Europe :: BELGIUM

  • Introduction :: 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. Political divisions between the Dutch-speaking Flemish 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. Its capital, Brussels, is home to numerous international organizations including the EU and NATO.

  • Geography :: BELGIUM

  • Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands
    50 50 N, 4 00 E
    Europe
    total: 30,528 sq km
    land: 30,278 sq km
    water: 250 sq km
    country comparison to the world: 141
    about the size of Maryland
    total: 1,297 km
    border countries (4): France 556 km, Germany 133 km, Luxembourg 130 km, Netherlands 478 km
    66.5 km
    territorial sea: 12 nm
    contiguous zone: 24 nm
    exclusive economic zone: geographic coordinates define outer limit
    continental shelf: median line with neighbors
    temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy
    flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast
    mean elevation: 181 m
    elevation extremes: lowest point: North Sea 0 m
    highest point: Botrange 694 m
    construction materials, silica sand, carbonates, arable land
    agricultural land: 44.1%
    arable land 27.2%; permanent crops 0.8%; permanent pasture 16.1%
    forest: 22.4%
    other: 33.5% (2011 est.)
    230 sq km (2012)
    most of the population concentrated in the northern two-thirds of the country; the southeast is more thinly populated; considered to have one of the highest population densities in the world; approximately 97% live in urban areas
    flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes
    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
    party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
    signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
    crossroads of Western Europe; most West European capitals are within 1,000 km of Brussels, the seat of both the European Union and NATO

  • People and Society :: BELGIUM

  • 11,491,346 (July 2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 77
    noun: Belgian(s)
    adjective: Belgian
    Belgian 75%, Italian 4.1%, Moroccan 3.7%, French 2.4%, Turkish 2%, Dutch 2%, other 12.8% (2011 est.)
    Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%
    Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant and other Christian 2.5%, Muslim 5%, Jewish 0.4%, Buddhist 0.3%, atheist 9.2%, none 32.6% (2009 est.)
    0-14 years: 17.16% (male 1,010,201/female 961,994)
    15-24 years: 11.34% (male 665,483/female 637,700)
    25-54 years: 40.05% (male 2,320,845/female 2,281,411)
    55-64 years: 12.86% (male 732,062/female 746,212)
    65 years and over: 18.58% (male 929,594/female 1,205,844) (2017 est.)
    total dependency ratio: 54.2
    youth dependency ratio: 26.2
    elderly dependency ratio: 28
    potential support ratio: 3.6 (2015 est.)
    total: 41.4 years
    male: 40.2 years
    female: 42.7 years (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 37
    0.7% (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 142
    11.3 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 175
    9.7 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 46
    5.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 23
    most of the population concentrated in the northern two-thirds of the country; the southeast is more thinly populated; considered to have one of the highest population densities in the world; approximately 97% live in urban areas
    urban population: 97.9% of total population (2017)
    rate of urbanization: 0.36% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
    BRUSSELS (capital) 2.045 million; Antwerp 994,000 (2015)
    at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
    0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
    15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
    25-54 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
    55-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
    65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
    total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2016 est.)
    28.6 years (2013 est.)
    7 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 160
    total: 3.4 deaths/1,000 live births
    male: 3.8 deaths/1,000 live births
    female: 3 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 207
    total population: 81.1 years
    male: 78.5 years
    female: 83.8 years (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 30
    1.78 children born/woman (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 155
    66.8%
    note: percent of women aged 15-54 (2013)
    10.6% of GDP (2014)
    country comparison to the world: 18
    2.97 physicians/1,000 population (2014)
    6.5 beds/1,000 population (2012)
    improved:
    urban: 100% of population
    rural: 100% of population
    total: 100% of population
    unimproved:
    urban: 0% of population
    rural: 0% of population
    total: 0% of population (2015 est.)
    improved:
    urban: 99.5% of population
    rural: 99.4% of population
    total: 99.5% of population
    unimproved:
    urban: 0.5% of population
    rural: 0.6% of population
    total: 0.5% of population (2015 est.)
    NA
    NA
    NA
    22.1% (2016)
    country comparison to the world: 81
    6.4% of GDP (2011)
    country comparison to the world: 30
    total: 20 years
    male: 19 years
    female: 21 years (2014)
    total: 22.1%
    male: 23.8%
    female: 20% (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 55

