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Compare Belgium (2005) - Serbia and Montenegro (2004)

Compare Belgium (2005) z Serbia and Montenegro (2004)

 Belgium (2005)Serbia and Montenegro (2004)
 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


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
2 republics (republike, singular - republika); and 2 nominally autonomous provinces* (autonomn pokrajine, singular - autonomna pokrajina); Kosovo* (currently under UN administration pending resolution of its future status), Montenegro, Serbia, Vojvodina*
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: 18.3% (male 1,027,479; female 956,681)


15-64 years: 66.8% (male 3,602,959; female 3,627,616)


65 years and over: 14.9% (male 693,929; female 917,236) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk cereals, fruits, vegetables, tobacco, olives; cattle, sheep, goats
Airports 43 (2004 est.) 45 (2003 est.)
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: 19


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 5


1,524 to 2,437 m: 6


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 18


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 16 (2004 est.)
total: 25


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 10


under 914 m: 13 (2004 est.)
Area total: 30,528 sq km


land: 30,278 sq km


water: 250 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 each other as well as the invaders. The group headed by Marshal TITO took full control upon German expulsion in 1945. Although Communist, his new government and its successors (he died in 1980) managed to steer their 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, Macedonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina were recognized as independent states in 1992. The remaining republics of Serbia and Montenegro declared a new "Federal Republic of Yugoslavia" (FRY) in April 1992 and, under President Slobodan MILOSEVIC, Serbia led various military intervention efforts to unite ethnic Serbs in neighboring republics into a "Greater Serbia." All of these efforts were ultimately unsuccessful and led to Yugoslavia being ousted from the UN in 1992. In 1998-99, 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 a NATO-led force (KFOR), 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 from the UN was lifted, and it was once more accepted into UN organizations under the name of the Federal Republic 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, pending a determination by the international community of its future status. In 2002, the Serbian and Montenegrin 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. The Constitutional Charter of Serbia and Montenegro includes a provision that allows either republic to hold a referendum after three years that would allow for their independence from the state union.
Birth rate 10.48 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 12.13 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues: $173.7 billion


expenditures: $174.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.56 billion (2004 est.)
revenues: $8.668 billion


expenditures: $9.633 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 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 66.5 km 199 km
Constitution 7 February 1831; amended many times; revised 14 July 1993 to create a federal state 4 February 2003
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 i Crna Gora


local short form: none


former: Federal Republic of Yugoslavia


abbreviation: SCG
Currency - in Serbia the Serbian dinar (CSD) is legal tender, but the euro (EUR) is the de facto currency; in Montenegro and Kosovo the euro is legal tender. (2004)
Death rate 10.22 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 10.53 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external $28.3 billion (1999 est.) $14.01 billion (2003 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 Michael C. POLT


embassy: Kneza Milosa 50, 11000 Belgrade


mailing address: 5070 Belgrade Place, Washington, DC 20521-5070


telephone: [381] (11) 361-9344


FAX: [381] (11) 361-8230


consulate(s): Podgorica


note: there is a branch office in Pristina at 30 Nazim Hikmet 38000 Pristina, Kosovo; telephone: [381](38)549-516; FAX: [381](38)549-890
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 Ivan VUJACIC


chancery: 2134 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 332-0333


FAX: [1] (202) 332-3933


consulate(s) general: Chicago
Disputes - international none the future status of Kosovo remains an unresolved issue in South Central Europe with Kosovo Albanians overwhelmingly supporting and Serbian officials opposing Kosovo independence; the international community has agreed to begin a process to determine final status only after significant progress has been made in solidifying multi-ethnic democracy in Kosovo as outlined in the policy of "standards before status"; the Contact group (including the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Russia) will review progress on the UNMIK standard around mid-2005; ethnic Albanians in Kosovo resist demarcation of the F.Y.R.O.M. boundary in accordance with the 2000 delimitation treaty, which transfers on net a small amount of land to F.Y.R.O.M.; Serbia and Montenegro have delimited about half of the boundary with Bosnia and Herzegovina, but sections along the Drina River remain in dispute
Economic aid - donor ODA, $1.072 billion (2002) -
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 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. MILOSEVIC-era mismanagement of the economy, an extended period of economic sanctions, and the damage to Yugoslavia's infrastructure and industry during the NATO airstrikes in 1999 have left the economy only half the size it was in 1990. After the ousting of former Federal Yugoslav President MILOSEVIC in October 2000, the Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) coalition government 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 wrote off 66% of the debt. The smaller republic of Montenegro severed its economy from federal control and from Serbia during the MILOSEVIC era and continues to maintain its 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 largely autonomous under United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and is greatly dependent on the international community and the diaspora 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, legal uncertainty over property rights, and scarcity of foreign-investment are holding back Serbia and Montenegro's economy. Arrangements with the IMF, especially requirements for fiscal discipline, are an important element in policy formation. Severe unemployment remains a key political economic problem.
Electricity - consumption 78.82 billion kWh (2002) 32.37 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 9.1 billion kWh (2002) 446 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 16.7 billion kWh (2002) 3.33 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 76.58 billion kWh (2002) 31.71 billion kWh (2001)
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-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: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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 - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000) new Yugoslav dinars per US dollar - official rate: 65 (2002)
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 Svetozar MAROVIC (since 7 March 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Svetozar MAROVIC (since 7 March 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


