Map of Belgium | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830; it was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. The country prospered in the past half century as a modern, technologically advanced European state and member of NATO and the EU. In recent years, political divisions between the Dutch-speaking Flemish of the north and the French-speaking Walloons of the south have led to constitutional amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy. The capital city of Brussels is home to numerous international organizations including the EU and NATO.


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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: 30,528 km²
Land: 30,278 km²
Water: 250 km²
Rank: 140
Comparative: about the size of Maryland

Land boundaries
Total: 1297 km
Border countries: (4) France 556 km; , Germany 133 km; , Luxembourg 130 km; , Netherlands 478 km

Coastline: 66.5 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 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
Mean elevation: 181 m
Lowest point: North Sea 0 m
Highest point: Botrange 694 m

Natural resources: construction materials, silica sand, carbonates, arable land

Land use
Agricultural land: 44.1% (2011 est.)
Forest: 22.4% (2011 est.)
Other: 33.5% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land: 230 km² (2012)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

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

Geography
Note: crossroads of Western Europe; most West European capitals are within 1,000 km of Brussels, the seat of both the European Union and NATO


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Population
Distribution: most of the population concentrated in the northern two-thirds of the country; the southeast is more thinly populated; considered to have one of the highest population densities in the world; approximately 97% live in urban areas: 11,720,716 (July 2020 est.)
Rank: 80
Growth rate: 0.63% (2020 est.)
Growth rate rank: 147
Below poverty line: 15.1% (2013 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Belgian(s)
Adjective: Belgian

Ethnic groups: Belgian 75.2%, Italian 4.1%, Moroccan 3.7%, French 2.4%, Turkish 2%, Dutch 2%, other 10.6% (2012 est.)

Languages: Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%

Religions: Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant and other Christian 2.5%, Muslim 5%, Jewish 0.4%, Buddhist 0.3%, atheist 9.2%, none 32.6% (2009 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 17.22% (male 1,033,383/female 984,624)
15-24 years: 11.2% (male 670,724/female 642,145)
25-54 years: 39.23% (male 2,319,777/female 2,278,450)
55-64 years: 13.14% (male 764,902/female 775,454)
65 years and over: 19.21% (male 988,148/female 1,263,109) (2020 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 57
Youth dependency ratio: 26.7
Elderly dependency ratio: 30.2
Potential support ratio: 3.3 (2020 est.)

Median age
Total: 41.6 years
Male: 40.4 years
Female: 42.8 years (2020 est.)
Rank: 44

Population growth rate: 0.63% (2020 est.)
Rank: 147

Birth rate: 11.1 births/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 175

Death rate: 9.8 deaths/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 40

Net migration rate: 4.8 migrant(s)/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 25

Population distribution: most of the population concentrated in the northern two-thirds of the country; the southeast is more thinly populated; considered to have one of the highest population densities in the world; approximately 97% live in urban areas

Urbanization
Urban population: 98.1% of total population
Note: (2015-20 est.)
Rate of urbanization: 0.62% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: 2.081 million BRUSSELS (capital), 1.042 million Antwerp (2020)

Environment
Current issues: 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
International agreements party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, 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, Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 29 years (2018 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 3.3 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 3.7 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 2.9 deaths/1000 live births (2020 est.)
Rank: 204

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 81.4 years
Male: 78.8 years
Female: 84.2 years (2020 est.)
Rank: 31

Total fertility rate: 1.77 children born/woman (2020 est.)
Rank: 151

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 66.7% (2018)

Drinking water source
Urban: 0% of population
Rural: 0% of population
Total: 0% of population (2017 est.)

Current health expenditure: 10.3% (2017)

Physicians density: 3.07 physicians/1000 population (2017)

Hospital bed density: 5.7 beds/1000 population (2017)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 0% of population
Rural: 0% of population
Total: 0% of population (2017 est.)

