European capitals within 1,000 km of Brussels, the seat of both the
European Union and NATO
People Belgium
Population: 10,274,595 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 17.3% (male 911,729; female 871,470) 15-64
years: 65.6% (male 3,395,885; female 3,341,536) 65 years and over: 17.1%
(male 716,673; female 1,037,302) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.15% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 10.58 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 10.08 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 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 (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 4.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 81.62 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 1.61 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.15% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 7,700 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Belgian(s) adjective: Belgian
Ethnic groups: Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11%
Religions: Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25%
Languages: Dutch 60%, French 40%, German less than 1%, legally bilingual
(Dutch and French)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 98% male: NA% female: NA%
Government Belgium
Country name: Kingdom of Belgium conventional short form:
Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie
Government type: federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional
monarch
Capital: Brussels
Administrative divisions: 10 provinces (French: provinces, singular
- province; Dutch: provincien, singular - provincie) and 1 region*
(French: region; Dutch: gewest); Antwerpen, Brabant Wallon, Brussels*
(Bruxelles), Hainaut, Liege, Limburg, Luxembourg, Namur, Oost-Vlaanderen,
Vlaams-Brabant, West-Vlaanderen
Independence: 4 October 1830 a provisional government declared
independence from the Netherlands; 21 July 1831 the ascension of King
Leopold I to the throne
National holiday: Independence Day, 21 July (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 Guy VERHOFSTADT (since 13 July 1999) cabinet: Council of
Ministers appointed by the monarch and approved by Parliament elections:
none; the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch
and then approved by Parliament note: government coalition - VLD, PRL,
PS, SP, AGALEV, and ECOLO
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate or Senaat
in Dutch, 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 Dutch,
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 13 June 1999 (next to be held in NA 2003) 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 the Political parties and
leaders entry election results: Senate - percent of vote by party -
VLD 15.4%, CVP 14.7%, PRL 10.6%, PS 9.7%, VB 9.4%, SP 8.9%, ECOLO 7.4%,
AGALEV 7.1%, PSC 6.0%, VU 5.1%; seats by party - VLD 11, CVP 10, PS 10,
PRL 9, VB 6, SP 6, ECOLO 6, AGALEV 5, PSC 5, VU 3; Chamber of Deputies -
percent of vote by party - VLD 14.3%, CVP 14.1%, PS 10.2%, PRL 10.1%,
VB 9.9%, SP 9.5%, ECOLO 7.4%, AGALEV 7.0%, PSC 5.9%, VU 5.6%; seats by
party - VLD 23, CVP 22, PS 19, PRL 18, VB 15, SP 14, ECOLO 11, PSC 10,
AGALEV 9, VU 8, FN 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie (in Dutch)
or Cour de Cassation (in French) (judges are appointed for life by the
monarch, although selected by the Government)
Political parties and leaders: AGALEV (Flemish Greens) [Jos GEYSELS];
Christian Democrats and Flemish or CD & V [Stefaan DE CLERCK,
president]; note - used to be the Flemish Christian Democrats or CVP;
ECOLO (Francophone Greens) [no president; led by three person federal
secretariat]; Flemish Liberal Democrats or VLD [Karel DE GUCHT,
president]; Francophone Christian Democrats or PSC (Social Christian
Party) [Joelle MILQUET, president]; Francophone Liberal Reformation Party
or PRL [Daniel DUCARME, president]; Francophone Socialist Party or PS
[Elio DI RUPO, president]; National Front or FN [Daniel FERET]; New
Flemish Alliance or NVA [Geert BOURGEOIS]; note - split from Volksunie
or VB; Social Progressive Alternative Party or SP.A [Patrick JANSSENS,
president]; note - was Flemish Socialist Party or SP; Spirit [Annemie
VAN DE CASTEELE]; note - split from Volksunie or VU; Vlaams Blok or VB
[Frank VANHECKE]; other minor parties
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 Pax
Christi and groups representing immigrants
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, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
MINURSO, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNRWA, UNTSO,
UPU, WADB (nonregional), 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 FAX:
[1] (202) 333-3079 telephone: [1] (202) 333-6900
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Stephen Franklin BRAUER embassy: 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
Flag description: three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side),
yellow, and red; the design was based on the flag of France
Economy Belgium
Economy - overview: This modern 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. 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. About three-quarters of
its trade is with other EU countries. Belgium's public debt is expected
to fall to about 100% of GDP in 2002, and the government has succeeded
in balancing its budget. Belgium, together with 11 of its EU partners,
began circulating euro currency in January 2002. Economic growth in
2001 dropped sharply due to the global economic slowdown. Prospects for
2002 depend largely on recovery in the EU and the US.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $267.7 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 1.1% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $26,100 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.4% industry: 24% services:
74.6% (2000)
Population below poverty line: 4%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.7%
highest 10%: 20.2% (1992)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: 25 (1992)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.4% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 4.44 million (2001)
Labor force - by occupation: services 73%, industry 25%, agriculture 2%
(1999 est.)