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 2007)


election results: Svetozar MAROVIC elected president by the Parliament; vote was Svetozar MAROVIC 65, other 47
Exports 450,000 bbl/day (2001) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal products, foodstuffs manufactured goods, food and live animals, raw materials
Exports - partners Germany 19.9%, France 17.2%, Netherlands 11.8%, UK 8.6%, US 6.5%, Italy 5.2% (2004) Italy 31.6%, Germany 17.5%, Austria 6.2%, France 6%, Greece 5.4%, Slovenia 4.1%, Hungary 4% (2003)
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 - $23.89 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 1.3%


industry: 25.7%


services: 73% (2004 est.)
agriculture: 15.2%


industry: 28.2%


services: 56.5% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $30,600 (2004 est.) purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 2.6% (2004 est.) 1.5% (2003 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 (2004 est.) 4 (2003 est.)
Highways total: 149,028 km


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


unpaved: 32,488 km (2002)
total: 49,805 km


paved: 31,029 km (including 560 km of expressways)


unpaved: 18,776 km (2000)
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; despite a strengthening of legislation, the country remains vulnerable to money laundering related to narcotics, 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) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, transportation equipment, oil products machinery and transport equipment, fuels and lubricants, manufactured goods, chemicals, food and live animals, raw materials
Imports - partners Germany 18.4%, Netherlands 17%, France 12.5%, UK 6.8%, Ireland 6.3%, US 5.5% (2004) Germany 18.8%, Italy 16.3%, Austria 8.1%, Slovenia 6.6%, Hungary 5.8%, France 4.8%, Bulgaria 4.6%, Greece 4.4% (2003)
Independence 4 October 1830 (a provisional government declares independence from the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King Leopold I ascends to the throne) 27 April 1992 (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia or FRY - now Serbia and Montenegro - formed as self-proclaimed successor to the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia or SFRY)
Industrial production growth rate 3.5% (2004 est.) 1.7% (2002 est.)
Industries engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, transportation equipment, scientific instruments, processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum 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: 4.68 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 5.27 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 4.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
total: 13.43 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 15.04 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 11.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1.9% (2004 est.) 11.2% (2003 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 BSEC, CE, CEI, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
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 Government; candidacies have to be submitted by the High Justice Council) The Court of Serbia and Montenegro; judges are elected by the Serbia and Montenegro Parliament for six-year terms


note: since the promulgation of the 2003 Constitution, the Federal Court has constitutional and administrative functions; it has an equal number of judges from each republic
Labor force 4.75 million (2004 est.) 2.93 million (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 1.3%, industry 24.5%, services 74.2% (2003 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, Macedonia 221 km, Romania 476 km
Land use arable land: 23.28%


permanent crops: 0.4%


other: 76.32%


note: includes Luxembourg (2001)
arable land: 33.35%


permanent crops: 3.2%


other: 63.45% (2001)
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 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
unicameral Parliament (126 seats - 91 Serbian, 35 Montenegrin - filled by nominees of the two state parliaments for the first two years, after which the Constitutional Charter calls for direct elections


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


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Serbian parties: SRS 30, DSS 20, DS 13, G17 Plus 12, SPO-NS 8, SPS 8; Montenegrin parties: DPS 15, SNP 9, SDP 4, DSS 3, NS 2, LSCG 2
Life expectancy at birth total population: 78.62 years


male: 75.44 years


female: 81.94 years (2005 est.)
total population: 74.4 years


male: 71.9 years


female: 77.12 years (2004 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 territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: geographic coordinates define outer limit


continental shelf: median line with neighbors
NA
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)
-
Military branches Land, Naval, and Air Components (2005) Army (VJ) (including ground forces with border troops, naval forces, air and air defense forces)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $3.999 billion (2003) $654 million (2002)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.3% (2003) NA
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 2,718,234 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 2,184,937 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 81,245 (2004 est.)
National holiday 21 July (1831) ascension to the Throne of King Leopold I National Day, 27 April
Nationality noun: Belgian(s)


