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Compare Bolivia (2001) - Belgium (2003)

Compare Bolivia (2001) z Belgium (2003)

 Bolivia (2001)Belgium (2003)
 BoliviaBelgium
Administrative divisions 9 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, Beni, La Paz, Oruro, Pando, Potosi, Santa Cruz, Tarija 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
Age structure 0-14 years:
38.46% (male 1,626,698; female 1,565,748)

15-64 years:
57.07% (male 2,315,098; female 2,421,987)

65 years and over:
4.47% (male 166,986; female 203,946) (2001 est.)
0-14 years: 17.2% (male 905,856; female 865,589)


15-64 years: 65.6% (male 3,400,419; female 3,346,182)


65 years and over: 17.2% (male 725,162; female 1,045,880) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products soybeans, coffee, coca, cotton, corn, sugarcane, rice, potatoes; timber sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk
Airports 1,093 (2000 est.) 42 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total:
13

over 3,047 m:
4

2,438 to 3,047 m:
3

1,524 to 2,437 m:
4

914 to 1,523 m:
2 (2000 est.)
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 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total:
1,080

2,438 to 3,047 m:
3

1,524 to 2,437 m:
65

914 to 1,523 m:
212

under 914 m:
800 (2000 est.)
total: 17


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 15 (2002)
Area total:
1,098,580 sq km

land:
1,084,390 sq km

water:
14,190 sq km
total: 30,510 sq km


land: 30,230 sq km


water: 280 sq km
Area - comparative slightly less than three times the size of Montana about the size of Maryland
Background Bolivia, named after independence fighter Simon BOLIVAR, broke away from Spanish rule in 1825; much of its subsequent history has consisted of a series of nearly 200 coups and counter-coups. Comparatively democratic civilian rule was established in the 1980s, but leaders have faced difficult problems of deep-seated poverty, social unrest, and drug production. Current goals include attracting foreign investment, strengthening the educational system, continuing the privatization program, and waging an anti-corruption campaign. 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.
Birth rate 27.27 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 10.45 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues:
$2.7 billion

expenditures:
$2.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998)
revenues: $113.4 billion


expenditures: $106 billion, including capital expenditures of $7.17 billion (2000)
Capital La Paz (seat of government); Sucre (legal capital and seat of judiciary) Brussels
Climate varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semiarid temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 66 km
Constitution 2 February 1967; revised in August 1994 7 February 1831, last revised 14 July 1993; parliament approved a constitutional package creating a federal state
Country name conventional long form:
Republic of Bolivia

conventional short form:
Bolivia

local long form:
Republica de Bolivia

local short form:
Bolivia
conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium


conventional short form: Belgium


local long form: Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie


local short form: Belgique/Belgie
Currency boliviano (BOB) euro (EUR)


note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries
Death rate 8.2 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 10.07 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $6.6 billion (2000) $28.3 billion (1999 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission:
Ambassador V. Manuel ROCHA

embassy:
Avenida Arce 2780, San Jorge, La Paz

mailing address:
P. O. Box 425, La Paz; APO AA 34032

telephone:
[591] (2) 432254

FAX:
[591] (2) 433854
chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen Franklin BRAUER


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 Marlene FERNANDEZ del Granado

chancery:
3014 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 483-4410

FAX:
[1] (202) 328-3712

consulate(s) general:
Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco
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, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
Disputes - international has wanted a sovereign corridor to the South Pacific Ocean since the Atacama area was lost to Chile in 1884; dispute with Chile over Rio Lauca water rights none
Economic aid - donor - ODA, $764 million (1997)
Economic aid - recipient $588 million (1997) -
Economy - overview Bolivia, long one of the poorest and least developed Latin American countries, has made considerable progress toward the development of a market-oriented economy. Successes under President SANCHEZ DE LOZADA (1993-97) included the signing of a free trade agreement with Mexico and joining the Southern Cone Common Market (Mercosur), as well as the privatization of the state airline, telephone company, railroad, electric power company, and oil company. His successor, Hugo BANZER Suarez has tried to further improve the country's investment climate with an anticorruption campaign. Growth slowed in 1999, in part due to tight government budget policies, which limited needed appropriations for anti-poverty programs, and the fallout from the Asian financial crisis. In 2000, major civil disturbances in April, and again in September and October, held down overall growth to 2.5%. 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 about 100% of GDP, and the government has succeeded in balancing its budget. Belgium, together with 11 of its EU partners, began circulating the euro currency in January 2002. Economic growth in 2001-03 dropped sharply due to the global economic slowdown. Prospects for 2004 again depend largely on recovery in the EU and the US.
Electricity - consumption 3.377 billion kWh (1999) 78.18 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 4 million kWh (1999) 6.712 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 10 million kWh (1999) 15.82 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 3.625 billion kWh (1999) 74.28 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
56.61%

