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Introduction |
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Background: |
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.
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Geography |
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Location: |
Western Europe, bordering
the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands
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Geographic coordinates: |
50 50 N, 4 00 E
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Map
references: |
Europe
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Area: |
total: 30,528 sq km
land: 30,278 sq km
water: 250 sq km
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Area -
comparative: |
about the size of Maryland
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Land
boundaries: |
total: 1,385 km
border countries: France 620 km, Germany 167 km,
Luxembourg 148 km, Netherlands 450 km
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Coastline: |
66.5 km
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Maritime claims: |
territorial sea: 12
nm
exclusive economic zone: geographic coordinates define
outer limit
continental shelf: median line with neighbors
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Climate: |
temperate; mild winters,
cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy
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Terrain: |
flat coastal plains in
northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes
Forest in southeast
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Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: North
Sea 0 m
highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m
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Natural
resources: |
construction materials,
silica sand, carbonates
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Land
use: |
arable land: 23.28%
permanent crops: 0.4%
other: 76.32%
note: includes Luxembourg (2001)
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Irrigated land: |
40 sq km (includes
Luxembourg) (1998 est.)
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Natural
hazards: |
flooding is a threat along
rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from
the sea by concrete dikes
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Environment - current issues: |
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
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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
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Geography - note: |
crossroads of Western
Europe; majority of West European capitals within 1,000 km of
Brussels, the seat of both the European Union and NATO
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People |
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Population: |
10,364,388 (July 2005
est.)
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Age
structure: |
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.)
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Median
age: |
total: 40.55 years
male: 39.29 years
female: 41.81 years (2005 est.)
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Population growth rate: |
0.15% (2005 est.)
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Birth
rate: |
10.48 births/1,000
population (2005 est.)
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Death
rate: |
10.22 deaths/1,000
population (2005 est.)
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Net
migration rate: |
1.23 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2005 est.)
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Sex
ratio: |
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.)
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Infant
mortality rate: |
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.)
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Life
expectancy at birth: |
total population:
78.62 years
male: 75.44 years
female: 81.94 years (2005 est.)
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Total
fertility rate: |
1.64 children born/woman
(2005 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: |
0.2% (2003 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: |
10,000 (2003 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - deaths: |
less than 100 (2003 est.)
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Nationality: |
noun: Belgian(s)
adjective: Belgian
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Ethnic
groups: |
Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%,
mixed or other 11%
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Religions: |
Roman Catholic 75%,
Protestant or other 25%
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Languages: |
Dutch (official) 60%,
French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%, legally
bilingual (Dutch and French)
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Literacy: |
definition: age 15
and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: NA%
female: NA%
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Government |
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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
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Government type: |
federal parliamentary
democracy under a constitutional monarch
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Capital: |
Brussels
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Administrative divisions: |
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
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Independence: |
4 October 1830 (a
provisional government declares independence from the
Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King Leopold I ascends to the
throne)
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National holiday: |
21 July (1831) ascension
to the Throne of King Leopold I
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Constitution: |
7 February 1831, amended
many times; revised 14 July 1993 to create a federal state
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Legal
system: |
civil law system
influenced by English constitutional theory; judicial review of
legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations
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Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal
and compulsory
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Executive branch: |
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
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Legislative branch: |
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
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Judicial branch: |
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)
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Political parties and leaders: |
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 [Els VAN WEERT] (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
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Political pressure groups and leaders: |
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
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International organization participation: |
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
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Flag
description: |
three equal vertical bands
of black (hoist side), yellow, and red; the design was based on
the flag of France
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Economy |
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Economy
- overview: |
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.
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GDP: |
purchasing power parity -
$316.2 billion (2004 est.)
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GDP -
real growth rate: |
2.6% (2004 est.)
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GDP -
per capita: |
purchasing power parity -
$30,600 (2004 est.)
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GDP -
composition by sector: |
agriculture: 1.3%
industry: 25.7%
services: 73% (2004 est.)
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Labor
force: |
4.75 million (2004 est.)
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Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture 1.3%, industry
24.5%, services 74.2% (2003 est.)
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Unemployment rate: |
12% (first half, 2004)
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Population below poverty line: |
4% (1989 est.)
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Household income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%: 3.2%
highest 10%: 23% (1996)
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Distribution of family income - Gini index: |
28.7 (1996)
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Inflation rate (consumer prices): |
1.9% (2004 est.)
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Investment (gross fixed): |
19.1% of GDP (2004 est.)
