Belarus Central Region: How Not to Be Caught in a Poverty Trap?

9-pages policy paper  presents the results of an innovative research realized by CASE Belarus in 2014. CASE Belarus experts have statistically proven the existence of a ‘poverty belt’ around Belarusian capital. Minsk remains the biggest centre of economic activity. However, the researchers have found that its growth is slowing down. Economic activity is moving to  satellite towns, which develop faster than the capital. At the same time the metropolis and satellite towns are growing at the expense of further located neighbouring areas. They are characterised by shrinking population, poor economic performance and growing social problems.