Compare Mongolia (2007) - Belgium (2005)

Compare Mongolia (2007) z Belgium (2005)

	Mongolia (2007)	Belgium (2005)

Administrative divisions	21 provinces (aymguud, singular - aymag) and 1 municipality* (singular - hot); Arhangay, Bayanhongor, Bayan-Olgiy, Bulgan, Darhan-Uul, Dornod, Dornogovi, Dundgovi, Dzavhan, Govi-Altay, Govisumber, Hentiy, Hovd, Hovsgol, Omnogovi, Orhon, Ovorhangay, Selenge, Suhbaatar, Tov, Ulaanbaatar*, Uvs	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: 28.7% (male 432,309/female 415,382) 15-64 years: 67.4% (male 994,186/female 995,986) 65 years and over: 3.9% (male 49,517/female 64,406) (2007 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	wheat, barley, vegetables, forage crops; sheep, goats, cattle, camels, horses	sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk
Airports	44 (2007)	43 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 13 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (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: 31 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 23 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)	total: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 16 (2004 est.)
Area	total: 1,564,116 sq km	total: 30,528 sq km land: 30,278 sq km water: 250 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly smaller than Alaska	about the size of Maryland
Background	The Mongols gained fame in the 13th century when under Chinggis KHAN they conquered a huge Eurasian empire. After his death the empire was divided into several powerful Mongol states, but these broke apart in the 14th century. The Mongols eventually retired to their original steppe homelands and later came under Chinese rule. Mongolia won its independence in 1921 with Soviet backing. A Communist regime was installed in 1924. The ex-Communist Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) won elections in 1990 and 1992, but was defeated by the Democratic Union Coalition (DUC) in the 1996 parliamentary election. Since then, parliamentary elections returned the MPRP overwhelmingly to power in 2000 and produced a coalition government in 2004.	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	21.07 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)	10.48 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget	revenues: $695.3 million expenditures: $634.5 million (2005)	revenues: $173.7 billion expenditures: $174.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.56 billion (2004 est.)
Capital	name: Ulaanbaatar geographic coordinates: 47 55 N, 106 55 E time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Saturday in March; ends last Saturday in September	Brussels
Climate	desert; continental (large daily and seasonal temperature ranges)	temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy
Coastline	0 km (landlocked)	66.5 km
Constitution	12 February 1992	7 February 1831; amended many times; revised 14 July 1993 to create a federal state
Country name	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Mongolia local long form: none local short form: Mongol Uls former: Outer Mongolia	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	6.21 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)	10.22 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external	$1.38 billion (2005)	$28.3 billion (1999 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Mark C. MINTON embassy: Big Ring Road, 11th Micro Region, Ulaanbaatar mailing address: PSC 461, Box 300, FPO AP 96521-0002; P.O. Box 1021, Ulaanbaatar-13 telephone: [976] (11) 329-095 FAX: [976] (11) 320-776	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 Ravdan BOLD chancery: 2833 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 333-7117 FAX: [1] (202) 298-9227	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	$211.9 million (2005)	-
Economy - overview	Economic activity in Mongolia has traditionally been based on herding and agriculture. Mongolia has extensive mineral deposits. Copper, coal, molybdenum, tin, tungsten and gold account for a large part of industrial production. Soviet assistance, at its height one-third of GDP, disappeared almost overnight in 1990 and 1991 at the time of the dismantlement of the USSR. The following decade saw Mongolia endure both deep recession due to political inaction and natural disasters, as well as economic growth because of reform-embracing, free-market economics and extensive privatization of the formerly state-run economy. Severe winters and summer droughts in 2000-02 resulted in massive livestock die-off and zero or negative GDP growth. This was compounded by falling prices for Mongolia's primary sector exports and widespread opposition to privatization. Growth was 10.6% in 2004, 5.5% in 2005, and 7.5% in 2006, largely because of high copper prices and new gold production. Mongolia's economy continues to be heavily influenced by its neighbors. For example, Mongolia purchases 80% of its petroleum products and a substantial amount of electric power from Russia, leaving it vulnerable to price increases. China is Mongolia's chief export partner and a main source of the "shadow" or "grey" economy. The World Bank and other international financial institutions estimate the grey economy to be at least equal to that of the official economy, but the former's actual size is difficult to calculate since the money does not pass through the hands of tax authorities or the banking sector. Remittances from Mongolians working abroad both legally and illegally are sizable, and money laundering is a growing concern. Mongolia settled its $11 billion debt with Russia at the end of 2003 on favorable terms. Mongolia, which joined the World Trade Organization in 1997, seeks to expand its participation and integration into Asian regional economic and trade regimes.	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	2.94 billion kWh (2006)	78.82 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports	15.95 million kWh (2006)	9.1 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports	125 million kWh (2006)	16.7 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production	3.43 billion kWh (2006)	76.58 billion kWh (2002)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Hoh Nuur 518 m highest point: Nayramadlin Orgil (Huyten Orgil) 4,374 m	lowest point: North Sea 0 m highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m
