1998 Edition

Area

total: 30,510 sq km land: 30,230 sq km water: 280 sq km

Area-comparative

about the size of Maryland

Climate

temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy

Coastline

64 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: North Sea 0 m highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m

Environment-current issues

Meuse River, a major source of drinking water, polluted from steel production wastes; other rivers polluted by animal wastes and fertilizers; industrial air pollution contributes to acid rain in neighboring countries

Environment-international agreements

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, 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-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Law of the Sea

Geographic coordinates

50 50 N, 4 00 E

Geography-note

crossroads of Western Europe; majority of West European capitals within 1,000 km of Brussels which is the seat of both the EU and NATO

Irrigated land

10 sq km including Luxembourg (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 1,385 km border countries: France 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km, Netherlands 450 km

Land use

arable land: 24% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 20% forests and woodland: 21% other: 34%

Location

Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

continental shelf: median line with neighbors exclusive fishing zone: median line with neighbors (extends about 68 km from coast) territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural hazards

flooding is a threat in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes

Natural resources

coal, natural gas

Terrain

flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast

Age structure

0-14 years: 17% (male 903,954; female 860,940) 15-64 years: 66% (male 3,387,329; female 3,318,221) 65 years and over: 17% (male 693,519; female 1,010,959) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate

10.21 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate

10.41 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups

Fleming 55%, Walloon 33%, mixed or other 12%

Infant mortality rate

6.27 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages

Flemish 56%, French 32%, German 1%, legally bilingual 11%

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 77.35 years male: 74.13 years female: 80.74 years (1998 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% (1980 est.) male: NA% female: NA%

Nationality

noun: Belgian(s) adjective: Belgian

Net migration rate

1.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population

10,174,922 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate

0.09% (1998 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25%

Sex ratio

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: 0.68 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.49 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Administrative divisions

9 provinces (French: provinces, singular-province; Flemish: provincien, singular-provincie); Antwerpen, Brabant, Hainaut, Liege, Limburg, Luxembourg, Namur, Oost-Vlaanderen, West-Vlaanderen note: constitutional reforms passed by Parliament in 1993 theoretically increased the number of provinces to 10 by splitting the province of Brabant into two new provinces, Flemish Brabant and Walloon Brabant, but this has not been confirmed by the US Government

Constitution

7 February 1831, last revised 14 July 1993; parliament approved a constitutional package creating a federal state

Country name

conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium conventional short form: Belgium local long form: Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie local short form: Belgique/Belgie

Data code

BE

Executive branch

chief of state: King ALBERT II (since 9 August 1993); Heir Apparent Prince PHILIPPE, son of the king head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Luc DEHAENE (since 6 March 1992) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the king and approved by Parliament elections: none; the king is a constitutional monarch; prime minister appointed by the king and then approved by Parliament

FAX

[1] (202) 333-3079 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Alan J. BLINKEN embassy: 27 Boulevard du Regent, B-1000 Brussels mailing address: APO AE 09724, PSC 82, Box 002, Brussels telephone: [32] (2) 508-2111

[32] (2) 511-2725

Flag description

three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red; the design was based on the flag of France

Government type

federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarch

Independence

4 October 1830 (from the Netherlands)

International organization participation

ACCT, AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MTCR, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNPREDEP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Andre ADAM chancery: 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-6900

Judicial branch

Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie in Flemish, Cour de Cassation in French, judges are appointed for life by the Belgian monarch Political parties and leaders: Flemish Christian Democrats or CVP (Christian People's Party) [Marc VAN PEEL, president]; Francophone Christian Democrats or PSC (Social Christian Party) [Gerard DEPREZ, president]; Flemish Socialist Party or SP [Louis TOBBACK, president]; Francophone Socialist Party or PS [Philippe BUSQUIN, president]; Flemish Liberal Democrats or VLD [Herman DE CROO, president]; Francophone Liberal Reformation Party or PRL [Louis MICHEL, president]; Francophone Democratic Front or FDF [Olivier MAINGAIN, president]; Volksunie or VU [Bert ANCIAUX, president]; Vlaams Blok or VB [Karel DILLEN]; National Front or FN [Frank VANHECKE, president]; AGALEV (Flemish Greens) [no president]; ECOLO (Francophone Greens) [no president]; other minor parties Political pressure groups and leaders: 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 the Flemish Action Committee Against Nuclear Weapons and Pax Christi