  • Government :: BELGIUM

  • conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium
    conventional short form: Belgium
    local long form: Royaume de Belgique (French)/Koninkrijk Belgie (Dutch)/Koenigreich Belgien (German)
    local short form: Belgique/Belgie/Belgien
    etymology: the name derives from the Belgae, an ancient Celtic tribal confederation that inhabited an area between the English Channel and the west bank of the Rhine in the first centuries B.C.
    federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy
    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; the 2012 sixth state reform transferred additional competencies from the federal state to the regions and linguistic communities
    4 October 1830 (a provisional government declared independence from the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King LEOPOLD I ascended to the throne)
    Belgian National Day (ascension to the throne of King LEOPOLD I), 21 July (1831)
    history: drafted 25 November 1830, approved 7 February 1831, entered into force 26 July 1831, revised 14 July 1993 (creating a federal state)
    amendments: "revisions" proposed as declarations by the federal government in accord with the king or by Parliament followed by dissolution of Parliament and new elections; adoption requires two-thirds majority vote of a two-thirds quorum in both houses of the next elected Parliament; amended many times, last in 2014 (2016)
    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
    accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
    citizenship by birth: no
    citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Belgium
    dual citizenship recognized: yes
    residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
    18 years of age; universal and compulsory
    chief of state: King PHILIPPE (since 21 July 2013); Heir Apparent Princess ELISABETH, daughter of the monarch
    head of government: Prime Minister Charles MICHEL (since 11 October 2014); Deputy Prime Ministers Alexander DE CROO (since 22 October 2012), Jan JAMBON (since 11 October 2014), Kris PEETERS, Didier REYNDERS (since 30 December 2008)
    cabinet: Council of Ministers formally appointed by the monarch
    elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary and constitutional; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the monarch and approved by Parliament
    description: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate or Senaat (in Dutch), Senat (in French) (60 seats; 50 members indirectly elected by the community and regional parliaments based on their election results, and 10 elected by the 50 other senators; members serve 5-year terms) and the Chamber of Representatives or Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers (in Dutch), Chambre des Representants (in French) (150 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)
    note: the 1993 constitutional revision that further devolved Belgium into a federal state created 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; changes above occurred since the sixth state reform
    elections: Chamber of Representatives - last held on 25 May 2014 (next to be held in May 2019); note - elections will coincide with the EU's elections
    election results: Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - N-VA 20.3%, PS 11.7%, CD&V 11.6%, Open VLD 9.8%, MR 9.6%, SP.A 8.8%, Groen! 5.3%, CDH 5.0% Workers' Party 3.7%, VB 3.7%, Ecolo 3.3%, Defi 1.8%, PP 1.5%, other 3.9%; seats by party - N-VA 33, PS 23, MR 20, CD&V 18, Open VLD 14, SP.A 13, Groen! 6, CDH 9, Workers' Party 2, VB 3, Ecolo 6, Defi 2, PP 1