hydro:
41.6%

nuclear:
0%

other:
1.79% (1999)
fossil fuel: 38.4%


hydro: 0.6%


nuclear: 59.3%


other: 1.8% (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point:
Rio Paraguay 90 m

highest point:
Nevado Sajama 6,542 m
lowest point: North Sea 0 m


highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m
Environment - current issues the clearing of land for agricultural purposes and the international demand for tropical timber are contributing to deforestation; soil erosion from overgrazing and poor cultivation methods (including slash-and-burn agriculture); desertification; loss of biodiversity; industrial pollution of water supplies used for drinking and irrigation 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
Environment - international agreements party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:
Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
Ethnic groups Quechua 30%, Aymara 25%, mestizo (mixed white and Amerindian ancestry) 30%, white 15% Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11%
Exchange rates bolivianos per US dollar - 6.4071 (January 2001), 6.1835 (2000), 5.8124 (1999), 5.5101 (1998), 5.2543 (1997), 5.0746 (1996) euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94 (1999), 36.3 (1998)
Executive branch chief of state:
President Hugo BANZER Suarez (since 6 August 1997); Vice President Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramirez (since 6 August 1997); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government:
President Hugo BANZER Suarez (since 6 August 1997); Vice President Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramirez (since 6 August 1997); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet:
Cabinet appointed by the president

elections:
president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 1 June 1997 (next to be held May or June 2002)

election results:
Hugo BANZER Suarez elected president; percent of vote - Hugo BANZER Suarez (ADN) 22%; Jaime PAZ Zamora (MIR) 17%, Juan Carlos DURAN (MNR) 18%, Ivo KULJIS (UCS) 16%, Remedios LOZA (CONDEPA) 17%; no candidate received a majority of the popular vote; Hugo BANZER Suarez won a congressional runoff election on 5 August 1997 after forming a "megacoalition" with MIR, UCS, CONDEPA, NFR, and PDC
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 appointed by the monarch and approved by Parliament


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, AGALEV, and ECOLO
Exports $1.26 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) 450,000 bbl/day (2001)
Exports - commodities soybeans, natural gas, zinc, gold, wood machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal products, foodstuffs
Exports - partners UK 16%, US 12%, Peru 11%, Argentina 10%, Colombia 7% (1998) Germany 18.6%, France 16.3%, Netherlands 11.6%, UK 9.6%, US 7.9%, Italy 5.4% (2002)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with the coat of arms centered on the yellow band; similar to the flag of Ghana, which has a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red; the design was based on the flag of France
GDP purchasing power parity - $20.9 billion (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $299.7 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
16%

industry:
31%

services:
53% (1999 est.)
agriculture: 1.3%


industry: 24.4%


services: 74.3% (2001)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $2,600 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $29,200 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 2.5% (2000 est.) 0.7% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 17 00 S, 65 00 W 50 50 N, 4 00 E
Geography - note landlocked; shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake (elevation 3,805 m), with Peru 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 (2002)
Highways total:
49,400 km

paved:
2,500 km (including 30 km of expressways)

unpaved:
46,900 km (1996)
total: 148,216 km


paved: 116,687 km (including 1,727 km of expressways)


