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Compare Martinique (2006) - Belgium (2005)

Compare Martinique (2006) z Belgium (2005)

 Martinique (2006)Belgium (2005)
 MartiniqueBelgium
Administrative divisions none (overseas department of France) 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: 22.1% (male 48,988/female 47,525)


15-64 years: 67.3% (male 147,082/female 146,470)


65 years and over: 10.6% (male 20,791/female 25,275) (2006 est.)
0-14 years: 16.9% (male 892,995/female 855,177)


15-64 years: 65.7% (male 3,435,282/female 3,373,917)


65 years and over: 17.4% (male 745,178/female 1,061,839) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products pineapples, avocados, bananas, flowers, vegetables, sugarcane sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk
Airports 2 (2006) 43 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)
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: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2006)
total: 18


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 16 (2004 est.)
Area total: 1,100 sq km


land: 1,060 sq km


water: 40 sq km
total: 30,528 sq km


land: 30,278 sq km


water: 250 sq km
Area - comparative slightly more than six times the size of Washington, DC about the size of Maryland
Background The French began to settle this island in 1635, overcoming resistance from the local Carib inhabitants. In 1660, the suviving natives were rounded up and permanently expelled. The island has subsequently remained a French possession except for three brief periods of foreign occupation. 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 13.74 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) 10.48 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget revenues: $317.5 million


expenditures: $317.5 million; including capital expenditures of $140 million (1996)
revenues: $173.7 billion


expenditures: $174.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.56 billion (2004 est.)
Capital name: Fort-de-France


geographic coordinates: 14 36 N, 61 05 W


time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Brussels
Climate tropical; moderated by trade winds; rainy season (June to October); vulnerable to devastating cyclones (hurricanes) every eight years on average; average temperature 17.3 degrees C; humid temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy
Coastline 350 km 66.5 km
Constitution 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) 7 February 1831; amended many times; revised 14 July 1993 to create a federal state
Country name conventional long form: Department of Martinique


conventional short form: Martinique


local long form: Departement de la Martinique


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


conventional short form: Belgium


local long form: Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie


local short form: Belgique/Belgie
Death rate 6.48 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) 10.22 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external $180 million (1994) $28.3 billion (1999 est.)
Dependency status overseas department of France -
Diplomatic representation from the US none (overseas department of France) 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 none (overseas department of France) 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 none none
Economic aid - donor - ODA, $1.072 billion (2002)
Economic aid - recipient $NA; note - substantial annual aid from France (1998) -
Economy - overview The economy is based on sugarcane, bananas, tourism, and light industry. Agriculture accounts for about 6% of GDP and the small industrial sector for 11%. Sugar production has declined, with most of the sugarcane now used for the production of rum. Banana exports are increasing, going mostly to France. The bulk of meat, vegetable, and grain requirements must be imported, contributing to a chronic trade deficit that requires large annual transfers of aid from France. Tourism, which employs more than 11,000 people, has become more important than agricultural exports as a source of foreign exchange. 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 nearly 100% of GDP. On the positive side, the government has succeeded in balancing its budget, and income distribution is relatively equal. Belgium began circulating the euro currency in January 2002. Economic growth in 2001-03 dropped sharply because of the global economic slowdown, with moderate recovery in 2004.
Electricity - consumption 1.12 billion kWh (2003) 78.82 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2003) 9.1 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2003) 16.7 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production 1.205 billion kWh (2003) 76.58 billion kWh (2002)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Montagne Pelee 1,397 m
lowest point: North Sea 0 m


highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m
Environment - current issues NA 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: 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 African and African-white-Indian mixture 90%, white 5%, East Indian and Chinese less than 5% Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11%
Exchange rates euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001) euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)
Executive branch chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995); Prefect Yves DASSONVILLE (since 14 January 2004); note - took office 8 February 2004


head of government: President of the General Council Claude LISE (since 22 March 1992); President of the Regional Council Alfred MARIE-JEANNE (since NA March 1998)


