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Compare Belgium (2005) - Ethiopia (2008)

Compare Belgium (2005) z Ethiopia (2008)

 Belgium (2005)Ethiopia (2008)
 BelgiumEthiopia
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


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
9 ethnically-based states (kililoch, singular - kilil) and 2 self-governing administrations* (astedaderoch, singular - astedader); Adis Abeba* (Addis Ababa), Afar, Amara (Amhara), Binshangul Gumuz, Dire Dawa*, Gambela Hizboch (Gambela Peoples), Hareri Hizb (Harari People), Oromiya (Oromia), Sumale (Somali), Tigray, Ye Debub Biheroch Bihereseboch na Hizboch (Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples)
Age structure 0-14 years: 16.9% (male 892,995/female 855,177)


15-64 years: 65.7% (male 3,435,282/female 3,373,917)


65 years and over: 17.4% (male 745,178/female 1,061,839) (2005 est.)
0-14 years: 43.4% (male 16,657,155/female 16,553,812)


15-64 years: 53.8% (male 20,558,026/female 20,639,076)


65 years and over: 2.7% (male 953,832/female 1,149,986) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk cereals, pulses, coffee, oilseed, cotton, sugarcane, potatoes, qat, cut flowers; hides, cattle, sheep, goats; fish
Airports 43 (2004 est.) 84 (2007)
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 (2004 est.)
total: 15


over 3,047 m: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 5


1,524 to 2,437 m: 5


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 18


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 16 (2004 est.)
total: 69


over 3,047 m: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 5


1,524 to 2,437 m: 11


914 to 1,523 m: 29


under 914 m: 21 (2007)
Area total: 30,528 sq km


land: 30,278 sq km


water: 250 sq km
total: 1,127,127 sq km


land: 1,119,683 sq km


water: 7,444 sq km
Area - comparative about the size of Maryland slightly less than twice the size of Texas
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. Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian monarchy maintained its freedom from colonial rule with the exception of the 1936-41 Italian occupation during World War II. In 1974, a military junta, the Derg, deposed Emperor Haile SELASSIE (who had ruled since 1930) and established a socialist state. Torn by bloody coups, uprisings, wide-scale drought, and massive refugee problems, the regime was finally toppled in 1991 by a coalition of rebel forces, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). A constitution was adopted in 1994, and Ethiopia's first multiparty elections were held in 1995. A border war with Eritrea late in the 1990's ended with a peace treaty in December 2000. The Eritrea-Ethiopia Border Commission in November 2007 remotely demarcated the border by geographical coordinates, but final demarcation of the boundary on the ground is currently on hold due to Ethiopian objections to an international commission's finding requiring it to surrender territory considered sensitive to Ethiopia.
Birth rate 10.48 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 37.39 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $173.7 billion


expenditures: $174.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.56 billion (2004 est.)
revenues: $2.944 billion


expenditures: $3.683 billion (2007 est.)
Capital Brussels name: Addis Ababa


geographic coordinates: 9 02 N, 38 42 E


time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation
Coastline 66.5 km 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution 7 February 1831; amended many times; revised 14 July 1993 to create a federal state ratified 8 December 1994, effective 22 August 1995
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: Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia


conventional short form: Ethiopia


local long form: Ityop'iya Federalawi Demokrasiyawi Ripeblik


local short form: Ityop'iya


former: Abyssinia, Italian East Africa


abbreviation: FDRE
Death rate 10.22 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 14.67 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $28.3 billion (1999 est.) $3.793 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Tom C. KOROLOGOS


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 Donald Y. YAMAMOTO


embassy: Entoto Street, Addis Ababa


mailing address: P. O. Box 1014, Addis Ababa


telephone: [251] 11-517-40-00


FAX: [251] 11-517-40-01
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, Los Angeles, and New York
chief of mission: Ambassador Samuel ASSEFA


