Belgium

Kingdom of Belgium

National name: Royaume de Belgique—Koninkrijk België

Sovereign: King Albert II (1993)

Prime Minister: Guy Verhofstadt (1999)

Land area: 11,672 sq mi (30,230 sq km); total area: 11,787 sq mi (30,528 sq km)

Population (2006 est.): 10,379,067 (growth rate: 0.1%); birth rate: 10.4/1000; infant mortality rate: 4.6/1000; life expectancy: 78.8; density per sq mi: 889

Capital and largest city (2003 est.): Brussels, 1,750,600 (metro area), 981,200 (city proper)

Other large cities: Antwerp, 952,600 (metro area), 450,000 (city proper); Ghent, 226,900; Charleroi, 201,200; Liège, 185,700; Bruges, 117,200

Monetary unit: Euro (formerly Belgian franc)

Languages: Dutch (Flemish) 60%, French 40%, German less than 1% (all official)

Ethnicity/race: Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11%

Religion: Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25%

Literacy rate: 98% (2003 est.)

Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2005 est.): $330.6 billion; per capita $31,900. Real growth rate: 1.5%. Inflation: 2.7%. Unemployment: 8.4%. Arable land: 27.42%. Agriculture: sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk. Labor force: 4.77 million; agriculture 1.3%, industry 24.5%, services 74.2% (2003 est.). Industries: engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, transportation equipment, scientific instruments, processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum. Natural resources: construction materials, silica sand, carbonates. Exports: $269.6 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.): machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal products, foodstuffs. Imports: $264.5 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.): machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, transportation equipment, oil products. Major trading partners: Germany, France, Netherlands, UK, U.S., Italy, Ireland (2004).

Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 4.801 million (2004); mobile cellular: 9,131,700 (2004). Radio broadcast stations: FM 79, AM 7, shortwave 1 (1998). Television broadcast stations: 25 (plus 10 repeaters) (1997). Internet hosts: 2,238,900 (2005). Internet users: 5.1 million (2005).

Transportation: Railways: total: 3,521 km (2,927 km electrified) (2004). Highways: total: 149,757 km; paved: 117,110 km (including 1,747 km of expressways); unpaved: 32,647 km (2003). Waterways: 2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use) (2003). Ports and harbors: Antwerp, Brussels, Gent, Liege, Oostende, Zeebrugge. Airports: 43 (2005).

International disputes: none.


 

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