CIA World Fact Book, 2004/Belgium


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!| 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.
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!| Location: !| Geographic coordinates: !| Map references: !| Area: land: 30,278 sq km water: 250 sq km !| Area - comparative: !| Land boundaries: border countries: France 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km, Netherlands 450 km !| Coastline: !| Maritime claims: continental shelf: median line with neighbors exclusive economic zone: geographic coordinates define outer limit !| Climate: !| Terrain: !| Elevation extremes: highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m !| Natural resources: !| Land use: permanent crops: 0.4% note: includes Luxembourg (2001) other: 76.32% !| Irrigated land: !| Natural hazards: !| Environment - current issues: !| Environment - international agreements: signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants !| Geography - note:
 * Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands
 * 50 50 N, 4 00 E
 * Europe
 * total: 30,528 sq km
 * about the size of Maryland
 * total: 1,385 km
 * 66.5 km
 * territorial sea: 12 nm
 * temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy
 * flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast
 * lowest point: North Sea 0 m
 * coal, natural gas, construction materials, silica sand, carbonates
 * arable land: 23.28%
 * 40 sq km (includes Luxembourg) (1998 est.)
 * flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes
 * the environment is exposed to intense pressures from human activities: urbanization, dense transportation network, industry, extensive animal breeding and crop cultivation; air and water pollution also have repercussions for neighboring countries; uncertainties regarding federal and regional responsibilities (now resolved) have slowed progress in tackling environmental challenges
 * party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
 * crossroads of Western Europe; majority of West European capitals within 1,000 km of Brussels, the seat of both the European Union and NATO
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!| Population: !| Age structure: 15-64 years: 65.6% (male 3,424,438; female 3,364,057) 65 years and over: 17.3% (male 739,479; female 1,055,724) (2004 est.) !| Median age: male: 38.9 years female: 41.5 years (2004 est.) !| Population growth rate: !| Birth rate: !| Death rate: !| Net migration rate: !| Sex ratio: under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.) !| Infant mortality rate: female: 4.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 5.36 deaths/1,000 live births !| Life expectancy at birth: male: 75.26 years female: 81.75 years (2004 est.) !| Total fertility rate: !| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: !| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: !| HIV/AIDS - deaths: !| Nationality: adjective: Belgian !| Ethnic groups: !| Religions: !| Languages: !| Literacy: total population: 98% male: NA female: NA
 * 10,348,276 (July 2004 est.)
 * 0-14 years: 17.1% (male 901,486; female 863,092)
 * total: 40.2 years
 * 0.16% (2004 est.)
 * 10.59 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * 10.2 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * 1.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
 * total: 4.76 deaths/1,000 live births
 * total population: 78.44 years
 * 1.64 children born/woman (2004 est.)
 * 0.2% (2003 est.)
 * 10,000 (2003 est.)
 * less than 100 (2003 est.)
 * noun: Belgian(s)
 * Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11%
 * Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25%
 * Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French)
 * definition: age 15 and over can read and write
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!| Country name: conventional short form: Belgium local short form: Belgique/Belgie local long form: Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie !| Government type: !| Capital: !| Administrative divisions: 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 !| Independence: !| National holiday: !| Constitution: !| Legal system: !| Suffrage: !| Executive branch: head of government: Prime Minister Guy VERHOFSTADT (since 13 July 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers formally appointed by the monarch note: government coalition - VLD, MR, PS, SP.A-Spirit elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch and then approved by Parliament !| Legislative branch: election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - SP.A-Spirit 15.5%, VLD 15.4%, CD & V 12.7%, PS 12.8%, MR 12.1%, VB 9.4%, CDH 5.6%; seats by party - SP.A-Spirit 7, VLD 7, CD & V 6, PS 6, MR 5, VB 5, CDH 2, other 2 (note - there are also 31 indirectly elected senators); Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - VLD 15.4%, SP.A-Spirit 14.9%, CD & V 13.3%, PS 13.0%, VB 11.6%, MR 11.4%, CDH 5.5%, Ecolo 3.1%; seats by party - VLD 25, SP.A-Spirit 23, CD & V 21, PS 25, VB 18, MR 24, CDH 8 Ecolo 4, other 2 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 the Political parties and leaders entry elections: Senate and Chamber of Deputies - last held 18 May 2003 (next to be held no later than May 2007) !| Judicial branch: !| Political parties and leaders: !| Political pressure groups and leaders: !| International organization participation: !| Diplomatic representation in the US: FAX: [1] (202) 333-3079 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Los Angeles, and New York telephone: [1] (202) 333-6900 chancery: 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 !| Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy: Regentlaan 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:
 * conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium
 * federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarch
 * Brussels
 * 10 provinces (French: provinces, singular - province; Dutch: provincies, singular - provincie) and 3 regions* (French: regions; Dutch: gewesten); Antwerpen, Brabant Wallon, Brussels* (Bruxelles), Flanders*, Hainaut, Liege, Limburg, Luxembourg, Namur, Oost-Vlaanderen, Vlaams-Brabant, Wallonia*, West-Vlaanderen
 * 4 October 1830 (a provisional government declares independence from the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King Leopold I ascends to the throne)
 * 21 July (1831) ascension to the Throne of King Leopold I
 * 7 February 1831, last revised 14 July 1993; parliament approved a constitutional package creating a federal state
 * civil law system influenced by English constitutional theory; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
 * 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
 * chief of state: King ALBERT II (since 9 August 1993); Heir Apparent Prince PHILIPPE, son of the monarch
 * 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)
 * Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie (in Dutch) or Cour de Cassation (in French) (judges are appointed for life by the Government; candidacies have to be submitted by the High Justice Council)
 * Christian Democrats and Flemish or CD & V [Jo VANDEURZEN]; Ecolo (Francophone Greens) [Jean-Michel JAVAUX, Evelyne HUYTEBROECK, Claude BROUIR]; Flemish Liberal Democrats or VLD [Bart SOMERS]; Flemish Socialist Party.Alternative or SP.A [Steve STEVAERT]; Francophone Humanist and Democratic Center of CDH [Joelle MILQUET]; Francophone Reformist Movement or MR [Didier REYNDERS]; Francophone Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI RUPO]; GROEN! (formerly AGALEV, Flemish Greens) [Vera DUA]; National Front or FN [Daniel FERET]; New Flemish Alliance or NVA [Bart DE WEVER]; Spirit [Els VAN WEERT]; note - new party now associated with SP.A; Vlaams Belang or VB [Frank VANHECKE]; other minor parties
 * Christian, Socialist, and Liberal 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
 * ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
 * chief of mission: Ambassador Franciskus VAN DAELE
 * chief of mission: Ambassador Tom C. KOROLOGOS
 * three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red; the design was based on the flag of France
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!| Economy - overview: !| GDP: !| GDP - real growth rate: !| GDP - per capita: !| GDP - composition by sector: industry: 26.3% services: 71.8% (2003) !| Investment (gross fixed): !| Population below poverty line: !| Household income or consumption by percentage share: highest 10%: 23% (1996) !| Distribution of family income - Gini index: !| Inflation rate (consumer prices): !| Labor force: !| Labor force - by occupation: !| Unemployment rate: !| Budget: expenditures: $151.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.56 billion (2003) !| Public debt: !| Agriculture - products: !| Industries: !| Industrial production growth rate: !| Electricity - production: !| Electricity - consumption: !| Electricity - exports: !| Electricity - imports: !| Oil - production: !| Oil - consumption: !| Oil - exports: !| Oil - imports: !| Natural gas - production: !| Natural gas - consumption: !| Natural gas - exports: !| Natural gas - imports: !| Current account balance: !| Exports: !| Exports - commodities: !| Exports - partners: !| Imports: !| Imports - commodities: !| Imports - partners: !| Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: !| Debt - external: !| Economic aid - donor: !| Currency: note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries !| Currency code: !| Exchange rates: !| Fiscal year:
 * 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. 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. Roughly three-quarters of its trade is with other EU countries. Public debt is about 100% of GDP, and the government has succeeded in balancing its budget. Belgium, together with 11 of its EU partners, began circulating the euro currency in January 2002. Economic growth in 2001-03 dropped sharply because of the global economic slowdown. Prospects for 2004 again depend largely on recovery in the EU and the US.
