Map of Belgium | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
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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: Western Europe bordering the North Sea between France and the Netherlands

Geographic coordinates: 50 50 N 4 00 E

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 30,510 km²
Land: 30,230 km²
Water: 280 km²
Comparative: about the size of Maryland

Land boundaries
Total: 1,385 km
Border countries: (4) France 620 km; , Germany 167 km; , Luxembourg 148 km; , Netherlands 450 km

Coastline: 66 km

Maritime claims
Continental shelf: median line with neighbors
Territorial sea: 12 NM
Exclusive economic zone: median line with neighbors (extends about 68 km from coast)

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
Extremes highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m

Natural resources: coal natural gas

Land use
Arable land: 25%
Permanent crops: 0%
Note: includes Luxembourg (1998 est.)
Other: 75%

Irrigated land: 40 km² (includes Luxembourg) (1998 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: flooding is a threat in areas of reclaimed coastal land protected from the sea by concrete dikes

Geography
Note: crossroads of Western Europe; majority of West European capitals within 1000 km of Brussels the seat of both the European Union and NATO


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Population: 10,289,088 (July 2003 est.)
Growth rate: 0.14% (2003 est.)
Below poverty line: 4%

Nationality
Noun: Belgian
Adjective: Belgian

Ethnic groups: Fleming 58% Walloon 31% mixed or other 11%

Languages: Dutch (official) 60% French (official) 40% German (official) less than 1% legally bilingual (Dutch and French)

Religions: Roman Catholic 75% Protestant or other 25%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 17.2% (male 905,856; female 865,589)
15-64 years: 65.6% (male 3,400,419; female 3,346,182)
65 years and over: 17.2% (male 725,162; female 1,045,880) (2003 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 40 years
Male: 38.7 years
Female: 41.3 years (2002)

Population growth rate: 0.14% (2003 est.)

Birth rate: 10.45 births/1000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate: 10.07 deaths/1000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.97 migrant(s)/1000 population (2003 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: 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
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, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.05 male/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male/female
Total population: 0.96 male/female (2003 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 4.57 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 3.96 deaths/1000 live births (2003 est.)
Male: 5.16 deaths/1000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 78.29 years
Male: 74.97 years
Female: 81.78 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.62 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2001 est.)
People living with hivaids: 8,500 (2001 est.)
Deaths: less than 100 (2001 est.)

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 98%
Male: NA%
Female: NA%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium
Conventional short form: Belgium
Local short form: Belgique/Belgie
Local long form: Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie

Government type: federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarch

Capital: Brussels

Administrative divisions: 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

Dependent areas

Independence: 4 October 1830 a provisional government declared independence from the Netherlands; 21 July 1831 the ascension of King Leopold I to the throne

National holiday: 21 July (1831) ascension to the Throne of King Leopold I

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

International law organization participation

Citizenship

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 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
Note: government coalition - VLD, MR, PS, SP, AGALEV, and ECOLO

Legislative branch
Elections: Senate and Chamber of Deputies - last held 18 June 2003 (next to be held in NA May 2007)
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
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

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 although selected by the Government)

Political parties and leaders: AGALEV (Flemish Greens) [Dirk HOLEMANS]; Christian Democrats and Flemish or CD & V [Yves LETERME]; note - used to be the Flemish Christian Democrats or CVP; Ecolo (Francophone Greens) [Jean-Michel JAVAUK Evelyne HUYTEBROECK Claude BROUIR]; Flemish Liberal Democrats or VLD [Karel DE GUCHT]; Francophone Humanist and Democratic Center of CDH (used to be Social Christian Party or PSC) [Joelle MILQUET]; Francophone Reformist Movement or MR (used to be Liberal Reformation Party or PRL) [Antoine DUQUESNE]; Francophone Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI RUPO]; National Front or FN [Daniel FERET]; New Flemish Alliance or NVA [Geert BOURGEOIS]; note - new party that emerged after the demise of the People's Union or VU; Social Progressive Alternative Party or SP.A [Steve STEVAERT]; note - was Flemish Socialist Party or SP; Spirit [Els VAN WEERT]; note - new party that emerged after the demise of the People's Union or VU; Vlaams Blok or VB [Frank VANHECKE]; other minor parties