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


adjective: Serbian; Montenegrin
Natural hazards flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes destructive earthquakes
Natural resources construction materials, silica sand, carbonates oil, gas, coal, iron ore, bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, antimony, chromite, nickel, gold, silver, magnesium, pyrite, limestone, marble, salt, hydropower, arable land
Net migration rate 1.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) -1.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Pipelines gas 1,485 km; oil 158 km; refined products 535 km (2004) gas 3,177 km; oil 393 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
Democratic Party or DS [Boris TADIC]; Democratic Party of Serbia or DSS [Vojislav KOSTUNICA]; Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro or DPS [Milo DJUKANOVIC]; Democratic Serbian Party of Montenegro or DSS [Bozidar BOJOVIC]; G17 Plus [Miroljub LABUS]; New Serbia or NS [Velimir ILIC]; Liberal Party of Montenegro or LSCG [Miodrag ZIVKOVIC]; People's Party of Montenegro or NS [Dragan SOC]; Power of Serbia Movement or PSS [Bogoljub KARIC]; Serbian Radical Party or SRS [Tomislav NIKOLIC]; Serbian Renewal Movement or SPO [Vuk DRASKOVIC]; Serbian Socialist Party or SPS (former Communist Party and party of Slobodan MILOSEVIC) [Ivica DACIC, president of Main Board]; Social Democratic Party of Montenegro or SDP [Ranko KRIVOKAPIC]; Socialist People's Party of Montenegro or SNP [Predrag BULATOVIC]


note: the following political parties participate in elections and institutions only in Kosovo, which has been governed by the UN under UNSCR 1244 since 1999: Albanian Christian Democratic Party or PSHDK [Mark KRASNIQI]; Alliance for the Future of Kosovo or AAK [Ramush HARADINAJ]; Citizens' Initiative of Serbia or GIS [Slavisa PETKOVIC]; Democratic Ashkali Party of Kosovo or PDAK [Sabit RRAHMANI]; Democratic League of Kosovo or LDK [Ibrahim RUGOVA]; Democratic Party of Kosovo or PDK [Hashim THACI]; Justice Party of PD [Sylejman CERKEZI]; Kosovo Democratic Turkish Party of KDTP [Mahir YAGCILAR]; Liberal Party of Kosovo or PLK [Gjergj DEDAJ]; Ora [Veton SURROI]; New Democratic Initiative of Kosovo or IRDK [Bislim HOTI]; Party of Democratic Action or SDA [Numan BALIC]; Popular Movement of Kosovo or LPK [Emrush XHEMAJLI]; Prizren-Dragas Initiative or PDI [Ismajl KARADOLAMI]; Serb List for Kosovo and Metohija or SLKM [Oliver IVANOVIC]; United Roma Party of Kosovo or PREBK [Haxhi Zylfi MERXHA]; Vakat [leader NA]
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 Political Council for Presevo, Medvedja and Bujanovac or PCPMB [leader NA]; Group for Changes of Montenegro or GZP [Nebojsa MEDOJEVIC]
Population 10,364,388 (July 2005 est.) 10,825,900 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line 4% (1989 est.) 30% (1999 est.)
Population growth rate 0.15% (2005 est.) 0.03% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors Antwerp, Brussels, Gent, Liege, 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)
Railways total: 3,521 km


standard gauge: 3,521 km 1.435-m gauge (2,927 km electrified) (2004)
total: 4,380 km


standard gauge: 4,380 km 1.435-m gauge (1,445 km electrified) (2003)
Religions Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25% Orthodox 65%, Muslim 19%, Roman Catholic 4%, Protestant 1%, other 11%
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: 1.08 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female


total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 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: country code - 32; 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat
general assessment: NA


domestic: NA


international: country code - 381; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 5,120,400 (2002) 2,611,700 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular 8,135,500 (2002) 3,634,600 (2003)
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 1.64 children born/woman (2005 est.) 1.67 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate 12% (first half, 2004) 34.5% (2003 est.)
Waterways 2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use) (2003) 587 km


note: Danube River traffic delayed by pontoon bridge at Novi Sad; plan to replace by summer of 2005 (2004)
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