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Compare Belgium (2005) - Malaysia (2003)

Compare Belgium (2005) z Malaysia (2003)

 Belgium (2005)Malaysia (2003)
 BelgiumMalaysia
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
13 states (negeri-negeri, singular - negeri) and 3 federal territories* (wilayah-wilayah persekutuan, singular - wilayah persekutuan); Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Labuan*, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau Pinang, Putrajaya*, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Terengganu, Wilayah Persekutuan*


note: the city of Kuala Lumpur is within the federal territory of Wilayah Persekutuan; the terms therefore are not interchangeable;
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: 33.7% (male 4,001,507; female 3,777,896)


15-64 years: 61.9% (male 7,163,252; female 7,131,745)


65 years and over: 4.4% (male 447,230; female 571,310) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk Peninsular Malaysia - rubber, palm oil, cocoa, rice; Sabah - subsistence crops, rubber, timber, coconuts, rice; Sarawak - rubber, pepper; timber
Airports 43 (2004 est.) 114 (2002)
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: 35


over 3,047 m: 5


2,438 to 3,047 m: 5


1,524 to 2,437 m: 11


914 to 1,523 m: 7


under 914 m: 7 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 18


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 16 (2004 est.)
total: 79


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 6


under 914 m: 72 (2002)
Area total: 30,528 sq km


land: 30,278 sq km


water: 250 sq km
total: 329,750 sq km


land: 328,550 sq km


water: 1,200 sq km
Area - comparative about the size of Maryland slightly larger than New Mexico
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. Malaysia was formed in 1963 through a federation of the former British colonies of Malaya and Singapore, including the East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak on the northern coast of Borneo. The first several years of the country's history were marred by Indonesian efforts to control Malaysia, Philippine claims to Sabah, and Singapore's secession from the federation in 1965.
Birth rate 10.48 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 23.7 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues: $173.7 billion


expenditures: $174.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.56 billion (2004 est.)
revenues: $20.3 billion


expenditures: $27.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $9.4 billion (2001 est.)
Capital Brussels Kuala Lumpur
Climate temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons
Coastline 66.5 km 4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia 2,607 km)
Constitution 7 February 1831; amended many times; revised 14 July 1993 to create a federal state 31 August 1957, amended 16 September 1963
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: Malaysia


former: Federation of Malaysia
Currency - ringgit (MYR)
Death rate 10.22 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 5.12 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $28.3 billion (1999 est.) $47.5 billion (2002 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 Marie T. HUHTALA


embassy: 376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur


mailing address: P. O. Box No. 10035, 50700 Kuala Lumpur; American Embassy Kuala Lumpur, APO AP 96535-8152


telephone: [60] (3) 2168-5000


FAX: [60] (3) 2142-2207
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 GHAZZALI bin Sheikh Abdul Khalid


chancery: 3516 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 572-9700


FAX: [1] (202) 572-9882


consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
Disputes - international none involved in complex dispute over Spratly Islands with China, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam and possibly Brunei; claimants in November 2002 signed the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea," a mechanism to ease tension but which fell short of a legally binding "code of conduct"; disputes over deliveries of fresh water to Singapore, Singapore's land reclamation on Johor, maritime boundaries, and Singapore-occupied Pedra Branca Island/Pulau Batu Putih persist - parties agree to ICJ arbitration on island dispute within three years; ICJ awarded Ligitan and Sipadan islands off the coast of Sabah, also claimed by Indonesia and Philippines, to Malaysia; a small section of the Malaysia-Thailand boundary in the Kolok River remains in dispute
Economic aid - donor ODA, $1.072 billion (2002) -
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. Malaysia, a middle-income country, transformed itself from 1971 through the late 1990s from a producer of raw materials into an emerging multi-sector economy. Growth was almost exclusively driven by exports - particularly of electronics - and, as a result Malaysia was hard hit by the global economic downturn and the slump in the Information Technology (IT) sector in 2001. GDP in 2001 grew only 0.5% due to an estimated 11% contraction in exports, but a substantial fiscal stimulus package mitigated the worst of the recession and the economy rebounded in 2002. Healthy foreign exchange reserves and relatively small external debt make it unlikely that Malaysia will experience a crisis similar to the one in 1997, but the economy remains vulnerable to a more protracted slowdown in Japan and the US, top export destinations and key sources of foreign investment.
Electricity - consumption 78.82 billion kWh (2002) 63.48 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 9.1 billion kWh (2002) 75 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 16.7 billion kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 76.58 billion kWh (2002) 68.34 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 89.5%


