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Compare Belgium (2008) - Swaziland (2006)
Compare Belgium (2008) z Swaziland (2006)
| Belgium (2008) | Swaziland (2006) | |
 |  | |
| Administrative divisions | 10 provinces (French: provinces, singular - province; Dutch: provincies, singular - provincie) and 3 regions* (French: regions; Dutch: gewesten); Brussels* (Bruxelles) capital region; Flanders* region (five provinces): Antwerpen (Antwerp), Limburg, Oost-Vlaanderen (East Flanders), Vlaams-Brabant (Flemish Brabant), West-Vlaanderen (West Flanders); Wallonia* region (five provinces): Brabant Wallon (Walloon Brabant), Hainaut, Liege, Luxembourg, Namur
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 |
4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 16.5% (male 873,130/female 836,785)
15-64 years: 66.1% (male 3,467,044/female 3,406,030) 65 years and over: 17.4% (male 746,969/female 1,062,268) (2007 est.) |
0-14 years: 40.7% (male 233,169/female 229,103)
15-64 years: 55.8% (male 303,260/female 330,460) 65 years and over: 3.6% (male 16,071/female 24,271) (2006 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk | sugarcane, cotton, corn, tobacco, rice, citrus, pineapples, sorghum, peanuts; cattle, goats, sheep |
| Airports | 43 (2007) | 18 (2006) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 27
over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 9 (2007) |
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2006) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 16
914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 15 (2007) |
total: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 10 (2006) |
| Area | total: 30,528 sq km
land: 30,278 sq km water: 250 sq km |
total: 17,363 sq km
land: 17,203 sq km water: 160 sq km |
| Area - comparative | about the size of Maryland | slightly smaller than New Jersey |
| Background | Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830; it was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. The country 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. | Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted in 1968. Student and labor unrest during the 1990s pressured the monarchy (one of the oldest on the continent) to grudgingly allow political reform and greater democracy. Swaziland recently surpassed Botswana as the country with the world's highest known rates of HIV/AIDS infection. |
| Birth rate | 10.29 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 27.41 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
| Budget | revenues: $217 billion
expenditures: $217.4 billion (2007 est.) |
revenues: $805.6 million
expenditures: $957.1 million; including capital expenditures of $147 million (2005 est.) |
| Capital | name: Brussels
geographic coordinates: 50 50 N, 4 20 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October |
name: Mbabane
geographic coordinates: 26 18 S, 31 06 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: Lobamba (royal and legislative capital) |
| Climate | temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy | varies from tropical to near temperate |
| Coastline | 66.5 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
| Constitution | 7 February 1831; amended many times; revised 14 July 1993 to create a federal state | the first constitution was signed into law in July 2005 and is scheduled to be implemented in January 2006 |
| 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: Kingdom of Swaziland
conventional short form: Swaziland local long form: Umbuso weSwatini local short form: eSwatini |
| Death rate | 10.32 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 29.74 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
| Debt - external | $1.313 trillion (30 June 2007) | $357 million (2003 est.) |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Sam FOX
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 Lewis LUCKE
embassy: Central Bank Building, Mahlokahla Street, Mbabane mailing address: P. O. Box 199, Mbabane telephone: [268] 404-6441 through 404-6445 FAX: [268] 404-5959 |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Dominique STRUYE DE SWIELANDE
chancery: 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-6900 FAX: [1] (202) 338-4960 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York consulate(s): Atlanta |
chief of mission: Ambassador Ephraim Mandla HLOPHE
chancery: 1712 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 234-5002 FAX: [1] (202) 234-8254 |
| Disputes - international | none | none |
| Economic aid - donor | ODA, $1.072 billion (2002) | - |
| Economic aid - recipient | - | $104 million (2001) |
