| Background: |
Belgium became
independent from the Netherlands in 1830 and was occupied by
Germany during World Wars I and II. It has prospered in the
past half century as a modern, technologically advanced
European state and member of NATO and the EU. Tensions
between the Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the
French-speaking Walloons of the south have led in recent
years to constitutional amendments granting these regions
formal recognition and autonomy. |
| Location: |
Western Europe,
bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
50 50 N, 4 00 E |
| Area: |
total:
30,510 sq km
land: 30,230 sq km
water: 280 sq km |
| Area
- comparative: |
about the size of
Maryland |
| Land
boundaries: |
total:
1,385 km
border countries: France 620 km, Germany 167
km, Luxembourg 148 km, Netherlands 450 km |
| Maritime
claims: |
continental
shelf: median line with neighbors
exclusive fishing zone: median line with
neighbors (extends about 68 km from coast)
territorial sea: 12 NM |
| Climate: |
temperate; mild
winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy |
| Terrain: |
flat coastal
plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains
of Ardennes Forest in southeast |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point:
North Sea 0 m
highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m |
| Natural
resources: |
coal, natural gas |
| Land
use: |
arable land:
24%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 20%
forests and woodland: 21%
other: 34% |
| Natural
hazards: |
flooding is a
threat in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from
the sea by concrete dikes |
| Environment
- current issues: |
the environment
is exposed to intense pressures from human activities:
urbanization, dense transportation network, industry,
intense animal breeding and crop cultivation; air and water
pollution also have repercussions for neighboring countries;
uncertainties regarding federal and regional
responsibilities (now resolved) have impeded progress in
tackling environmental challenges |
| Environment
- international agreements: |
party to:
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur
94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Air Pollution-Sulphur
85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine
Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol |
| Geography
- note: |
crossroads of
Western Europe; majority of West European capitals within
1,000 km of Brussels which is the seat of both the EU and
NATO |
| Population: |
10,258,762 (July
2001 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
17.48% (male 916,957; female 876,029)
15-64 years: 65.57% (male 3,390,145; female
3,336,908)
65 years and over: 16.95% (male 709,212; female
1,029,511) (2001 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
0.16% (2001 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
10.74
births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
10.1 deaths/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
0.97 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Sex
ratio: |
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2001
est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
4.7 deaths/1,000
live births (2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 77.96 years
male: 74.63 years
female: 81.46 years (2001 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
1.61 children
born/woman (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
0.15% (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
7,700 (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
less than 100
(1999 est.) |
| Nationality: |
noun:
Belgian(s)
adjective: Belgian |
| Ethnic
groups: |
Fleming 58%,
Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11% |
| Religions: |
Roman Catholic
75%, Protestant or other 25% |
| Languages: |
Dutch 58%, French
32%, German 10%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French) |
| Literacy: |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: NA%
female: NA% |
| Country
name: |
conventional
long form: Kingdom of Belgium
conventional short form: Belgium
local long form: Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk
Belgie
local short form: Belgique/Belgie |
| Government
type: |
federal
parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarch |
| Administrative
divisions: |
10 provinces
(French: provinces, singular - province; Flemish: provincien,
singular - provincie); Antwerpen, Brabant Wallon, Hainaut,
Liege, Limburg, Luxembourg, Namur, Oost-Vlaanderen, Vlaams
Brabant, West-Vlaanderen; note - the Brussels Capitol Region
is not included within the 10 provinces |
| Independence: |
21 July 1831
(from the Netherlands) |
| National
holiday: |
Independence Day,
21 July (1831) |
| Constitution: |
7 February 1831,
last revised 14 July 1993; parliament approved a
constitutional package creating a federal state |
| Legal
system: |
civil law system
influenced by English constitutional theory; judicial review
