Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 2% (1998)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
Illicit drugs: limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis,
mostly for the domestic market; transshipment point for illicit
drugs to and via Russia, and to the Baltics and Western Europe
======================================================================
@Belgium
-------
Introduction
Background: 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
Location: Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France
and the Netherlands
Geographic coordinates: 50 50 N, 4 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 30,510 sq km
land: 30,230 sq km
water: 280 sq km
Area--comparative: about the size of Maryland
Land boundaries:
total: 1,385 km
border countries: France 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km,
Netherlands 450 km
Coastline: 64 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: median line with neighbors
exclusive fishing zone: median line with neighbors (extends about 68
km from coast)
territorial sea: 12 nm
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
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: North Sea 0 m
highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m
Natural resources: coal, natural gas
Land use:
arable land: 24%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 20%
forests and woodland: 21%
other: 34%
Irrigated land: 10 sq km including Luxembourg (1993 est.)
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
Population: 10,182,034 (July 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.)
Population growth rate: 0.06% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 9.98 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 10.43 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 1.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (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.)
Infant mortality rate: 6.17 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.53 years
male: 74.31 years
female: 80.9 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.49 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Belgian(s)
adjective: Belgian
Ethnic groups: Fleming 55%, Walloon 33%, mixed or other 12%
Religions: Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25%
Languages: Flemish 56%, French 32%, German 1%, legally bilingual
11%
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% (1980 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%
Government
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
Data code: BE
Government type: federal parliamentary democracy under a
constitutional monarch
Capital: Brussels
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
Independence: 4 October 1830 (from the Netherlands)
National holiday: National Day, 21 July (ascension of King
LEOPOLD I to the throne in 1831)
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
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
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 parties and leaders: Flemish Christian Democrats or CVP
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
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.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$236 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 2.8% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$23,400 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 1.9%
industry: 27.2%
services: 70.9% (1996)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.7%
highest 10%: 20.2% (1992)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 4.283 million (1997)
Labor force--by occupation: services 69.7%, industry 27.7%,
agriculture 2.6% (1992)
Unemployment rate: 12% (1998 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Industries: engineering and metal products, motor vehicle
assembly, processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals,
textiles, glass, petroleum, coal
Industrial production growth rate: 9.7% (1995)
Electricity--production: 71.066 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 41.73%
hydro: 0.33%
nuclear: 57.93%
other: 0.01% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 75.266 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 5.4 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 9.6 billion kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits,
grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk
Exports: $145.1 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports--commodities: iron and steel, transportation equipment,
tractors, diamonds, petroleum products
Exports--partners: EU 67.2% (Germany 19%), US 5.8% (1994)
Imports: $137.1 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Imports--commodities: fuels, grains, chemicals, foodstuffs
Imports--partners: EU 75% (Germany 22.1%), US 5% (1997)
Debt--external: $22.3 billion (1998 est.)
Economic aid--donor: ODA, $1 billion (1995)
Currency: 1 Belgian franc (BF) = 100 centimes
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
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 5.691 million (1992 est.); 1.7 million cellular
telephone subscribers (1998)
Telephone 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)
Radios: 100,000 (1992 est.)
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)
Televisions: 3,315,662 (1993 est.)
Transportation
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.)
Waterways: 2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use)
Pipelines: crude oil 161 km; petroleum products 1,167 km; natural
gas 3,300 km
Ports and harbors: Antwerp (one of the world's busiest ports),
Brugge, Gent, Hasselt, Liege, Mons, Namur, Oostende, Zeebrugge
Merchant marine:
total: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 35,668 GRT/56,412 DWT
ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 8, chemical tanker 8, oil tanker 6
(1998 est.)
