##ciekawa_strona##
Compare Belgium (2001) - Taiwan (2002)
Compare Belgium (2001) z Taiwan (2002)
| Belgium (2001) | Taiwan (2002) | |
 |  | |
| 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 | the central administrative divisions include the provinces of Fu-chien (some 20 offshore islands of Fujian Province including Quemoy and Matsu) and Taiwan (the island of Taiwan and the Pescadores islands); Taiwan is further subdivided into 16 counties (hsien, singular and plural), 5 municipalities* (shih, singular and plural), and 2 special municipalities** (chuan-shih, singular and plural); Chang-hua, Chia-i, Chia-i*, Chi-lung*, Hsin-chu, Hsin-chu*, Hua-lien, I-lan, Kao-hsiung, Kao-hsiung**, Miao-li, Nan-t'ou, P'eng-hu, P'ing-tung, T'ai-chung, T'ai-chung*, T'ai-nan, T'ai-nan*, T'ai-pei, T'ai-pei**, T'ai-tung, T'ao-yuan, and Yun-lin; the provincial capital is at Chung-hsing-hsin-ts'un
note: Taiwan uses the Wade-Giles system for romanization |
| 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.) |
0-14 years: 21% (male 2,464,290; female 2,268,627)
15-64 years: 70% (male 8,010,014; female 7,774,296) 65 years and over: 9% (male 1,053,975; female 976,807) (2002 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk | rice, corn, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef, milk; fish |
| Airports | 42 (2000 est.) | 39 (2001) |
| 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.) |
total: 37
over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 2 (2002) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
18 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 16 (2000 est.) |
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
| Area | total:
30,510 sq km land: 30,230 sq km water: 280 sq km |
total: 35,980 sq km
land: 32,260 sq km water: 3,720 sq km note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy |
| Area - comparative | about the size of Maryland | slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined |
| 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. | In 1895, military defeat forced China to cede Taiwan to Japan, however it reverted to Chinese control after World War II. Following the Communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 million Nationalists fled to Taiwan and established a government using the 1947 constitution drawn up for all of China. Over the next five decades, the ruling authorities gradually democratized and incorporated the native population within its governing structure. This culminated in 2000, when Taiwan underwent its first peaceful transfer of power from the Nationalist to the Democratic Progressive Party. Throughout this period, the island has prospered to become one of East Asia's economic "Tigers." The dominant political issues continue to be the relationship between Taiwan and China - specifically the question of eventual unification - as well as domestic political and economic reform. |
| Birth rate | 10.74 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 14.21 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Budget | revenues:
$114.8 billion expenditures: $117 billion, including capital expenditures of $7.6 billion (1999) |
revenues: $36 billion
expenditures: $36.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2002 est.) |
| Capital | Brussels | Taipei |
| Climate | temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy | tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year |
| Coastline | 66 km | 1,566.3 km |
| Constitution | 7 February 1831, last revised 14 July 1993; parliament approved a constitutional package creating a federal state | 1 January 1947, amended in 1992, 1994, 1997, and 1999 |
| 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 |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Taiwan local long form: none local short form: T'ai-wan former: Formosa |
| 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 |
new Taiwan dollar (TWD) |
| Death rate | 10.1 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 6.08 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Debt - external | $28.3 billion (1999 est.) | $40 billion (2000) |
| 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 |
none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people on Taiwan are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality - the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) - which has offices in the US and Taiwan; US office located at 1700 N. Moore St., Suite 1700, Arlington, VA 22209-1996, telephone: [1] (703) 525-8474, FAX: [1] (703) 841-1385); Taiwan offices located at #7 Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, Taipei, Taiwan, telephone: [886] (2) 2709-2000, FAX: [886] (2) 2702-7675; #2 Chung Cheng 3rd Road, 5th Floor, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, telephone: [886] (7) 224-0154 through 0157, FAX: [886] (7) 223-8237; and the American Trade Center, Room 3208 International Trade Building, Taipei World Trade Center, 333 Keelung Road Section 1, Taipei, Taiwan 10548, telephone: [886] (2) 2720-1550, FAX: [886] (2) 2757-7162 |
| 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 |
none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people of the US are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) in the US with headquarters in Taipei and field offices in Washington and 12 other US cities |