cabinet: NA


elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; the presidents of the General and Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils for six-year terms
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 NA bbl/day 450,000 bbl/day (2001)
Exports - commodities refined petroleum products, bananas, rum, pineapples machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal products, foodstuffs
Exports - partners France 45%, Guadeloupe 28% (2004) Germany 19.9%, France 17.2%, Netherlands 11.8%, UK 8.6%, US 6.5%, Italy 5.2% (2004)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description unofficial flag, derives from the civil ensign flown by French merchant ships and dates to 1766; a blue field quartered by a white cross; in the center of each rectangle is a white, coiled snake representing the venomous Fer-de-lance; the flag of France is used for official occasions three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red; the design was based on the flag of France
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 6%


industry: 11%


services: 83% (1997 est.)
agriculture: 1.3%


industry: 25.7%


services: 73% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $30,600 (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate NA% 2.6% (2004 est.)
Geographic coordinates 14 40 N, 61 00 W 50 50 N, 4 00 E
Geography - note the island is dominated by Mount Pelee, which on 8 May 1902 erupted and completely destroyed the city of Saint Pierre, killing 30,000 inhabitants 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 (2004 est.)
Highways - total: 149,028 km


paved: 116,540 km (including 1,729 km of expressways)


unpaved: 32,488 km (2002)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: 3.2%


highest 10%: 23% (1996)
Illicit drugs transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for the US and Europe 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 NA bbl/day 1.042 million bbl/day (2001)
Imports - commodities petroleum products, crude oil, foodstuffs, construction materials, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, transportation equipment, oil products
Imports - partners France 62%, Venezuela 6%, Germany 4%, Italy 4%, US 3% (2004) Germany 18.4%, Netherlands 17%, France 12.5%, UK 6.8%, Ireland 6.3%, US 5.5% (2004)
Independence none (overseas department of France) 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 NA% 3.5% (2004 est.)
Industries construction, rum, cement, oil refining, sugar, tourism engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, transportation equipment, scientific instruments, processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum
Infant mortality rate total: 6.95 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 4.68 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 9.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
total: 4.68 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 5.27 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 4.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) NA 1.9% (2004 est.)
International organization participation UPU, WCL, WFTU 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 70 sq km (2003) 40 sq km (includes Luxembourg) (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel 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 165,900 (1998) 4.75 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 10%


industry: 17%


services: 73% (1997)
agriculture 1.3%, industry 24.5%, services 74.2% (2003 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km total: 1,385 km


border countries: France 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km, Netherlands 450 km
Land use arable land: 9.09%


permanent crops: 10%


other: 80.91% (2005)
arable land: 23.28%


permanent crops: 0.4%


other: 76.32%


note: includes Luxembourg (2001)
Languages French, Creole patois Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French)
Legal system French legal system civil law system influenced by English constitutional theory; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Legislative branch unicameral General Council or Conseil General (45 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (41 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)


elections: General Council - last held March 2000 (next to be held in 2006); Regional Council - last held on 28 March 2004 (next to be held by March 2010)


election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - left-wing candidates 13, PPM 11, RPR 6, right-wing candidates 5, PCM 3, UDF 3, PMS 2, independents 2; note - the PPM won a plurality; Regional Council (second round) - percent of vote by party - MIM 53.8%, PPM 30.6%; seats by party - MIM 28, PPM 9, other 4


note: Martinique elects 2 seats to the French Senate; elections last held September 2004 (next to be held September 2008); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPM 1, left-wing candidate 1; Martinique also elects 4 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held, first round - 9 June 2002, second round - 16 June 2002 (next to be held not later than June 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1, PMS 1, MIM 1, left-wing candidate 1 (candidacy of the left-wing candidate was found invalid by the Constitutional Council; new elections will be called)
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
Life expectancy at birth total population: 79.18 years


male: 79.5 years


female: 78.85 years (2006 est.)
total population: 78.62 years


male: 75.44 years


female: 81.94 years (2005 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 97.7%