unpaved: 31,529 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%:
2.3%

highest 10%:
31.7% (1990)
lowest 10%: 3.2%


highest 10%: 23% (1996)
Illicit drugs world's third-largest cultivator of coca (after Colombia and Peru, a distant second) with an estimated 14,600 hectares under cultivation in 2000, a 33% decrease in overall cultivation of coca from 1999 levels; intermediate coca products and cocaine exported to or through Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, and Chile to the US and other international drug markets; eradication and alternative crop programs have slashed illicit coca cultivation during the BANZER administration beginning in 1997 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; money laundering related to trafficking of drugs, automobiles, alcohol, and tobacco
Imports $1.86 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) 1.042 million bbl/day (2001)
Imports - commodities capital goods, raw materials and semi-manufactures, chemicals, petroleum, food machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals and metal products, foodstuffs
Imports - partners US 32%, Japan 24%, Brazil 12%, Argentina 12%, Chile 7%, Peru 4%, Germany 3%, other 6% (1998) Germany 17.2%, Netherlands 15.6%, France 12.8%, UK 7.3%, Ireland 7%, US 6.4%, Italy 4% (2002)
Independence 6 August 1825 (from Spain) 4 October 1830 a provisional government declared independence from the Netherlands; 21 July 1831 the ascension of King Leopold I to the throne
Industrial production growth rate 4% (1995 est.) 4.5% (2000 est.)
Industries mining, smelting, petroleum, food and beverages, tobacco, handicrafts, clothing engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum, coal
Infant mortality rate 58.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) total: 4.57 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 5.16 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 3.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 4.4% (2000 est.) 1.7% (2002 est.)
International organization participation CAN, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MONUC, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNTAET, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, 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, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 9 (2000) 61 (2000)
Irrigated land 1,750 sq km (1993 est.) 40 sq km (includes Luxembourg) (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges appointed for 10-year terms by National Congress); District Courts (one in each department); provincial and local courts (to try minor cases) Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie (in Dutch) or Cour de Cassation (in French) (judges are appointed for life by the monarch, although selected by the Government)
Labor force 2.5 million 4.44 million (2001)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% services 73%, industry 25%, agriculture 2% (1999 est.)
Land boundaries total:
6,743 km

border countries:
Argentina 832 km, Brazil 3,400 km, Chile 861 km, Paraguay 750 km, Peru 900 km
total: 1,385 km


border countries: France 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km, Netherlands 450 km
Land use arable land:
2%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
24%

forests and woodland:
53%

other:
21% (1993 est.)
arable land: 25%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 75%


note: includes Luxembourg (1998 est.)
Languages Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara (official) Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French)
Legal system based on Spanish law and Napoleonic Code; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction civil law system influenced by English constitutional theory; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Legislative branch bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (27 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (130 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; note - some members are drawn from party lists, thus not directly elected)

elections:
Chamber of Senators and Chamber of Deputies - last held 1 June 1997 (next to be held NA June 2002)

election results:
Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - ADN 11, MIR 7, MNR 4, CONDEPA 3, UCS 2; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - ADN 32, MNR 26, MIR 23, UCS 21, CONDEPA 19, MBL 5, IU 4
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 June 2003 (next to be held in NA 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; for other acronyms of the listed parties see the Political parties and leaders entry
Life expectancy at birth total population:
64.06 years

male:
61.53 years

female:
66.72 years (2001 est.)
total population: 78.29 years


male: 74.97 years


female: 81.78 years (2003 est.)
Literacy definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
83.1%

male:
90.5%

female:
76% (1995 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 98%


male: NA%


female: NA%
Location Central South America, southwest of Brazil Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands
Map references South America Europe
Maritime claims none (landlocked) continental shelf: median line with neighbors


exclusive economic zone: median line with neighbors (extends about 68 km from coast)


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine total:
42 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 141,017 GRT/211,058 DWT

ships by type:
bulk 5, cargo 20, chemical tanker 3, container 1, petroleum tanker 10, roll on/roll off 3 (2000 est.)
total: 20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 32,215 GRT/55,725 DWT


ships by type: cargo 6, chemical tanker 10, petroleum tanker 4, includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Finland 1, Netherlands 3 (2002 est.)
Military branches Army (Ejercito Boliviano), Navy (Fuerza Naval Boliviana, includes Marines), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Boliviana), National Police Force (Policia Nacional de Bolivia) Army, Navy, Air Components, Federal Police
Military expenditures - dollar figure $147 million (FY99) $3.077 billion (FY01/02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.8% (FY99) 1.4% (FY01/02)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49:
2,005,660 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49: 2,497,423 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49:
1,306,452 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49: 2,059,131 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - military age 19 years of age 19 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males:
90,120 (2001 est.)
males: 60,921 (2003 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 6 August (1825) 21 July (1831) ascension to the Throne of King Leopold I
Nationality noun:
Bolivian(s)

adjective:
Bolivian
noun: Belgian(s)


