*Belgium, Geography Location: Western Europe, bordering on the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands Map references: Arctic Region, Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 30,510 km2 land area: 30,230 km2 comparative area: slightly larger than Maryland Land boundaries: total 1,385 km, France 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km, Netherlands 450 km Coastline: 64 km 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 International disputes: none Climate: temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy Terrain: flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast Natural resources: coal, natural gas Land use: arable land: 24% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 20% forest and woodland: 21% other: 34% Irrigated land: 10 km2 (1989 est.) Environment: air and water pollution Note: crossroads of Western Europe; majority of West European capitals within 1,000 km of Brussels which is the seat of the EC *Belgium, People Population: 10,040,939 (July 1993 est.) Population growth rate: 0.23% (1993 est.) Birth rate: 11.94 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Death rate: 10.32 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) Net migration rate: 0.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) Infant mortality rate: 7.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.72 years male: 73.41 years female: 80.21 years (1993 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.62 children born/woman (1993 est.) Nationality: noun: Belgian(s) adjective: Belgian Ethnic divisions: Fleming 55%, Walloon 33%, mixed or other 12% Religions: Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25% Languages: Flemish (Dutch) 56%, French 32%, German 1%, legally bilingual 11% divided along ethnic lines Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1980) total population: 99% male: NA% female: NA% Labor force: 4.126 million by occupation: services 63.6%, industry 28%, construction 6.1%, agriculture 2.3% (1988) *Belgium, Government Names: conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium conventional short form: Belgium local long form: Royaume de Belgique local short form: Belgique Digraph: BE Type: constitutional monarchy Capital: Brussels Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (French: provinces, singular - province; Flemish: provincien, singular - provincie); Antwerpen, Brabant, Hainaut, Liege, Limburg, Luxembourg, Namur, Oost-Vlaanderen, West-Vlaanderen Independence: 4 October 1830 (from the Netherlands) Constitution: 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 Legal system: civil law system influenced by English constitutional theory; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations National holiday: National Day, 21 July (ascension of King Leopold to the throne in 1831) Political parties and leaders: Flemish Social Christian (CVP), Herman VAN ROMPUY, president; Walloon Social Christian (PSC) , Melchior WATHELET, president; Flemish Socialist (SP), Frank VANDENBROUCKE, president; Walloon Socialist (PS), Guy SPITAELS; Flemish Liberals and Democrats (VLD), 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 VAN DILLEN, chairman; ROSSEM, Jean Pierre VAN ROSSEM; National Front (FN), Werner van STEEN; Live Differently (AGALEV; Flemish Green party), Leo COX; Ecologist (ECOLO; Francophone Green party), NA; other minor parties 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 Suffrage: 18 years of age, universal and compulsory Elections: Senate: 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 *Belgium, Government Chamber of Representatives: 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 Executive branch: monarch, prime minister, three deputy prime ministers, Cabinet Legislative branch: 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) Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Flemish - Hof van Cassatie, French - Cour de Cassation) Leaders: 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 Jean-Luc DEHAENE (since 6 March 1992) 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, 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 Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Juan CASSIERS chancery: 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 333-6900 FAX: (202) 333-3079 consulates general: Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Bruce S. GELB embassy: 27 Boulevard du Regent, Brussels mailing address: B-1000 Brussels, PSC 82, Box 002, APO AE 09724 telephone: [32] (2) 513-3830 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 *Belgium, Economy 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 essential raw materials, making its economy closely dependent on the state of world markets. Over 70% of 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. The economy is expected to turn in another sluggish 1% performance in 1993. Belgium's public debt remains high at 120% of GDP and the government is trying to control its expenditures to bring the figure more into line with other industrialized countries. National product: GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $177.9 billion (1992) National product real growth rate: 0.8% (1992) National product per capita: $17,800 (1992) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.6% (1992 est.) Unemployment rate: 9.8% (end 1992) Budget: revenues $97.8 billion; expenditures $109.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1989) Exports: $118 billion (f.o.b., 1991) 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) Imports: $121 billion (c.i.f., 1991) 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) External debt: $31.3 billion (1992 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 1.6% (1992 est.) Electricity: 17,500,000 kW capacity; 68,000 million kWh produced, 6,790 kWh per capita (1992) Industries: engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum, coal Agriculture: accounts for 2.3% 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 Illicit drugs: source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine processors; increasingly important gateway country for cocaine entering the European market *Belgium, Economy Economic aid: donor - ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $5.8 billion Currency: 1 Belgian franc (BF) = 100 centimes Exchange rates: Belgian francs (BF) per US$1 - 33.256 (January 1993), 32.150 (1992), 34.148 (1991), 33.418 (1990), 39.404 (1989), 36.768 (1988) Fiscal year: calendar year *Belgium, Communications 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 Highways: 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 Inland waterways: 2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use) Pipelines: petroleum products 1,167 km; crude oil 161 km; natural gas 3,300 km Ports: Antwerp, Brugge, Gent, Oostende, Zeebrugge Merchant marine: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 96,949 GRT/133,658 DWT; includes 10 cargo, 5 oil tanker, 2 liquefied gas, 5 chemical tanker, 1 bulk Airports: total: 42 usable: 42 with permanent-surface runways: 24 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 14 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 3 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 *Belgium, Defense Forces Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie Manpower availability: males age 15-49 2,556,189; fit for military service 2,133,051; reach military age (19) annually 63,532 (1993 est.) Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $4 billion, 2% of GDP (1992)