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate note: NA
People living with hivaids note: NA
Deaths note: NA

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 22.1% (2016)
Rank: 81

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: 6.4% of GDP (2017)
Rank: 20

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 20 years
Male: 19 years
Female: 21 years (2018)

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium
Conventional short form: Belgium
Local long form: Royaume de Belgique (French)/Koninkrijk Belgie (Dutch)/Koenigreich Belgien (German)
Local short form: Belgique/Belgie/Belgien
Etymology: the name derives from the Belgae, an ancient Celtic tribal confederation that inhabited an area between the English Channel and the west bank of the Rhine in the first centuries B.C.

Government type: federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy

Capital
Name: Brussels
Geographic coordinates: 50 50 N, 4 20 E
Time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October: etymology: may derive from the Old Dutch 'bruoc/broek,' meaning 'marsh' and 'sella/zele/sel' signifying 'home' to express the meaning 'home in the marsh'

Administrative divisions: 3 regions (French: regions, singular - region; Dutch: gewesten, singular - gewest); Brussels-Capital Region, also known as Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest (Dutch), Region de Bruxelles-Capitale (French long form), Bruxelles-Capitale (French short form); Flemish Region (Flanders), also known as Vlaams Gewest (Dutch long form), Vlaanderen (Dutch short form), Region Flamande (French long form), Flandre (French short form); Walloon Region (Wallonia), also known as Region Wallone (French long form), Wallonie (French short form), Waals Gewest (Dutch long form), Wallonie (Dutch short form)
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; the 2012 sixth state reform transferred additional competencies from the federal state to the regions and linguistic communities

Dependent areas

Independence: 4 October 1830 (a provisional government declared independence from the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King LEOPOLD I ascended to the throne)

National holiday: Belgian National Day (ascension to the throne of King LEOPOLD I), 21 July (1831)

Constitution
History: drafted 25 November 1830, approved 7 February 1831, entered into force 26 July 1831, revised 14 July 1993 (creating a federal state)
Amendments: revisions proposed as declarations by the federal government in accord with the king or by Parliament followed by dissolution of Parliament and new elections; adoption requires two-thirds majority vote of a two-thirds quorum in both houses of the next elected Parliament; amended many times, last in 2014

Legal system: civil law system based on the French Civil Code; note - Belgian law continues to be modified in conformance with the legislative norms mandated by the European Union; judicial review of legislative acts

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Belgium
Dual citizenship recognized: yes
Residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch
Chief of state: King PHILIPPE (since 21 July 2013); Heir Apparent Princess ELISABETH (daughter of the monarch, born 25 October 2001)
Head of government: Prime Minister Alexander DE CROO (since 1 October 2020); Deputy Prime Ministers Koen GEENS (27 October 2019), Didier REYNDERS (since 27 October 2019), David CLARINVAL (30 November 2019), Petra DE SUTTER (since 1 October 2020)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers formally appointed by the monarch
Electionsappointments: the monarchy is hereditary and constitutional; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the monarch and approved by Parliament

Legislative branch
Description:
Elections: 

Senate - last held 26 May 2019 (next to be held in 2024)

Election results:
Note: the 1993 constitutional revision that further devolved Belgium into a federal state created 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; changes above occurred since the sixth state reform

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Constitutional Court or Grondwettelijk Hof (in Dutch) and Cour Constitutionelle (in French) (consists of 12 judges - 6 Dutch-speaking and 6 French-speaking); Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie (in Dutch) and Cour de Cassation (in French) (court organized into 3 chambers: civil and commercial; criminal; social, fiscal, and armed forces; each chamber includes a Dutch division and a French division, each with a chairperson and 5-6 judges)
Judge selection and term of office: Constitutional Court judges appointed by the monarch from candidates submitted by Parliament; judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 70; Supreme Court judges appointed by the monarch from candidates submitted by the High Council of Justice, a 44-member independent body of judicial and non-judicial members; judges appointed for life
Subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; regional courts; specialized courts for administrative, commercial, labor, immigration, and audit issues; magistrates courts; justices of the peace