of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
with reservations |
| Suffrage: |
18 years of age;
universal and compulsory |
| Executive
branch: |
chief of
state: King ALBERT II (since 9 August 1993); Heir
Apparent Prince PHILIPPE, son of the monarch
head of government: Prime Minister Guy
VERHOFSTADT (since 13 July 1999)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the
monarch and approved by Parliament
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary;
prime minister appointed by the monarch and then approved by
Parliament
note: government coalition - VLD, PRL, PS, SP,
AGALEV, and ECOLO |
| Legislative
branch: |
bicameral
Parliament consists of a Senate or Senaat in Dutch, Senat in
French (71 seats; 40 members are directly elected by popular
vote, 31 are indirectly elected; members serve four-year
terms) and a Chamber of Deputies or Kamer van
Volksvertegenwoordigers in Dutch, Chambre des Representants
in French (150 seats; members are directly elected by
popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to
serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate and Chamber of Deputies -
last held 13 June 1999 (next to be held in NA 2003)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by
party - VLD 15.4%, CVP 14.7%, PRL 10.6%, PS 9.7%, VB 9.4%,
SP 8.9%, ECOLO 7.4%, AGALEV 7.1%, PSC 6.0%, VU 5.1%; seats
by party - VLD 11, CVP 10, PS 10, PRL 9, VB 6, SP 6, ECOLO
6, AGALEV 5, PSC 5, VU 3; Chamber of Deputies - percent of
vote by party - VLD 14.3%, CVP 14.1%, PS 10.2%, PRL 10.1%,
VB 9.9%, SP 9.5%, ECOLO 7.4%, AGALEV 7.0%, PSC 5.9%, VU
5.6%; seats by party - VLD 23, CVP 22, PS 19, PRL 18, VB 15,
SP 14, ECOLO 11, PSC 10, AGALEV 9, VU 8, FN 1
note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional
revision that furthered devolution into a federal state,
there are now three levels of government (federal, regional,
and linguistic community) with a complex division of
responsibilities; this reality leaves six governments each
with its own legislative assembly; for other acronyms of the
listed parties see Political parties and leaders |
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme Court of
Justice or Hof van Cassatie (in Dutch) or Cour de Cassation
(in French) (judges are appointed for life by the monarch) |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
AGALEV (Flemish
Greens) [Dos GEYSELS]; ECOLO (Francophone Greens) [no
president]; Flemish Christian Democrats or CVP (Christian
People's Party) [Stefaan DE CLERCK, president]; Flemish
Liberal Democrats or VLD [Karel DE GUCHT, president];
Flemish Socialist Party or SP [Patrick JANSSENS, president];
Francophone Christian Democrats or PSC (Social Christian
Party) [Joelle MILQUET, president]; Francophone Liberal
Reformation Party or PRL [Daniel DUCARME, president];
Francophone Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI RUPO, president];
National Front or FN [Daniel FERET]; Vlaams Blok or VB
[Frank VANHECKE]; Volksunie or VU [leader vacant]; other
minor parties |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
Christian and
Socialist Trade Unions; Federation of Belgian Industries;
numerous other associations representing bankers,
manufacturers, middle-class artisans, and the legal and
medical professions; various organizations represent the
cultural interests of Flanders and Wallonia; various peace
groups such as Pax Christi and groups representing
immigrants |
| International
organization participation: |
ACCT, AfDB, AsDB,
Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD,
ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
MINURSO, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW,
OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMOGIP,
UNMOP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WEU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Alexis REYN
chancery: 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington,
DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 333-6900
FAX: [1] (202) 333-3079
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Los
Angeles, and New York |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador (vacant)
embassy: 27 Boulevard du Regent, B-1000
Brussels
mailing address: PSC 82, Box 002, APO AE 09710
telephone: [32] (2) 508-2111
FAX: [32] (2) 511-2725 |
| Flag
description: |
three equal
vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red; the
design was based on the flag of France |
| Economy
- overview: |
This modern
private enterprise economy has capitalized on its central
geographic location, highly developed transport network, and
diversified industrial and commercial base. Industry is
concentrated mainly in the populous Flemish area in the
north, although the government is encouraging investment in
the southern region of Wallonia. With few natural resources,
Belgium must import substantial quantities of raw materials
and export a large volume of manufactures, making its
economy unusually dependent on the state of world markets.
