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Compare Burma (2005) - Belgium (2001)

Compare Burma (2005) z Belgium (2001)

 Burma (2005)Belgium (2001)
 BurmaBelgium
Administrative divisions 7 divisions (taing-myar, singular - taing) and 7 states (pyi ne-myar, singular - pyi ne)

divisions: Ayeyarwady, Bago, Magway, Mandalay, Sagaing, Tanintharyi, Yangon

states: Chin State, Kachin State, Kayin State, Kayah State, Mon State, Rakhine State, Shan State
10 provinces (French: provinces, singular - province; Flemish: provincien, singular - provincie); Antwerpen, Brabant Wallon, Hainaut, Liege, Limburg, Luxembourg, Namur, Oost-Vlaanderen, Vlaams Brabant, West-Vlaanderen; note - the Brussels Capitol Region is not included within the 10 provinces
Age structure 0-14 years: 27.2% (male 5,967,487/female 5,717,795)


15-64 years: 67.8% (male 14,448,887/female 14,641,419)


65 years and over: 5% (male 939,092/female 1,194,784) (2005 est.)
0-14 years:
17.48% (male 916,957; female 876,029)

15-64 years:
65.57% (male 3,390,145; female 3,336,908)

65 years and over:
16.95% (male 709,212; female 1,029,511) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products rice, pulses, beans, sesame, groundnuts, sugarcane; hardwood; fish and fish products sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk
Airports 78 (2004 est.) 42 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 9


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 5


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)
total:
24

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:
6 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 69


over 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 16


914 to 1,523 m: 20


under 914 m: 31 (2004 est.)
total:
18

914 to 1,523 m:
2

under 914 m:
16 (2000 est.)
Area total: 678,500 sq km


land: 657,740 sq km


water: 20,760 sq km
total:
30,510 sq km

land:
30,230 sq km

water:
280 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Texas about the size of Maryland
Background Britain conquered Burma over a period of 62 years (1824-1886) and incorporated it into its Indian Empire. Burma was administered as a province of India until 1937 when it became a separate, self-governing colony; independence from the Commonwealth was attained in 1948. Gen. NE WIN dominated the government from 1962 to 1988, first as military ruler, then as self-appointed president, and later as political kingpin. Despite multiparty legislative elections in 1990 that resulted in the main opposition party - the National League for Democracy (NLD) - winning a landslide victory, the ruling junta refused to hand over power. NLD leader and Nobel Peace Prize recipient AUNG SAN SUU KYI, who was under house arrest from 1989 to 1995 and 2000 to 2002, was imprisoned in May 2003 and is currently under house arrest. In December 2004, the junta announced it was extending her detention for at least an additional year. Her supporters, as well as all those who promote democracy and improved human rights, are routinely harassed or jailed. 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 18.11 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 10.74 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $474.9 million


expenditures: $955.5 million, including capital expenditures of $5.7 billion (2004 est.)
revenues:
$114.8 billion

expenditures:
$117 billion, including capital expenditures of $7.6 billion (1999)
Capital Rangoon (government refers to the capital as Yangon) Brussels
Climate tropical monsoon; cloudy, rainy, hot, humid summers (southwest monsoon, June to September); less cloudy, scant rainfall, mild temperatures, lower humidity during winter (northeast monsoon, December to April) temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy
Coastline 1,930 km 66 km
Constitution 3 January 1974; suspended since 18 September 1988; national convention convened in 1993 to draft a new constitution but collapsed in 1996; reconvened in 2004 but does not include participation of democratic opposition 7 February 1831, last revised 14 July 1993; parliament approved a constitutional package creating a federal state
Country name conventional long form: Union of Burma


conventional short form: Burma


local long form: Pyidaungzu Myanma Naingngandaw (translated by the US Government as Union of Myanma and by the Burmese as Union of Myanmar)


local short form: Myanma Naingngandaw


former: Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma


note: since 1989 the military authorities in Burma have promoted the name Myanmar as a conventional name for their state; this decision was not approved by any sitting legislature in Burma, and the US Government did not adopt the name, which is a derivative of the Burmese short-form name Myanma Naingngandaw
conventional long form:
Kingdom of Belgium

conventional short form:
Belgium

local long form:
Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie

local short form:
Belgique/Belgie
Currency - Belgian franc (BEF); euro (EUR)

note:
on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced the euro as a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in Belgium at a fixed rate of 40.3399 Belgian francs per euro and will replace the local currency for all transactions in 2002
Death rate 12.15 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 10.1 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $6.752 billion (2004 est.) $28.3 billion (1999 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires Carmen M. MARTINEZ


embassy: 581 Merchant Street, Rangoon (GPO 521)


mailing address: Box B, APO AP 96546


telephone: [95] (1) 379 880, 379 881


FAX: [95] (1) 256 018
chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant)

