economy was 11.17 times Belarus's in nominal GDP. The comparison provides context on market size, but does not, on its own, measure influence, well-being or diplomatic closeness. Estimates and their sources retain their labels in the tables. [2] [3] [4] [5]
Recent developments
Recent developments and latest available data · Review: 2026-10-08
Cooperation and bilateral issues
Switzerland adopted European sanctions in October 2020; current measures require consulting the current register, rather than being inferred solely from that historical date. [1]
Sources and data
Periods and scope of the figures
Institutional sources and periods accompany each figure. Annual trade, investment positions, residents and visits are distinct measures. Empty cells do not mean zero. Statements of intent are not presented as project implementation or treaties in force.
- Bilateral relations — CHE-BLR
Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- NY.GDP.MKTP.CD; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- NY.GDP.MKTP.CD; country ISO and year preserved; no military data; exact requested country subset independently re-fetched and values compared
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- SP.POP.TOTL; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- SP.POP.TOTL; country ISO and year preserved; no military data; exact requested country subset independently re-fetched and values compared
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07