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Compare Ecuador (2003) - Belgium (2003)
Compare Ecuador (2003) z Belgium (2003)
| Ecuador (2003) | Belgium (2003) | |
 |  | |
| Administrative divisions | 22 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Azuay, Bolivar, Canar, Carchi, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, El Oro, Esmeraldas, Galapagos, Guayas, Imbabura, Loja, Los Rios, Manabi, Morona-Santiago, Napo, Orellana, Pastaza, Pichincha, Sucumbios, Tungurahua, Zamora-Chinchipe | 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: 34.9% (male 2,430,303; female 2,351,166)
15-64 years: 60.6% (male 4,116,289; female 4,198,667) 65 years and over: 4.5% (male 284,082; female 329,727) (2003 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 | bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca), plantains, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairy products; balsa wood; fish, shrimp | sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk |
| Airports | 205 (2002) | 42 (2002) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 61
over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 18 (2002) |
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: 144
914 to 1,523 m: 31 under 914 m: 113 (2002) |
total: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 15 (2002) |
| Area | total: 283,560 sq km
land: 276,840 sq km water: 6,720 sq km note: includes Galapagos Islands |
total: 30,510 sq km
land: 30,230 sq km water: 280 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Nevada | about the size of Maryland |
| Background | The "Republic of the Equator" was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Colombia and Venezuela). Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border war with Peru that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999. | 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 | 24.94 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 10.45 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
| Budget | revenues: $5.6 billion
expenditures: planned $5.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.) |
revenues: $113.4 billion
expenditures: $106 billion, including capital expenditures of $7.17 billion (2000) |
| Capital | Quito | Brussels |
| Climate | tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands | temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy |
| Coastline | 2,237 km | 66 km |
| Constitution | 10 August 1998 | 7 February 1831, last revised 14 July 1993; parliament approved a constitutional package creating a federal state |
| Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Ecuador
conventional short form: Ecuador local long form: Republica del Ecuador local short form: Ecuador |
conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium
conventional short form: Belgium local long form: Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie local short form: Belgique/Belgie |
| Currency | US dollar (USD) | 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 | 5.29 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 10.07 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
| Debt - external | $14.4 billion (2002) | $28.3 billion (1999 est.) |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Kristie Anne KENNEY
embassy: Avenida 12 de Octubre y Avenida Patria, Quito mailing address: APO AA 34039 telephone: [593] (2) 256-2890 FAX: [593] (2) 250-2052 consulate(s) general: Guayaquil |
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 Raul GANGOTENA Rivadeneira
chancery: 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 234-7200 FAX: [1] (202) 667-3482 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Newark, Philadelphia, 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 | none | none |
| Economic aid - donor | - | ODA, $764 million (1997) |
| Economic aid - recipient | $120 million (2001) | - |
| Economy - overview | Ecuador has substantial oil resources and rich agricultural areas. Because the country exports primary products such as oil, bananas, and shrimp, fluctuations in world market prices can have a substantial domestic impact. Ecuador joined the World Trade Organization (WTrO) in 1996, but has failed to comply with many of its accession commitments. The aftermath of El Nino and depressed oil market of 1997-98 drove Ecuador's economy into a free-fall in 1999. The beginning of 1999 saw the banking sector collapse, which helped precipitate an unprecedented default on external loans later that year. Continued economic instability drove a 70% depreciation of the currency throughout 1999, which forced a desperate government to "dollarize" the currency regime in 2000. The move stabilized the currency, but did not stave off the ouster of the government. Gustavo NOBOA, who assumed the presidency in January 2000, has managed to pass substantial economic reforms and mend relations with international financial institutions. Ecuador completed its first standby agreement since 1986 when the IMF Board approved a 10 December 2001 disbursement of $96 million, the final installment of a $300 million standby credit agreement. In February 2003, newly installed president Lucio GUTIERREZ faced a budget gap and massive foreign debt. He has pledged to use oil revenues to pay off debt and is seeking additional IMF support. | 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 | 69.96 billion kWh (2001) | 78.18 billion kWh (2001) |
| Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | 6.712 billion kWh (2001) |
| Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | 15.82 billion kWh (2001) |
| Electricity - production | 75.23 billion kWh (2001) | 74.28 billion kWh (2001) |
| Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 81%
hydro: 19% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
fossil fuel: 38.4%
hydro: 0.6% nuclear: 59.3% other: 1.8% (2001) |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Chimborazo 6,267 m |