hydro: 10.5%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: North Sea 0 m


highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: Gunung Kinabalu 4,100 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 air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation; smoke/haze from Indonesian forest fires
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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Ethnic groups Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11% Malay and other indigenous 58%, Chinese 24%, Indian 8%, others 10% (2000)
Exchange rates euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000) ringgits per US dollar - 3.8 (2002), 3.8 (2001), 3.8 (2000), 3.8 (1999), 3.92 (1998)
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: Paramount Ruler Tuanku SYED SIRAJUDDIN ibni Almarhum Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail, the Raja of Perlis (since 12 December 2001)


head of government: Prime Minister ABDULLAH bin Ahmad Badawi (since 31 October 2003); Deputy Prime Minister NA (since 31 October 2003)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the members of Parliament with consent of the paramount ruler


elections: paramount ruler elected by and from the hereditary rulers of nine of the states for five-year terms; election last held 12 December 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); prime minister designated from among the members of the House of Representatives; following legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins a plurality of seats in the House of Representatives becomes prime minister


election results: Tuanku SYED SIRAJUDDIN ibni Almarhum Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail elected paramount ruler
Exports 450,000 bbl/day (2001) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal products, foodstuffs electronic equipment, petroleum and liquefied natural gas, wood and wood products, palm oil, rubber, textiles, chemicals (2000)
Exports - partners Germany 19.9%, France 17.2%, Netherlands 11.8%, UK 8.6%, US 6.5%, Italy 5.2% (2004) US 21%, Singapore 17.4%, Japan 10.9%, China 6.5%, Hong Kong 5%, Thailand 4% (2002)
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 14 equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with white (bottom); there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a yellow crescent and a yellow fourteen-pointed star; the crescent and the star are traditional symbols of Islam; the design was based on the flag of the US
GDP - purchasing power parity - $198.4 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 1.3%


industry: 25.7%


services: 73% (2004 est.)
agriculture: 12%


industry: 40%


services: 48% (2001)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $30,600 (2004 est.) purchasing power parity - $8,800 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 2.6% (2004 est.) 4.1% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 50 50 N, 4 00 E 2 30 N, 112 30 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 strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China Sea
Heliports 1 (2004 est.) 1 (2002)
Highways total: 149,028 km


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


unpaved: 32,488 km (2002)
total: 65,877 km


paved: 49,935 km (including 1,192 km of expressways)


unpaved: 15,942 km (1999)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 3.2%


