Compare Korea, South (2007) - Belgium (2004)

Compare Korea, South (2007) z Belgium (2004)

	Korea, South (2007)	Belgium (2004)

Administrative divisions	9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 7 metropolitan cities (gwangyoksi, singular and plural) provinces: Cheju-do, Cholla-bukto (North Cholla), Cholla-namdo (South Cholla), Ch'ungch'ong-bukto (North Ch'ungch'ong), Ch'ungch'ong-namdo (South Ch'ungch'ong), Kangwon-do, Kyonggi-do, Kyongsang-bukto (North Kyongsang), Kyongsang-namdo (South Kyongsang) metropolitan cities: Inch'on-gwangyoksi (Inch'on), Kwangju-gwangyoksi (Kwangju), Pusan-gwangyoksi (Pusan), Soul-t'ukpyolsi (Seoul), Taegu-gwangyoksi (Taegu), Taejon-gwangyoksi (Taejon), Ulsan-gwangyoksi (Ulsan)	10 provinces (French: provinces, singular - province; Dutch: provincies, singular - provincie) and 3 regions* (French: regions; Dutch: gewesten); Antwerpen, Brabant Wallon, Brussels* (Bruxelles), Flanders, Hainaut, Liege, Limburg, Luxembourg, Namur, Oost-Vlaanderen, Vlaams-Brabant, Wallonia, West-Vlaanderen note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a complex division of responsibilities
Age structure	0-14 years: 18.3% (male 4,714,103/female 4,262,873) 15-64 years: 72.1% (male 18,004,719/female 17,346,594) 65 years and over: 9.6% (male 1,921,803/female 2,794,698) (2007 est.)	0-14 years: 17.1% (male 901,486; female 863,092) 15-64 years: 65.6% (male 3,424,438; female 3,364,057) 65 years and over: 17.3% (male 739,479; female 1,055,724) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products	rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs, chickens, milk, eggs; fish	sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk
Airports	105 (2007)	42 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 68 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 21 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 19 (2007)	total: 25 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 37 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 34 (2007)	total: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 16 (2004 est.)
Area	total: 98,480 sq km land: 98,190 sq km water: 290 sq km	total: 30,528 sq km land: 30,278 sq km water: 250 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly larger than Indiana	about the size of Maryland
Background	An independent Korean state or collection of states has existed almost continuously for several millennia. Between its initial unification in the 7th century - from three predecessor Korean states - until the 20th century, Korea existed as a single independent country. In 1905, following the Russo-Japanese War, Korea became a protectorate of imperial Japan, and in 1910 it was annexed as a colony. Korea regained its independence following Japan's surrender to the United States in 1945. After World War II, a Republic of Korea (ROK) was set up in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula while a Communist-style government was installed in the north (the DPRK). During the Korean War (1950-53), US troops and UN forces fought alongside soldiers from the ROK to defend South Korea from DPRK attacks supported by China and the Soviet Union. An armistice was signed in 1953, splitting the peninsula along a demilitarized zone at about the 38th parallel. Thereafter, South Korea achieved rapid economic growth with per capita income rising to roughly 14 times the level of North Korea. In 1993, KIM Young-sam became South Korea's first civilian president following 32 years of military rule. South Korea today is a fully functioning modern democracy. In June 2000, a historic first North-South summit took place between the South's President KIM Dae-jung and the North's leader KIM Jong Il.	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	9.93 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)	10.59 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget	revenues: $219.5 billion expenditures: $215.7 billion (2006 est.)	revenues: $151.6 billion expenditures: $151.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.56 billion (2003)
