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Compare Belgium (2003) - Serbia and Montenegro (2002)

Compare Belgium (2003) z Serbia and Montenegro (2002)

 Belgium (2003)Serbia and Montenegro (2002)
 BelgiumSerbia and Montenegro
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 2 republics (republike, singular - republika); and 2 nominally autonomous provinces* (autonomn pokrajine, singular - autonomna pokrajina); Kosovo*, Montenegro, Serbia, Vojvodina*
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: 19.6% (male 1,077,581; female 1,005,379)


15-64 years: 65.3% (male 3,415,929; female 3,546,410)


65 years and over: 15.1% (male 690,014; female 921,616) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk cereals, fruits, vegetables, tobacco, olives; cattle, sheep, goats
Airports 42 (2002) 46 (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: 19 19


over 3,047 m: 2 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 5


1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 6


914 to 1,523 m: 2 2


under 914 m: 4 4 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 17


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 15 (2002)
total: 26 27


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 12


under 914 m: 2 13 (2002)
Area total: 30,510 sq km


land: 30,230 sq km


water: 280 sq km
total: 102,350 sq km


land: 102,136 sq km


water: 214 sq km
Area - comparative about the size of Maryland slightly smaller than Kentucky
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. The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes was formed in 1918; its name was changed to Yugoslavia in 1929. Occupation by Nazi Germany in 1941 was resisted by various paramilitary bands that fought themselves as well as the invaders. The group headed by Marshal TITO took full control upon German expulsion in 1945. Although Communist, his new government successfully steered its own path between the Warsaw Pact nations and the West for the next four and a half decades. In the early 1990s, post-TITO Yugoslavia began to unravel along ethnic lines: Slovenia, Croatia, and The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia all declared their independence in 1991; Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1992. The remaining republics of Serbia and Montenegro declared a new "Federal Republic of Yugoslavia" (FRY) in 1992 and, under President Slobodan MILOSEVIC, Serbia led various military intervention efforts to unite Serbs in neighboring republics into a "Greater Serbia." All of these efforts were ultimately unsuccessful. In 1999, massive expulsions by FRY forces and Serb paramilitaries of ethnic Albanians living in Kosovo provoked an international response, including the NATO bombing of Serbia and the stationing of NATO and Russian peacekeepers in Kosovo. Federal elections in the fall of 2000, brought about the ouster of MILOSEVIC and installed Vojislav KOSTUNICA as president. The arrest of MILOSEVIC in 2001 allowed for his subsequent transfer to the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in the Hague to be tried for crimes against humanity. In 2001, the country's suspension was lifted, and it was once more accepted into UN organizations under the name of Yugoslavia. Kosovo has been governed by the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) since June 1999, under the authority of UN Security Council Resolution 1244. In 2002, the Serbian and Montenegran components of Yugoslavia began negotiations to forge a looser relationship. These talks became a reality in February 2003 when lawmakers restructured the country into a loose federation of two republics called Serbia and Montenegro. An agreement was also reached to hold a referendum in each republic in three years on full independence.
Birth rate 10.45 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 12.8 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $113.4 billion


expenditures: $106 billion, including capital expenditures of $7.17 billion (2000)
revenues: $3.9 billion


expenditures: $4.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
Capital Brussels Belgrade
Climate temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy in the north, continental climate (cold winters and hot, humid summers with well distributed rainfall); central portion, continental and Mediterranean climate; to the south, Adriatic climate along the coast, hot, dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall inland
Coastline 66 km 199 km
Constitution 7 February 1831, last revised 14 July 1993; parliament approved a constitutional package creating a federal state 27 April 1992
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: Serbia and Montenegro


conventional short form: none


local long form: Srbija-Crna Gora


local short form: none
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
new Yugoslav dinar (YUM); note - in Montenegro the euro is legal tender; in Kosovo both the euro and the Yugoslav dinar are legal (2002)
Death rate 10.07 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 10.59 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $28.3 billion (1999 est.) $9.2 billion (2001 est.)
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
chief of mission: Ambassador William D. MONTGOMERY


embassy: Kneza Milosa 50, 11000 Belgrade


telephone: [381] (11) 361-9344


FAX: [381] (11) 646-031


branch office: Pristina
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
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Ivan ZIVKOVIC