Environment - current issues	limited natural fresh water resources in some areas; the policies of former Communist regimes promoted rapid urbanization and industrial growth that had negative effects on the environment; the burning of soft coal in power plants and the lack of enforcement of environmental laws severely polluted the air in Ulaanbaatar; deforestation, overgrazing, and the converting of virgin land to agricultural production increased soil erosion from wind and rain; desertification and mining activities had a deleterious effect on the environment	the environment is exposed to intense pressures from human activities: urbanization, dense transportation network, industry, extensive animal breeding and crop cultivation; air and water pollution also have repercussions for neighboring countries; uncertainties regarding federal and regional responsibilities (now resolved) have slowed progress in tackling environmental challenges
Environment - international agreements	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, 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	Mongol (mostly Khalkha) 94.9%, Turkic (mostly Kazakh) 5%, other (including Chinese and Russian) 0.1% (2000)	Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11%
Exchange rates	togrogs/tugriks per US dollar - 1,179.6 (2006), 1,205 (2005), 1,185.3 (2004), 1,146.5 (2003), 1,110.3 (2002)	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 Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR (since 24 June 2005) head of government: Prime Minister Sanjaa BAYAR (since 22 November 2007); Deputy Prime Minister Mendsaikhan ENKHSAIKHAN (since 28 January 2006) cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the prime minister in consultation with the president and confirmed by the State Great Hural (parliament) elections: presidential candidates nominated by political parties represented in State Great Hural and elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 22 May 2005 (next to be held in May 2009); following legislative elections, leader of majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by State Great Hural election results: Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR elected president; percent of vote - Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR 53.44%, Mendsaikhanin ENKHSAIKHAN 20.05%, Bazarsadyn JARGALSAIKHAN 13.92%, Badarchyn ERDENEBAT 12.59%; Miegombyn ENKHBOLD elected prime minister by the State Great Hural 56 to 10	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	821.9 bbl/day (2005 est.)	450,000 bbl/day (2001)
Exports - commodities	copper, apparel, livestock, animal products, cashmere, wool, hides, fluorspar, other nonferrous metals	machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal products, foodstuffs
Exports - partners	China 71.8%, Canada 11.7%, US 7.3% (2006)	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	three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), blue, and red; centered on the hoist-side red band in yellow is the national emblem ("soyombo" - a columnar arrangement of abstract and geometric representation for fire, sun, moon, earth, water, and the yin-yang symbol)	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: 21.7% industry: 27.9% services: 50.4% (2003 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	7.5% according to official estimate (2006 est.)	2.6% (2004 est.)
Geographic coordinates	46 00 N, 105 00 E	50 50 N, 4 00 E
Geography - note	landlocked; strategic location between China and Russia	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 (2007)	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%: 3% highest 10%: 24.6% (2002)	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	12,280 bbl/day (2004 est.)	1.042 million bbl/day (2001)
Imports - commodities	machinery and equipment, fuel, cars, food products, industrial consumer goods, chemicals, building materials, sugar, tea	machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, transportation equipment, oil products
Imports - partners	Russia 29.8%, China 29.5%, Japan 11.9% (2006)	Germany 18.4%, Netherlands 17%, France 12.5%, UK 6.8%, Ireland 6.3%, US 5.5% (2004)
Independence	11 July 1921 (from China)	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	3% (2006 est.)	3.5% (2004 est.)
Industries	construction and construction materials; mining (coal, copper, molybdenum, fluorspar, tin, tungsten, and gold); oil; food and beverages; processing of animal products, cashmere and natural fiber manufacturing	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: 42.65 deaths/1,000 live births male: 45.86 deaths/1,000 live births female: 39.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 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)	9.5% (2005 est.)	1.9% (2004 est.)
International organization participation	ARF, AsDB, CP, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, OSCE (partner), SCO (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO	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	840 sq km (2003)	40 sq km (includes Luxembourg) (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	Supreme Court (serves as appeals court for people's and provincial courts but rarely overturns verdicts of lower courts; judges are nominated by the General Council of Courts and approved by the president)	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	1.577 million (2005)	4.75 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture: 39.9% industry: 31.4% services: 28.7% (2005)	agriculture 1.3%, industry 24.5%, services 74.2% (2003 est.)