| Disputes - international | none | involved in complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; Paracel Islands occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam; claims Japanese-administered Senkaku-shoto (Senkaku Islands/Diaoyu Tai), as does China |
| Economic aid - donor | ODA, $764 million (1997) | - |
| 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. | Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with gradually decreasing guidance of investment and foreign trade by government authorities. In keeping with this trend, some large government-owned banks and industrial firms are being privatized. Real growth in GDP has averaged about 8% during the past three decades. Exports have provided the primary impetus for industrialization. The trade surplus is substantial, and foreign reserves are the world's third largest. Agriculture contributes 2% to GDP, down from 35% in 1952. Traditional labor-intensive industries are steadily being moved offshore and replaced with more capital- and technology-intensive industries. Taiwan has become a major investor in China, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Vietnam; 50,000 Taiwanese businesses are established in China. Because of its conservative financial approach and its entrepreneurial strengths, Taiwan suffered little compared with many of its neighbors from the Asian financial crisis in 1998-99. The global economic downturn, however, combined with poor policy coordination by the new administration and increasing bad debts in the banking system, pushed Taiwan into recession in 2001, the first whole year of negative growth since 1947. Unemployment also reached a level not seen since the 1970s oil crisis. |
| Electricity - consumption | 75.089 billion kWh (1999) | 139.3 billion kWh (2000) |
| Electricity - exports | 8.207 billion kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2000) |
| Electricity - imports | 9.055 billion kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2000) |
| Electricity - production | 79.829 billion kWh (1999) | 149.78 billion kWh (2000) |
| Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
40.01% hydro: 0.42% nuclear: 58.33% other: 1.24% (1999) |
fossil fuel: 69%
hydro: 6% nuclear: 25% other: 0% (2000) |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point:
North Sea 0 m highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m |
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Yu Shan 3,997 m |
| 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 | air pollution; water pollution from industrial emissions, raw sewage; contamination of drinking water supplies; trade in endangered species; low-level radioactive waste disposal |
| 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 |
party to: none of the selected agreements because of Taiwan's international status
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements because of Taiwan's international status |
| Ethnic groups | Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11% | Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, aborigine 2% |
| 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) | new Taiwan dollars per US dollar - 34.6 (2002), 34.49 (yearend 2001),, 33.08 (yearend 2000),, 31.4 (yearend 1999),, 32.22 (1998),, 32.05 (1997),, 27.5 (1996) |
| 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 |
chief of state: President Shui-bian CHEN (since 20 May 2000) and Vice President Annette Hsiu-lien LU (since 20 May 2000)
head of government: Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) Shyi-kun YU (since 1 February 2002) and Vice Premier (Vice President of the Executive Yuan) Hsin-yi LIN (since 1 February 2002) cabinet: Executive Yuan appointed by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 18 March 2000 (next to be held NA March 2004); premier appointed by the president; vice premiers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the premier election results: Shui-bian CHEN elected president; percent of vote - Shui-bian CHEN (DPP) 39.3%, James SOONG (independent) 36.84%, LIEN Chan (KMT) 23.1%, HSU Hsin-liang (independent) 0.63%, LEE Ao (CNP) 0.13% |
| Exports | $181.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000) | $122 billion f.o.b. (2001) |
| Exports - commodities | machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal products | machinery and electrical equipment 55%, metals, textiles, plastics, chemicals |
| Exports - partners | EU 76% (Germany 18%, France 18%, Netherlands 12%, UK 10%) (1999) | US 23.5%, Hong Kong 21.1%, Europe 16%, ASEAN 12.2%, Japan 11.2% (2000) |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 July - 30 June (up to FY98/99); 1 July 1999 - 31 December 2000 for FY00; calendar year (after FY00) |
| Flag description | three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red; the design was based on the flag of France | red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays |
| GDP | purchasing power parity - $259.2 billion (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $386 billion (2001 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
1.4% industry: 26% services: 72.6% (2000 est.) |
agriculture: 2%
industry: 32% services: 66% (2000 est.) |
| GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $25,300 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $17,200 (2001 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate | 4.1% (2000 est.) | -2.2% (2001 est.) |