Capital	name: Seoul geographic coordinates: 37 33 N, 126 59 E time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)	Brussels
Climate	temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter	temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy
Coastline	2,413 km	66.5 km
Constitution	17 July 1948; note - amended or rewritten nine times; current constitution approved on 29 October 1987	7 February 1831, last revised 14 July 1993; parliament approved a constitutional package creating a federal state
Country name	conventional long form: Republic of Korea conventional short form: South Korea local long form: Taehan-min'guk local short form: Han'guk abbreviation: ROK	conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium conventional short form: Belgium local long form: Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie local short form: Belgique/Belgie
Currency	-	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	5.99 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)	10.2 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external	$187.2 billion (2006 est.)	$28.3 billion (1999 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Alexander VERSHBOW embassy: 32 Sejong-no, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-710 mailing address: US Embassy Seoul, APO AP 96205-5550 telephone: [82] (2) 397-4114 FAX: [82] (2) 738-8845	chief of mission: Ambassador Tom C. KOROLOGOS embassy: Regentlaan 27 Boulevard du Regent, B-1000 Brussels mailing address: PSC 82, Box 002, APO AE 09710 telephone: [32] (2) 508-2111 FAX: [32] (2) 511-2725
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador LEE Tae-sik chancery: 2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-5600 FAX: [1] (202) 387-0205 consulate(s) general: Agana (Guam), Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle	chief of mission: Ambassador Franciskus VAN DAELE chancery: 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-6900 FAX: [1] (202) 333-3079 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Los Angeles, and New York
Disputes - international	Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South Korea since 1953; periodic incidents with North Korea in the Yellow Sea over the Northern Limiting Line, which South Korea claims as a maritime boundary; South Korea and Japan claim Liancourt Rocks (Tok-do/Take-shima), occupied by South Korea since 1954	none
Economic aid - donor	ODA, $744 million (2005)	ODA, $1.072 billion (2002)
Economy - overview	Since the 1960s, South Korea has achieved an incredible record of growth and integration into the high-tech modern world economy. Four decades ago, GDP per capita was comparable with levels in the poorer countries of Africa and Asia. In 2004, South Korea joined the trillion dollar club of world economies. Today its GDP per capita is equal to the lesser economies of the EU. This success was achieved by a system of close government/business ties, including directed credit, import restrictions, sponsorship of specific industries, and a strong labor effort. The government promoted the import of raw materials and technology at the expense of consumer goods and encouraged savings and investment over consumption. The Asian financial crisis of 1997-99 exposed longstanding weaknesses in South Korea's development model, including high debt/equity ratios, massive foreign borrowing, and an undisciplined financial sector. GDP plunged by 6.9% in 1998, then recovered by 9.5% in 1999 and 8.5% in 2000. Growth fell back to 3.3% in 2001 because of the slowing global economy, falling exports, and the perception that much-needed corporate and financial reforms had stalled. Led by consumer spending and exports, growth in 2002 was an impressive 7%, despite anemic global growth. Between 2003 and 2006, growth moderated to about 4-5%. A downturn in consumer spending was offset by rapid export growth. Moderate inflation, low unemployment, an export surplus, and fairly equal distribution of income characterize this solid economy.	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 because of the global economic slowdown. Prospects for 2004 again depend largely on recovery in the EU and the US.