embassy:
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: vacant


chancery: 2300 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 332-9044


FAX: [1] (202) 332-9046


consulate(s) general: New York
chief of mission:
Ambassador Alexis REYN

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 over half of Burma's population consists of diverse ethnic groups with substantial numbers of kin beyond its borders; despite continuing border committee talks, significant differences remain with Thailand over boundary alignment and the handling of ethnic rebels, refugees, and illegal cross-border activities; ethnic Karens flee into Thailand to escape fighting between Karen rebels and Burmese troops, in 2004 Thailand sheltered about 118,000 Burmese refugees; Karens also protest Thai support for a Burmese hydroelectric dam on the Salween River near the border; environmentalists in Burma and Thailand continue to voice concern over China's construction of hydroelectric dams upstream on the Nujiang/Salween River in Yunnan Province; India seeks cooperation from Burma to keep Indian Nagaland separatists from hiding in remote Burmese uplands none
Economic aid - donor - ODA, $764 million (1997)
Economic aid - recipient $127 million (2001 est.) -
Economy - overview Burma is a resource-rich country that suffers from government controls, inefficient economic policies, and abject rural poverty. The junta took steps in the early 1990s to liberalize the economy after decades of failure under the "Burmese Way to Socialism", but those efforts have since stalled and some of the liberalization measures have been rescinded. Burma has been unable to achieve monetary or fiscal stability, resulting in an economy that suffers from serious macroeconomic imbalances - including inflation and multiple official exchange rates that overvalue the Burmese kyat. In addition, most overseas development assistance ceased after the junta began to suppress the democracy movement in 1988 and subsequently ignored the results of the 1990 legislative elections. Economic sanctions against Burma by the United States - including a ban on imports of Burmese products and a ban on provision of financial services by US persons in response to the government of Burma's attack in May 2003 on AUNG SAN SUU KYI and her convoy - further slowed the inflow of foreign exchange. Official statistics are inaccurate. Published statistics on foreign trade are greatly understated because of the size of the black market and unofficial border trade - often estimated to be one to two times the size of the official economy. Though the Burmese government has good economic relations with its neighbors, a better investment climate and an improved political situation are needed to promote foreign investment, exports, and tourism. In February 2003, a major banking crisis hit the country's 20 private banks, shutting them down and disrupting the economy. As of January 2004, the largest private banks remained moribund, leaving the private sector with little formal access to credit. 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, although the government is encouraging investment in the southern region of Wallonia. 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. About three-quarters of its trade is with other EU countries. Belgium's public debt is expected to fall below 100% of GDP in 2002, and the government has succeeded in balancing is budget. Belgium became a charter member of the European Monetary Union (EMU) in January 1999. Economic growth in 2000 was broad based, putting the government in a good position to pursue its energy market liberalization policies and planned tax cuts.
Electricity - consumption 3.484 billion kWh (2003) 75.089 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2002) 8.207 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2004) 9.055 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 5.068 billion kWh (2003) 79.829 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel:
40.01%

hydro:
0.42%

nuclear:
58.33%

other:
1.24% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Andaman Sea 0 m


highest point: Hkakabo Razi 5,881 m
lowest point:
North Sea 0 m

highest point:
Signal de Botrange 694 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; industrial pollution of air, soil, and water; inadequate sanitation and water treatment contribute to disease the environment is exposed to intense pressures from human activities: urbanization, dense transportation network, industry, intense animal breeding and crop cultivation; air and water pollution also have repercussions for neighboring countries; uncertainties regarding federal and regional responsibilities (now resolved) have impeded progress in tackling environmental challenges
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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, 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Ethnic groups Burman 68%, Shan 9%, Karen 7%, Rakhine 4%, Chinese 3%, Indian 2%, Mon 2%, other 5% Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11%
Exchange rates kyats per US dollar - 5.7459 (2004), 6.0764 (2003), 6.5734 (2002), 6.6841 (2001), 6.4257 (2000)


note: these are official exchange rates; unofficial exchange rates ranged in 2004 from 815 kyat/US dollar to nearly 970 kyat/US dollar
euros per US dollar - 1.0659 (January 2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); Belgian francs per US dollar - 34.77 (January 1999), 36.229 (1998), 35.774 (1997), 30.962 (1996)
Executive branch chief of state: Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Sr. Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992)


head of government: Prime Minister, Gen SOE WIN (since 19 October 2004)


cabinet: State Peace and Development Council (SPDC); military junta, so named 15 November 1997, which initially assumed power 18 September 1988 under the name State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC); the SPDC oversees the cabinet


elections: none
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 monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch and then approved by Parliament