Political parties and leaders: Flemish parties: Christian Democratic and Flemish or CD&V [Wouter BEKE]Flemish Liberals and Democrats or Open VLD [Gwendolyn RUTTEN]Groen [Meyrem ALMACI] (formerly AGALEV, Flemish Greens)New Flemish Alliance or N-VA [Bart DE WEVER]Social Progressive Alternative or SP.A [John CROMBEZ]Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) or VB [Tom VAN GRIEKEN]Francophone parties: Ecolo (Francophone Greens) [Jean-Marc NOLLET, Zakia KHATTABI]Francophone Federalist Democrats or Defi [Olivier MAINGAIN]Humanist and Democratic Center or CDH [Maxine PREVOT]People's Party or PP [Mischael MODRIKAMEN]Reform Movement or MR [Charles MICHEL]Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI RUPO]Workers' Party or PTB [Peter MERTENS]other minor parties

International organization participation: ADB (nonregional members), AfDB (nonregional members), Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Jean Arthur REGIBEAU (since 17 September 2020)
In the us chancery: 3,330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 333-6,900
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 333-3,079
In the us consulate: Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald GIDWITZ (since 4 July 2018)
From the us telephone: [32] (2) 811-4,000
From the us embassy: 27 Boulevard du Regent [Regentlaan], B-1000 Brussels
From the us mailing address: PSC 82, Box 002, APO AE 9,710
From the us FAX: [32] (2) 811-4,500

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red; the vertical design was based on the flag of France; the colors are those of the arms of the duchy of Brabant (yellow lion with red claws and tongue on a black field)

National symbols: golden rampant lion; national colors: red, black, yellow

National anthem
Name: La Brabanconne (The Song of Brabant)
Lyricsmusic: Louis-Alexandre DECHET[French] Victor CEULEMANS [Dutch]/Francois VAN CAMPENHOUT
Note: adopted 1830; according to legend, Louis-Alexandre DECHET, an actor at the theater in which the revolution against the Netherlands began, wrote the lyrics with a group of young people in a Brussels cafe

National heritage


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Economy overview

Real gdp purchasing power parity
Real:
Real note: data are in 2010 dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 157

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2010 dollars
Rank: 33

Gross national saving:
Rank: 65

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 51.2% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 23.4% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 23.3% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 1.3% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 85.1% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -84.4% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 0.7% (2017 est.)
Industry: 22.1% (2017 est.)
Services: 77.2% (2017 est.)

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

Industries: engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, transportation equipment, scientific instruments, processed food and beverages, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, base metals, textiles, glass, petroleum

Industrial production growth rate: 0.2% (2017 est.)
Rank: 168

Labor force: 4.122 million (2020 est.)
Rank: 88
By occupation agriculture: 1.3%
By occupation industry: 18.6%
By occupation services: 80.1% (2013 est.)

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 86

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 15.1% (2013 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 3.4%
Highest 10: 28.4% (2006)

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: 253.5 billion (2017 est.)
Expenditures: 258.6 billion (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 74

Taxes and other revenues: 51.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Rank: 15

Public debt:
Note: data cover general government debt and includes debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions; general government debt is defined by the Maastricht definition and calculated by the National Bank of Belgium as consolidated gross debt; the debt is defined in European Regulation EC479/2009 concerning the implementation of the protocol on the excessive deficit procedure annexed to the Treaty on European Union (Treaty of Maastricht) of 7 February 1992; the sub-sectors of consolidated gross debt are: federal government, communities and regions, local government, and social security funds
Rank: 13

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 84

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:
Rank: 41

Exports:
Rank: 18
Partners: Germany 16.6%, France 14.9%, Netherlands 12%, UK 8.4%, Italy 4.9%, US 4.8% (2017)
Commodities: chemicals, machinery and equipment, finished diamonds, metals and metal products, foodstuffs