chancery: 2134 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 462-6566
Disputes - international none Serbia and Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina have delimited about half of their boundary, but several segments, particularly along the meandering Drina River, remain in dispute; The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (F.Y.R.O.M.)-Yugoslavia (now Serbia and Montenegro) signed and ratified a boundary agreement, which adjusts the former republic boundaries, with demarcation to commence in 2002; ethnic Albanians in Kosovo dispute authority of the agreement which cedes small tracts of Kosovo to F.Y.R.O.M.; Croatia and Serbia and Montenegro continue to discuss disputed Prevlaka Peninsula and control over the Gulf of Kotor despite imminent UN intention to withdraw UNMOP observer mission
Economic aid - donor ODA, $764 million (1997) -
Economic aid - recipient - $2 billion pledged in 2001 (disbursements to follow for several years)
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. MILOSEVIC-era mismanagement of the economy, an extended period of economic sanctions, and the damage to Yugoslavia's infrastructure and industry during the war in Kosovo has left the economy only half the size it was in 1990. Since the ousting of former Federal Yugoslav President MILOSEVIC in October 2000, the Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) coalition government has implemented stabilization measures and embarked on an aggressive market reform program. After renewing its membership in the IMF in December 2000, Yugoslavia continued to reintegrate into the international community by rejoining the World Bank (IBRD) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). A World Bank-European Commission sponsored Donors' Conference held in June 2001 raised $1.3 billion for economic restructuring. An agreement rescheduling the country's $4.5 billion Paris Club government debts was concluded in November 2001; it will write off 66% of the debt and provide a basis for Belgrade to seek similar debt relief on its $2.8 billion London Club commercial debt. The smaller republic of Montenegro severed its economy from federal control and from Serbia during the MILOSEVIC era and continues to maintain it's own central bank, uses the euro instead of the Yugoslav dinar as official currency, collects customs tariffs, and manages its own budget. Kosovo, while technically still part of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (now Serbia and Montenegro) according to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244, is moving toward local autonomy under United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and is dependent on the international community for financial and technical assistance. The euro and the Yugoslav dinar are official currencies, and UNMIK collects taxes and manages the budget. The complexity of Serbia and Montenegro political relationships, slow progress in privatization, and stagnation in the European economy are holding back the economy; nonetheless, growth may be 4.5% in 2003.
Electricity - consumption 78.18 billion kWh (2001) 31.546 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 6.712 billion kWh (2001) 43 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 15.82 billion kWh (2001) 914 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 74.28 billion kWh (2001) 32.984 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 38.4%


hydro: 0.6%


nuclear: 59.3%


other: 1.8% (2001)
fossil fuel: 59%


hydro: 41%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point: North Sea 0 m


highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m


highest point: Daravica 2,656 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 pollution of coastal waters from sewage outlets, especially in tourist-related areas such as Kotor; air pollution around Belgrade and other industrial cities; water pollution from industrial wastes dumped into the Sava which flows into the Danube
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
party to: Air Pollution, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity
Ethnic groups Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11% Serb 62.6%, Albanian 16.5%, Montenegrin 5%, Hungarian 3.3%, other 12.6% (1991)
Exchange rates euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94 (1999), 36.3 (1998) new Yugoslav dinars per US dollar - official rate: 65 (January 2002), 10.0 (December 1998), 5.85 (December 1997), 5.02 (September 1996); black market rate: 14.5 (December 1998), 8.9 (December 1997)
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 Svetozar MAROVIC (since 7 March 2003)


head of government: Prime Minister Dragisa PESIC (since 24 July 2001); Deputy Prime Minister Miroljub LABUS (since 25 January 2001)


cabinet: Federal Ministries act as Cabinet


elections: president elected by the Parliament for a four-year term; election last held 7 March 2003 (next to be held NA 2007); prime minister appointed by the president


election results: Svetozar MAROVIC elected president by the Parliament; percent of vote - Svetozar MAROVIC NA%
Exports 450,000 bbl/day (2001) $2.2 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal products, foodstuffs manufactured goods, food and live animals, raw materials
Exports - partners Germany 18.6%, France 16.3%, Netherlands 11.6%, UK 9.6%, US 7.9%, Italy 5.4% (2002) Italy 16.4%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 13.1%, Germany 12.1%, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 9.2% (2001)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red; the design was based on the flag of France three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and red
GDP purchasing power parity - $299.7 billion (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $25.3 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 1.3%


