Belgium
Kingdom of BelgiumRoyaume de Belgique/
federal parliamentary democracy under aIndependence 4 October 1830 (from the Netherlands)
Belgium as the 1999 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 109 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830 and was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. In the half century following, it has prospered as a small, modern, technologically advanced European state and member of the European Union. Its unique political circumstance is the long-standing differences between the wealthier Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the poorer French-speaking Walloons of the south, differences that are becoming increasingly acute.
Geography
Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France | and the Netherlands
18 fieldsLand useshare of 30,510 sq km
Terrain
flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast
Natural hazards
flooding is a threat in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes
Environment--current issues
the environment is exposed to intense
- pressures from human activities:
- urbanization, dense transportation network, industry, intense animal breeding and crop cultivation;
- air and water pollution also have repercussions for neighboring countries;
- uncertainties regarding federal and regional responsibilities (now resolved) have impeded progress in tackling environmental challenges
Environment--international agreements
- party to:
- Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
- signed, but not ratified:
- Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography--note
crossroads of Western Europe; majority of West European capitals within 1,000 km of Brussels which is the seat of both the EU and NATO
People
15 fieldsPer 1,000 population(1999 est.)
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 17% (male 895,987; female 853,494)
- 15-64 years:
- 66% (male 3,389,572; female 3,318,266)
- 65 years and over:
- 17% (male 703,933; female 1,020,782) (1999 est.)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 1.02 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.69 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 0.96 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Government
Federal parliamentary democracy under a; King ALBERT II (since 9 August 1993); Prime Minister Jean-Luc DEHAENE (since 6 March 1992)
19 fieldsLegislature, 150 seatsone dot, one seat
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
Administrative divisions
- 10 provinces (French: provinces, singular--province; Flemish: provincien, singular--provincie);
- Antwerpen, Brabant Wallon, Hainaut, Liege, Limburg, Luxembourg, Namur, Oost-Vlaanderen, Vlaams Brabant, West-Vlaanderen
note: the Brussels Capitol Region is not included within the 10 provinces
Constitution
7 February 1831, last revised 14 July 1993; parliament approved a constitutional package creating a federal state
Legal system
- civil law system influenced by English constitutional theory;
- judicial review of legislative acts;
- accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
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 Jean-Luc DEHAENE (since 6 March 1992)
- cabinet:
- Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch and approved by Parliament
- elections:
- none;
- the monarch is hereditary;
- prime minister appointed by the monarch and then approved by Parliament
Legislative branch
bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate or Senaat in Flemish, 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 Flemish, 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 21 May 1995 (next to be held in June 1999)
- election results:
- Senate--percent of vote by party--NA;
- seats by party--CVP 7, SP 6, VLD 6, VU 2, AGALEV 1, VB 3, PS 5, PRL 5, PSC 3, ECOLO 2;
- note--before the 1995 elections, there were 184 seats;
- Chamber of Deputies--percent of vote by party--CVP 17.2%, PS 11.9%, SP 12.6%, VLD 13.1%, PRL 10.3%, PSC 7.7%, VB 7.8%, VU 4.7%, ECOLO 4.0%, AGALEV 4.4%, FN 2.3%;
- seats by party--CVP 29, PS 21, SP 20, VLD 21, PRL 18, PSC 12, VB 11, VU 5, ECOLO 6, AGALEV 5, FN 2;
- note--before the 1995 elections, there were 212 seats
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; for other acronyms of the listed parties see Political parties and leaders
Judicial branch
Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie in Flemish, Cour de Cassation in French, judges are appointed for life by the Belgian monarch
Political pressure groups and leaders
- 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
International organization participation
ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MTCR, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNPREDEP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Alexis REYN
- chancery:
- 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
- consulate(s) general:
- Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Paul CEJAS
- embassy:
- 27 Boulevard du Regent, B-1000 Brussels
- mailing address:
- PSC 82, Box 002, APO AE 09710
Flag description
three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red; the design was based on the flag of France
Economy
This highly developed private enterprise | economy has capitalized on its central geographic location, highly | developed transport network, and diversified industrial and | commercial base.
31 fieldsGDP--composition by sector(1996)
Electricity
Economy--overview
This highly developed 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 Wallonia.
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. Two-thirds of its trade is with other EU countries. Belgium's public debt fell from 127% of GDP in 1996 to 122% of GDP in 1998 and the government is trying to control its expenditures to bring the figure more into line with other industrialized countries. Belgium became a charter member of the European Monetary Union (EMU) in January 1999.
Industries
engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum, coal
Exports--commodities
iron and steel, transportation equipment, tractors, diamonds, petroleum products
Exchange rates
Belgian francs (BF) per US$1--34.77 (January 1999), 36.229 (1998), 35.774 (1997), 30.962 (1996), 29.480 (1995), 33.456 (1994)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Union introduced a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in some member countries at the rate of 0.8597 euros per US$ and a fixed rate of 40.3399 Belgian francs per euro;
the euro will replace the local currency in consenting countries for all transactions in 2002
Communications
6 fieldsTelephone system
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:
- 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations--2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat
Radio broadcast stations
AM 5, FM 77, shortwave 1 (Belgium's single shortwave station, Radio Vlaanderen Internationaal, transmits its programs internationally in Dutch, English, French, and German, using 21 shortwave frequencies)
Television broadcast stations
24 (in addition, there are Dutch programs on cable, TV-5 Europe by satellite relay, and American Forces Network by relay from Germany) (1997)
Transportation
10 fieldsMerchant marine, 23 ships by typeone square, one ship · (1998 est.)
Airports by runway lengthpaved only
Networkskm
Railways
- total:
- 3,380 km (2,459 km electrified; 2,563 km double track)
- standard gauge:
- 3,380 km 1.435-m gauge (1996)
Highways
- total:
- 143,175 km
- paved:
- 143,175 km (including 1,674 km of expressways)
- unpaved:
- 0 km (1996 est.)
Ports and harbors
Antwerp (one of the world's busiest ports), Brugge, Gent, Hasselt, Liege, Mons, Namur, Oostende, Zeebrugge
Military
Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie
7 fieldsTransnational Issues
2 fieldsIllicit drugs
source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine processors; transshipment point for cocaine, heroin, hashish, and marijuana entering Western Europe
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Belgium.” The World Factbook 1999. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/belgium/1999.