| Geographic coordinates | 50 50 N, 4 00 E | 23 30 N, 121 00 E |
| 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 | strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the Luzon Strait |
| Heliports | 1 (2000 est.) | 3 (2002) |
| Highways | total:
145,774 km paved: 116,182 km (including 1,674 km of expressways) unpaved: 29,592 km (1999) |
total: 34,901 km
paved: 31,271 km (including 538 km of expressways) unpaved: 3,630 km (1998 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
3.7% highest 10%: 20.2% (1992) |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
| 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 | regional transit point for heroin and methamphetamine; major problem with domestic consumption of methamphetamine and heroin |
| Imports | $166 billion (c.i.f., 2000) | $109 billion f.o.b. (2001) |
| Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals and metal products | machinery and electrical equipment 50%, minerals, precision instruments |
| Imports - partners | EU 71% (Germany 18%, Netherlands 17%, France 14%, UK 9%) (1999) | Japan 27.5%, US 17.9%, Europe 13.6%, South Korea 6.4% (2000) |
| Independence | 21 July 1831 (from the Netherlands) | - |
| Industrial production growth rate | 5.5% (2000 est.) | -5% (2001 est.) |
| Industries | engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum, coal | electronics, petroleum refining, chemicals, textiles, iron and steel, machinery, cement, food processing |
| Infant mortality rate | 4.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.2% (2000 est.) | 0.5% (2001 est.) |
| 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 | APEC, AsDB, BCIE, ICC, ICFTU, IFRCS, IOC, WCL, WTrO |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 61 (2000) | 8 (2000) |
| Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA sq km |
| 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) | Judicial Yuan (justices appointed by the president with consent of the National Assembly; note - beginning in 2003, justices will be appointed by the president with consent of the Legislative Yuan) |
| Labor force | 4.34 million (1999) | 9.8 million (2001 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | services 73%, industry 25%, agriculture 2% (1999 est.) | services 56%, industry 36%, agriculture 8% (2001 est.) |
| Land boundaries | total:
1,385 km border countries: France 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km, Netherlands 450 km |
0 km |
| Land use | arable land:
24% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 20% forests and woodland: 21% other: 34% |
arable land: 24%
permanent crops: 1% other: 75% |
| Languages | Dutch 58%, French 32%, German 10%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French) | Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects |
| Legal system | civil law system influenced by English constitutional theory; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations | based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations |
| 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 |
unicameral Legislative Yuan (225 seats - 168 elected by popular vote, 41 elected on the basis of the proportion of islandwide votes received by participating political parties, eight elected from overseas Chinese constituencies on the basis of the proportion of islandwide votes received by participating political parties, eight elected by popular vote among the aboriginal populations; members serve three-year terms) and unicameral National Assembly (300 seat nonstanding body; delegates nominated by parties and elected by proportional representation within three months of a Legislative Yuan call to amend the Constitution, impeach the president, or change national borders)
elections: Legislative Yuan - last held 8 December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2004); note - the National Assembly is a nonstanding body and is called into session election results: Legislative Yuan - percent of vote by party - DPP 39%, KMT 30%, PFP 20%, TSU 6%, independents and other parties 5%; seats by party - DPP 87, KMT 68, PFP 46, TSU 13, independents and other parties 11 |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population:
77.96 years male: 74.63 years female: 81.46 years (2001 est.) |
total population: 76.74 years
male: 73.99 years female: 79.71 years (2002 est.) |
| Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: NA% female: NA% |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 86% (1980 est.) male: 93% (1980 est.) female: 79% (1980 est.) note: literacy for the total population has reportedly increased to 94% (1998 est.) |
| Location | Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands | Eastern Asia, islands bordering the East China Sea, Philippine Sea, South China Sea, and Taiwan Strait, north of the Philippines, off the southeastern coast of China |
| Map references | Europe | Southeast Asia |
| 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 |
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
| 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.) |
total: 152 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,262,451 GRT/6,596,950 DWT
ships by type: bulk 40, cargo 28, combination bulk 3, container 53, petroleum tanker 17, refrigerated cargo 9, roll on/roll off 2 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Hong Kong 3, Japan 1 (2002 est.) |
