Belgium

Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830; it was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. The country 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

total:

7.44 cu km/yr (13%/85%/1%)

per capita:

714 cu m/yr (1998)

• 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) had slowed progress in tackling environmental challenges

noun:

Belgian(s)

adjective:

Belgian

at birth:

1.045 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.71 male(s)/female

total population:

0.96 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

conventional long form:

Kingdom of Belgium

conventional short form:

Belgium

local long form:

Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie

local short form:

Belgique/Belgie

name:

Brussels

geographic coordinates:

50 50 N, 4 20 E

time difference:

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time:

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

• 3 regions (French: regions, singular - region; Dutch: gewesten, singular - gewest);
• Brussels-Capital Region, also known as Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest (Dutch), Region de Bruxelles-Capitale (French long form), Bruxelles-Capitale (French short form);
• Flemish Region (Flanders), also known as Vlaams Gewest (Dutch long form), Vlaanderen (Dutch short form), Region Flamande (French long form), Flandre (French short form);
• Walloon Region (Wallonia), also known as Region Wallone (French long form), Wallonie (French short form), Waals Gewest (Dutch long form), Wallonie (Dutch short form)

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

• drafted 25 November 1830;
• approved by Congress 7 February 1831;
• entered into force 26 July 1831;
• amended many times;
• revised 14 July 1993 to create a federal state;
• in 1967 an official Dutch version of the constitution was adopted;
• in 1991 an official German version of the constitution was adopted;
• in 1993 an official consolidated version of the constitution was adopted

• civil law system based on the French Civil Code;
• note - Belgian law continues to be modified in conformance with the legislative norms mandated by the European Union;
• judicial review of legislative acts

chief of state:

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

head of government:

Prime Minister Elio DI RUPO (since 5 December 2011);

cabinet:

Council of Ministers are formally appointed by the monarch; (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website)

elections:

• the monarchy is hereditary and constitutional;
• following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the monarch and then approved by parliament

• Constitutional Court (previously Court of Arbitration) (12 judges, 6 Dutch-speaking and 6 French-speaking, appointed by the King);
• Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie (in Dutch) or Cour de Cassation (in French) (judges are appointed for life by the government; candidacies have to be submitted by the High Justice Council)

Flemish parties:

• Christian Democratic and Flemish or CDV [Wouter BEKE];
• Dedecker List or LDD [Lode VEREECK];
• Flemish Liberals and Democrats or Open VLD [Alexander DE CROO];
• Groen! [Wouter VAN BESIEN] (formerly AGALEV, Flemish Greens);
• New Flemish Alliance or N-VA [Bart DE WEVER];
• Social Progressive Alternative or SP.A [Caroline GENNEZ];
• Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) or VB [Bruno VALKENIERS]

Francophone parties:

• Ecolo (Francophone Greens) [Jean-Michel JAVAUX, Sarah TURINE];
• Humanist and Democratic Center or CDH [Joelle MILQUET];
• Popular Party or PP [ Mischael MODRIKAMEN];
• Reform Movement or MR [Didier REYNDERS];
• Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI RUPO];
• other minor parties

chief of mission:

Ambassador Jan MATTHYSEN

chancery:

3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:

[1] (202) 333-6900

FAX:

[1] (202) 333-3079

consulate(s) general:

Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York

chief of mission:

Ambassador Howard W. GUTMAN

embassy:

27 Boulevard du Regent [Regentlaan], B-1000 Brussels

mailing address:

PSC 82, Box 002, APO AE 09710

telephone:

[32] (2) 508-2111

FAX:

[32] (2) 511-2725

• three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red;
• the vertical design was based on the flag of France;
• the colors are those of the arms of the duchy of Brabant (yellow lion with red claws and tongue on a black field)

name:

"La Brabanconne" (The Song of Brabant)

lyrics/music:

Louis-Alexandre DECHET[French] Victor CEULEMANS [Dutch]/Francois VAN CAMPENHOUT

note: adopted 1830; Louis-Alexandre DECHET was an actor at the theater in which the revolution against the Netherlands began; according to legend, he wrote the lyrics with a group of young people in a Brussels cafe

agriculture:

2%

industry:

25%

services:

73% (2007 est.)

lowest 10%:

3.4%

highest 10%:

28.4% (2006)

general assessment:

highly developed, technologically advanced, and completely automated domestic and international telephone and telegraph facilities

domestic:

• nationwide mobile-cellular telephone system;
• extensive cable network;
• limited microwave radio relay network

international:

• country code - 32;
• landing point for a number of submarine cables that provide links to Europe, the Middle East, and Asia;
• satellite earth stations - 7 (Intelsat - 3) (2007)

• a segmented market with the three major communities (Flemish, French, and German-speaking) each having responsibility for their own broadcast media;
• multiple TV channels exist for each community;
• additionally, in excess of 90% of households are connected to cable and can access broadcasts of TV stations from neighboring countries;
• each community has a public radio network co-existing with private broadcasters (2007)

total:

3,233 km

country comparison to the world: 55

standard gauge:

3,233 km 1.435-m gauge (2,950 km electrified) (2010)

total:

153,595 km

country comparison to the world: 32

paved:

120,111 km (includes 1,763 km of expressways)

unpaved:

33,484 km (2008)

cargo ports (tonnage):

Antwerp, Gent, Liege, Zeebrugge

container ports (TEUs):

Antwerp (8,662,891), Zeebrugge (2,209,715)

males age 16-49:

2,359,232

females age 16-49:

2,291,689 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49:

1,934,957

females age 16-49:

1,877,268 (2010 est.)

male:

59,665

female:

57,142 (2010 est.)

• growing producer of synthetic drugs and cannabis;
• 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;
• significant domestic consumption of ecstasy