lowest point: North Sea 0 m
highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m |
| Environment - current issues | deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution; pollution from oil production wastes in ecologically sensitive areas of the Galapagos Islands | 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: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
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, 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 | mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65%, Amerindian 25%, Spanish and others 7%, black 3% | Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11% |
| Exchange rates | sucres per US dollar - 25,000 (2002), 25,000 (2001), 24,988.4 (2000), 11,786.8 (1999), 5,446.57 (1998) | 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 Lucio GUTIERREZ (since 15 January 2003); Vice President Alfredo PALACIO (since 15 January 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Lucio GUTIERREZ (since 15 January 2003); Vice President Alfredo PALACIO (since 15 January 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: the president and vice president are elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year term (no reelection); election last held 20 October 2002; runoff election held 24 November 2002 (next to be held NA October 2006) election results: results of the 24 November 2002 runoff election - Lucio GUTIERREZ elected president; percent of vote - Lucio GUTIERREZ 54.3%; Alvaro NOBOA 45.7% |
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 | NA (2001) | 450,000 bbl/day (2001) |
| Exports - commodities | petroleum, bananas, shrimp, coffee, cocoa, cut flowers, fish | machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal products, foodstuffs |
| Exports - partners | US 39%, Colombia 5.6%, South Korea 5.1%, Germany 5%, Italy 4.4% (2002) | 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 horizontal bands of yellow (top, double width), blue, and red with the coat of arms superimposed at the center of the flag; similar to the flag of Colombia, which is shorter and does not bear a coat of arms | three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red; the design was based on the flag of France |
| GDP | purchasing power parity - $42.65 billion (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $299.7 billion (2002 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 11%
industry: 33% services: 56% (2001 est.) |
agriculture: 1.3%
industry: 24.4% services: 74.3% (2001) |
| GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $3,200 (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $29,200 (2002 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate | 3.4% (2002 est.) | 0.7% (2002 est.) |
| Geographic coordinates | 2 00 S, 77 30 W | 50 50 N, 4 00 E |
| Geography - note | Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world | 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) | 1 (2002) |
| Highways | total: 43,197 km
paved: 8,164 km unpaved: 35,033 km (2000) |
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%: 2.2%
highest 10%: 33.8% (1995) |
lowest 10%: 3.2%
highest 10%: 23% (1996) |
| Illicit drugs | significant transit country for cocaine originating in Colombia and Peru; importer of precursor chemicals used in production of illicit narcotics; dollarization may raise the volume of money-laundering activity, especially along the border with Colombia; increased activity on the northern frontier by trafficking groups and Colombian insurgents | 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 | NA (2001) | 1.042 million bbl/day (2001) |
| Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, chemicals, raw materials, fuels; consumer goods | machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals and metal products, foodstuffs |
| Imports - partners | US 28.6%, Colombia 14.4%, Japan 6%, Chile 4.5%, Brazil 4.1% (2002) | Germany 17.2%, Netherlands 15.6%, France 12.8%, UK 7.3%, Ireland 7%, US 6.4%, Italy 4% (2002) |
| Independence | 24 May 1822 (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 | 5.1% (2001 est.) | 4.5% (2000 est.) |
| Industries | petroleum, food processing, textiles, metal work, paper products, wood products, chemicals, plastics, fishing, lumber | engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum, coal |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 31.97 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 37.28 deaths/1,000 live births female: 26.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 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) | 12.5% (2002 est.) | 1.7% (2002 est.) |
| International organization participation | CAN, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, 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) | 31 (2001) | 61 (2000) |
| Irrigated land | 8,650 sq km (1998 est.) | 40 sq km (includes Luxembourg) (1998 est.) |
| Judicial branch | Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (new justices are elected by the full Supreme Court) | 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 | 3.7 million (urban) | 4.44 million (2001) |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (2001 est.) | services 73%, industry 25%, agriculture 2% (1999 est.) |
| Land boundaries | total: 2,010 km
border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km |
total: 1,385 km
border countries: France 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km, Netherlands 450 km |
| Land use | arable land: 5.69%
permanent crops: 5.15% other: 89.16% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 25%
permanent crops: 0% other: 75% note: includes Luxembourg (1998 est.) |
| Languages | Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially Quechua) | Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French) |
