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Compare Belgium (2005) - World (2001)

Compare Belgium (2005) z World (2001)

 Belgium (2005)World (2001)
 BelgiumWorld
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
267 nations, dependent areas, other, and miscellaneous entries
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:
29.6% (male 933,647,850; female 886,681,514)

15-64 years:
63.4% (male 1,975,418,386; female 1,931,021,694)

65 years and over:
7% (male 188,760,223; female 241,449,691) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk -
Airports 43 (2004 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.)
-
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 18


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 16 (2004 est.)
-
Area total: 30,528 sq km


land: 30,278 sq km


water: 250 sq km
total:
510.072 million sq km

land:
148.94 million sq km

water:
361.132 million sq km

note:
70.8% of the world's surface is water, 29.2% is land
Area - comparative about the size of Maryland land area about 16 times the size of the US
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. Globally, the 20th century was marked by: (a) two devastating world wars; (b) the Great Depression of the 1930s; (c) the end of vast colonial empires; (d) rapid advances in science and technology, from the first airplane flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina (US) to the landing on the moon; (e) the Cold War between the Western alliance and the Warsaw Pact nations; (f) a sharp rise in living standards in North America, Europe, and Japan; (g) increased concerns about the environment, including loss of forests, shortages of energy and water, the drop in biological diversity, and air pollution; (h) the onset of the AIDS epidemic; and (i) the ultimate emergence of the US as the only world superpower. The planet's population continues to explode: from 1 billion in 1820, to 2 billion in 1930, 3 billion in 1960, 4 billion in 1974, 5 billion in 1988, and 6 billion in 2000. For the 21st century, the continued exponential growth in science and technology raises both hopes (e.g., advances in medicine) and fears (e.g., development of even more lethal weapons of war).
Birth rate 10.48 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 21.37 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $173.7 billion


expenditures: $174.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.56 billion (2004 est.)
-
Capital Brussels -
Climate temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy two large areas of polar climates separated by two rather narrow temperate zones from a wide equatorial band of tropical to subtropical climates
Coastline 66.5 km 356,000 km
Constitution 7 February 1831; amended many times; revised 14 July 1993 to create a federal state -
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
-
Death rate 10.22 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 8.93 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $28.3 billion (1999 est.) $2 trillion for less developed countries (2000 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
-
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
-
Disputes - international none -
Economic aid - donor ODA, $1.072 billion (2002) -
Economic aid - recipient - traditional worldwide foreign aid $50 billion (1997 est.)
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. Growth in global output (gross world product, GWP) rose to 4.8% in 2000 from 3.5% in 1999, despite continued low growth in Japan, severe financial difficulties in other East Asian countries, and widespread dislocations in several transition economies. The US economy continued its remarkable sustained prosperity, growing at 5% in 2000, although growth slowed in fourth quarter 2000; the US accounted for 23% of GWP. The EU economies grew at 3.3% and produced 20% of GWP. China, the second largest economy in the world, continued its strong growth and accounted for 10% of GWP. Japan grew at only 1.3% in 2000; its share in GWP is 7%. As usual, the 15 successor nations of the USSR and the other old Warsaw Pact nations experienced widely different rates of growth. The developing nations also varied in their growth results, with many countries facing population increases that eat up gains in output. Externally, the nation-state, as a bedrock economic-political institution, is steadily losing control over international flows of people, goods, funds, and technology. Internally, the central government often finds its control over resources slipping as separatist regional movements - typically based on ethnicity - gain momentum, e.g., in many of the successor states of the former Soviet Union, in the former Yugoslavia, in India, and in Canada. In Western Europe, governments face the difficult political problem of channeling resources away from welfare programs in order to increase investment and strengthen incentives to seek employment. The addition of 80 million people each year to an already overcrowded globe is exacerbating the problems of pollution, desertification, underemployment, epidemics, and famine. Because of their own internal problems and priorities, the industrialized countries devote insufficient resources to deal effectively with the poorer areas of the world, which, at least from the economic point of view, are becoming further marginalized. Continued financial difficulties in East Asia, Russia, and many African nations, as well as the slowdown in US economic growth, cast a shadow over short-term global economic prospects; GWP probably will grow at 3-4% in 2001. The introduction of the euro as the common currency of much of Western Europe in January 1999, while paving the way for an integrated economic powerhouse, poses serious economic risks because of varying levels of income and cultural and political differences among the participating nations. (For specific economic developments in each country of the world in 2000, see the individual country entries.)
Electricity - consumption 78.82 billion kWh (2002) -
Electricity - exports 9.1 billion kWh (2002) -
Electricity - imports 16.7 billion kWh (2002) -
Electricity - production 76.58 billion kWh (2002) -
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel:
NA%