    highest court(s): Constitutional Court or Grondwettelijk Hof in Dutch and Cour constitutionelle in French (consists of 12 judges - 6 Dutch-speaking and 6 French-speaking); Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie in Dutch and Cour de Cassation in French (court organized into 3 chambers: civil and commercial; criminal; social, fiscal, and armed forces; each chamber includes a Dutch division and a French division, each with a chairperson and 5-6 judges)
    judge selection and term of office: Constitutional Court judges appointed by the monarch from candidates submitted by Parliament; judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 70; Supreme Court judges appointed by the monarch from candidates submitted by the High Council of Justice, a 44-member independent body of judicial and non-judicial members; judges appointed for life
    subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; regional courts; specialized courts for administrative, commercial, labor, immigration, and audit issues; magistrate's courts; justices of the peace
    Flemish parties:
    Christian Democratic and Flemish or CD&V [Wouter BEKE]
    Flemish Liberals and Democrats or Open VLD [Gwendolyn RUTTEN]
    Groen! [Meyrem ALMACI] (formerly AGALEV, Flemish Greens)
    New Flemish Alliance or N-VA [Bart DE WEVER]
    Social Progressive Alternative or SP.A [John CROMBEZ]
    Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) or VB [Tom VAN GRIEKEN]
    Francophone parties:
    Ecolo (Francophone Greens) [Patrick DUPRIEZ and Zakia KHATTABI]
    Francophone Federalist Democrats or Defi [Olivier MAINGAIN]
    Humanist and Democratic Center or CDH [Benoit LUTGEN]
    People's Party or PP [Mischael MODRIKAMEN]
    Reform Movement or MR [Olivier CHASTEL]
    Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI RUPO]
    Workers' Party or PTB [Peter MERTENS]
    other minor parties
    Belgian General Federation of Labor or ABVV or FGTB [Rudy DE LEEUW, Marc GOBLET]
    Confederation of Christan Trade Unions or ACV or CSC [Marc LEEMANS, Marie-Helene SKA]
    Federation of Enterprises in Belgium or VBO or FEB [Pieter TIMMERMANS, Bernard GILLIOT]
    other: numerous other associations representing bankers, manufacturers, middle-class artisans, and the legal and medical professions; trade unions; various organizations representing the cultural interests of Flanders and Wallonia; various peace groups such as BEPax and groups representing immigrants
    ADB (nonregional members), AfDB (nonregional members), Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
    chief of mission: Ambassador Dirk Jozef M. WOUTERS (since 16 September 2016)
    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 (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Matthew LUSSENHOP (since 20 January 2017)
    embassy: 27 Boulevard du Regent [Regentlaan], B-1000 Brussels
    mailing address: PSC 82, Box 002, APO AE 09710
    telephone: [32] (2) 811-4000
    FAX: [32] (2) 811-4500
    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)
    golden rampant lion; national colors: red, black, yellow
    name: "La Brabanconne" (The Song of Brabant)
    lyrics/music: Louis-Alexandre DECHET[French] Victor CEULEMANS [Dutch]/Francois VAN CAMPENHOUT
    note: adopted 1830; according to legend, Louis-Alexandre DECHET, an actor at the theater in which the revolution against the Netherlands began, wrote the lyrics with a group of young people in a Brussels cafe