Unemployment rate: 6.8% (2001 est.)
Budget: revenues: $113.44 billion expenditures: $106 billion, including
capital expenditures of $7.17 billion (2000)
Industries: engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly,
processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass,
petroleum, coal
Industrial production growth rate: 4.5% (2000 est.)
Electricity - production: 79.348 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 40.31% hydro: 0.57%
other: 1.46% (2000) nuclear: 57.66%
Electricity - consumption: 78.13 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 7.309 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 11.645 billion kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain,
tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk
Exports: $160.3 billion (f.o.b., 2001)
Exports - commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds,
metals and metal products
Exports - partners: EU 74% (France 18%, Germany 17%, Netherlands 13%,
UK 10%), US 6% (2000)
Imports: $154 billion (f.o.b., 2001)
Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals and
metal products
Imports - partners: EU 68% (Germany 17%, Netherlands 17%, France 13%,
UK 9%) (2000)
Debt - external: $28.3 billion (1999 est.)
Economic aid - donor: ODA, $764 million (1997)
Currency: euro (EUR); Belgian franc (BEF) note: on 1 January 1999, the
European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be
used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002,
the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the
member countries
Currency code: EUR; BEF
Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175
(2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); Belgian francs per US dollar -
34.77 (January 1999), 36.229 (1998), 35.774 (1997)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Belgium
Telephones - main lines in use: 4.769 million (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 974,494 (1997)
Telephone system: 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: 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat
(Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat
Radio broadcast stations: FM 79, AM 7, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios: 8.075 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 25 (plus 10 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 4.72 million (1997)
Internet country code: .be
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 61 (2000)
Internet users: 2.807 million (2001)
Transportation Belgium
Railways: total: 3,422 km standard gauge: 3,422 km 1.435-m gauge (2,517
km electrified; 2,563 km double-tracked) (2001)
Highways: total: 145,774 km paved: 116,182 km (including 1,674 km of
expressways) unpaved: 29,592 km (1999)
Waterways: 1,570 km (route length in regular commercial use) (2001)
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: 20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 31,362
GRT/54,058 DWT ships by type: cargo 6, chemical tanker 9, petroleum
tanker 5, includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag
of convenience: Finland 1, Netherlands 3 (2002 est.)
Airports: 42 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 24 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047
m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 6 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m:
16 (2001)
Heliports: 1 (2001)
Military Belgium
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Components, National Gendarmerie
Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,508,557 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,070,016
(2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 63,247
(2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $3,076,500,000 (FY01/02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.4% (FY01/02)
Transnational Issues Belgium
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: 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
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
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Bahamas, The
Introduction
Bahamas, The
Background: Since attaining independence from the UK in 1973, The
Bahamas have prospered through tourism and international banking and
investment management. Because of its geography, the country is a major
transshipment point for illegal drugs, particularly shipments to the US,
and its territory is used for smuggling illegal migrants into the US.
Geography Bahamas, The
Location: Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean,
southeast of Florida
Geographic coordinates: 24 15 N, 76 00 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 13,940 sq km water: 3,870 sq km land: 10,070 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Connecticut
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 3,542 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate: tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream
Terrain: long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 m
Natural resources: salt, aragonite, timber, arable land
Land use: arable land: 1% permanent crops: 0% other: 99% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive
flood and wind damage
Environment - current issues: coral reef decay; solid waste disposal
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive
island chain of which 30 are inhabited
People Bahamas, The
Population: 300,529 note: estimates for this country explicitly take
into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result
in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population
by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 29% (male 43,964; female 43,250) 15-64 years:
64.7% (male 95,508; female 98,859) 65 years and over: 6.3% (male 7,948;
female 11,000) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.86% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 18.69 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 7.49 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: -2.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 17.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 73.49 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 2.28 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 4.13% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 6,900 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 500 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Bahamian(s) adjective: Bahamian
Ethnic groups: black 85%, white 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3%
Religions: Baptist 32%, Anglican 20%, Roman Catholic 19%, Methodist 6%,
Church of God 6%, other Protestant 12%, none or unknown 3%, other 2%
Languages: English, Creole (among Haitian immigrants)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 98.2% male: 98.5% female: 98% (1995 est.)