hydro:
NA%

nuclear:
NA%

other:
NA%
Elevation extremes lowest point: North Sea 0 m


highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m
lowest point:
Bentley Subglacial Trench -2,540 m

highest point:
Mount Everest 8,850 m (1999 est.)
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 large areas subject to overpopulation, industrial disasters, pollution (air, water, acid rain, toxic substances), loss of vegetation (overgrazing, deforestation, desertification), loss of wildlife, soil degradation, soil depletion, erosion
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
-
Ethnic groups Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11% -
Exchange rates euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000) -
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
-
Exports 450,000 bbl/day (2001) $6 trillion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Exports - commodities machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal products, foodstuffs the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods and services
Exports - partners Germany 19.9%, France 17.2%, Netherlands 11.8%, UK 8.6%, US 6.5%, Italy 5.2% (2004) in value, about 75% of exports from the developed countries
Fiscal 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 -
GDP - GWP (gross world product) - purchasing power parity - $43.6 trillion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 1.3%


industry: 25.7%


services: 73% (2004 est.)
agriculture:
4%

industry:
32%

services:
64% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $30,600 (2004 est.) purchasing power parity - $7,200 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 2.6% (2004 est.) 4.8% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 50 50 N, 4 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 -
Heliports 1 (2004 est.) -
Highways total: 149,028 km


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


unpaved: 32,488 km (2002)
total:
NA km

paved:
NA km

unpaved:
NA km
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 -
Imports 1.042 million bbl/day (2001) $6 trillion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, transportation equipment, oil products the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods and services
Imports - partners Germany 18.4%, Netherlands 17%, France 12.5%, UK 6.8%, Ireland 6.3%, US 5.5% (2004) in value, about 75% of imports by the developed countries
Independence 4 October 1830 (a provisional government declares independence from the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King Leopold I ascends to the throne) -
Industrial production growth rate 3.5% (2004 est.) 6% (2000 est.)
Industries engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, transportation equipment, scientific instruments, processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum dominated by the onrush of technology, especially in computers, robotics, telecommunications, and medicines and medical equipment; most of these advances take place in OECD nations; only a small portion of non-OECD countries have succeeded in rapidly adjusting to these technological forces; the accelerated development of new industrial (and agricultural) technology is complicating already grim environmental problems
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.)
52.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1.9% (2004 est.) all countries 25%; developed countries 1% to 3% typically; developing countries 5% to 60% typically (2000 est.)

note:
national inflation rates vary widely in individual cases, from stable prices in Japan to hyperinflation in a number of Third World countries
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 -
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 10,350 (2000 est.)
Irrigated land 40 sq km (includes Luxembourg) (1998 est.) 2,481,250 sq km (1993 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) -
Labor force 4.75 million (2004 est.) NA
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 1.3%, industry 24.5%, services 74.2% (2003 est.) agricultue 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
the land boundaries in the world total 251,480.24 km (not counting shared boundaries twice)
Land use arable land: 23.28%


