Belgium

Introduction

Top of Page

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.

Belgium

Geography

Top of Page

Location:

Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands

Geographic coordinates:

50 50 N, 4 00 E

Map references:

Europe

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

Coastline:

66 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%

Irrigated land:

NA sq km

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 European Union and NATO

Belgium

People

Top of Page

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%

Belgium

Government

Top of Page

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

Capital:

Brussels

Administrative divisions:

10 provinces (French: provinces, singular - province; Dutch: provincien, singular - provincie) and 1 region* (French: region; Dutch: gewest); Antwerpen, Brabant Wallon, Brussel* (Bruxelles), 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 Stephen Franklin BRAUER 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

Belgium

Economy

Top of Page

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

Currency code:

BEF; EUR

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

Belgium

Communications

Top of Page

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)

Belgium

Transportation

Top of Page

Railways:

total:  13,472 km standard gauge:  13,472 km 1.435-m gauge (2,517 km electrified; 2,563 km double-tracked) (2001)

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:

42 (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.)

Heliports:

1 (2000 est.)

Belgium

Military

Top of Page

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)

Belgium

Transnational Issues

Top of Page

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