note:
government coalition - VLD, PRL, PS, SP, AGALEV, and ECOLO
Exports 3,356 bbl/day (2003) $181.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities clothing, gas, wood products, pulses, beans, fish, rice machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal products
Exports - partners Thailand 37.8%, India 11.7%, China 6%, Japan 5.3% (2004) EU 76% (Germany 18%, France 18%, Netherlands 12%, UK 10%) (1999)
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March calendar year
Flag description red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing, 14 white five-pointed stars encircling a cogwheel containing a stalk of rice; the 14 stars represent the 7 administrative divisions and 7 states three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red; the design was based on the flag of France
GDP - purchasing power parity - $259.2 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 56.6%


industry: 8.8%


services: 34.5% (2004 est.)
agriculture:
1.4%

industry:
26%

services:
72.6% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2004 est.) purchasing power parity - $25,300 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate -1.3% (2004 est.) 4.1% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 22 00 N, 98 00 E 50 50 N, 4 00 E
Geography - note strategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes crossroads of Western Europe; majority of West European capitals within 1,000 km of Brussels which is the seat of both the EU and NATO
Heliports 1 (2004 est.) 1 (2000 est.)
Highways total: 28,200 km


paved: 3,440 km


unpaved: 24,760 km (1996 est.)
total:
145,774 km

paved:
116,182 km (including 1,674 km of expressways)

unpaved:
29,592 km (1999)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 2.8%


highest 10%: 32.4% (1998)
lowest 10%:
3.7%

highest 10%:
20.2% (1992)
Illicit drugs remains world's second largest producer of illicit opium (estimated production in 2004 - 292 metric tons, down 40% from 2003 due to eradication efforts and drought; cultivation in 2004 - 30,900 hectares, a 34% decline from 2003); lack of government will and ability to take on major narcotrafficking groups and lack of serious commitment against money laundering continues to hinder the overall antidrug effort; major source of methamphetamine and heroin for regional consumption; currently under Financial Action Task Force countermeasures due to continued failure to address its inadequate money-laundering controls (2005) 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
Imports 49,230 bbl/day (2003) $166 billion (c.i.f., 2000)
Imports - commodities fabric, petroleum products, plastics, machinery, transport equipment, construction materials, crude oil; food products machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals and metal products
Imports - partners China 29.8%, Singapore 20.8%, Thailand 19.3%, South Korea 5.2%, Malaysia 4.8% (2004) EU 71% (Germany 18%, Netherlands 17%, France 14%, UK 9%) (1999)
Independence 4 January 1948 (from UK) 21 July 1831 (from the Netherlands)
Industrial production growth rate NA 5.5% (2000 est.)
Industries agricultural processing; knit and woven apparel; wood and wood products; copper, tin, tungsten, iron; construction materials; pharmaceuticals; fertilizer; cement engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum, coal
Infant mortality rate total: 67.24 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 73.11 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 61.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
4.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 17.2% (2004 est.) 2.2% (2000 est.)
International organization participation APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 61 (2000)
Irrigated land 15,920 sq km (1998 est.) NA sq km
Judicial branch remnants of the British-era legal system are in place, but there is no guarantee of a fair public trial; the judiciary is not independent of the executive Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie (in Dutch) or Cour de Cassation (in French) (judges are appointed for life by the monarch)
Labor force 27.01 million (2004 est.) 4.34 million (1999)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 70%, industry 7%, services 23% (2001 est.) services 73%, industry 25%, agriculture 2% (1999 est.)
Land boundaries total: 5,876 km


border countries: Bangladesh 193 km, China 2,185 km, India 1,463 km, Laos 235 km, Thailand 1,800 km
total:
1,385 km

border countries:
France 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km, Netherlands 450 km
Land use arable land: 15.19%


permanent crops: 0.97%


other: 83.84% (2001)
arable land:
24%

permanent crops:
1%

permanent pastures:
20%

forests and woodland:
21%

other:
34%
Languages Burmese, minority ethnic groups have their own languages Dutch 58%, French 32%, German 10%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French)
Legal system 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 unicameral People's Assembly or Pyithu Hluttaw (485 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 27 May 1990, but Assembly never allowed by junta to convene


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NLD 392 (opposition), SNLD 23 (opposition), NUP 10 (pro-government), other 60
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 13 June 1999 (next to be held in NA 2003)

election results:
Senate - percent of vote by party - VLD 15.4%, CVP 14.7%, PRL 10.6%, PS 9.7%, VB 9.4%, SP 8.9%, ECOLO 7.4%, AGALEV 7.1%, PSC 6.0%, VU 5.1%; seats by party - VLD 11, CVP 10, PS 10, PRL 9, VB 6, SP 6, ECOLO 6, AGALEV 5, PSC 5, VU 3; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - VLD 14.3%, CVP 14.1%, PS 10.2%, PRL 10.1%, VB 9.9%, SP 9.5%, ECOLO 7.4%, AGALEV 7.0%, PSC 5.9%, VU 5.6%; seats by party - VLD 23, CVP 22, PS 19, PRL 18, VB 15, SP 14, ECOLO 11, PSC 10, AGALEV 9, VU 8, 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; for other acronyms of the listed parties see Political parties and leaders
Life expectancy at birth total population: 60.7 years


male: 57.8 years


female: 63.78 years (2005 est.)
total population:
77.96 years

male:
74.63 years

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


total population: 85.3%


male: 89.2%


female: 81.4% (2002)
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
98%

male:
NA%

female:
NA%
Location Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Bangladesh and Thailand Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands
Map references Southeast Asia Europe
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
continental shelf:
median line with neighbors