Airports: 42 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 24
over 3,047 m: 6
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 6 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 18
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 16 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie
Military manpower--military age: 19 years of age
Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 2,537,544 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 2,098,883 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 64,180 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $4.6 billion (1995)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 1.7% (1995)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
Illicit drugs: source of precursor chemicals for South American
cocaine processors; transshipment point for cocaine, heroin,
hashish, and marijuana entering Western Europe
======================================================================
@Belize
------
Geography
Location: Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between
Guatemala and Mexico
Geographic coordinates: 17 15 N, 88 45 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 22,960 sq km
land: 22,800 sq km
water: 160 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Massachusetts
Land boundaries:
total: 516 km
border countries: Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km
Coastline: 386 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm in the north, 3 nm in the south; note--from
the mouth of the Sarstoon River to Ranguana Cay, Belize's
territorial sea is 3 nm; according to Belize's Maritime Areas Act,
1992, the purpose of this limitation is to provide a framework for
the negotiation of a definitive agreement on territorial differences
with Guatemala
Climate: tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to
February)
Terrain: flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Victoria Peak 1,160 m
Natural resources: arable land potential, timber, fish
Land use:
arable land: 2%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 2%
forests and woodland: 92%
other: 3% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: frequent, devastating hurricanes (September to
December) and coastal flooding (especially in south)
Environment--current issues: deforestation; water pollution from
sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff; Hurricane Mitch
damage
Environment--international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertication, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
Marine Dumping, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography--note: national capital moved 80 km inland from Belize
City to Belmopan because of hurricanes; only country in Central
America without a coastline on the North Pacific Ocean
People
Population: 235,789 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 42% (male 49,991; female 48,074)
15-64 years: 55% (male 65,507; female 63,796)
65 years and over: 3% (male 4,129; female 4,292) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.42% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 30.22 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 5.39 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 31.57 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.2 years
male: 67.23 years
female: 71.26 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.74 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Belizean(s)
adjective: Belizean
Ethnic groups: mestizo 44%, Creole 30%, Maya 11%, Garifuna 7%,
other 8%
Religions: Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 30% (Anglican 12%,
Methodist 6%, Mennonite 4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Pentecostal
2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1%, other 2%), none 2%, other 6% (1980)
Languages: English (official), Spanish, Mayan, Garifuna (Carib)
Literacy:
definition: age 14 and over has ever attended school
total population: 70.3%
male: 70.3%
female: 70.3% (1991 est.)
note: other sources list the literacy rate as high as 75%
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Belize
former: British Honduras
Data code: BH
Government type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Belmopan
Administrative divisions: 6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal,
Orange Walk, Stann Creek, Toledo
Independence: 21 September 1981 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 21 September (1981)
Constitution: 21 September 1981
Legal system: English law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Sir Colville YOUNG (since 17
November 1993)
head of government: Prime Minister Said MUSA (since 2 August 1998);
Deputy Prime Minister Dean BARROW (since NA July 1993)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
the prime minister
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the monarch; prime minister appointed by the governor
general
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly consists of the
Senate (eight members; members are appointed for five-year terms,
five on the advice of the prime minister, two on the advice of the
leader of the opposition, and one after consultation with the Belize
Advisory Council--this council serves as an independent body to
advise the governor general with respect to difficult decisions such
as granting pardons, commutations, stays of execution, the removal
of justices of appeal who appear to be incompetent, etc.) and the
National Assembly (29 seats; members are elected by direct popular
vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: National Assembly--last held 1 August 1998 (next to be
held NA August 2003)
election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--PUP
26, UDP 3
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, the chief justice is appointed by
the governor general on advice of the prime minister
Political parties and leaders: People's United Party or PUP [Said
GOLDSON]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Society for the Promotion
Front
International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB,
ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC,
IOM (observer), ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James Schofield MURPHY
chancery: 2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Carolyn CURIEL
embassy: Gabourel Lane and Hutson Street, Belize City
mailing address: P. O. Box 286, Unit 7401, APO AA 34025
Flag description: blue with a narrow red stripe along the top and
the bottom edges; centered is a large white disk bearing the coat of
arms; the coat of arms features a shield flanked by two workers in
front of a mahogany tree with the related motto SUB UMBRA FLOREO (I
Flourish in the Shade) on a scroll at the bottom, all encircled by a
green garland
Economy
Economy--overview: The small, essentially private enterprise
economy is based primarily on agriculture, agro-based industry, and
merchandising, with tourism and construction assuming greater
importance. Sugar, the chief crop, accounts for nearly half of
exports, while the banana industry is the country's largest
employer. The government's tough austerity program in 1997 resulted
in an economic slowdown that continued in 1998. The trade deficit
has been growing, mostly as a result of low export prices for sugar
and bananas. The new government faces important challenges to
economic stability. Rapid action to improve tax collection has been
promised, but a lack of progress in reigning in spending could bring
the exchange rate under pressure.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$700 million (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 0.5% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$3,000 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 22%
industry: 22%
services: 56% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): -0.5% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 71,000
note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel
(1997 est.)
Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 30%, services 16%,
government 15.4%, commerce 11.2%, manufacturing 10.3%
Unemployment rate: 13% (1997 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $140 million
expenditures: $142 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY97/98 est.)
Industries: garment production, food processing, tourism,
construction
Industrial production growth rate: 0.2% (1996 est.)
Electricity--production: 145 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 145 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: bananas, coca, citrus, sugarcane; lumber;
fish, cultured shrimp
Exports: $95.3 million (f.o.b., 1998)