  • Economy :: BELGIUM

  • Belgium’s central geographic location and highly developed transport network have helped develop a well-diversified economy, with a broad mix of transport, services, manufacturing, and high tech. Industry is concentrated mainly in the more heavily-populated region of Flanders in the north. Belgium is 100% reliant on foreign sources of fossil fuels, and the planned closure of its seven nuclear plants by 2025 should increase its dependence on foreign energy. Its role as a regional logistical hub makes its economy vulnerable to shifts in foreign demand, particularly with EU trading partners. Roughly three-quarters of Belgium's trade is with other EU countries.
    Belgium’s GDP grew by 1.4% in 2016, unemployment at yearend was 8.4%, and the budget deficit was 2.7% of GDP. The economy largely recovered from the March 2016 terrorist attacks, which mainly impacted the Brussels region tourist and hospitality industry. Prime Minister Charles MICHEL's center-right government has pledged to further reduce the deficit in response to EU pressure to decrease Belgium's high public debt of about 107% of GDP, but such efforts could also dampen economic growth. In addition to restrained public spending, low wage growth and higher inflation promise to curtail a more robust recovery in private consumption.
    The government has pledged to pursue a reform program to improve Belgium’s competitiveness, including changes to tax policy, labor market rules, and welfare benefits. These changes have generally made Belgian wages more competitive regionally, but risk worsening tensions with trade unions and triggering extended strikes.
    $509 billion (2016 est.)
    $496.7 billion (2015 est.)
    $484.2 billion (2014 est.)
    note: data are in 2016 dollars
    country comparison to the world: 38
    $466.6 billion (2016 est.)
    1.2% (2016 est.)
    1.5% (2015 est.)
    1.6% (2014 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 167
    $45,000 (2016 est.)
    $44,800 (2015 est.)
    $44,300 (2014 est.)
    note: data are in 2016 dollars
    country comparison to the world: 36
    22.3% of GDP (2016 est.)
    23.6% of GDP (2015 est.)
    22.4% of GDP (2014 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 73
    household consumption: 51.2%
    government consumption: 23.6%
    investment in fixed capital: 23%
    investment in inventories: -0.2%
    exports of goods and services: 84.5%
    imports of goods and services: -82.1% (2016 est.)
    agriculture: 0.7%
    industry: 22.3%
    services: 77% (2016 est.)
    sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk
    engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, transportation equipment, scientific instruments, processed food and beverages, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, base metals, textiles, glass, petroleum
    2.2% (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 103
    5.291 million (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 77
    agriculture: 1.3%
    industry: 18.6%
    services: 80.1% (2013 est.)
    7.9% (2016 est.)
    8.5% (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 98
    15.1% (2013 est.)
    lowest 10%: 3.4%
    highest 10%: 28.4% (2006)
    25.9 (2013 est.)
    28.7 (1996)
    country comparison to the world: 143
    revenues: $236.9 billion
    expenditures: $249.1 billion (2016 est.)
    50.7% of GDP (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 15
    -2.6% of GDP (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 107
    106% of GDP (2016 est.)
    106% of GDP (2015 est.)
    note: data cover general government debt, and includes debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions; general government debt is defined by the Maastricht definition and calculated by the National Bank of Belgium as consolidated gross debt; the debt is defined in European Regulation EC479/2009 concerning the implementation of the protocol on the excessive deficit procedure annexed to the Treaty on European Union (Treaty of Maastricht) of 7 February 1992; the sub-sectors of consolidated gross debt are: federal government, communities and regions, local government, and social security funds
    country comparison to the world: 17
    calendar year
    1.8% (2016 est.)
    0.6% (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 118
    0.25% (31 December 2016)
    0.3% (31 December 2010)
    note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area
    country comparison to the world: 139
    2.01% (31 December 2016 est.)
    2.46% (31 December 2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 177
    $198 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
    $181.6 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
    note: see entry for the European Union for money supply for the entire euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 18 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money circulating within their own borders
    country comparison to the world: 22
    $525.8 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
    $524.9 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 21
    $684.8 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
    $661.2 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 20
    $414.6 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
    $378.5 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
    $374.3 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 25
    $-1.849 billion (2016 est.)
    $1.936 billion (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 149
    $277.7 billion (2016 est.)
    $254.8 billion (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 20
    chemicals, machinery and equipment, finished diamonds, metals and metal products, foodstuffs
    Germany 16.7%, France 15.4%, Netherlands 11.2%, UK 8.9%, US 5.8%, Italy 5.2% (2016)
    $271.2 billion (2016 est.)
    $251.9 billion (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 17
    raw materials, machinery and equipment, chemicals, raw diamonds, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, transportation equipment, oil products
    Netherlands 16.1%, Germany 13.6%, France 9.5%, US 8.1%, UK 4.8%, Ireland 4.5%, China 4.3% (2016)
    $23.57 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
    $24.1 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 58
    $1.281 trillion (31 March 2016 est.)
    $1.214 trillion (31 March 2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 16
    $1.054 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)
    $1.034 trillion (31 December 2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 11
    $1.016 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)
    $1.012 trillion (31 December 2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 13
    euros (EUR) per US dollar -
    0.9214 (2016 est.)
    0.885 (2015 est.)
    0.885 (2014 est.)
    0.7634 (2013 est.)
    0.7752 (2012 est.)