Land boundaries	total: 8,220 km border countries: China 4,677 km, Russia 3,543 km	total: 1,385 km border countries: France 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km, Netherlands 450 km
Land use	arable land: 0.76% permanent crops: 0% other: 99.24% (2005)	arable land: 23.28% permanent crops: 0.4% other: 76.32% note: includes Luxembourg (2001)
Languages	Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic, Russian (1999)	Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French)
Legal system	blend of Soviet, German, and US systems that combine "continental" or "civil" code and case-precedent; constitution ambiguous on judicial review of legislative acts; 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 State Great Hural 76 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms elections: last held 27 June 2004 (next to be held in June 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - MPRP 48.8%, MDC 44.8%, independents 3.5%, Republican Party 1.5%, others 1.4%; seats by party - MPRP 36, MDC 34, others 4; note - 2 seats disputed and unfilled; following June 2004 election MDC collapsed	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: 66.99 years male: 64.61 years female: 69.48 years (2007 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: 97.8% male: 98% female: 97.5% (2000 census)	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: NA% female: NA%
Location	Northern Asia, between China and Russia	Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands
Map references	Asia	Europe
Maritime claims	none (landlocked)	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: geographic coordinates define outer limit continental shelf: median line with neighbors
Merchant marine	total: 73 ships (1000 GRT or over) 448,252 GRT/668,689 DWT by type: bulk carrier 12, cargo 52, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 5 foreign-owned: 62 (Bulgaria 2, China 3, Hong Kong 1, Japan 1, Lebanon 1, Malaysia 1, Russia 17, Singapore 12, Syria 1, Thailand 1, Ukraine 3, UAE 5, Vietnam 14) (2007)	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 branches	Mongolian Armed Forces: Mongolian People's Army (MPA), Mongolian People's Air Force (Agaaryn Dovtolgoonoos Khamgaalakh Tsergiyn Komandial, MPAF); there is no navy (2007)	Land, Naval, and Air Components (2005)
Military expenditures - dollar figure	-	$3.999 billion (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	1.4% (2006)	1.3% (2003)
National holiday	Independence Day/Revolution Day, 11 July (1921)	21 July (1831) ascension to the Throne of King Leopold I
Nationality	noun: Mongolian(s) adjective: Mongolian	noun: Belgian(s) adjective: Belgian
Natural hazards	dust storms, grassland and forest fires, drought, and "zud," which is harsh winter conditions	flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes
Natural resources	oil, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin, nickel, zinc, fluorspar, gold, silver, iron	construction materials, silica sand, carbonates
Net migration rate	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 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	Citizens' Will Republican Party or CWRP [Sanjaasurengiin OYUN] (also called Civil Courage Republican Party or CCRP); Democratic Party or DP [Tsakhiagiyn ELBEGDORJ]; Motherland-Mongolian New Socialist Democratic Party or M-MNSDP [Badarchyn ERDENEBAT]; Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party or MPRP [Sanji BAYAR]; Mongolian Republican Party or MRP [Bazarsadyn JARGALSAIKHAN]; People's Party or PP [Lamjav GUNDALAI] note: DP and M-MNSDP formed Motherland-Democracy Coalition (MDC) in 2003 and with CWRP contested June 2004 elections as single party; MDC's leadership dissolved coalition in December 2004	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	NA	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	2,951,786 (July 2007 est.)	10,364,388 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line	36.1% (2004)	4% (1989 est.)
Population growth rate	1.486% (2007 est.)	0.15% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors	-	Antwerp, Brussels, Gent, Liege, Oostende, Zeebrugge
Radio broadcast stations	AM 7, FM 115 (includes 20 National radio broadcaster repeaters), shortwave 4 (2006)	FM 79, AM 7, shortwave 1 (1998)
Railways	total: 1,810 km broad gauge: 1,810 km 1.524-m gauge (2006)	total: 3,521 km standard gauge: 3,521 km 1.435-m gauge (2,927 km electrified) (2004)
Religions	Buddhist Lamaist 50%, Shamanist and Christian 6%, Muslim 4%, none 40% (2004)	Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25%
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.041 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.998 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.769 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2007 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: network is improving with international direct dialing available in many areas domestic: very low density of about 6 main lines per 100 persons (roughly 25 per 100 persons including cellular mobile phones); there are 3 wireless providers international: country code - 976; satellite earth stations - 7	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	156,000 (2005)	5,120,400 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular	557,200 (2005)	8,135,500 (2002)
Television broadcast stations	456 (including provincial and low-power repeaters) (2006)	25 (plus 10 repeaters) (1997)
Terrain	vast semidesert and desert plains, grassy steppe, mountains in west and southwest; Gobi Desert in south-central	flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast
Total fertility rate	2.25 children born/woman (2007 est.)	1.64 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate	3.3% (2005)	12% (first half, 2004)
Waterways	580 km note: only waterway in operation is Lake Hovsgol (135 km); Selenge River (270 km) and Orhon River (175 km) are navigable but carry little traffic; lakes and rivers freeze in winter, are open from May to September (2004)	2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use) (2003)

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