Belgium

Airports

total: 42 usable: 42 with permanent-surface runways: 24 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 15 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 3

Highways

total: 137,876 km paved: 129,603 km (including 1,631 km of limited access divided highway) unpaved: 8,273 km (1989)

Inland waterways

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

Merchant marine

21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 36,200 GRT/52,039 DWT, bulk 1, cargo 9, chemical tanker 5, liquefied gas 1, oil tanker 5

Pipelines

crude oil 161 km; petroleum products 1,167 km; natural gas 3,300 km

Ports

Antwerp, Brugge, Gent, Oostende, Zeebrugge

Railroads

Belgian National Railways (SNCB) operates 3,568 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, government owned; 2,563 km double track; 2,207 km electrified

Telecommunications

highly developed, technologically advanced, and completely automated domestic and international telephone and telegraph facilities; extensive cable network; limited microwave radio relay network; 4,720,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 3 AM, 39 FM, 32 TV; 5 submarine cables; 2 satellite earth stations - Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and EUTELSAT systems; nationwide mobile phone system

Branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $3.8 billion, 1.8% of GDP (1993)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 2,558,109; fit for military service 2,130,172; reach military age (19) annually 61,710 (1994 est.)

Agriculture

accounts for 2.0% of GDP; emphasis on livestock production - beef, veal, pork, milk; major crops are sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; net importer of farm products

Budget

revenues: $97.8 billion enditures: $109.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1989)

Currency

1 Belgian franc (BF) = 100 centimes

Economic aid

donor: ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $5.8 billion

Electricity

capacity: 17,500,000 kW production: 68 billion kWh consumption per capita: 6,790 kWh (1992)

Exchange rates

Belgian francs (BF) per US$1 - 36.242 (January 1994), 34.597 (1993), 32.150 (1992), 34.148 (1991), 33.418 (1990), 39.404 (1989)

Exports

7 billion (f.o.b., 1992) Belgium-Luxembourg Economic Union commodities: iron and steel, transportation equipment, tractors, diamonds, petroleum products partners: EC 75.5%, US 3.7%, former Communist countries 1.4% (1991)

External debt

$31.3 billion (1992 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Illicit drugs

source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine processors; important gateway country for cocaine entering the European market

Imports

$120 billion (c.i.f., 1992) Belgium-Luxembourg Economic Union commodities: fuels, grains, chemicals, foodstuffs partners: EC 73%, US 4.8%, oil-exporting less developed countries 4%, former Communist countries 1.8% (1991)

Industrial production

growth rate -0.1% (1993 est.); accounts for 25% of GDP

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.8% (1993 est.)

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $177.5 billion (1993)

National product per capita

$17,700 (1993)

National product real growth rate

-1.5% (1993)

Overview

This small 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. Three fourths of its trade is with other EC countries. The economy grew at a strong 4% pace during the period 1988-90, but economic growth slowed to a 1% pace in 1991-92 and dropped by 1.5% in 1993. Belgium's public debt has risen to 140% of GDP, and the government is trying to control its expenditures to bring the figure more into line with other industrialized countries.

Unemployment rate

13.5% (March 1994)

Area

total area: 30,510 sq km land area: 30,230 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Maryland

Climate

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

Coastline

64 km

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 natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulphur, Antarctic Treaty, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

10 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries

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

Land use

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

Location

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

Map references

Arctic Region, Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims

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

Natural resources

coal, natural gas

Note

crossroads of Western Europe; majority of West European capitals within 1,000 km of Brussels which is the seat of the EC

Terrain

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

Administrative divisions

9 provinces (French: provinces, singular - province; Flemish: provincien, singular - provincie); Antwerpen, Brabant, Hainaut, Liege, Limburg, Luxembourg, Namur, Oost-Vlaanderen, West-Vlaanderen

Capital

Brussels

Chamber of Representatives

(Flemish - Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers, French - Chambre des Representants); elections last held 24 November 1991 (next to be held by November 1996); results - CVP 16.7%, PS 13.6%, SP 12.0%, PVV (now VLD) 11.9%, PRL 8.2%, PSC 7.8%, VB 6.6%, VU 5.9%, ECOLO 5.1%, AGALEV 4.9%, FDF 2.6%, ROSSEM 3.2%, FN 1.5%; seats - (212 total) CVP 39, PS 35, SP 28, PVV (now VLD) 26, PRL 20, PSC 18, FB 12, VU 10, ECOLO 10, AGALEV 7, FDF 3, ROSSEM 3, FN 1

Constitution

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

Digraph

BE

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Juan CASSIERS chancery: 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 333-6900

Executive branch

chief of state: King ALBERT II (since NA August 1993) head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Luc DEHAENE (since 6 March 1992) cabinet: Cabinet; the king appoints the ministers who are chosen by the legislature

FAX

(202) 333-3079 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

FAX

[32] (2) 511-2725

Flag

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

Independence

4 October 1830 (from the Netherlands)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court of Justice (Flemish - Hof van Cassatie, French - Cour de Cassation)

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

Member of

AG (observer), ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australian Group, Benelux, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, COCOM, CSCE, EBRD, EC, ECE, EIB, ESA, FAO, G-9, G-10, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MINURSO, MTCR, NACC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMOGIP, UNOSOM, UNPROFOR, UNRWA, UNTAC, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Names

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

National holiday

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

Other political or pressure groups

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

Political parties and leaders

Flemish Social Christian (CVP), Johan van HECKE, president; Francophone Social Christian (PSC), Melchior WATHELET, president; Flemish Socialist (SP), Frank VANDENBROUCKE, president; Francophone Socialist (PS), Philippe BUSQUIN; Flemish Liberals and Democrats (VLD), Guy VERHOFSTADT, president; Francophone Liberal (PRL), Jean GOL, president; Francophone Democratic Front (FDF), Georges CLERFAYT, president; Volksunie (VU), Bert ANCIAUX, president; Communist Party (PCB), Louis VAN GEYT, president; Vlaams Blok (VB), Karel DILLEN, chairman; ROSSEM, Jean Pierre VAN ROSSEM; National Front (FN), Werner van STEEN; AGALEV (Flemish Greens), no president; ECOLO (Francophone Ecologists), no president; other minor parties

Senate

(Flemish - Senaat, French - Senat); elections last held 24 November 1991 (next to be held by November 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (184 total; of which 106 are directly elected) CVP 20, SP 14, PVV (now VLD) 13, VU 5, AGALEV 5, VB 5, ROSSEN 1, PS 18, PRL 9, PSC 9, ECOLO 6, FDF 1

Suffrage

18 years of age, universal and compulsory

Type

constitutional monarchy

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Alan J. BLINKEN embassy: 27 Boulevard du Regent, Brussels mailing address: B-1000 Brussels, APO AE 09724 telephone: [32] (2) 513-3830

Birth rate

11.71 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate

10.26 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Ethnic divisions

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

Infant mortality rate

7.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Labor force

4.126 million by occupation: services 63.6%, industry 28%, construction 6.1%, agriculture 2.3% (1988)

Languages

Dutch 56%, French 32%, German 1%, legally bilingual 11% divided along ethnic lines

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 76.96 years male: 73.67 years female: 80.44 years (1994 est.)

Literacy

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

Nationality

noun: Belgian(s) adjective: Belgian

Net migration rate

0.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Population

10,062,836 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate

0.2% (1994 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25%

Total fertility rate

1.62 children born/woman (1994 est.)