  • Energy :: BELGIUM

  • electrification - total population: 100% (2016)
    64.78 billion kWh (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 43
    81.96 billion kWh (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 36
    8.465 billion kWh (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 27
    14.65 billion kWh (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 15
    21.15 million kW (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 43
    34.8% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 178
    28% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 3
    0.5% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 150
    32.1% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 11
    0 bbl/day (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 110
    0 bbl/day (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 94
    639,500 bbl/day (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 17
    0 bbl (1 January 2017 es)
    country comparison to the world: 110
    701,700 bbl/day (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 25
    662,400 bbl/day (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 31
    597,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 12
    585,700 bbl/day (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 13
    0 cu m (2014 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 108
    23.01 billion cu m (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 41
    1.694 billion cu m (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 39
    18.81 billion cu m (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 18
    0 cu m (1 January 2014 es)
    country comparison to the world: 115
    93.62 million Mt (2013 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 41

  • Communications :: BELGIUM

  • total subscriptions: 4,371,055
    subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 38 (July 2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 32
    total: 12,457,820
    subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 109 (July 2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 73
    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) (2015)
    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 coexisting with private broadcasters (2009)
    .be
    total: 9,870,734
    percent of population: 86.5% (July 2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 46

  • Transportation :: BELGIUM

  • number of registered air carriers: 7
    inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 117
    annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 11,193,023
    annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 1,464,316,900 mt-km (2015)
    OO (2016)
    41 (2013)
    country comparison to the world: 102
    total: 26
    over 3,047 m: 6
    2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
    1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
    914 to 1,523 m: 1
    under 914 m: 8 (2017)
    total: 15
    under 914 m: 15 (2013)
    1 (2013)
    gas 3,139 km; oil 154 km; refined products 535 km (2013)
    total: 3,592 km
    standard gauge: 3,592 km 1.435-m gauge (2,960 km electrified) (2014)
    country comparison to the world: 50
    total: 154,012 km
    paved: 120,514 km (includes 1,756 km of expressways)
    unpaved: 33,498 km (2010)
    country comparison to the world: 33
    2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use) (2012)
    country comparison to the world: 41
    total: 87
    by type: bulk carrier 23, cargo 15, chemical tanker 5, container 4, liquefied gas 23, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 8, roll on/roll off 7
    foreign-owned: 15 (Denmark 4, France 7, Russia 1, UK 2, US 1)
    registered in other countries: 107 (Bahamas 6, Cambodia 1, Cyprus 3, France 7, Gibraltar 1, Greece 17, Hong Kong 26, Liberia 1, Luxembourg 11, Malta 7, Marshall Islands 1, Mozambique 2, North Korea 1, Panama 1, Portugal 8, Russia 4, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 7, Singapore 1, Vanuatu 1) (2010)
    country comparison to the world: 57
    major seaport(s): Oostende, Zeebrugge
    river port(s): Antwerp, Gent (Schelde River); Brussels (Senne River); Liege (Meuse River)
    container port(s) (TEUs): Antwerp (9,654,000), Zeebrugge (1,569,000) (2015)
    LNG terminal(s) (import): Zeebrugge

  • Military and Security :: BELGIUM

  • 0.87% of GDP (2016)
    0.93% of GDP (2015)
    0.97% of GDP (2014)
    1.01% of GDP (2013)
    1.04% of GDP (2012)
    country comparison to the world: 97
    Belgian Armed Forces: Land Operations Command, Naval Operations Command, Air Operations Command (2012)
    18 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 1994 (2012)

  • Transnational Issues :: BELGIUM

  • none
    refugees (country of origin): 9,080 (Syria) (2016)
    stateless persons: 2,630 (2016)
    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