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Communications

Airports [time series]

42 total, 42 usable; 24 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 14 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 3 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Civil air [time series]

47 major transport aircraft

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

103,396 km total; 1,317 km limited access, divided autoroute; 11,717 km national highway; 1,362 km provincial road; about 38,000 km paved and 51,000 km unpaved rural roads

Waterways (Inland waterways) [time series]

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

Merchant marine [time series]

69 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,785,066 GRT/2,927,618 DWT; includes 12 cargo, 6 roll-on/roll-off, 6 container, 7 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 9 liquefied gas, 3 combination ore/oil, 9 chemical tanker, 11 bulk, 6 combination bulk

Pipelines [time series]

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

Ports [time series]

Antwerp, Brugge, Gent, Oostende, Zeebrugge

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

Belgian National Railways (SNCB) operates 3,667 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, government owned; 2,563 km double track; 1,978 km electrified; 191 km 1.000-meter gauge, government owned and operated

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

excellent domestic and international telephone and telegraph facilities; 4,720,000 telephones; stations--8 AM, 19 FM (42 relays), 25 TV (10 relays); 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations operating in INTELSAT 3 Atlantic Ocean and EUTELSAT systems

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

$4.8 billion, 2.5% of GDP (1990)

Manpower availability [time series]

males 15-49, 2,521,178; 2,115,935 fit for military service; 64,634 reach military age (19) annually

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for 2% of GDP; emphasis on livestock production--beef, veal, pork, milk; major crops are sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, and tobacco; net importer of farm products

Budget [time series]

revenues $45.0 billion; expenditures $55.3 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (1989)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

Belgian franc (plural--francs); 1 Belgian franc (BF) = 100 centimes

Economic aid [time series]

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

Electricity [time series]

17,325,000 kW capacity; 62,780 million kWh produced, 6,350 kWh per capita (1989)

Exchange rates [time series]

Belgian francs (BF) per US$1--31.102 (January 1991), 33.418 (1990), 39.404 (1989), 36.768 (1988), 37.334 (1987), 44.672 (1986), 59.378 (1985)

Exports [time series]

$106 billion (f.o.b., 1990 est.) Belgium-Luxembourg Economic Union; commodities--iron and steel, transportation equipment, tractors, diamonds, petroleum products; partners--EC 74%, US 5%, Communist countries 2% (1989)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$28.8 billion (1990 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

$144.8 billion, per capita $14,600; real growth rate 3.3% (1990)

Imports [time series]

$108 billion (c.i.f., 1989) Belgium-Luxembourg Economic Union; commodities--fuels, grains, chemicals, foodstuffs; partners--EC 73%, US 4%, oil-exporting less developed countries 4%, Communist countries 3% (1989)

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 1.3% (1991 est.); accounts for almost 30% of GDP

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

3% (1991 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

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 essential raw materials, making its economy closely dependent on the state of world markets. Over 70% of trade is with other EC countries. During the period 1988-90 Belgium's economic performance was marked by buoyant output growth, moderate inflation, and a substantial external surplus. Real GDP grew by an average of 3.9% in 1988-90. However, the economy is likely to slow in 1991-92 to below 3% GDP growth.

Unemployment rate [time series]

8.2% est. (1991 est.)

Geography

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

64 km Continental shelf: not specific; Exclusive fishing zone: equidistant line with neighbors (extends about 68 km from coast); Territorial sea: 12 nm

Area - comparative (Comparative area) [time series]

slightly larger than Maryland

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

air and water pollution

Land boundaries [time series]

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

Land use [time series]

arable land 24%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures 20%; forest and woodland 21%; other 34%, includes irrigated NEGL%

Natural resources [time series]

coal, natural gas

Note [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

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

Area (Total area) [time series]

30,510 km2; land area: 30,230 km2

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

Brussels

Political parties (Communists) [time series]

under 5,000 members (December 1985 est.)