Electricity - consumption	352.5 billion kWh (2005)	78.18 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2005)	6.712 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2005)	15.82 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production	366.2 billion kWh (2005)	74.28 billion kWh (2001)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m highest point: Halla-san 1,950 m	lowest point: North Sea 0 m highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m
Environment - current issues	air pollution in large cities; acid rain; water pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents; drift net fishing	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-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements	party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
Ethnic groups	homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese)	Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11%
Exchange rates	South Korean won per US dollar - 955.3 (2006), 1,024.1 (2005), 1,145.3 (2004), 1,191.6 (2003), 1,251.1 (2002)	euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)
Executive branch	chief of state: President ROH Moo-hyun (since 25 February 2003) head of government: Prime Minister HAN Duck-soo (since 2 April 2007); Deputy Prime Ministers KIM Woo-sik (since 10 February 2006); KWON O-kyu (since 18 July 2006); KIM Shin-il (since 20 September 2006) cabinet: State Council appointed by the president on the prime minister's recommendation elections: president elected by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 19 December 2002 (next to be held on 19 December 2007); prime minister appointed by president with consent of National Assembly; deputy prime ministers appointed by president on prime minister's recommendation election results: ROH Moo-hyun elected president; percent of vote - ROH Moo-hyun (MDP) 48.9%; LEE Hoi-chang (GNP) 46.6%; other 4.5%	chief of state: King ALBERT II (since 9 August 1993); Heir Apparent Prince PHILIPPE, son of the monarch head of government: Prime Minister Guy VERHOFSTADT (since 13 July 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers formally appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch and then approved by Parliament note: government coalition - VLD, MR, PS, SP.A-Spirit
Exports	644,100 bbl/day (2004)	450,000 bbl/day (2001)
Exports - commodities	semiconductors, wireless telecommunications equipment, motor vehicles, computers, steel, ships, petrochemicals	machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal products, foodstuffs
Exports - partners	China 21.3%, US 13.3%, Japan 8.1%, Hong Kong 5.9% (2006)	Germany 19.5%, France 17.4%, Netherlands 11.7%, UK 9%, US 6.7%, Italy 5.4% (2003)
Fiscal year	calendar year	calendar year
Flag description	white with a red (top) and blue yin-yang symbol in the center; there is a different black trigram from the ancient I Ching (Book of Changes) in each corner of the white field	three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red; the design was based on the flag of France
GDP	-	purchasing power parity - $299.1 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 3.2% industry: 39.6% services: 57.2% (2006 est.)	agriculture: 1.9% industry: 26.3% services: 71.8% (2003)
GDP - per capita	-	purchasing power parity - $29,100 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	5% (2006 est.)	1.1% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates	37 00 N, 127 30 E	50 50 N, 4 00 E
Geography - note	strategic location on Korea Strait	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	536 (2007)	1 (2003 est.)
Highways	-	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%: 2.9% highest 10%: 25% (2005 est.)	lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 23% (1996)
Illicit drugs	-	growing producer of synthetic drugs; transit point for US-bound ecstasy; source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine processors; transshipment point for cocaine, heroin, hashish, and marijuana entering Western Europe; despite a strengthening of legislation, the country remains vulnerable to money laundering related to narcotics, automobiles, alcohol and tobacco
Imports	2.83 million bbl/day (2004)	1.042 million bbl/day (2001)
Imports - commodities	machinery, electronics and electronic equipment, oil, steel, transport equipment, organic chemicals, plastics	machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, transportation equipment, oil products
Imports - partners	Japan 16.8%, China 15.7%, US 11%, Saudi Arabia 6.7%, UAE 4.2% (2006)	Germany 17.7%, Netherlands 16.5%, France 13.2%, UK 7.5%, US 5.9%, Ireland 5.7% (2003)
Independence	15 August 1945 (from Japan)	4 October 1830 (a provisional government declares independence from the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King Leopold I ascends to the throne)
Industrial production growth rate	8% (2006 est.)	-1.5% (2003 est.)
Industries	electronics, telecommunications, automobile production, chemicals, shipbuilding, steel	engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum
Infant mortality rate	total: 6.05 deaths/1,000 live births male: 6.43 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)	total: 4.76 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.36 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	2.2% (2006 est.)	1.6% (2003 est.)
International organization participation	AfDB, APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, 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, LAIA, MIGA, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC	ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Irrigated land	8,780 sq km (2003)	40 sq km (includes Luxembourg) (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	Supreme Court (justices appointed by president with consent of National Assembly); Constitutional Court (justices appointed by president based partly on nominations by National Assembly and Chief Justice of the court)	Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie (in Dutch) or Cour de Cassation (in French) (judges are appointed for life by the Government; candidacies have to be submitted by the High Justice Council)
Labor force	23.98 million (2006 est.)	4.73 million (2003)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture: 6.4% industry: 26.4% services: 67.2% (2006 est.)	agriculture 1.3%, industry 24.5%, services 74.2% (2003 est.)
