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Guide
Introduction
| |
| 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 |
|
