Compare Belgium (2003) - Guam (2002)

Compare Belgium (2003) z Guam (2002)

	Belgium (2003)	Guam (2002)

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	none (territory of the US)
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.)	0-14 years: 35.1% (male 29,706; female 26,813) 15-64 years: 58.6% (male 49,457; female 44,697) 65 years and over: 6.3% (male 5,070; female 5,053) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products	sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk	fruits, copra, vegetables; eggs, pork, poultry, beef
Airports	42 (2002)	5 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 25 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: 7 (2002)	total: 4 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 15 (2002)	total: 1 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Area	total: 30,510 sq km land: 30,230 sq km water: 280 sq km	total: 549 sq km land: 549 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	about the size of Maryland	three times the size of Washington, DC
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.	Guam was ceded to the US by Spain in 1898. Captured by the Japanese in 1941, it was retaken by the US three years later. The military installation on the island is one of the most strategically important US bases in the Pacific.
Birth rate	10.45 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)	24.09 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget	revenues: $113.4 billion expenditures: $106 billion, including capital expenditures of $7.17 billion (2000)	revenues: $420 million expenditures: $431 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Capital	Brussels	Hagatna (Agana)
Climate	temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy	tropical marine; generally warm and humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season from January to June, rainy season from July to December; little seasonal temperature variation
Coastline	66 km	125.5 km
Constitution	7 February 1831, last revised 14 July 1993; parliament approved a constitutional package creating a federal state	Organic Act of 1 August 1950
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: Territory of Guam conventional short form: Guam local long form: Guahan
Currency	euro (EUR) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries	US dollar (USD)
Death rate	10.07 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)	4.24 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external	$28.3 billion (1999 est.)	$NA
Dependency status	-	organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations between Guam and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen Franklin BRAUER embassy: Regentlaan 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 (territory of the US)
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Franciskus VAN DAELE 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 (territory of the US)
Disputes - international	none	none
Economic aid - donor	ODA, $764 million (1997)	-
Economic aid - recipient	-	Guam receives large transfer payments from the US Federal Treasury ($143 million in 1997) into which Guamanians pay no income or excise taxes; under the provisions of a special law of Congress, the Guam Treasury, rather than the US Treasury, receives federal income taxes paid by military and civilian Federal employees stationed in Guam
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.	The economy depends on US military spending, tourism, and the export of fish and handicrafts. Total US grants, wage payments, and procurement outlays amounted to $1 billion in 1998. Over the past 20 years, the tourist industry has grown rapidly, creating a construction boom for new hotels and the expansion of older ones. More than 1 million tourists visit Guam each year. The industry has recently suffered setbacks because of the continuing Japanese slowdown; the Japanese normally make up almost 90% of the tourists. Most food and industrial goods are imported. Guam faces the problem of building up the civilian economic sector to offset the impact of military downsizing.
Electricity - consumption	78.18 billion kWh (2001)	767.25 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports	6.712 billion kWh (2001)	0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports	15.82 billion kWh (2001)	0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production	74.28 billion kWh (2001)	825 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source	fossil fuel: 38.4% hydro: 0.6% nuclear: 59.3% other: 1.8% (2001)	fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: North Sea 0 m highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Lamlam 406 m
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	extirpation of native bird population by the rapid proliferation of the brown tree snake, an exotic, invasive species
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, 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 signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants	-
Ethnic groups	Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11%	Chamorro 37%, Filipino 26%, white 10%, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and other 27%
Exchange rates	euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94 (1999), 36.3 (1998)	the US dollar is used
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	chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001) head of government: Governor Felix P. P. CAMACHO (since 6 January 2003) and Lieutenant Governor Kaleo MOYLAN (since 6 January 2003) cabinet: executive departments; heads appointed by the governor with the consent of the Guam legislature elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for a four-year term; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year term; election last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2006) election results: Felix P. P. CAMACHO elected governor; percent of vote - Felix P. P. CAMACHO (Republican Party) 55.4%, Robert A. UNDERWOOD (Democratic Party) 44.6%
Exports	450,000 bbl/day (2001)	$75.7 million f.o.b. (1999 est.)
Exports - commodities	machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal products, foodstuffs	mostly transshipments of refined petroleum products; construction materials, fish, food and beverage products
Exports - partners	Germany 18.6%, France 16.3%, Netherlands 11.6%, UK 9.6%, US 7.9%, Italy 5.4% (2002)	US 25%
Fiscal year	calendar year	1 October - 30 September
Flag description	three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red; the design was based on the flag of France	territorial flag is dark blue with a narrow red border on all four sides; centered is a red-bordered, pointed, vertical ellipse containing a beach scene, outrigger canoe with sail, and a palm tree with the word GUAM superimposed in bold red letters; US flag is the national flag
GDP	purchasing power parity - $299.7 billion (2002 est.)	purchasing power parity - $3.2 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 1.3% industry: 24.4% services: 74.3% (2001)	agriculture: NA% industry: 15% (1993) services: NA% (1993)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $29,200 (2002 est.)	purchasing power parity - $21,000 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	0.7% (2002 est.)	NA%
Geographic coordinates	50 50 N, 4 00 E	13 28 N, 144 47 E
Geography - note	crossroads of Western Europe; majority of West European capitals within 1,000 km of Brussels, the seat of both the European Union and NATO	largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands archipelago; strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean
Heliports	1 (2002)	-
Highways	total: 148,216 km paved: 116,687 km (including 1,727 km of expressways) unpaved: 31,529 km (2000)	total: 885 km paved: 675 km unpaved: 210 km note: there are also 685 km of roads classified non-public, including roads located on federal government installations
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 23% (1996)	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; money laundering related to trafficking of drugs, automobiles, alcohol, and tobacco	-
Imports	1.042 million bbl/day (2001)	$203 million f.o.b. (1999 est.)
Imports - commodities	machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals and metal products, foodstuffs	petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods
Imports - partners	Germany 17.2%, Netherlands 15.6%, France 12.8%, UK 7.3%, Ireland 7%, US 6.4%, Italy 4% (2002)	US 23%, Japan 19%
Independence	4 October 1830 a provisional government declared independence from the Netherlands; 21 July 1831 the ascension of King Leopold I to the throne	none (territory of the US)
Industrial production growth rate	4.5% (2000 est.)	NA%
Industries	engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum, coal	US military, tourism, construction, transshipment services, concrete products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles
Infant mortality rate	total: 4.57 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.16 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)	6.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	1.7% (2002 est.)	0% (1999 est.)
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	ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	61 (2000)	20 (2000)
Irrigated land	40 sq km (includes Luxembourg) (1998 est.)	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, although selected by the Government)	Federal District Court (judge is appointed by the president); Territorial Superior Court (judges appointed for eight-year terms by the governor)
Labor force	4.44 million (2001)	60,000 (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	services 73%, industry 25%, agriculture 2% (1999 est.)	federal and territorial government 26%, private 74% (trade 24%, other services 40%, industry 10%) (2000 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: 25% permanent crops: 0% other: 75% note: includes Luxembourg (1998 est.)	arable land: 10.91% permanent crops: 10.91% other: 78.18% (1998 est.)
Languages	Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French)	English, Chamorro, Japanese
Legal system	civil law system influenced by English constitutional theory; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations	modeled on US; US federal laws apply
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 18 June 2003 (next to be held in NA May 2007) 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 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	unicameral Legislature (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms) elections: last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held 2 November 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Democratic Party 9, Republican Party 6 note: Guam elects one nonvoting delegate to the US House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held 5 November 2002); results - Robert UNDERWOOD was reelected as delegate; percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Democratic Party 1
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 78.29 years male: 74.97 years female: 81.78 years (2003 est.)	total population: 78.11 years male: 75.81 years female: 80.72 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: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1990 est.)
Location	Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands	Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines
Map references	Europe	Oceania
Maritime claims	continental shelf: median line with neighbors exclusive economic 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: 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.)	none (2002 est.)
Military - note	-	defense is the responsibility of the US
Military branches	Army, Navy, Air Components, Federal Police	-
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$3.077 billion (FY01/02)	-
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	1.4% (FY01/02)	-
Military manpower - availability	males age 15-49: 2,497,423 (2003 est.)	-
Military manpower - fit for military service	males age 15-49: 2,059,131 (2003 est.)	-
Military manpower - military age	19 years of age (2003 est.)	-
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	males: 60,921 (2003 est.)	-
National holiday	21 July (1831) ascension to the Throne of King Leopold I	Discovery Day, first Monday in March (1521)
Nationality	noun: Belgian(s) adjective: Belgian	noun: Guamanian(s) adjective: Guamanian
Natural hazards	flooding is a threat in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes	frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but potentially very destructive typhoons (June - December)
Natural resources	coal, natural gas	fishing (largely undeveloped), tourism (especially from Japan)
Net migration rate	0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines	gas 1,485 km; oil 158 km; refined products 535 km (2003)	-
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	Democratic Party (party of Governor GUTIERREZ) [leader NA]; Republican Party (controls the legislature) [leader NA]
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	NA
Population	10,289,088 (July 2003 est.)	160,796 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line	4%	23% (2001 est.)
Population growth rate	0.14% (2003 est.)	1.99% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors	Antwerp (one of the world's busiest ports), Brugge, Gent, Hasselt, Liege, Mons, Namur, Oostende, Zeebrugge	Apra Harbor
Radio broadcast stations	FM 79, AM 7, shortwave 1 (1998)	AM 4, FM 7, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios	-	221,000 (1997)
Railways	total: 3,471 km standard gauge: 3,471 km 1.435-m gauge (2,631 km electrified) (2002)	0 km
Religions	Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25%	Roman Catholic 85%, other 15% (1999 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 (2003 est.)	at birth: 1.14 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal and compulsory	18 years of age; universal; US citizens, but do not vote in US presidential elections
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: modern system, integrated with US facilities for direct dialing, including free use of 800 numbers domestic: modern digital system, including cellular mobile service and local access to the Internet international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); submarine cables to US and Japan (Guam is a trans-Pacific communications hub for MCI, Sprint, AT&T, IT&E, and GTE, linking the US and Asia)
Telephones - main lines in use	4.769 million (1997)	84,134 (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular	974,494 (1997)	55,000 (1998)
Television broadcast stations	25 (plus 10 repeaters) (1997)	5 (1997)
Terrain	flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast	volcanic origin, surrounded by coral reefs; relatively flat coralline limestone plateau (source of most fresh water), with steep coastal cliffs and narrow coastal plains in north, low hills in center, mountains in south
Total fertility rate	1.62 children born/woman (2003 est.)	3.73 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate	7.2% (2002 est.)	15% (2000 est.)
Waterways	1,570 km (route length in regular commercial use) (2001)	none

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