| Legal system | based on civil law 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 National Congress or Congreso Nacional (100 seats; members are popularly elected by province to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 20 October 2002 (next to be held NA October 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PSC 25, PRE 15, ID 16, PRIAN 10, PSP 9, Pachakutik Movement 6, MPD 5, DP 4, PS 3, independents 7; note - defections by members of National Congress are commonplace, resulting in frequent changes in the numbers of seats held by the various parties |
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: 71.89 years
male: 69.06 years female: 74.86 years (2003 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: 92.5% male: 94% female: 91% (2003 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98% male: NA% female: NA% |
| Location | Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between Colombia and Peru | Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands |
| Map references | South America | Europe |
| Maritime claims | continental shelf: claims continental shelf between mainland and Galapagos Islands
territorial sea: 200 NM |
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: 33 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 239,276 GRT/392,048 DWT
ships by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 3, liquefied gas 1, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 23, specialized tanker 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Chile 1, Greece 1 (2002 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, Navy (including Marines), Air Force, National Police | Army, Navy, Air Components, Federal Police |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure | $720 million (FY98) | $3.077 billion (FY01/02) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 3.4% (FY98) | 1.4% (FY01/02) |
| Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 3,555,068 (2003 est.) | males age 15-49: 2,497,423 (2003 est.) |
| Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 2,395,178 (2003 est.) | males age 15-49: 2,059,131 (2003 est.) |
| Military manpower - military age | 20 years of age (2003 est.) | 19 years of age (2003 est.) |
| Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 137,433 (2003 est.) | males: 60,921 (2003 est.) |
| National holiday | Independence Day (independence of Quito), 10 August (1809) | 21 July (1831) ascension to the Throne of King Leopold I |
| Nationality | noun: Ecuadorian(s)
adjective: Ecuadorian |
noun: Belgian(s)
adjective: Belgian |
| Natural hazards | frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; floods; periodic droughts | flooding is a threat in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes |
| Natural resources | petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower | coal, natural gas |
| Net migration rate | -0.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
| Pipelines | gas 71 km; oil 1,575 km; refined products 1,185 km (2003) | gas 1,485 km; oil 158 km; refined products 535 km (2003) |
| Political parties and leaders | Concentration of Popular Forces or CFP [Averroes BUCARAM]; Democratic Left or ID [Rodrigo BORJA Cevallos]; National Action Institutional Renewal Party or PRIAN [leader NA]; Pachakutik Movement [Miguel LLUCO]; Patriotic Society Party or PSP [leader NA]; Popular Democracy or DP [Dr. Juan Manuel FUERTES]; Popular Democratic Movement or MPD [Gustavo TERAN Acosta]; Radical Alfarista Front or FRA [Fabian ALARCON, director]; Roldosist Party or PRE [Abdala BUCARAM Ortiz, director]; Social Christian Party or PSC [Pascual DEL CIOPPO]; Socialist Party or PS [leader NA] | 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 | Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador or CONAIE [Leonidas IZA, president]; Coordinator of Social Movements or CMS [F. Napoleon SANTOS]; Federation of Indigenous Evangelists of Ecuador or FEINE [Marco MURILLO, president]; National Federation of Indigenous Afro-Ecuatorianos and Peasants or FENOCIN [Pedro DE LA CRUZ, president]; Popular Front or FP [Luis VILLACIS] | 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 | 13,710,234 (July 2003 est.) | 10,289,088 (July 2003 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | 70% (2001 est.) | 4% |
| Population growth rate | 1.91% (2003 est.) | 0.14% (2003 est.) |
| Ports and harbors | Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, La Libertad, Manta, Puerto Bolivar, San Lorenzo | Antwerp (one of the world's busiest ports), Brugge, Gent, Hasselt, Liege, Mons, Namur, Oostende, Zeebrugge |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 392, FM 35, shortwave 29 (2001) | FM 79, AM 7, shortwave 1 (1998) |
| Railways | total: 966 km
narrow gauge: 966 km 1.067-m gauge (2002) |
total: 3,471 km
standard gauge: 3,471 km 1.435-m gauge (2,631 km electrified) (2002) |
| Religions | Roman Catholic 95% | Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25% |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 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, compulsory for literate persons ages 18-65, optional for other eligible voters | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory |
| Telephone system | general assessment: generally elementary but being expanded
domestic: facilities generally inadequate and unreliable 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 | 1,115,272 (1999) | 4.769 million (1997) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 384,000 (1999) | 974,494 (1997) |
| Television broadcast stations | 7 (plus 14 repeaters) (2001) | 25 (plus 10 repeaters) (1997) |
| Terrain | coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente) | flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast |
| Total fertility rate | 2.99 children born/woman (2003 est.) | 1.62 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 7.7%; note - widespread underemployment (2001 est.) | 7.2% (2002 est.) |
| Waterways | 1,500 km | 1,570 km (route length in regular commercial use) (2001) |
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