permanent crops: 0.4%


other: 76.32%


note: includes Luxembourg (2001)
arable land:
10%

permanent crops:
1%

permanent pastures:
26%

forests and woodland:
32%

other:
31% (1993 est.)
Languages Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French) -
Legal system civil law system influenced by English constitutional theory; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations all members of the UN plus Switzerland are parties to the statute that established the International Court of Justice (ICJ) or World Court
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
-
Life expectancy at birth total population: 78.62 years


male: 75.44 years


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

male:
62.15 years

female:
65.51 years (2001 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 98%


male: NA%


female: NA%
-
Location Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands -
Map references Europe World, Time Zones
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: geographic coordinates define outer limit


continental shelf: median line with neighbors
contiguous zone:
24 NM claimed by most, but can vary

continental shelf:
200-m depth claimed by most or to depth of exploitation; others claim 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin

exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM claimed by most, but can vary

exclusive economic zone:
200 NM claimed by most, but can vary

territorial sea:
12 NM claimed by most, but can vary

note:
boundary situations with neighboring states prevent many countries from extending their fishing or economic zones to a full 200 NM; 43 nations and other areas that are landlocked include Afghanistan, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Czech Republic, Ethiopia, Holy See (Vatican City), Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malawi, Mali, Moldova, Mongolia, Nepal, Niger, Paraguay, Rwanda, San Marino, Slovakia, Swaziland, Switzerland, Tajikistan, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Uzbekistan, West Bank, Zambia, Zimbabwe
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) -
Military expenditures - dollar figure $3.999 billion (2003) aggregate real expenditure on arms worldwide in 1999 remained at approximately the 1998 level, about three-quarters of a trillion dollars (1999 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.3% (2003) roughly 2% of gross world product (1999 est.)
National holiday 21 July (1831) ascension to the Throne of King Leopold I -
Nationality noun: Belgian(s)


adjective: Belgian
-
Natural hazards flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes large areas subject to severe weather (tropical cyclones), natural disasters (earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions)
Natural resources construction materials, silica sand, carbonates the rapid using up of nonrenewable mineral resources, the depletion of forest areas and wetlands, the extinction of animal and plant species, and the deterioration in air and water quality (especially in Eastern Europe, the former USSR, and China) pose serious long-term problems that governments and peoples are only beginning to address
Net migration rate 1.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 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
-
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 -
Population 10,364,388 (July 2005 est.) 6,157,400,560 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line 4% (1989 est.) -
Population growth rate 0.15% (2005 est.) 1.25% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors Antwerp, Brussels, Gent, Liege, Oostende, Zeebrugge Chiba, Houston, Kawasaki, Kobe, Marseille, Mina' al Ahmadi (Kuwait), New Orleans, New York, Rotterdam, Yokohama
Radio broadcast stations FM 79, AM 7, shortwave 1 (1998) AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
Radios - NA
Railways total: 3,521 km


standard gauge: 3,521 km 1.435-m gauge (2,927 km electrified) (2004)
total:
1,201,337 km includes about 190,000 to 195,000 km of electrified routes of which 147,760 km are in Europe, 24,509 km in the Far East, 11,050 km in Africa, 4,223 km in South America, and 4,160 km in North America; note - fastest speed in daily service is 300 km/hr attained by France's Societe Nationale des Chemins-de-Fer Francais (SNCF) Le Train a Grande Vitesse (TGV) - Atlantique line

broad gauge:
251,153 km

standard gauge:
710,754 km

narrow gauge:
239,430 km
Religions Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25% -
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:
1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.05 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
1.05 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal and compulsory -
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:
NA
Telephones - main lines in use 5,120,400 (2002) NA
Telephones - mobile cellular 8,135,500 (2002) NA
Television broadcast stations 25 (plus 10 repeaters) (1997) NA
Terrain flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast the greatest ocean depth is the Mariana Trench at 10,924 m in the Pacific Ocean
Total fertility rate 1.64 children born/woman (2005 est.) 2.73 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 12% (first half, 2004) 30% combined unemployment and underemployment in many non-industrialized countries; developed countries typically 4%-12% unemployment (2000 est.)
Waterways 2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use) (2003) -
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