Land boundaries	total: 238 km border countries: North Korea 238 km	total: 1,385 km border countries: France 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km, Netherlands 450 km
Land use	arable land: 16.58% permanent crops: 2.01% other: 81.41% (2005)	arable land: 23.28% permanent crops: 0.4% other: 76.32% note: includes Luxembourg (2001)
Languages	Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high school	Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French)
Legal system	combines elements of continental European civil law systems, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought; 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 Assembly or Kukhoe (299 seats; 243 members elected in single-seat constituencies, 56 elected by proportional representation; to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 15 April 2004 (next to be held in April 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - Uri 51%, GNP 41%, DLP 3%, DP 3%, others 2%; seats by party - Uri 141, GNP 127, DP 12, DLP 9, PFP 5, independents 5 note: percent of vote is for 2004 general election; seats by party reflect results of 2005 and 2006 by-elections; MDP became DP in May 2005; United Liberal Democrats (ULD) merged with GNP in February 2006	bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate or Senaat in Dutch, Senat in French (71 seats; 40 members are directly elected by popular vote, 31 are indirectly elected; members serve four-year terms) and a Chamber of Deputies or Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers in Dutch, Chambre des Representants in French (150 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate and Chamber of Deputies - last held 18 May 2003 (next to be held no later than May 2007) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - SP.A-Spirit 15.5%, VLD 15.4%, CD & V 12.7%, PS 12.8%, MR 12.1%, VB 9.4%, CDH 5.6%; seats by party - SP.A-Spirit 7, VLD 7, CD & V 6, PS 6, MR 5, VB 5, CDH 2, other 2 (note - there are also 31 indirectly elected senators); Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - VLD 15.4%, SP.A-Spirit 14.9%, CD & V 13.3%, PS 13.0%, VB 11.6%, MR 11.4%, CDH 5.5%, Ecolo 3.1%; seats by party - VLD 25, SP.A-Spirit 23, CD & V 21, PS 25, VB 18, MR 24, CDH 8 Ecolo 4, other 2 note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a complex division of responsibilities; this reality leaves six governments each with its own legislative assembly; for other acronyms of the listed parties see the Political parties and leaders entry
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 77.23 years male: 73.81 years female: 80.93 years (2007 est.)	total population: 78.44 years male: 75.26 years female: 81.75 years (2004 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.9% male: 99.2% female: 96.6% (2002)	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: NA female: NA
Location	Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea	Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands
Map references	Asia	Europe
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the Korea Strait contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: not specified	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: geographic coordinates define outer limit continental shelf: median line with neighbors
Merchant marine	total: 738 ships (1000 GRT or over) 10,636,466 GRT/17,371,943 DWT by type: bulk carrier 187, cargo 202, carrier 1, chemical tanker 119, container 81, liquefied gas 26, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 21, petroleum tanker 57, refrigerated cargo 19, roll on/roll off 8, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 8 foreign-owned: 22 (China 2, France 8, Japan 1, Sweden 2, UK 1, US 7, Vietnam 1) registered in other countries: 386 (Belize 4, Cambodia 29, China 1, Cyprus 2, Greece 2, Honduras 6, Hong Kong 6, Indonesia 1, Liberia 4, Malta 3, Marshall Islands 3, Netherlands 1, Panama 316, Russia 1, Singapore 7, unknown 4) (2007)	total: 50 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,146,301 GRT/1,588,184 DWT by type: bulk 1, cargo 8, chemical tanker 11, container 6, liquefied gas 18, petroleum tanker 6 foreign-owned: Denmark 6, Finland 1, France 2, Netherlands 3 registered in other countries: 69 (2004 est.)
Military branches	Army, Navy, Republic of Korea Air Force (Han-guk Kong Goon), Marine Corps, National Maritime Police (coast guard) (2006)	Army, Naval, and Air Operations Commands
Military expenditures - dollar figure	-	$3.999 billion (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	2.7% (2006)	1.3% (2003)
Military manpower - availability	-	males age 15-49: 2,509,538 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	-	males age 15-49: 2,068,221 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	-	males: 61,270 (2004 est.)