Government Bahamas, The
Country name: conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas
conventional short form: The Bahamas
Government type: constitutional parliamentary democracy
Capital: Nassau
Administrative divisions: 21 districts; Acklins and Crooked Islands,
Bimini, Cat Island, Exuma, Freeport, Fresh Creek, Governor's Harbour,
Green Turtle Cay, Harbour Island, High Rock, Inagua, Kemps Bay, Long
Island, Marsh Harbour, Mayaguana, New Providence, Nichollstown and Berry
Islands, Ragged Island, Rock Sound, Sandy Point, San Salvador and Rum Cay
Independence: 10 July 1973 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 10 July (1973)
Constitution: 10 July 1973
Legal system: based on English common law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
1952), represented by Governor General Ivy DUMONT (since NA May 2002)
head of government: Cynthia PRATT (since 7 May 2002) cabinet: Cabinet
appointed by the governor general on the prime minister's recommendation
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed
by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by
the governor general
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate
(16-member body appointed by the governor general upon the advice
of the prime minister and the opposition leader for five-year terms)
and the House of Assembly (40 seats; members elected by direct popular
vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held NA March 2002 (next
to be held by March 2007) election results: percent of vote by party -
PLP 50.8%, FNM 41.1%, independents 5.2%; seats by party - PLP 29, FNM 7,
independents 4
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; magistrates courts
Political parties and leaders: Free National Movement or FNM
[leader-designate Tommy TURNQUEST]; Progressive Liberal Party or PLP
[Perry CHRISTIE]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB,
ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joshua
SEARS consulate(s) general: Miami and
[1] (202) 319-2660 chancery:
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
J. Richard BLANKENSHIP embassy: Queen Street, Nassau mailing address:
local or express mail address: P. O. Box N-8197, Nassau; stateside
address: American Embassy Nassau, P. O. Box 599009, Miami, FL 33159-9009;
pouch address: Nassau, Department of State,
[1] (242) 322-1181, 328-2206 FAX:
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold,
and aquamarine, with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoist side
Economy Bahamas, The
Economy - overview: The Bahamas is a stable, developing nation with
an economy heavily dependent on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism
alone accounts for more than 60% of GDP and directly or indirectly
employs almost half of the archipelago's labor force. Steady growth in
tourism receipts and a boom in construction of new hotels, resorts, and
residences have led to solid GDP growth in recent years. Manufacturing
and agriculture together contribute approximately a tenth of GDP
and show little growth, despite government incentives aimed at those
sectors. Overall growth prospects in the short run rest heavily on
the fortunes of the tourism sector, which depends on growth in the US,
the source of the majority of tourist visitors.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $5 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3.5% (2001)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $16,800 (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 7% services: 90%
(1999 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 156,000 (1999)
Labor force - by occupation: tourism 40%, other services 50%, industry
5%, agriculture 5% (1995 est.)
Unemployment rate: 6.9% (2001 est.)
Budget: revenues: $918.5 million expenditures: $956.5 million, including
capital expenditures of $106.7 million (FY99/00)
Industries: tourism, banking, cement, oil refining and transshipment,
salt, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded steel pipe
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 1.54 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0%
(2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 1.432 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: citrus, vegetables; poultry
Exports: $535.8 million (2000)
Exports - commodities: fish and crawfish; rum, salt, chemicals; fruit
and vegetables (1999)
Exports - partners: US 28.2%, France 16.5%, Germany 14.1%, UK 12.4%
(2000)
Imports: $1.88 billion (2000)
Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactures,
chemicals, mineral fuels; food and live animals (1999)
Imports - partners: US 31.6%, South Korea 18.2%, Italy 17.4%, Japan 5.8%
(2000)
Debt - external: $381.9 million (2000)
Economic aid - recipient: $9.8 million (1995)
Currency: Bahamian dollar (BSD)
Currency code: BSD
Exchange rates: Bahamian dollars per US dollar - 1.000 (fixed rate
pegged to the dollar)
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
Communications Bahamas, The
Telephones - main lines in use: 96,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 6,152 (1997)
Telephone system: general assessment: modern facilities domestic:
totally automatic system; highly developed international: tropospheric
scatter and submarine cable to Florida; 3 coaxial submarine cables;
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (1997)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 215,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)
Televisions: 67,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .bs
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 19 (2000)
Internet users: 13,100 (2001)
Transportation Bahamas, The
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 2,693 km paved: 1,546 km unpaved: 1,147 km (1997)
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Freeport, Matthew Town, Nassau