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

territorial sea:
12 NM
Merchant marine total: 37 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 429,144 GRT/659,622 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 8, cargo 19, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 3, roll on'roll off 3, specialized tanker 1


foreign-owned: 10 (Germany 4, Japan 5, United Kingdom 1) (2005)
total:
21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 32,912 GRT/53,161 DWT

ships by type:
cargo 6, chemical tanker 9, petroleum tanker 6 (2000 est.)
Military branches Myanmar Armed Forces (Tatmadaw): Army, Navy, Air Force (2005) Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, Medical Service
Military expenditures - dollar figure $39 million (FY97) $2.5 billion (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2.1% (FY97) 1.2% (FY99)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49:
2,517,596 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49:
2,079,624 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 19 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males:
63,247 (2001 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 4 January (1948); Union Day, 12 February (1947) Independence Day, 21 July (1831)
Nationality noun: Burmese (singular and plural)


adjective: Burmese
noun:
Belgian(s)

adjective:
Belgian
Natural hazards destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts flooding is a threat in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes
Natural resources petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead, coal, some marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas, hydropower coal, natural gas
Net migration rate -1.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) 0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines gas 2,056 km; oil 558 km (2004) crude oil 161 km; petroleum products 1,167 km; natural gas 3,300 km
Political parties and leaders National League for Democracy or NLD [AUNG SHWE, chairman, AUNG SAN SUU KYI, general secretary]; National Unity Party or NUP (pro-government) [THA KYAW]; Shan Nationalities League for Democracy or SNLD [KHUN HTUN OO]; and other smaller parties AGALEV (Flemish Greens) [Dos GEYSELS]; ECOLO (Francophone Greens) [no president]; Flemish Christian Democrats or CVP (Christian People's Party) [Stefaan DE CLERCK, president]; Flemish Liberal Democrats or VLD [Karel DE GUCHT, president]; Flemish Socialist Party or SP [Patrick JANSSENS, president]; Francophone Christian Democrats or PSC (Social Christian Party) [Joelle MILQUET, president]; Francophone Liberal Reformation Party or PRL [Daniel DUCARME, president]; Francophone Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI RUPO, president]; National Front or FN [Daniel FERET]; Vlaams Blok or VB [Frank VANHECKE]; Volksunie or VU [leader vacant]; other minor parties
Political pressure groups and leaders National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma or NCGUB (self-proclaimed government in exile) ["Prime Minister" Dr. SEIN WIN] consists of individuals, some legitimately elected to the People's Assembly in 1990 (the group fled to a border area and joined insurgents in December 1990 to form parallel government in exile); Kachin Independence Army or KIA; Karen National Union or KNU; several Shan factions; United Wa State Army or UWSA; Union Solidarity and Development Association or USDA (pro-government, a social and political organization) [THAN AUNG, general secretary] 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 42,909,464


note: estimates for this country 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 growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2005 est.)
10,258,762 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line 25% (2000 est.) 4%
Population growth rate 0.42% (2005 est.) 0.16% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors Moulmein, Rangoon, Sittwe Antwerp (one of the world's busiest ports), Brugge, Gent, Hasselt, Liege, Mons, Namur, Oostende, Zeebrugge
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 1 (2004) FM 79, AM 7, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios - 8.075 million (1997)
Railways total: 3,955 km


narrow gauge: 3,955 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)
total:
3,437 km (2,446 km electrified; 2,563 km double track)

standard gauge:
3,437 km 1.435-m gauge (1998)
Religions Buddhist 89%, Christian 4% (Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic 1%), Muslim 4%, animist 1%, other 2% Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


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


65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female


total population: 0.99 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:
0.69 male(s)/female

total population:
0.96 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Telephone system general assessment: barely meets minimum requirements for local and intercity service for business and government; international service is fair


domestic: NA


international: country code - 95; satellite earth station - 2, Intelsat (Indian Ocean), and ShinSat
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 357,300 (2003) 4.769 million (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 66,500 (2003) 974,494 (1997)
Television broadcast stations 2 (2004) 25 (plus 10 repeaters) (1997)
Terrain central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast
Total fertility rate 2.01 children born/woman (2005 est.) 1.61 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 5.2% (2004 est.) 8.4% (2000 est.)
Waterways 12,800 km (2004) 2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use)
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