highest 10%: 23% (1996)
lowest 10%: 1.7%


highest 10%: 38.4% (1997 est.)
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 point for some illicit drugs; drug trafficking prosecuted vigorously and carries severe penalties
Imports 1.042 million bbl/day (2001) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, transportation equipment, oil products electronics, machinery, petroleum products, plastics, vehicles, iron and steel products, chemicals (2000)
Imports - partners Germany 18.4%, Netherlands 17%, France 12.5%, UK 6.8%, Ireland 6.3%, US 5.5% (2004) Japan 16.9%, Singapore 15.9%, US 15.5%, China 7.3%, South Korea 5%, Taiwan 4.7% (2002)
Independence 4 October 1830 (a provisional government declares independence from the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King Leopold I ascends to the throne) 31 August 1957 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 3.5% (2004 est.) 5% (2002 est.)
Industries engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, transportation equipment, scientific instruments, processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum Peninsular Malaysia - rubber and oil palm processing and manufacturing, light manufacturing industry, electronics, tin mining and smelting, logging and processing timber; Sabah - logging, petroleum production; Sarawak - agriculture processing, petroleum production and refining, logging
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: 19 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 21.97 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 15.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1.9% (2004 est.) 1.9% (2002 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 APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMISET, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 7 (2000)
Irrigated land 40 sq km (includes Luxembourg) (1998 est.) 3,650 sq km (1998 est.)
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 Court (judges appointed by the paramount ruler on the advice of the prime minister)
Labor force 4.75 million (2004 est.) 9.9 million (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 1.3%, industry 24.5%, services 74.2% (2003 est.) local trade and tourism 28%, manufacturing 27%, agriculture, forestry, and fisheries 16%, services 10%, government 10%, construction 9% (2000 est.)
Land boundaries total: 1,385 km


border countries: France 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km, Netherlands 450 km
total: 2,669 km


border countries: Brunei 381 km, Indonesia 1,782 km, Thailand 506 km
Land use arable land: 23.28%


permanent crops: 0.4%


other: 76.32%


note: includes Luxembourg (2001)
arable land: 5.54%


permanent crops: 17.61%


other: 76.85% (1998 est.)
Languages Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French) Bahasa Melayu (official), English, Chinese dialects (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai; note - in addition, in East Malaysia several indigenous languages are spoken, the largest are Iban and Kadazan
Legal system civil law system influenced by English constitutional theory; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court at request of supreme head of the federation; 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 or Parlimen consists of the Senate or Dewan Negara (69 seats; 43 appointed by the paramount ruler, 26 appointed by the state legislatures) and the House of Representatives or Dewan Rakyat (193 seats; members elected by popular vote weighted toward the rural Malay population to serve five-year terms)


elections: House of Representatives - last held 29 November 1999 (next must be held by November 2004)


election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - BN 56%, other 44%; seats by party - BN 148, PAS 27, DAP 10, Keadilan 5, PBS 3
Life expectancy at birth total population: 78.62 years


male: 75.44 years


female: 81.94 years (2005 est.)
total population: 71.67 years


male: 69.01 years


female: 74.51 years (2003 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: 88.9%


male: 92.4%


female: 85.4% (2003 est.)
Location Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands Southeastern Asia, peninsula and northern one-third of the island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia and the South China Sea, south of Vietnam
Map references Europe Southeast Asia
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: geographic coordinates define outer limit


continental shelf: median line with neighbors
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation; specified boundary in the South China Sea


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
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: 366 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,111,476 GRT/7,242,323 DWT


ships by type: bulk 62, cargo 103, chemical tanker 37, container 69, liquefied gas 23, livestock carrier 1, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 55, roll on/roll off 5, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 8


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Australia 1, China 1, Germany 2, Hong Kong 15, Indonesia 3, Japan 4, Monaco 1, Philippines 2, Singapore 78, South Korea 2, Vietnam 1 (2002 est.)
Military branches Land, Naval, and Air Components (2005) Malaysian Army, Royal Malaysian Navy, Royal Malaysian Air Force, Royal Malaysian Police Field Force, Marine Police, Sarawak Border Scouts
Military expenditures - dollar figure $3.999 billion (2003) $1.69 billion (FY00 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.3% (2003) 2.03% (FY00)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 6,067,155 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 3,672,517 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 21 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 218,216 (2003 est.)
National holiday 21 July (1831) ascension to the Throne of King Leopold I Independence Day/Malaysia Day, 31 August (1957)
Nationality noun: Belgian(s)


adjective: Belgian
noun: Malaysian(s)


adjective: Malaysian
Natural hazards flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes flooding, landslides, forest fires
Natural resources construction materials, silica sand, carbonates tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite
Net migration rate 1.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population