| Military branches | Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, Medical Service | Army, Navy (including Marine Corps), Air Force, Coast Guard Administration, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined Service Forces Command |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure | $2.5 billion (FY01) | $8,041.2 million (FY01) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.2% (FY99) | 2.8% (FY01) |
| Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
2,517,596 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49: 6,575,625 (2002 est.) |
| Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
2,079,624 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49: 5,018,882 (2002 est.) |
| Military manpower - military age | 19 years of age | 19 years of age (2002 est.) |
| Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males:
63,247 (2001 est.) |
males: 198,766 (2002 est.) |
| National holiday | Independence Day, 21 July (1831) | Republic Day (Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution), 10 October (1911) |
| Nationality | noun:
Belgian(s) adjective: Belgian |
noun: Chinese (singular and plural)
adjective: Chinese |
| Natural hazards | flooding is a threat in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes | earthquakes and typhoons |
| Natural resources | coal, natural gas | small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos |
| Net migration rate | 0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | -0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Pipelines | crude oil 161 km; petroleum products 1,167 km; natural gas 3,300 km | petroleum products 3,400 km; natural gas 1,800 km (1999) |
| 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 | Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [Frank Chang-ting HSIEH, chairman]; Kuomintang or KMT (Nationalist Party) [LIEN Chan, chairman]; People First Party or PFP [James Chu-yu SOONG, chairman]; Taiwan Solidarity Union or TSU [Chu-wen HUANG, chairman]; 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 | Taiwan independence movement, various business and environmental groups
note: debate on Taiwan independence has become acceptable within the mainstream of domestic politics on Taiwan; political liberalization and the increased representation of opposition parties in Taiwan's legislature have opened public debate on the island's national identity; a broad popular consensus has developed that Taiwan currently enjoys de facto independence and - whatever the ultimate outcome regarding reunification or independence - that Taiwan's people must have the deciding voice; advocates of Taiwan independence oppose the stand that the island will eventually unify with mainland China; goals of the Taiwan independence movement include establishing a sovereign nation on Taiwan and entering the UN; other organizations supporting Taiwan independence include the World United Formosans for Independence and the Organization for Taiwan Nation Building |
| Population | 10,258,762 (July 2001 est.) | 22,548,009 (July 2002 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | 4% | 1% (2000 est.) |
| Population growth rate | 0.16% (2001 est.) | 0.78% (2002 est.) |
| Ports and harbors | Antwerp (one of the world's busiest ports), Brugge, Gent, Hasselt, Liege, Mons, Namur, Oostende, Zeebrugge | Chi-lung (Keelung), Hua-lien, Kao-hsiung, Su-ao, T'ai-chung |
| Radio broadcast stations | FM 79, AM 7, shortwave 1 (1998) | AM 218, FM 333, shortwave 50 (1999) |
| Radios | 8.075 million (1997) | 16 million (1994) |
| Railways | total:
3,437 km (2,446 km electrified; 2,563 km double track) standard gauge: 3,437 km 1.435-m gauge (1998) |
total: 1,108 km
narrow gauge: 1,108 km 1.067-m gauge (519 km electrified) note: in addition to the above routes in common carrier service, there are several thousand kilometers of 1.067-m gauge routes that are dedicated to industrial use (2001) |
| Religions | Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25% | mixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5% |
| 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.) |
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.08 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory | 20 years of age; universal |
| 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 |
general assessment: provides telecommunications service for every business and private need
domestic: thoroughly modern; completely digitalized international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); submarine cables to Japan (Okinawa), Philippines, Guam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe (1999) |
| Telephones - main lines in use | 4.769 million (1997) | 12.49 million (September 2000) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 974,494 (1997) | 16 million (September 2000) |
| Television broadcast stations | 25 (plus 10 repeaters) (1997) | 29 (plus two repeaters) (1997) |
| Terrain | flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast | eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west |
| Total fertility rate | 1.61 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 1.76 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 8.4% (2000 est.) | 4.5% (2001 est.) |
| Waterways | 2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use) | NA |
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Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.