Imports:
Rank: 17
Commodities: raw materials, machinery and equipment, chemicals, raw diamonds, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, transportation equipment, oil products
Partners: Netherlands 17.3%, Germany 13.8%, France 9.5%, US 7.1%, UK 4.9%, Ireland 4.2%, China 4.1% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 54

Debt external:
Rank: 15

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2020)
Production: 79.83 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Production rank: 37
Consumption: 82.16 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption rank: 36
Exports: 8.465 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Exports rank: 25
Imports: 14.65 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Imports rank: 15
Installed generating capacity: 21.56 million kW (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 41
Generation sources fossil fuels: 35% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 176
Generation sources nuclear: 28% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 2
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 146
Generation sources other renewable sources: 36% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 8

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 109
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 92
Crude oil imports: 687,600 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 16
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 106

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 731,700 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Products production rank: 25
Products consumption: 648,600 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Products consumption rank: 31
Products exports: 680,800 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Products exports rank: 12
Products imports: 601,400 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Products imports rank: 14

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Production rank: 102
Consumption: 17.61 billion m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption rank: 40
Exports: 736.2 million m³ (2017 est.)
Exports rank: 40
Imports: 18.09 billion m³ (2017 est.)
Imports rank: 17
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2014 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 109

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 134.7 million Mt (2017 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 35

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 3,967,054
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 34.06 (2019 est.)
Fixed lines rank: 34
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 11,616,970
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 99.74 (2019 est.)
Mobile cellular rank: 78

Telephone system

Broadcast media: a segmented market with the three major communities (Flemish, French, and German-speaking) each having responsibility for their own broadcast media; multiple TV channels exist for each community; additionally, in excess of 90% of households are connected to cable and can access broadcasts of TV stations from neighboring countries; each community has a public radio network coexisting with private broadcasters

Internet
Country code: .be
Users total: 10,258,638
Users percent of population: 88.66% (July 2018 est.)
Users rank: 51

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 4,502,950
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 39 (2018 est.)
Rank: 31


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Military expenditures:
Rank: 123

Military and security forces: Belgian Armed Forces: Land Component, Naval Component, Air Component, Medical Service (2019)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 1994 (2012)

Space program

Terrorist groups: Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (2020)
Note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in a title='Appendix-T' href='../appendix/appendix-t.html'>Appendix-T/a>


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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 7 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 117
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 13,639,487 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 1,285,340,000
Note: mt-km (2018)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: OO (2016)

Airports: 41 (2013)
Rank: 102
With paved runways total: 26 (2019)
With paved runways over 3047 m: 6
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 9
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 8
With unpaved runways total: 15 (2013)
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 15 (2013)

Heliports: 1 (2013)

Pipelines: 3,139 km gas, 154 km oil, 535 km refined products (2013)

Railways
Total: 3,592 km (2014)
Standard gauge: 3,592 km
Note: 1.435-m gauge (2,960 km electrified) (2014)
Rank: 55

Roadways
Total: 118,414 km (2015)
Paved: 118,414 km
Note: (includes 1747 km of expressways) (2015)
Rank: 41

Waterways: 2,043 km
Note: (1528 km in regular commercial use) (2012)
Rank: 41

Merchant marine
Total: 201
By type: bulk carrier 21general cargo 17, oil tanker 26, other 137 (2019)
Rank: 67

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Oostende, Zeebrugge
Container port: Antwerp (10,450,000) (2017)
LNG terminal: Zeebrugge
River port: Antwerp, Gent (Schelde River): Brussels (Senne River) Liege (Meuse River)


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees: 16,604 (Syria), 5,602 (Iraq), 5,070 (Afghanistan) (2019)
Stateless persons: 10,933 (2019)

Illicit drugs: growing producer of synthetic drugs and cannabis; 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; despite a strengthening of legislation, the country remains vulnerable to money laundering related to narcotics, automobiles, alcohol, and tobacco; significant domestic consumption of ecstasy