| 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 more than 85% 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 2004-07. Economic growth and foreign direct investment are expected to slow down in 2008, due to credit tightening, falling consumer and business confidence, and above average inflation. However, with the successful negotiation of the 2008 budget and devolution of power within the government, political tensions seem to be easing and could lead to an improvement in the economic outlook for 2008. | In this small, landlocked economy, subsistence agriculture occupies more than 80% of the population. The manufacturing sector has diversified since the mid-1980s. Sugar and wood pulp remain important foreign exchange earners. Mining has declined in importance in recent years with only coal and quarry stone mines remaining active. Surrounded by South Africa, except for a short border with Mozambique, Swaziland is heavily dependent on South Africa from which it receives about nine-tenths of its imports and to which it sends nearly two-thirds of its exports. Customs duties from the Southern African Customs Union and worker remittances from South Africa substantially supplement domestically earned income. The government is trying to improve the atmosphere for foreign investment. Overgrazing, soil depletion, drought, and sometimes floods persist as problems for the future. More than one-fourth of the population needed emergency food aid in 2004-05 because of drought, and nearly two-fifths of the adult population has been infected by HIV/AIDS. |
| Electricity - consumption | 82.99 billion kWh (2005) | 1.161 billion kWh (2003) |
| Electricity - exports | 8.024 billion kWh (2005) | 0 kWh (2004) |
| Electricity - imports | 14.33 billion kWh (2005) | 821.4 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2004) |
| Electricity - production | 80.84 billion kWh (2005) | 392 million kWh (2003) |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: North Sea 0 m
highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m |
lowest point: Great Usutu River 21 m
highest point: Emlembe 1,862 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 | limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil degradation; soil erosion |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, 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, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
| Ethnic groups | Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11% | African 97%, European 3% |
| Exchange rates | euros per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003) | emalangeni per US dollar - 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002), 8.6092 (2001) |
| 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); note - is head of an interim government until the end of March when it is hoped a new government will be formed cabinet: Council of Ministers are formally appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary and constitutional; 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 formation talks have been prolonged, but the current interim goverment consists of French and Flemish Christian Democrats or CD&V and CDh, Liberals or Open VLD and MR, and French Socialists or PS |
chief of state: King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986)
head of government: Prime Minister Absolom Themba DLAMINI (since 14 November 2003) cabinet: Cabinet recommended by the prime minister and confirmed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch |
| Exports | 523,400 bbl/day (2004) | NA bbl/day |
| Exports - commodities | machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal products, foodstuffs | soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, cotton yarn, refrigerators, citrus and canned fruit |
| Exports - partners | Germany 19.7%, France 16.9%, Netherlands 12%, UK 7.9%, US 6.2%, Italy 5.2% (2006) | South Africa 59.7%, EU 8.8%, US 8.8%, Mozambique 6.2% (2004) |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 April - 31 March |
| Flag description | three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red
note: the design was based on the flag of France |
three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue; the red band is edged in yellow; centered in the red band is a large black and white shield covering two spears and a staff decorated with feather tassels, all placed horizontally |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 1%
industry: 24.4% services: 74.6% (2007 est.) |
agriculture: 11.9%
industry: 51.5% services: 36.6% (2005 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate | 2.7% (2007 est.) | 1.8% (2005 est.) |
| Geographic coordinates | 50 50 N, 4 00 E | 26 30 S, 31 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 | landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa |
| Heliports | 1 (2007) | - |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 3.4%
highest 10%: 28.1% (2000) |
lowest 10%: 1%
highest 10%: 50.2% (1995) |
| Illicit drugs | growing producer of synthetic drugs and cannabis; 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; significant domestic consumption of ecstasy | - |
| Imports | 1.109 million bbl/day (2004) | NA bbl/day |
| Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, transportation equipment, oil products | motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals |
| Imports - partners | Netherlands 18.3%, Germany 17.3%, France 11.2%, UK 6.6%, Ireland 5.7%, US 5.4% (2006) | South Africa 95.6%, EU 0.9%, Japan 0.9%, Singapore 0.3% (2004) |
| Independence | 4 October 1830 (a provisional government declared independence from the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King LEOPOLD I ascended to the throne) | 6 September 1968 (from UK) |
| Industrial production growth rate | 3% (2007 est.) | 3.7% (FY95/96) |
| Industries | engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, transportation equipment, scientific instruments, processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum | mining (coal, raw asbestos), wood pulp, sugar, soft drink concentrates, textile and apparel |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 4.56 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.13 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
total: 71.85 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 75.25 deaths/1,000 live births female: 68.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1.7% (2007 est.) | 4% (2005 est.) |
| International organization participation | ACCT, ADB (nonregional members), AfDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI (observer), UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC | ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO |
| Irrigated land | 400 sq km (2003) | 500 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) | High Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are appointed by the monarch |
| Labor force | 5.03 million (2007 est.) | 155,700 (2003) |
| 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: 535 km
border countries: Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km |
| Land use | arable land: 27.42%
permanent crops: 0.69% other: 71.89% note: includes Luxembourg (2005) |
arable land: 10.25%
permanent crops: 0.81% other: 88.94% (2005) |
| Languages | Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French) | English (official, government business conducted in English), siSwati (official) |
| Legal system | based on civil law system influenced by English constitutional theory; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations | based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts and Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations |
| 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; to 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 10 June 2007 (next to be held no later than June 2011) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - CDV/N-VA 19.4%, Open VLD 12.4%, MR 12.3%, VB 11.9%, PS 10.2%, SP.A-Spirit 10%, CDH 5.9%, Ecolo 5.8%, Groen! 3.6%, Dedecker List 3.4%, FN 2.3%, other 2.8%; seats by party - CDV/N-VA 9, Open VLD 5, MR 6, VB 5, PS 4, SP.A-Spririt 4, CDH 2, Ecolo 2, Groen! 1, Dedecker List 1, FN 1 (note - there are also 31 indirectly elected senators); Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - CDV/N-VA 18.5%, MR 12.5%, VB 12%, Open VLD 11.8%, PS 10.9%, SP.A-Spirit 10.3%, CDH 6.1%, Ecolo 5.1%, Dedecker List 4%, Groen! 4%, FN 2%, other 2.8%; seats by party - CDV/N-VA 30, MR 23, VB 17, Open VLD 18, PS 20, SP.A-Spirit 14, CDH 10, Ecolo 8, Dedecker List 5, Groen! 4, FN 1 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 Libandla, an advisory body, consists of the Senate (30 seats - 10 appointed by the House of Assembly and 20 appointed by the monarch; members serve five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (65 seats - 10 appointed by the monarch and 55 elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Assembly - last held 18 October 2003 (next to be held October 2008) election results: House of Assembly - balloting is done on a nonparty basis; candidates for election are nominated by the local council of each constituency and for each constituency the three candidates with the most votes in the first round of voting are narrowed to a single winner by a second round |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 78.92 years
male: 75.75 years female: 82.24 years (2007 est.) |
total population: 32.62 years
male: 32.1 years female: 33.17 years (2006 est.) |
| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 81.6% male: 82.6% female: 80.8% (2003 est.) |
| Location | Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands | Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa |
| Map references | Europe | Africa |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: geographic coordinates define outer limit continental shelf: median line with neighbors |
none (landlocked) |