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Budget: |
revenues: $173.7
billion
expenditures: $174.8 billion, including capital
expenditures of $1.56 billion (2004 est.)
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Public
debt: |
96.2% of GDP (2004 est.)
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Agriculture - products: |
sugar beets, fresh
vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk
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Industries: |
engineering and metal
products, motor vehicle assembly, transportation equipment,
scientific instruments, processed food and beverages, chemicals,
basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum
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Industrial production growth rate: |
3.5% (2004 est.)
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Electricity - production: |
76.58 billion kWh (2002)
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Electricity - production by source: |
fossil fuel: 38.4%
hydro: 0.6%
nuclear: 59.3%
other: 1.8% (2001)
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Electricity - consumption: |
78.82 billion kWh (2002)
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Electricity - exports: |
9.1 billion kWh (2002)
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Electricity - imports: |
16.7 billion kWh (2002)
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Oil -
production: |
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
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Oil -
consumption: |
595,100 bbl/day (2001
est.)
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Oil -
exports: |
450,000 bbl/day (2001)
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Oil -
imports: |
1.042 million bbl/day
(2001)
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Natural
gas - production: |
0 cu m (2001 est.)
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Natural
gas - consumption: |
15.5 billion cu m (2001
est.)
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Natural
gas - exports: |
0 cu m (2001 est.)
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Natural
gas - imports: |
15.4 billion cu m (2001
est.)
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Current
account balance: |
$11.4 billion (2004 est.)
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Exports: |
$255.7 billion f.o.b.
(2003 est.)
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Exports
- commodities: |
machinery and equipment,
chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal products, foodstuffs
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Exports
- partners: |
Germany 19.9%, France
17.2%, Netherlands 11.8%, UK 8.6%, US 6.5%, Italy 5.2% (2004)
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Imports: |
$235 billion f.o.b. (2003
est.)
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Imports
- commodities: |
machinery and equipment,
chemicals, diamonds, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, transportation
equipment, oil products
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Imports
- partners: |
Germany 18.4%, Netherlands
17%, France 12.5%, UK 6.8%, Ireland 6.3%, US 5.5% (2004)
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: |
$14.45 billion (2003)
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Debt -
external: |
$28.3 billion (1999 est.)
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Economic aid - donor: |
ODA, $1.072 billion (2002)
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Currency (code): |
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
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Currency code: |
EUR
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Exchange rates: |
euros per US dollar -
0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),
1.0854 (2000)
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Fiscal
year: |
calendar year
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Communications |
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Telephones - main lines in use: |
5,120,400 (2002)
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Telephones - mobile cellular: |
8,135,500 (2002)
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Telephone system: |
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
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Radio
broadcast stations: |
FM 79, AM 7, shortwave 1
(1998)
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Radios: |
8.075 million (1997)
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Television broadcast stations: |
25 (plus 10 repeaters)
(1997)
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Televisions: |
4.72 million (1997)
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Internet country code: |
.be
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Internet hosts: |
166,799 (2004)
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs): |
61 (2000)
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Internet users: |
3.4 million (2002)
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Transportation |
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Railways: |
total: 3,521 km
standard gauge: 3,521 km 1.435-m gauge (2,927 km
electrified) (2004)
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Highways: |
total: 149,028 km
paved: 116,540 km (including 1,729 km of expressways)
unpaved: 32,488 km (2002)
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Waterways: |
2,043 km (1,528 km in
regular commercial use) (2003)
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Pipelines: |
gas 1,485 km; oil 158 km;
refined products 535 km (2004)
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Ports
and harbors: |
Antwerp, Brussels, Gent,
Liege, Oostende, Zeebrugge
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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)
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Airports: |
43 (2004 est.)
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Airports - with paved runways: |
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.)
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Airports - with unpaved runways: |
total: 18
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 16 (2004 est.)
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Heliports: |
1 (2004 est.)
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Military |
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Military branches: |
Land, Naval, and Air
Components (2005)
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Military manpower - military age and obligation: |
16 years of age for
voluntary military service; women comprise some 7% of the
Belgian armed forces (2001)
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Military manpower - availability: |
males age 16-49:
2,436,736 (2005 est.)
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Military manpower - fit for military service: |
males age 16-49:
1,998,003 (2005 est.)
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Military manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males: 64,263 (2005
est.)
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Military expenditures - dollar figure: |
$3.999 billion (2003)
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP: |
1.3% (2003)
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Transnational Issues |
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Disputes - international: |
none
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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
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