adjective: Belgian
Natural hazards flooding in the northeast (March-April) flooding is a threat in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes
Natural resources tin, natural gas, petroleum, zinc, tungsten, antimony, silver, iron, lead, gold, timber, hydropower coal, natural gas
Net migration rate -1.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) 0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines crude oil 1,800 km; petroleum products 580 km; natural gas 1,495 km gas 1,485 km; oil 158 km; refined products 535 km (2003)
Political parties and leaders Christian Democratic Party or PDC [leader NA]; Civic Solidarity Union or UCS [Johnny FERNANDEZ]; Conscience of the Fatherland or CONDEPA [Remedios LOZA Alvarado]; Free Bolivia Movement or MBL [Antonio ARANIBAR]; Movement of the Revolutionary Left or MIR [Jaime PAZ Zamora]; Nationalist Democratic Action or ADN [Hugo BANZER Suarez]; Nationalist Revolutionary Movement or MNR [Gonzalo SANCHEZ DE LOZADA]; New Republican Force or NFR [leader NA]; Pachacuti Indigenous Movement [Filipe QUISPE]; United Left or IU [Marcos DOMIC]

note:
the ADN, MIR, and UCS comprise the ruling coalition
AGALEV (Flemish Greens) [Dirk HOLEMANS]; Christian Democrats and Flemish or CD & V [Yves LETERME]; note - used to be the Flemish Christian Democrats or CVP; Ecolo (Francophone Greens) [Jean-Michel JAVAUK, Evelyne HUYTEBROECK, Claude BROUIR]; Flemish Liberal Democrats or VLD [Karel DE GUCHT]; Francophone Humanist and Democratic Center of CDH (used to be Social Christian Party or PSC) [Joelle MILQUET]; Francophone Reformist Movement or MR (used to be Liberal Reformation Party or PRL) [Antoine DUQUESNE]; Francophone Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI RUPO]; National Front or FN [Daniel FERET]; New Flemish Alliance or NVA [Geert BOURGEOIS]; note - new party that emerged after the demise of the People's Union or VU; Social Progressive Alternative Party or SP.A [Steve STEVAERT]; note - was Flemish Socialist Party or SP; Spirit [Els VAN WEERT]; note - new party that emerged after the demise of the People's Union or VU; Vlaams Blok or VB [Frank VANHECKE]; other minor parties
Political pressure groups and leaders Cocalero Groups; indigenous organizations; labor unions Christian and Socialist 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 8,300,463 (July 2001 est.) 10,289,088 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line 70% (1999 est.) 4%
Population growth rate 1.76% (2001 est.) 0.14% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors none; however, Bolivia has free port privileges in maritime ports in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Paraguay Antwerp (one of the world's busiest ports), Brugge, Gent, Hasselt, Liege, Mons, Namur, Oostende, Zeebrugge
Radio broadcast stations AM 171, FM 73, shortwave 77 (1999) FM 79, AM 7, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios 5.25 million (1997) -
Railways total:
3,691 km (single track)

narrow gauge:
3,652 km 1.000-m gauge; 39 km 0.760-m gauge (13 km electrified) (1995)
total: 3,471 km


standard gauge: 3,471 km 1.435-m gauge (2,631 km electrified) (2002)
Religions Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant (Evangelical Methodist) Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25%
Sex ratio at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
0.98 male(s)/female (2001 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: 0.69 male(s)/female


total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age, universal and compulsory (married); 21 years of age, universal and compulsory (single) 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Telephone system general assessment:
new subscribers face bureaucratic difficulties; most telephones are concentrated in La Paz and other cities; mobile cellular telephone use expanding rapidly

domestic:
primary trunk system, which is being expanded, employs digital microwave radio relay; some areas are served by fiber-optic cable; mobile cellular systems are being expanded

international:
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
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: 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat
Telephones - main lines in use 327,600 (1996) 4.769 million (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 116,000 (1997) 974,494 (1997)
Television broadcast stations 48 (1997) 25 (plus 10 repeaters) (1997)
Terrain rugged Andes Mountains with a highland plateau (Altiplano), hills, lowland plains of the Amazon Basin flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast
Total fertility rate 3.51 children born/woman (2001 est.) 1.62 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate 11.4% (1997)

note:
widespread underemployment
7.2% (2002 est.)
Waterways 10,000 km (commercially navigable) 1,570 km (route length in regular commercial use) (2001)
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