chancery: 3506 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 364-1200


FAX: [1] (202) 587-0195


consulate(s) general: Los Angeles


consulate(s): New York
Disputes - international none Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by the 2002 Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission's (EEBC) delimitation decision, but neither party responded to the revised line detailed in the November 2006 EEBC Demarcation Statement; UN Peacekeeping Mission to Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), which has monitored the 25-km-wide Temporary Security Zone in Eritrea since 2000, is extended for six months in 2007 despite Eritrean restrictions on its operations and reduced force of 17,000; the undemarcated former British administrative line has little meaning as a political separation to rival clans within Ethiopia's Ogaden and southern Somalia's Oromo region; Ethiopian forces invaded southern Somalia and routed Islamist Courts from Mogadishu in January 2007; "Somaliland" secessionists provide port facilities in Berbera and trade ties to landlocked Ethiopia; civil unrest in eastern Sudan has hampered efforts to demarcate the porous boundary with Ethiopia
Economic aid - donor ODA, $1.072 billion (2002) -
Economic aid - recipient - $1.6 billion (FY05/06)
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 nearly 100% of GDP. On the positive side, the government has succeeded in balancing its budget, and income distribution is relatively equal. Belgium began circulating the euro currency in January 2002. Economic growth in 2001-03 dropped sharply because of the global economic slowdown, with moderate recovery in 2004. Ethiopia's poverty-stricken economy is based on agriculture, accounting for almost half of GDP, 60% of exports, and 80% of total employment. The agricultural sector suffers from frequent drought and poor cultivation practices. Coffee is critical to the Ethiopian economy with exports of some $350 million in 2006, but historically low prices have seen many farmers switching to qat to supplement income. The war with Eritrea in 1998-2000 and recurrent drought have buffeted the economy, in particular coffee production. In November 2001, Ethiopia qualified for debt relief from the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative, and in December 2005 the IMF voted to forgive Ethiopia's debt to the body. Under Ethiopia's constitution, the state owns all land and provides long-term leases to the tenants; the system continues to hamper growth in the industrial sector as entrepreneurs are unable to use land as collateral for loans. Drought struck again late in 2002, leading to a 3.3% decline in GDP in 2003. Normal weather patterns helped agricultural and GDP growth recover in 2004-07.
Electricity - consumption 78.82 billion kWh (2002) 2.577 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 9.1 billion kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 16.7 billion kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 76.58 billion kWh (2002) 2.864 billion kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes lowest point: North Sea 0 m


highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m
lowest point: Denakil Depression -125 m


highest point: Ras Dejen 4,620 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 deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water shortages in some areas from water-intensive farming and poor management
Environment - international agreements party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, 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


signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection


signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea
Ethnic groups Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11% Oromo 32.1%, Amara 30.1%, Tigraway 6.2%, Somalie 5.9%, Guragie 4.3%, Sidama 3.5%, Welaita 2.4%, other 15.4% (1994 census)
Exchange rates euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000) birr per US dollar - 8.96 (2007), 8.69 (2006), 8.68 (2005), 8.6356 (2004), 8.5997 (2003)


note: since 24 October 2001 exchange rates are determined on a daily basis via interbank transactions regulated by the Central Bank
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 formally appointed by the monarch


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.A-Spirit
chief of state: President GIRMA Woldegiorgis (since 8 October 2001)


head of government: Prime Minister MELES Zenawi (since August 1995)


cabinet: Council of Ministers as provided for in the December 1994 constitution; ministers are selected by the prime minister and approved by the House of People's Representatives


elections: president elected by the House of People's Representatives for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 9 October 2007 (next to be held in October 2013); prime minister designated by the party in power following legislative elections


election results: GIRMA Woldegiorgis elected president; percent of vote by the House of People's Representatives - 79%
Exports 450,000 bbl/day (2001) 0 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal products, foodstuffs coffee, qat, gold, leather products, live animals, oilseeds
Exports - partners Germany 19.9%, France 17.2%, Netherlands 11.8%, UK 8.6%, US 6.5%, Italy 5.2% (2004) Germany 12.8%, China 10.6%, Japan 7.5%, US 6.8%, Saudi Arabia 5.9%, Djibouti 5.8%, Italy 5% (2006)
Fiscal year calendar year 8 July - 7 July
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 green (top), yellow, and red with a yellow pentagram and single yellow rays emanating from the angles between the points on a light blue disk centered on the three bands; Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa, and the three main colors of her flag were so often adopted by other African countries upon independence that they became known as the pan-African colors
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 1.3%


industry: 25.7%


services: 73% (2004 est.)
agriculture: 48.8%


industry: 12.9%


services: 38.3% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $30,600 (2004 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 2.6% (2004 est.) 9.8% (2007 est.)
Geographic coordinates 50 50 N, 4 00 E 8 00 N, 38 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 landlocked - entire coastline along the Red Sea was lost with the de jure independence of Eritrea on 24 May 1993; the Blue Nile, the chief headstream of the Nile by water volume, rises in T'ana Hayk (Lake Tana) in northwest Ethiopia; three major crops are believed to have originated in Ethiopia: coffee, grain sorghum, and castor bean
Heliports 1 (2004 est.) -
Highways total: 149,028 km


paved: 116,540 km (including 1,729 km of expressways)


unpaved: 32,488 km (2002)
-
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 3.2%