 * purchasing power parity - $299.1 billion (2003 est.)
 * 1.1% (2003 est.)
 * purchasing power parity - $29,100 (2003 est.)
 * agriculture: 1.9%
 * 19.7% of GDP (2003)
 * 4% (1989 est.)
 * lowest 10%: 3.2%
 * 28.7 (1996)
 * 1.6% (2003 est.)
 * 4.73 million (2003)
 * agriculture 1.3%, industry 24.5%, services 74.2% (2003 est.)
 * 8.1% (2003 est.)
 * revenues: $151.6 billion
 * 102% of GDP (2003 est.)
 * sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk
 * engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum
 * -1.5% (2003 est.)
 * 74.28 billion kWh (2001)
 * 78.18 billion kWh (2001)
 * 6.712 billion kWh (2001)
 * 15.82 billion kWh (2001)
 * 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
 * 595,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)
 * 450,000 bbl/day (2001)
 * 1.042 million bbl/day (2001)
 * 0 cu m (2001 est.)
 * 15.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)
 * 0 cu m (2001 est.)
 * 15.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)
 * $10.69 billion (2003)
 * $182.9 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
 * machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal products, foodstuffs
 * Germany 19.5%, France 17.4%, Netherlands 11.7%, UK 9%, US 6.7%, Italy 5.4% (2003)
 * $173 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
 * machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, transportation equipment, oil products
 * Germany 17.7%, Netherlands 16.5%, France 13.2%, UK 7.5%, US 5.9%, Ireland 5.7% (2003)
 * $14.45 billion (2003)
 * $28.3 billion (1999 est.)
 * ODA, $1.072 billion (2002)
 * euro (EUR)
 * EUR
 * euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)
 * calendar year
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!| Telephones - main lines in use: !| Telephones - mobile cellular: !| Telephone system: domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; extensive cable network; limited microwave radio relay network international: country code - 32; 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat !| Radio broadcast stations: !| Radios: !| Television broadcast stations: !| Televisions: !| Internet country code: !| Internet hosts: !| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): !| Internet users:
 * 5,120,400 (2002)
 * 8,135,500 (2002)
 * general assessment: highly developed, technologically advanced, and completely automated domestic and international telephone and telegraph facilities
 * FM 79, AM 7, shortwave 1 (1998)
 * 8.075 million (1997)
 * 25 (plus 10 repeaters) (1997)
 * 4.72 million (1997)
 * .be
 * 166,799 (2004)
 * 61 (2000)
 * 3.4 million (2002)
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!| Railways: standard gauge: 3,518 km 1.435-m gauge (2,631 km electrified) (2003) !| Highways: paved: 116,687 km (including 1,727 km of expressways) unpaved: 31,529 km (2000) !| Waterways: !| Pipelines: !| Ports and harbors: !| Merchant marine: foreign-owned: Denmark 6, Finland 1, France 2, Netherlands 3 registered in other countries: 69 (2004 est.) by type: bulk 1, cargo 8, chemical tanker 11, container 6, liquefied gas 18, petroleum tanker 6 !| Airports: !| Airports - with paved runways: over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 !| Airports - with unpaved runways: 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 16 (2004 est.) !| Heliports:
 * total: 3,518 km
 * total: 148,216 km
 * 2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use) (2003)
 * gas 1,485 km; oil 158 km; refined products 535 km (2004)
 * Antwerp (one of the world's busiest ports), Brugge, Gent, Hasselt, Liege, Mons, Namur, Oostende, Zeebrugge
 * total: 50 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,146,301 GRT/1,588,184 DWT
 * 42 (2003 est.)
 * total: 25
 * total: 18
 * 1 (2003 est.)
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!| Military branches: !| Military manpower - military age and obligation: !| Military manpower - availability: !| Military manpower - fit for military service: !| Military manpower - reaching military age annually: !| Military expenditures - dollar figure: !| Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
 * Army, Naval, and Air Operations Commands
 * 16 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)
 * males age 15-49: 2,509,538 (2004 est.)
 * males age 15-49: 2,068,221 (2004 est.)
 * males: 61,270 (2004 est.)
 * $3.999 billion (2003)
 * 1.3% (2003)
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