About three-quarters of its trade is with other EU
countries. Belgium's public debt is expected to fall below
100% of GDP in 2002, and the government has succeeded in
balancing is budget. Belgium became a charter member of the
European Monetary Union (EMU) in January 1999. Economic
growth in 2000 was broad based, putting the government in a
good position to pursue its energy market liberalization
policies and planned tax cuts. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power
parity - $259.2 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
4.1% (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $25,300 (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture:
1.4%
industry: 26%
services: 72.6% (2000 est.) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
4% |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
3.7%
highest 10%: 20.2% (1992) |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
2.2% (2000 est.) |
| Labor
force: |
4.34 million
(1999) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
services 73%,
industry 25%, agriculture 2% (1999 est.) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
8.4% (2000 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues:
$114.8 billion
expenditures: $117 billion, including capital
expenditures of $7.6 billion (1999) |
| Industries: |
engineering and
metal products, motor vehicle assembly, processed food and
beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass,
petroleum, coal |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
5.5% (2000 est.) |
| Electricity
- production: |
79.829 billion
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
40.01%
hydro: 0.42%
nuclear: 58.33%
other: 1.24% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
75.089 billion
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
8.207 billion kWh
(1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
9.055 billion kWh
(1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
sugar beets,
fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork,
milk |
| Exports: |
$181.4 billion
(f.o.b., 2000) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
machinery and
equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal products |
| Exports
- partners: |
EU 76% (Germany
18%, France 18%, Netherlands 12%, UK 10%) (1999) |
| Imports: |
$166 billion
(c.i.f., 2000) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
machinery and
equipment, chemicals, metals and metal products |
| Imports
- partners: |
EU 71% (Germany
18%, Netherlands 17%, France 14%, UK 9%) (1999) |
| Debt
- external: |
$28.3 billion
(1999 est.) |
| Economic
aid - donor: |
ODA, $764 million
(1997) |
| Currency: |
Belgian franc (BEF);
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced the
euro as a common currency that is now being used by
financial institutions in Belgium at a fixed rate of 40.3399
Belgian francs per euro and will replace the local currency
for all transactions in 2002 |
| Exchange
rates: |
euros per US
dollar - 1.0659 (January 2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386
(1999); Belgian francs per US dollar - 34.77 (January 1999),
36.229 (1998), 35.774 (1997), 30.962 (1996) |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
4.769 million
(1997) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
974,494 (1997) |
| Telephone
system: |
general
assessment: highly developed, technologically
advanced, and completely automated domestic and
international telephone and telegraph facilities
domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system;
extensive cable network; limited microwave radio relay
network
international: 5 submarine cables; satellite
earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
FM 79, AM 7,
shortwave 1 (1998) |
| Radios: |
8.075 million
(1997) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
25 (plus 10
repeaters) (1997) |
| Televisions: |
4.72 million
(1997) |
| Internet
country code: |
.be |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
61 (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
2.7 million
(2000) |
| Railways: |
total:
3,437 km (2,446 km electrified; 2,563 km double track)
standard gauge: 3,437 km 1.435-m gauge (1998) |
| Highways: |
total:
145,774 km
paved: 116,182 km (including 1,674 km of
expressways)
unpaved: 29,592 km (1999) |
| Waterways: |
2,043 km (1,528
km in regular commercial use) |
| Pipelines: |
crude oil 161 km;
petroleum products 1,167 km; natural gas 3,300 km |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Antwerp (one of
the world's busiest ports), Brugge, Gent, Hasselt, Liege,
Mons, Namur, Oostende, Zeebrugge |
| Merchant
marine: |
total:
21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 32,912 GRT/53,161 DWT
ships by type: cargo 6, chemical tanker 9,
petroleum tanker 6 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
24
over 3,047 m: 6
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 6 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
18
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 16 (2000 est.) |
| Military
branches: |
Army, Navy, Air
Force, National Gendarmerie, Medical Service |
| Military
manpower - military age: |
19 years of age |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age
15-49: 2,517,596 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age
15-49: 2,079,624 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males:
63,247 (2001 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$2.5 billion
(FY01) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
1.2% (FY99) |
| Disputes
- international: |
none |
| Illicit
drugs: |
growing producer
of synthetic drugs; transit point for US-bound ecstasy;
source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine
processors; transshipment point for cocaine, heroin,
hashish, and marijuana entering Western Europe |
|