Constitution [time series]

7 February 1831, last revised 8-9 August 1980; the government is in the process of revising the Constitution, with the aim of federalizing the Belgian state

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation) [time series]

Ambassador Juan CASSIERS; Chancery at 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 333-6900; there are Belgian Consulates General in Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, and New York; US--Ambassador Maynard W. GLITMAN; Embassy at 27 Boulevard du Regent, B-1000 Brussels (mailing address is APO New York 09667-1000); telephone [32] (2) 513-3830; there is a US Consulate General in Antwerp

Executive branch [time series]

monarch, prime minister, five deputy prime ministers, Cabinet

Flag [time series]

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

Independence [time series]

4 October 1830 (from the Netherlands)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court of Justice (Flemish--Hof van Cassatie, French--Cour de Cassation) Chief of State--King BAUDOUIN I (since 17 July 1951); Heir Apparent Prince ALBERT of Liege (brother of the King; born 6 June 1934); Head of Government--Prime Minister Wilfried MARTENS, (since April 1979, with a 10-month interruption in 1981) Flemish Social Christian (CVP), Herman van ROMPUY, president; Walloon Social Christian (PSC), Gerard DEPREZ, president; Flemish Socialist (SP), Frank VANDENBROUCKE, president; Walloon Socialist (PS), Guy SPITAELS, president; Flemish Liberal (PVV), Guy VERHOFSTADT, president; Walloon Liberal (PRL), Antoine DUQUESNE, president; Francophone Democratic Front (FDF), Georges CLERFAYT, president; Volksunie (VU), Jaak GABRIELS, president; Communist Party (PCB), Louis van GEYT, president; Vlaams Blok (VB), Karel DILLEN; other minor parties

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral Parliament consists of an upper chamber or Senate (Flemish--Senaat, French--Senat) and a lower chamber or Chamber of Representatives (Flemish--Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers, French--Chambre des Representants)

Country name (Long-form name) [time series]

Kingdom of Belgium

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ACCT, AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, 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, NATO, NEA, OAS (observer), OECD, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

National holiday [time series]

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

Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]

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

Suffrage [time series]

universal and compulsory at age 18 Senate--last held 13 December 1987 (next to be held by January 1992); results--CVP 19.2%, PS 15.7%, SP 14.7%, PVV 11.3%, PRL 9.3%, VU 8.1%, PSC 7.8%, ECOLO-AGALEV 7.7%, VB 2.0%, VDF 1.3%, other 1.96%; seats--(106 total) CVP 22, PS 20, SP 17, PRL 12, PVV 11, PSC 9, VU 8, ECOLO-AGALEV 5, VB 1, FDF 1; Chamber of Representatives--last held 13 December 1987 (next to be held by January 1992); results--CVP 19.45%, PS 15.66%, SP 14.88%, PVV 11.55%, PRL 9.41%, PSC 8.01%, VU 8.05%, ECOLO-AGALEV 7.05%, VB 1.90%, FDF 1.16%, other 2.88%; seats--(212 total) CVP 43, PS 40, SP 32, PVV 25, PRL 23, PSC 19, VU 16, ECOLO-AGALEV 9, FDF 3, VB 2

Government type (Type) [time series]

constitutional monarchy

People

Birth rate [time series]

12 births/1,000 population (1991)

Death rate [time series]

11 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

6 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

Labor force [time series]

4,200,000; services 69%, industry 28%, agriculture 3% (1988)

Languages (Language) [time series]

Flemish (Dutch) 56%, French 32%, German 1%; legally bilingual 11%; divided along ethnic lines

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

74 years male, 81 years female (1991)

Literacy [time series]

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

Nationality [time series]

noun--Belgian(s); adjective--Belgian

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrants/1,000 population (1991)

Organized labor [time series]

70% of labor force

Population [time series]

9,921,910 (July 1991), growth rate 0.1% (1991)

Religions (Religion) [time series]

Roman Catholic 75%, remainder Protestant or other

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.6 children born/woman (1991)