National holiday	Liberation Day, 15 August (1945)	21 July (1831) ascension to the Throne of King Leopold I
Nationality	noun: Korean(s) adjective: Korean	noun: Belgian(s) adjective: Belgian
Natural hazards	occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwest	flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes
Natural resources	coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower potential	coal, natural gas, construction materials, silica sand, carbonates
Net migration rate	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)	1.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Pipelines	gas 1,482 km; refined products 827 km (2006)	gas 1,485 km; oil 158 km; refined products 535 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders	Democratic Labor Party or DLP [MOON Seong-hyun]; Democratic Party or DP [PARK Sang-chun]; Grand National Party or GNP [KANG Jae-sup]; People-First Party or PFP [SHIN Kook-hwan and SIM Dae-pyung]; Uri Party [Chung Sye-kyun]	Christian Democrats and Flemish or CD & V [Jo VANDEURZEN]; Ecolo (Francophone Greens) [Jean-Michel JAVAUX, Evelyne HUYTEBROECK, Claude BROUIR]; Flemish Liberal Democrats or VLD [Bart SOMERS]; Flemish Socialist Party.Alternative or SP.A [Steve STEVAERT]; Francophone Humanist and Democratic Center of CDH [Joelle MILQUET]; Francophone Reformist Movement or MR [Didier REYNDERS]; Francophone Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI RUPO]; GROEN! (formerly AGALEV, Flemish Greens) [Vera DUA]; National Front or FN [Daniel FERET]; New Flemish Alliance or NVA [Bart DE WEVER]; Spirit [Els VAN WEERT]; note - new party now associated with SP.A; Vlaams Belang or VB [Frank VANHECKE]; other minor parties
Political pressure groups and leaders	Federation of Korean Industries; Federation of Korean Trade Unions; Korean Confederation of Trade Unions; Korean National Council of Churches; Korean Traders Association; Korean Veterans' Association; National Council of Labor Unions; National Democratic Alliance of Korea; National Federation of Farmers' Associations; National Federation of Student Associations	Christian, Socialist, and Liberal Trade Unions; Federation of Belgian Industries; numerous other associations representing bankers, manufacturers, middle-class artisans, and the legal and medical professions; various organizations represent the cultural interests of Flanders and Wallonia; various peace groups such as Pax Christi and groups representing immigrants
Population	49,044,790 (July 2007 est.)	10,348,276 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line	15% (2003 est.)	4% (1989 est.)
Population growth rate	0.394% (2007 est.)	0.16% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors	-	Antwerp (one of the world's busiest ports), Brugge, Gent, Hasselt, Liege, Mons, Namur, Oostende, Zeebrugge
Radio broadcast stations	AM 61, FM 150, shortwave 2 (2005)	FM 79, AM 7, shortwave 1 (1998)
Railways	total: 3,472 km standard gauge: 3,472 km 1.435-m gauge (1,342 km electrified) (2006)	total: 3,518 km standard gauge: 3,518 km 1.435-m gauge (2,631 km electrified) (2003)
Religions	Christian 26.3% (Protestant 19.7%, Roman Catholic 6.6%), Buddhist 23.2%, other or unknown 1.3%, none 49.3% (1995 census)	Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25%
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.106 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.038 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.688 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2007 est.)	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage	19 years of age; universal	18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Telephone system	general assessment: excellent domestic and international services domestic: NA international: country code - 82; numerous submarine cables provide links throughout Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, and US; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) and 3 Inmarsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian 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: country code - 32; 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat
Telephones - main lines in use	26.866 million (2006)	5,120,400 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular	40.197 million (2006)	8,135,500 (2002)
Television broadcast stations	43 (plus 59 cable operators and 190 relay cable operators) (2005)	25 (plus 10 repeaters) (1997)
Terrain	mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south	flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast
Total fertility rate	1.28 children born/woman (2007 est.)	1.64 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate	3.3% (2006 est.)	8.1% (2003 est.)
Waterways	1,608 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2007)	2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use) (2003)

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