| Merchant marine | total: 68 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,786,089 GRT/6,074,664 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 20, cargo 5, chemical tanker 2, container 9, liquefied gas 16, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 10, roll on/roll off 5 foreign-owned: 9 (Denmark 3, France 1, Germany 1, Greece 4) registered in other countries: 123 (Bahamas 15, Bermuda 3, Cyprus 1, France 6, Gibraltar 3, Greece 16, Hong Kong 4, Liberia 1, Luxembourg 9, Malta 10, Marshall Islands 1, Mozambique 2, Netherlands 2, Netherlands Antilles 1, Panama 11, Portugal 9, Russia 6, Sierra Leone 1, Singapore 8, St Kitts and Nevis 1, St Vincent and The Grenadines 9, Vanuatu 4) (2007) |
- |
| Military branches | Belgian Armed Forces: Land Operations Command, Naval Operations Command, Air Operations Commands (2005) | Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (USDF): Ground Force (includes air wing), Royal Swaziland Police Force (RSPF) (2005) |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $41.6 million (2005 est.) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.3% (2005 est.) | 1.4% (2005 est.) |
| National holiday | 21 July (1831) ascension to the Throne of King Leopold I | Independence Day, 6 September (1968) |
| Nationality | noun: Belgian(s)
adjective: Belgian |
noun: Swazi(s)
adjective: Swazi |
| Natural hazards | flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes | drought |
| Natural resources | construction materials, silica sand, carbonates | asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc |
| Net migration rate | 1.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
| Pipelines | gas 1,562 km; oil 158 km; refined products 535 km (2007) | - |
| Political parties and leaders | Flemish parties: Christian Democratic and Flemish or CDV [Etienne SCHOUPPE]; Dedecker List [Jean-Marie DEDECKER]; Flemish Liberals and Democrats or Open VLD [Bart SOMERS]; Groen! [Mieke VOGELS] (formerly AGALEV, Flemish Greens); New Flemish Alliance or N-VA [Bart DE WEVER]; Social Progressive Alternative or SP.A [Caroline GENNEZ]; Spirit [Geert LAMBERT] (new party now associated with SP.A); Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) or VB [Bruno VALKENIERS]
Francophone parties: Ecolo (Francophone Greens) [Jean-Michel JAVAUX, Isabelle DURANT, Claude BROUIR]; Humanist and Democratic Center or CDH [Joelle MILQUET]; National Front or FN [Michel BELACROIX]; Reform Movement or MR [Didier REYNDERS]; Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI RUPO]; other minor parties |
political parties are banned by the government under an emergency decree that will be revoked when the new constitution takes effect (January 2006)- the following are considered political associations; Imbokodvo National Movement or INM; Ngwane National Liberatory Congress or NNLC [Obed DLAMINI, president]; People's United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU, president] |
| 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 | 10,392,226 (July 2007 est.) | 1,136,334
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 2006 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | 15% (2007 est.) | 69% (2005) |
| Population growth rate | 0.12% (2007 est.) | -0.23% (2006 est.) |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 7, FM 79, shortwave 1 (1998) | AM 3, FM 2 plus 4 repeaters, shortwave 3 (2004) |
| Railways | total: 3,536 km
standard gauge: 3,536 km 1.435-m gauge (2,950 km electrified) (2006) |
total: 301 km
narrow gauge: 301 km 1.067-m gauge (2005) |
| Religions | Roman Catholic 75%, other (includes Protestant) 25% | Zionist 40% (a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral worship), Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%, Anglican, Bahai, Methodist, Mormon, Jewish and other 30% |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.043 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.018 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.703 male(s)/female total population: 0.959 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory | 18 years of age |
| 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; landing point for a number of submarine cables that provide links to Europe, the Middle East, and Asia; satellite earth stations - 7 (Intelsat - 3) (2007) |
general assessment: a somewhat modern but not an advanced system
domestic: system consists of carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and low-capacity, microwave radio relay international: country code - 268; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
| Telephones - main lines in use | 4.719 million (2006) | 35,000 (2005) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 9.66 million (2006) | 200,000 (2005) |
| Television broadcast stations | 25 (plus 10 repeaters) (1997) | 12 (includes 7 relay stations) (2004) |
| Terrain | flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast | mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains |
| Total fertility rate | 1.64 children born/woman (2007 est.) | 3.53 children born/woman (2006 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 7.6% (2007 est.) | 40% (2005 est.) |
| Waterways | 2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use) (2006) | - |
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