International organization participation: ACCT AfDB AsDB Australia Group Benelux BIS CE CERN EAPC EBRD ECE 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 MONUC NATO NEA NSG OAS (observer) OECD OPCW OSCE PCA UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNMIK UNMOGIP UNMOP UNRWA UNTSO UPU WADB (nonregional) WCL WCO WEU WHO WIPO WMO WTrO ZC

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Franciskus VAN DAELE
In the us chancery: 3,330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us consulates general: Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
In the us fax: [1] (202) 333-3,079
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 333-6,900
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen Franklin BRAUER
From the us embassy: Regentlaan 27 Boulevard du Regent, B-1000 Brussels
From the us mailing address: PSC 82, Box 002, APO AE 9,710
From the us telephone: [32] (2) 508-2,111
From the us fax: [32] (2) 511-2,725

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side) yellow and red; the design was based on the flag of France

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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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. 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 due to the global economic slowdown. Prospects for 2004 again depend largely on recovery in the EU and the US.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 0.7% (2002 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $29,200 (2002 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 1.3%
Industry: 24.4%
Services: 74.3% (2001)

Agriculture products: sugar beets fresh vegetables fruits grain tobacco; beef veal pork milk

Industries: engineering and metal products motor vehicle assembly processed food and beverages chemicals basic metals textiles glass petroleum coal

Industrial production growth rate: 4.5% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 4.44 million (2001)
By occupation services: 73%
By occupation industry: 25%
By occupation agriculture: 2% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 7.2% (2002 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 4%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 3.2%
Highest 10: 23% (1996)

Distribution of family income gini index: 28.7 (1996)

Budget
Revenues: $113.4 billion
Expenditures: $106 billion, including capital expenditures of $7.17 billion (2000)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 1.7% (2002 est.)

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $162 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Commodities: machinery and equipment chemicals diamonds metals and metal products foodstuffs
Partners: Germany 18.6% France 16.3% Netherlands 11.6% UK 9.6% US 7.9% Italy 5.4% (2002)

Imports: $152 billion f.o.b. (2001)
Commodities: machinery and equipment chemicals metals and metal products foodstuffs
Partners: Germany 17.2% Netherlands 15.6% France 12.8% UK 7.3% Ireland 7% US 6.4% Italy 4% (2002)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $28.3 billion (1999 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002) 1.12 (2001) 1.09 (2000) 0.94 (1999) 36.3 (1998)


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Electricity
Production: 74.28 billion kWh (2001)
Production by source fossil fuel: 38.4%
Production by source hydro: 0.6%
Production by source other: 1.8% (2001)
Production by source nuclear: 59.3%
Consumption: 78.18 billion kWh (2001)
Exports: 6.712 billion kWh (2001)
Imports: 15.82 billion kWh (2001)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2001 est.)
Consumption: 15.5 billion m³ (2001 est.)
Exports: 0 m³ (2001 est.)
Imports: 15.4 billion m³ (2001 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 4.769 million (1997)
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

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .be
Service providers isps: 61 (2000)
Users: 3.76 million (2002)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $3.077 billion (FY01/02)
Percent of gdp: 1.4% (FY01/02)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 42 (2002)
With paved runways total: 25
With paved runways over 3047 m: 6
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 8
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 7 (2002)
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 3
With unpaved runways total: 17
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 15 (2002)

Heliports: 1 (2002)

Pipelines: gas 1485 km; oil 158 km; refined products 535 km (2003)

Railways
Total: 3,471 km
Standard gauge: 3,471 km 1.435-m gauge (2,631 km electrified) (2002)

Roadways

Waterways: 1570 km (route length in regular commercial use) (2001)

Merchant marine
Total: 20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 32,215 GRT/55,725 DWT
Ships by type: cargo 6, chemical tanker 10, petroleum tanker 4, includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Finland 1, Netherlands 3 (2002 est.)

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

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; money laundering related to trafficking of drugs automobiles alcohol and tobacco