male: 97.4%


female: 98.1% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 98%


male: NA%


female: NA%
Location Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Europe
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: geographic coordinates define outer limit


continental shelf: median line with neighbors
Merchant marine - total: 53 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,146,301 GRT/1,588,184 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 15, cargo 2, chemical tanker 2, container 8, liquefied gas 17, petroleum tanker 9


foreign-owned: 12 (Denmark 4, France 4, Greece 4)


registered in other countries: 101 (2005)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of France -
Military branches no regular military forces; Gendarmerie Land, Naval, and Air Components (2005)
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $3.999 billion (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 1.3% (2003)
National holiday Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) 21 July (1831) ascension to the Throne of King Leopold I
Nationality noun: Martiniquais (singular and plural)


adjective: Martiniquais
noun: Belgian(s)


adjective: Belgian
Natural hazards hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic activity (an average of one major natural disaster every five years) flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes
Natural resources coastal scenery and beaches, cultivable land construction materials, silica sand, carbonates
Net migration rate -0.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) 1.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Pipelines - gas 1,485 km; oil 158 km; refined products 535 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders Martinique Communist Party or PCM [Georges ERICHOT]; Martinique Independence Movement or MIM [Alfred MARIE-JEANNE]; Martinique Progressive Party or PPM [Pierre SUEDILE]; Martinique Socialist Party or PMS [Ernest WAN-AJOUHU]; Movement of Democrats and Ecologists for a Sovereign Martinique or Modemas [Garcin MALSA]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Michel CHARLONE]; Socialist Revolution Group or GRS [Philippe PIERRE-CHARLES]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Jean MAREN] Flemish parties: Christian Democrats and Flemish or CD & V [Jo VANDEURZEN]; Flemish Liberal Democrats or VLD [Bart SOMERS]; GROEN! (formerly AGALEV, Flemish Greens) [Vera DUA]; New Flemish Alliance or NVA [Bart DE WEVER]; Socialist Party.Alternative or SP.A [Caroline GENNEZ]; Spirit [Geert LAMBERT] (new party now associated with SP.A); Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) or VB [Frank VANHECKE]


Francophone parties: Ecolo (Francophone Greens) [Jean-Michel JAVAUX, Evelyne HUYTEBROECK, Claude BROUIR]; Humanist and Democratic Center of CDH [Joelle MILQUET]; National Front or FN [Daniel FERET]; Reformist Movement or MR [Didier REYNDERS]; Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI RUPO]; other minor parties
Political pressure groups and leaders Caribbean Revolutionary Alliance or ARC; Central Union for Martinique Workers or CSTM [Marc PULVAR]; Frantz Fanon Circle; League of Workers and Peasants; Proletarian Action Group or GAP 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 436,131 (July 2006 est.) 10,364,388 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 4% (1989 est.)
Population growth rate 0.72% (2006 est.) 0.15% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors - Antwerp, Brussels, Gent, Liege, Oostende, Zeebrugge
Radio broadcast stations AM 0, FM 14, shortwave 0 (1998) FM 79, AM 7, shortwave 1 (1998)
Railways - total: 3,521 km


standard gauge: 3,521 km 1.435-m gauge (2,927 km electrified) (2004)
Religions Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 10.5%, Muslim 0.5%, Hindu 0.5%, other 3.5% (1997) Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female


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


total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
at birth: 1.04 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 (2005 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Telephone system general assessment: domestic facilities are adequate


domestic: NA


international: country code - 596; microwave radio relay to Guadeloupe, Dominica, and Saint Lucia; satellite earth stations - 2 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: country code - 32; 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat
Telephones - main lines in use 172,000 (2001) 5,120,400 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular 319,900 (2002) 8,135,500 (2002)
Television broadcast stations 11 (plus nine repeaters) (1997) 25 (plus 10 repeaters) (1997)
Terrain mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast
Total fertility rate 1.79 children born/woman (2006 est.) 1.64 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate 27.2% (1998) 12% (first half, 2004)
Waterways - 2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use) (2003)
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