industry: 24.4%


services: 74.3% (2001)
agriculture: 26%


industry: 36%


services: 38% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $29,200 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $2,370 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 0.7% (2002 est.) 3.5% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 50 50 N, 4 00 E 44 00 N, 21 00 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 controls one of the major land routes from Western Europe to Turkey and the Near East; strategic location along the Adriatic coast
Heliports 1 (2002) 4 (2002)
Highways total: 148,216 km


paved: 116,687 km (including 1,727 km of expressways)


unpaved: 31,529 km (2000)
total: 48,603 km


paved: 28,822 km (including 560 km of expressways)


unpaved: 19,781 km


note: because of the 1999 Kosovo conflict, many road bridges were destroyed; since the end of the conflict in June 1999, there has been an intensive program to either rebuild bridges or build by-pass routes (1999)
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 transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin moving to Western Europe on the Balkan route; economy vulnerable to money laundering
Imports 1.042 million bbl/day (2001) $5.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals and metal products, foodstuffs machinery and transport equipment, fuels and lubricants, manufactured goods, chemicals, food and live animals, raw materials
Imports - partners Germany 17.2%, Netherlands 15.6%, France 12.8%, UK 7.3%, Ireland 7%, US 6.4%, Italy 4% (2002) Russia 14.2%, Germany 12.2%, Italy 10.3%, Greece 4.5% (2001)
Independence 4 October 1830 a provisional government declared independence from the Netherlands; 21 July 1831 the ascension of King Leopold I to the throne 27 April 1992 (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia or FRY formed as self-proclaimed successor to the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia or SFRY)
Industrial production growth rate 4.5% (2000 est.) 1.8% (2002 est.)
Industries engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum, coal machine building (aircraft, trucks, and automobiles; tanks and weapons; electrical equipment; agricultural machinery); metallurgy (steel, aluminum, copper, lead, zinc, chromium, antimony, bismuth, cadmium); mining (coal, bauxite, nonferrous ore, iron ore, limestone); consumer goods (textiles, footwear, foodstuffs, appliances); electronics, petroleum products, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals
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.)
17.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1.7% (2002 est.) 18% (2002 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 ABEDA, BIS, CCC, CE (guest), CEI, EBRD, FAO, G- 9, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 61 (2000) 9 (2000)
Irrigated land 40 sq km (includes Luxembourg) (1998 est.) 570 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 Court or Savezni Sud; Constitutional Court; judges for both courts are elected by the Federal Assembly for nine-year terms


note: after the promulgation of the new Constitution, the Federal Court will have constitutional and administrative functions; it will have an equal number of judges from each republic
Labor force 4.44 million (2001) 3 million (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation services 73%, industry 25%, agriculture 2% (1999 est.) agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%
Land boundaries total: 1,385 km


border countries: France 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km, Netherlands 450 km
total: 2,246 km


border countries: Albania 287 km, Bosnia and Herzegovina 527 km, Bulgaria 318 km, Croatia (north) 241 km, Croatia (south) 25 km, Hungary 151 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 221 km, Romania 476 km
Land use arable land: 25%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 75%


note: includes Luxembourg (1998 est.)
arable land: 36.34%


permanent crops: 3.44%


other: 60.22% (1998 est.)
Languages Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French) Serbian 95%, Albanian 5%
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
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 Parliament (126 seats - 91 Serbian, 35 Montenegrin - filled by nominees of the two state parliaments for the first two years, after which the president will call for public elections


elections: last held 25 February 2003 (next to be held NA 2005)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - DOS 37, DLECG 19, DSS 17, ZP 14, SPS 12, SRS 8, SDP 5, SSJ 5, other 9
Life expectancy at birth total population: 78.29 years


male: 74.97 years


female: 81.78 years (2003 est.)
total population: 73.72 years


male: 70.78 years


female: 76.89 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: 93%


male: 97.2%


female: 88.9% (1991)
Location Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina
Map references Europe Europe
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
NA
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.)
total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,437 GRT/400 DWT


ships by type: short-sea passenger 1 (2002 est.)
Military branches Army, Navy, Air Components, Federal Police Army (VJ) (including ground forces with border troops, naval forces, air and air defense forces)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $3.077 billion (FY01/02) $654 million (2002)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.4% (FY01/02) NA%
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 2,497,423 (2003 est.) males age 15-49: 2,589,437 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 2,059,131 (2003 est.) males age 15-49: 2,082,322 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age 19 years of age (2003 est.) 19 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 60,921 (2003 est.) males: 82,542 (2002 est.)
National holiday 21 July (1831) ascension to the Throne of King Leopold I Republic Day, 29 November
Nationality noun: Belgian(s)