highest 10%: 23% (1996)
lowest 10%: 3.9%


highest 10%: 25.5% (2000)
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; despite a strengthening of legislation, the country remains vulnerable to money laundering related to narcotics, automobiles, alcohol, and tobacco transit hub for heroin originating in Southwest and Southeast Asia and destined for Europe, as well as cocaine destined for markets in southern Africa; cultivates qat (khat) for local use and regional export, principally to Djibouti and Somalia (legal in all three countries); the lack of a well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a money laundering center
Imports 1.042 million bbl/day (2001) 28,460 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, transportation equipment, oil products food and live animals, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, machinery, motor vehicles, cereals, textiles
Imports - partners Germany 18.4%, Netherlands 17%, France 12.5%, UK 6.8%, Ireland 6.3%, US 5.5% (2004) Saudi Arabia 18%, **COUNTRY** 11.4%, China 11.3%, India 8.1%, Italy 5.1%, Germany 4.1% (2006)
Independence 4 October 1830 (a provisional government declares independence from the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King Leopold I ascends to the throne) oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest in the world - at least 2,000 years
Industrial production growth rate 3.5% (2004 est.) 9% (2007 est.)
Industries engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, transportation equipment, scientific instruments, processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum food processing, beverages, textiles, leather, chemicals, metals processing, cement
Infant mortality rate total: 4.68 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 5.27 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 4.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
total: 91.92 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 101.57 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 81.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1.9% (2004 est.) 15.9% (2007 est.)
International organization participation ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, 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, MIGA, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Irrigated land 40 sq km (includes Luxembourg) (1998 est.) 2,900 sq km (2003)
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 Government; candidacies have to be submitted by the High Justice Council) Federal Supreme Court (the president and vice president of the Federal Supreme Court are recommended by the prime minister and appointed by the House of People's Representatives; for other federal judges, the prime minister submits to the House of People's Representatives for appointment candidates selected by the Federal Judicial Administrative Council)
Labor force 4.75 million (2004 est.) 27.27 million (1999)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 1.3%, industry 24.5%, services 74.2% (2003 est.) agriculture: 80%


industry: 8%


services: 12% (1985)
Land boundaries total: 1,385 km


border countries: France 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km, Netherlands 450 km
total: 5,328 km


border countries: Djibouti 349 km, Eritrea 912 km, Kenya 861 km, Somalia 1,600 km, Sudan 1,606 km
Land use arable land: 23.28%


permanent crops: 0.4%


other: 76.32%


note: includes Luxembourg (2001)
arable land: 10.01%


permanent crops: 0.65%


other: 89.34% (2005)
Languages Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French) Amarigna 32.7%, Oromigna 31.6%, Tigrigna 6.1%, Somaligna 6%, Guaragigna 3.5%, Sidamigna 3.5%, Hadiyigna 1.7%, other 14.8%, English (major foreign language taught in schools) (1994 census)
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; currently transitional mix of national and regional courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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 May 2003 (next to be held no later than 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
bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Federation (or upper chamber responsible for interpreting the constitution and federal-regional issues) (108 seats; members are chosen by state assemblies to serve five-year terms) and the House of People's Representatives (or lower chamber responsible for passing legislation) (547 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote from single-member districts to serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 15 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010)


election results: percent of vote - NA; seats by party - EPRDF 327, CUD 109, UEDF 52, SPDP 23, OFDM 11, BGPDUF 8, ANDP 8, independent 1, others 6, undeclared 2


note: some seats still remain vacant as detained opposition MPs did not take their seats, but those will be decided in the April 2008 byelection
Life expectancy at birth total population: 78.62 years


male: 75.44 years


female: 81.94 years (2005 est.)
total population: 49.23 years


male: 48.06 years


female: 50.44 years (2007 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: 42.7%


male: 50.3%


female: 35.1% (2003 est.)
Location Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands Eastern Africa, west of Somalia
Map references Europe Africa
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: geographic coordinates define outer limit


continental shelf: median line with neighbors
none (landlocked)
Merchant marine total: 53 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,146,301 GRT/1,588,184 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 15, cargo 2, chemical tanker 2, container 8, liquefied gas 17, petroleum tanker 9


foreign-owned: 12 (Denmark 4, France 4, Greece 4)


registered in other countries: 101 (2005)
total: 10 ships (1000 GRT or over) 120,383 GRT/152,418 DWT


by type: cargo 8, roll on/roll off 2 (2007)
Military branches Land, Naval, and Air Components (2005) Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF): Ground Forces, Ethiopian Air Force (ETAF) (2008)


