Belgium

Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830 and was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. It has prospered in the past half century as a modern, technologically advanced European state and member of NATO and the EU. Tensions between the Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the French-speaking Walloons of the south have led in recent years to constitutional amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy.

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

• the environment is exposed to intense pressures from human activities: urbanization, dense transportation network, industry, extensive animal breeding and crop cultivation;
• air and water pollution also have repercussions for neighboring countries;
• uncertainties regarding federal and regional responsibilities (now resolved) have slowed progress in tackling environmental challenges

0-14 years:

17.1% (male 901,486; female 863,092)

15-64 years:

65.6% (male 3,424,438; female 3,364,057)

65 years and over:

17.3% (male 739,479; female 1,055,724) (2004 est.)

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.7 male(s)/female

total population:

0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

noun:

Belgian(s)

adjective:

Belgian

definition:

age 15 and over can read and write

total population:

98%

male:

NA

female:

NA

conventional long form:

Kingdom of Belgium

conventional short form:

Belgium

local long form:

Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie

local short form:

Belgique/Belgie

• 10 provinces (French: provinces, singular - province; Dutch: provincies, singular - provincie) and 3 regions* (French: regions; Dutch: gewesten);
• Antwerpen, Brabant Wallon, Brussels* (Bruxelles), Flanders*, Hainaut, Liege, Limburg, Luxembourg, Namur, Oost-Vlaanderen, Vlaams-Brabant, Wallonia*, West-Vlaanderen

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

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

chief of state:

King ALBERT II (since 9 August 1993); Heir Apparent Prince PHILIPPE, son of the monarch

head of government:

Prime Minister Guy VERHOFSTADT (since 13 July 1999)

cabinet:

Council of Ministers formally appointed by the monarch

elections:

• none;
• the monarchy is hereditary;
• following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch and then approved by Parliament

note: government coalition - VLD, MR, PS, SP.A-Spirit

• Christian Democrats and Flemish or CD V [Jo VANDEURZEN];
• Ecolo (Francophone Greens) [Jean-Michel JAVAUX, Evelyne HUYTEBROECK, Claude BROUIR];
• Flemish Liberal Democrats or VLD [Bart SOMERS];
• Flemish Socialist Party.Alternative or SP.A [Steve STEVAERT];
• Francophone Humanist and Democratic Center of CDH [Joelle MILQUET];
• Francophone Reformist Movement or MR [Didier REYNDERS];
• Francophone Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI RUPO];
• GROEN! (formerly AGALEV, Flemish Greens) [Vera DUA];
• National Front or FN [Daniel FERET];
• New Flemish Alliance or NVA [Bart DE WEVER];
• Spirit [Els VAN WEERT];
• note - new party now associated with SP.A;
• Vlaams Belang or VB [Frank VANHECKE];
• other minor parties

• Christian, Socialist, and Liberal 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 Pax Christi and groups representing immigrants

ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

chief of mission:

Ambassador Franciskus VAN DAELE

chancery:

3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:

[1] (202) 333-6900

FAX:

[1] (202) 333-3079

consulate(s) general:

Atlanta, Los Angeles, and New York

chief of mission:

Ambassador Tom C. KOROLOGOS

embassy:

Regentlaan 27 Boulevard du Regent, B-1000 Brussels

mailing address:

PSC 82, Box 002, APO AE 09710

telephone:

[32] (2) 508-2111

FAX:

[32] (2) 511-2725

lowest 10%:

3.2%

highest 10%:

23% (1996)

general assessment:

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:

• country code - 32;
• 5 submarine cables;
• satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat

total:

3,518 km

standard gauge:

3,518 km 1.435-m gauge (2,631 km electrified) (2003)

total:

148,216 km

paved:

116,687 km (including 1,727 km of expressways)

unpaved:

31,529 km (2000)

total:

50 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,146,301 GRT/1,588,184 DWT

by type:

bulk 1, cargo 8, chemical tanker 11, container 6, liquefied gas 18, petroleum tanker 6

foreign-owned:

Denmark 6, Finland 1, France 2, Netherlands 3

registered in other countries:

69 (2004 est.)

• growing producer of synthetic drugs;
• transit point for US-bound ecstasy;
• source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine processors;
• transshipment point for cocaine, heroin, hashish, and marijuana entering Western Europe;
• despite a strengthening of legislation, the country remains vulnerable to money laundering related to narcotics, automobiles, alcohol and tobacco