Legal system

civil law system influenced by English constitutional theory; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate or Senaat in Flemish, Senat in French (71 seats; 40 members are directly elected, 31 will be indirectly elected at a later date; members serve four-year terms) and a Chamber of Deputies or Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers in Flemish, Chambre des Representants in French (150 seats; members are directly elected by proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate and Chamber of Deputies-last held 21 May 1995 (next to be held by the end of 1999) election results: Senate-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-CVP 7, SP 6, VLD 6, VU 2, AGALEV 1, VB 3, PS 5, PRL 5, PSC 3, ECOLO 2; note-before the 1995 elections, there were 184 seats; Chamber of Deputies-percent of vote by party-CVP 17.2%, PS 11.9%, SP 12.6%, VLD 13.1%, PRL 10.3%, PSC 7.7%, VB 7.8%, VU 4.7%, ECOLO 4.0%, AGALEV 4.4%, FN 2.3%; seats by party-CVP 29, PS 21, SP 20, VLD 21, PRL 18, PSC 12, VB 11, VU 5, ECOLO 6, AGALEV 5, FN 2; note-before the 1995 elections, there were 212 seats note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a complex division of responsibilities; this reality leaves six governments each with its own legislative assembly; for other acronyms of the listed parties see Political parties and leaders

National capital

Brussels

National holiday

National Day, 21 July (ascension of King LEOPOLD to the throne in 1831)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Agriculture-products

sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk

Budget

revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Currency

1 Belgian franc (BF) = 100 centimes

Debt-external

$31.3 billion (1992 est.)

Economic aid

donor: ODA, $808 million (1993)

Economy-overview

This highly developed private enterprise economy has capitalized on its central geographic location, highly developed transport network, and diversified industrial and commercial base. Industry is concentrated mainly in the populous Flemish area in the north, although the government is encouraging reinvestment in the southern region of Walloon. 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. Two-thirds of its trade is with other EU countries. The economy grew at a strong 4% annual pace during the period 1988-90, slowed to 1% in 1991-92, dropped by 1.5% in 1993, recovered with moderate 2.3% growth in 1994 and 1995, and fell off again to 1.4% in 1996, with continued substantial unemployment. Belgium's public debt fell from 127% of GDP in 1996 to 124% in 1997, and the government is trying to control its expenditures to bring the figure more into line with other industrialized countries. GDP growth of 2.5% is forecast for 1998.

Electricity-capacity

13.592 million kW (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita

7,306 kWh (1995 est.)

Electricity-production

69.56 billion kWh (1995)

Exchange rates

Belgian francs (BF) per US$1-37.459 (January 1998), 35.774 (1997), 30.962 (1996), 29.480 (1995), 33.456 (1994), 34.597 (1993)

Exports

total value: $172 billion (f.o.b., 1997) Belgium-Luxembourg Economic Union (BLEU) commodities: iron and steel, transportation equipment, tractors, diamonds, petroleum products partners: EU 67.2% (Germany 19%), US 5.8%, former Communist countries 1.4% (1994)

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications

GDP

purchasing power parity-$236.3 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector

agriculture: 2% industry: 28% services: 70% (1994)

GDP-per capita

purchasing power parity-$23,200 (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate

2.3% (1997 est.)

Imports

total value: $158.5 billion (c.i.f., 1997) Belgium-Luxembourg Economic Union commodities: fuels, grains, chemicals, foodstuffs partners: EU 75% (Germany 22.1%), US 5%, former Communist countries 0.8% (1997)

Industrial production growth rate

9.7% (1995)

Industries

engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum, coal

Inflation rate-consumer price index

1.7% (1997 est.)

Labor force

total: 4.283 million (1997) by occupation: services 69.7%, industry 27.7%, agriculture 2.6% (1992)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 3, FM 39, shortwave 0

Radios

100,000 (1992 est.)

Telephone system

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

5.691 million (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations

32 (1987 est.)

Televisions

3,315,662 (1993 est.)

Unemployment rate

12.75% (1997)

Airports

42 (1997 est.) Airports-with paved runways: total: 24 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 6 (1997 est.) Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 15 (1997 est.)

Heliports

1 (1997 est.)

Highways

total: 143,175 km paved: 143,175 km (including 1,674 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 25 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 60,082 GRT/93,973 DWT ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 7, chemical tanker 5, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 10 (1997 est.)

Pipelines

crude oil 161 km; petroleum products 1,167 km; natural gas 3,300 km Ports and harbors: Antwerp (one of the world's busiest ports), Brugge, Gent, Hasselt, Liege, Mons, Namur, Oostende, Zeebrugge

Railways

total: 3,368 km (2,386 km electrified; 2,563 km double track) standard gauge: 3,368 km 1.435-m gauge (1996)

Waterways

2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use)

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie

Military expenditures-dollar figure

$4.6 billion (1995)

Military expenditures-percent of GDP

1.7% (1995)

Military manpower-availability

males age 15-49: 2,549,277 (1998 est.) Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 2,111,332 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-military age

19 years of age

Military manpower-reaching military age annually

males: 63,937 (1998 est.)

Disputes-international

none

Illicit drugs

source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine processors; transshipment point for cocaine, heroin, hashish, and marijuana entering Western Europe