Belarus devalues national currency by 20% vs. dollar from Jan. 2

MINSK, January 2 (RIA Novosti) - The national currency of Belarus will be devalued by almost 20% against the U.S. dollar from January 2 amid the ongoing global financial crisis, the ex-Soviet republic's National Bank said on Friday.

From January 2, the dollar/Belarusian ruble exchange rate was set at 2,650 Belarusian rubles compared with 2,200 as of January 1, the bank's web site said.

From January 2, the euro will trade at 3,703 Belarusian rubles compared with 3,077 as of January 1, the web site said.

The Russian government earlier agreed to grant Belarus a $2 billion stabilization loan. Belarus received half of that sum back in November.