adjective: Belgian
noun: Serb(s); Montenegrin(s)


adjective: Serbian; Montenegrin
Natural hazards flooding is a threat in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes destructive earthquakes
Natural resources coal, natural gas oil, gas, coal, antimony, copper, lead, zinc, nickel, gold, pyrite, chrome, hydropower, arable land
Net migration rate 0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) -3.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines gas 1,485 km; oil 158 km; refined products 535 km (2003) crude oil 415 km; petroleum products 130 km; natural gas 2,110 km
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 Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians or SVM [Jozsef KASZA]; Democratic League of Kosovo or LDK [Dr. Ibrahim RUGOVA, president]; Democratic List for European Montenegro or DLECG [leader NA]; Democratic Opposition of Serbia or DOS (a coalition of many small parties including DSS) [leader NA]; Democratic Party or DS [Zoran DJINDJIC]; Democratic Party of Serbia or DSS [Vojislav KOSTUNICA]; Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro or DPS [Milo DJUKANOVIC]; Party of Serb Unity or SSJ [Borislav PELEVIC]; Serbian Radical Party or SRS [Tomislav NIKOLIC]; Serbian Socialist Party or SPS (former Communist Party and party of Slobodan MILOSEVIC) [Zoran ANDJELKOVIC, general secretary]; Social Dmocratic Party or SDP [Rasim LJAJIC]; Together for Changes or ZP [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 Alliance for the Future of Kosovo or AAK [Ramush HARADINAJ]; Democratic League of Kosovo or LDK [Ibrahim RUGOVA]; Democratic Party of Kosovo or PDK [Hashim THACI]; Group of 17 Independent Economists or G-17 [leader NA]; National Movement for the Liberation of Kosovo or LKCK [Sabit GASHI]; Otpor Student Resistance Movement [leader NA]; Political Council for Presevo, Meveda and Bujanovac or PCPMB [leader NA]; The People's Movement for Kosovo or LPK [Emrush XHEMAJLI]
Population 10,289,088 (July 2003 est.) 10,656,929


note: all data dealing with population is subject to considerable error because of the dislocations caused by military action and ethnic cleansing (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line 4% 30%
Population growth rate 0.14% (2003 est.) -0.12% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors Antwerp (one of the world's busiest ports), Brugge, Gent, Hasselt, Liege, Mons, Namur, Oostende, Zeebrugge Bar, Belgrade, Kotor, Novi Sad, Pancevo, Tivat, Zelenika
Radio broadcast stations FM 79, AM 7, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 113, FM 194, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios - 3.15 million (1997)
Railways total: 3,471 km


standard gauge: 3,471 km 1.435-m gauge (2,631 km electrified) (2002)
total: 4,059 km


standard gauge: 4,059 km 1.435-m gauge (1,377 km electrified)


note: during the 1999 Kosovo conflict, the Serbian rail system suffered significant damage due to bridge destruction; many rail bridges have been rebuilt; Montenegrin rail lines remain intact (2001)
Religions Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25% Orthodox 65%, Muslim 19%, Roman Catholic 4%, Protestant 1%, other 11%
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: 1.08 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female


total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal and compulsory 16 years of age, if employed; 18 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: NA


domestic: NA


international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 4.769 million (1997) 2.017 million (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular 974,494 (1997) 87,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations 25 (plus 10 repeaters) (1997) more than 771 (including 86 strong stations and 685 low-power stations, plus 20 repeaters in the principal networks; also numerous local or private stations in Serbia and Vojvodina) (1997)
Terrain flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast extremely varied; to the north, rich fertile plains; to the east, limestone ranges and basins; to the southeast, ancient mountains and hills; to the southwest, extremely high shoreline with no islands off the coast
Total fertility rate 1.62 children born/woman (2003 est.) 1.78 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 7.2% (2002 est.) 28% (2002 est.)
Waterways 1,570 km (route length in regular commercial use) (2001) 587 km


note: the Danube River, central Europe's connection with the Black Sea, runs through Serbia; since early 2000, a pontoon bridge, replacing a destroyed conventional bridge, has obstructed river traffic at Novi Sad; the obstruction is bypassed by a canal system, the inadequate lock size of which limits the size of vessels which may pass; the pontoon bridge can be opened for large ships but has slowed river traffic (2001)
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