note: Ethiopia is landlocked and has no navy; following the secession of Eritrea, Ethiopian naval facilities remained in Eritrean possession
Military expenditures - dollar figure $3.999 billion (2003) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.3% (2003) 3% (2006)
National holiday 21 July (1831) ascension to the Throne of King Leopold I National Day (defeat of MENGISTU regime), 28 May (1991)
Nationality noun: Belgian(s)


adjective: Belgian
noun: Ethiopian(s)


adjective: Ethiopian
Natural hazards flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts
Natural resources construction materials, silica sand, carbonates small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash, natural gas, hydropower
Net migration rate 1.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population


note: repatriation of Ethiopian refugees residing in Sudan is expected to continue for several years; some Sudanese, Somali, and Eritrean refugees, who fled to Ethiopia from the fighting or famine in their own countries, continue to return to their homes (2007 est.)
Pipelines gas 1,485 km; oil 158 km; refined products 535 km (2004) -
Political parties and leaders Flemish parties: Christian Democrats and Flemish or CD & V [Jo VANDEURZEN]; Flemish Liberal Democrats or VLD [Bart SOMERS]; GROEN! (formerly AGALEV, Flemish Greens) [Vera DUA]; New Flemish Alliance or NVA [Bart DE WEVER]; Socialist Party.Alternative or SP.A [Caroline GENNEZ]; Spirit [Geert LAMBERT] (new party now associated with SP.A); Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) or VB [Frank VANHECKE]


Francophone parties: Ecolo (Francophone Greens) [Jean-Michel JAVAUX, Evelyne HUYTEBROECK, Claude BROUIR]; Humanist and Democratic Center of CDH [Joelle MILQUET]; National Front or FN [Daniel FERET]; Reformist Movement or MR [Didier REYNDERS]; Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI RUPO]; other minor parties
Afar National Democratic Party or ANDP; Benishangul Gumuz People's Democratic Unity Front or BGPDUF [Mulualem BESSE]; Coalition for Unity and Democratic Party or CUDP [AYELE Chamisso] (awarded to AYELE 11 January 2008, but AYELE has virtually no support among former CUD MPs, other CUD MPs must now be affiliated with their original CUD-precursor parties); Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front or EPRDF [MELES Zenawi] (an alliance of Amhara National Democratic Movement or ANDM, Oromo People's Democratic Organization or OPDO, the South Ethiopian People's Democratic Front or SEPDF, and Tigrayan Peoples' Liberation Front or TPLF); Gurage Nationalities' Democratic Movement or GNDM; Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement or OFDM [BULCHA Demeksa]; Omoro People's Congress or OPC [IMERERA Gudina]; Somali People's Democratic Party or SPDP; United Ethiopian Democratic Forces or UEDF [BEYENE Petros]
Political pressure groups and leaders Christian, Socialist, and Liberal 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 Ethiopian People's Patriotic Front or EPPF; Ogaden National Liberation Front or ONLF; Oromo Liberation Front or OLF [DAOUD Ibsa]
Population 10,364,388 (July 2005 est.) 76,511,887


note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line 4% (1989 est.) 38.7% (FY05/06 est.)
Population growth rate 0.15% (2005 est.) 2.272% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors Antwerp, Brussels, Gent, Liege, Oostende, Zeebrugge -
Radio broadcast stations FM 79, AM 7, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 8, FM 0, shortwave 1 (2001)
Railways total: 3,521 km


standard gauge: 3,521 km 1.435-m gauge (2,927 km electrified) (2004)
total: 699 km (Ethiopian segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railroad)


narrow gauge: 699 km 1.000-m gauge


note: railway under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia but remains largely inoperable (2006)
Religions Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25% Christian 60.8% (Orthodox 50.6%, Protestant 10.2%), Muslim 32.8%, traditional 4.6%, other 1.8% (1994 census)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female


total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.006 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.996 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.829 male(s)/female


total population: 0.995 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal and compulsory 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: country code - 32; 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat
general assessment: inadequate telephone system; the number of fixed lines and mobile telephones is increasing from a very small base; combined fixed and mobile-cellular teledensity is only about 2 per 100 persons


domestic: open-wire; microwave radio relay; radio communication in the HF, VHF, and UHF frequencies; 2 domestic satellites provide the national trunk service


international: country code - 251; open-wire to Sudan and Djibouti; microwave radio relay to Kenya and Djibouti; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 5,120,400 (2002) 725,000 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular 8,135,500 (2002) 866,700 (2006)
Television broadcast stations 25 (plus 10 repeaters) (1997) 1 (plus 24 repeaters) (2001)
Terrain flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast high plateau with central mountain range divided by Great Rift Valley
Total fertility rate 1.64 children born/woman (2005 est.) 5.1 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 12% (first half, 2004) NA%
Waterways 2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use) (2003) -
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