note: does not reflect net flow of an unknown number of illegal immigrants from other countries in the region (2003 est.)
Pipelines gas 1,485 km; oil 158 km; refined products 535 km (2004) condensate 279 km; gas 5,047 km; oil 1,841 km; refined products 114 km (2003)
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
ruling coalition parties: Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia Party or PGRM [LIM Kheng Yaik]; Liberal Democratic Party (Parti Liberal Demokratik - Sabah) or LDP [CHONG Kah Kiat]; Malaysian Chinese Association (Persatuan China Malaysia) or MCA [LING Ong Ka Ting]; Malaysian Indian Congress (Kongresi India Malaysia) or MIC [S. Samy VELLU]; Parti Bangsa Dayak Sarawak or PBDS [Leo MOGGIE]; Parti Bersatu Sabah or PBS [Joseph PAIRIN Kitingan]; Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu or PBB [Patinggi Haji Abdul TAIB Mahmud]; Sabah Progressive Party (Parti Progresif Sabah) or SAPP [YONG Teck Lee]; Sarawak United People's Party (Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sarawak) or SUPP [WONG Soon Kah]; United Malays National Organization or UMNO [ABDULLAH Ahmad Badawi]; United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organization (Pertubuhan Pasko Momogun Kadazan Dusun Bersatu) or UPKO [leader NA]; opposition parties: Democratic Action Party (Parti Tindakan Demokratik) or DAP [KERK Kim Hock]; Islamic Party of Malaysia (Parti Islam se Malaysia) or PAS [Abdul HADI Awang]; National Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Nasional) or Keadilan [WAN AZIZAH Wan Ismael]; National Front (Barisan Nasional) or BN (the ruling coalition dominated by the UMNO and includes MCA, MIC, PGRM, PBDS, SUPP, PBB, PBS, LDP, SAPP, UPKO) [ABDULLAH Ahmad Badawi]
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 NA
Population 10,364,388 (July 2005 est.) 23,092,940 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line 4% (1989 est.) 8% (1998 est.)
Population growth rate 0.15% (2005 est.) 1.86% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors Antwerp, Brussels, Gent, Liege, Oostende, Zeebrugge Bintulu, Kota Kinabalu, Kuantan, Kuching, Kudat, Labuan, Lahad Datu, Lumut, Miri, Pasir Gudang, George Town (Penang), Port Dickson, Port Kelang, Sandakan, Sibu, Tanjung Berhala, Tanjung Kidurong, Tawau
Radio broadcast stations FM 79, AM 7, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 35, FM 391, shortwave 15 (2001)
Railways total: 3,521 km


standard gauge: 3,521 km 1.435-m gauge (2,927 km electrified) (2004)
total: 2,418 km


standard gauge: 57 km 1.435-m gauge


narrow gauge: 2,361 km 1.000-m gauge (150 km electrified) (2002)
Religions Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25% Muslim, Buddhist, Daoist, Hindu, Christian, Sikh; note - in addition, Shamanism is practiced in East Malaysia
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: 1.07 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female


total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal and compulsory 21 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: modern system; international service excellent


domestic: good intercity service provided on Peninsular Malaysia mainly by microwave radio relay; adequate intercity microwave radio relay network between Sabah and Sarawak via Brunei; domestic satellite system with 2 earth stations


international: submarine cables to India, Hong Kong, and Singapore; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) (2001)
Telephones - main lines in use 5,120,400 (2002) 4.6 million (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular 8,135,500 (2002) 5 million (2000)
Television broadcast stations 25 (plus 10 repeaters) (1997) 1 (plus 15 high-power repeaters) (2001)
Terrain flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast coastal plains rising to hills and mountains
Total fertility rate 1.64 children born/woman (2005 est.) 3.13 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate 12% (first half, 2004) 3.8% (2002 est.)
Waterways 2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use) (2003) 7,296 km


note: Peninsular Malaysia 3,209 km, Sabah 1,569 km, Sarawak 2,518 km
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