Key Demographic Features of Belgium *
Location: Western Europe, bordering the North Sea,
between France and the Netherlands
Map references: Europe
People
Population: 10,170,241 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 18% (male 930,919; female 886,632)
15-64 years: 66% (male 3,380,105; female 3,326,853)
65 years and over: 16% (male 663,760; female 981,972)
(July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.33% (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 6.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1996
est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.09 years
male: 73.86 years
female: 80.51 years (1996 est.)
Ethnic divisions: Fleming 55%, Walloon 33%, mixed or
other 12%
Religions: Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25%
Languages: Dutch 56%, French 32%, German 1%, legally
bilingual 11% (divided along ethnic lines)
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)
total population: 99%
male: NA%
female: NA%
Government
Country Abbreviation: BE
Type of government: constitutional monarchy
Independence: 4 October 1830 (from the Netherlands)
National holiday: National Day, 21 July (ascension of
King LEOPOLD 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
Flemish Christian Democrats (CVP - Christian People's Party),
Johan VAN HECKE, president; Francophone Christian Democrats (PSC
- Social Christian Party), Gerard DEPREZ, president; Flemish
Socialist Party (SP), Louis TOBBACK, president; Francophone
Socialist Party (PS), Philippe BUSQUIN, president; Flemish
Liberal Democrats (VLD), Herman DE CROO, president; Francophone
Liberal Reformation Party (PRL), Louis MICHEL, president;
Francophone Democratic Front (FDF), Olivier MAINGAIN, president;
Volksunie (VU), Bert ANCIAUX, president; Vlaams Blok (VB), Karel
DILLEN, chairman; National Front (FN), Daniel FERET, president;
AGALEV (Flemish Greens), no president; ECOLO (Francophone
Greens), no president; other minor parties
Other political or pressure groups: 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, AG
(observer), AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN,
EBRD, ECE, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR,
NACC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCRO,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMOGIP, UNPROFOR, UNRWA,
UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Andre ADAM
chancery: 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 333-6900
FAX: [1] (202) 333-3079
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, and
New York
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Alan J. BLINKEN
embassy: 27 Boulevard du Regent, B-1000 Brussels
mailing address: APO AE 09724, PSC 82, Box 002, Brussels
telephone: [32] (2) 508-2111
FAX: [32] (2) 511-2725
Flag: three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side),
yellow, and red; the design was based on the flag of France
Economy
Economic overview:
GDP: purchasing power parity - $197 billion (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate: 2.3% (1995 est.)
GDP per capita: $19,500 (1995 est.)
Unemployment rate: 14% (1995 est.)
Communications
Telephones: 5.691 million (1992 est.)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 39, shortwave 0
Radios: 100,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 32 (1987 est.)
Televisions: 3,315,662 (1993 est.)
*Source: World Factbook 1996, U.S.
Central Intelligence Agency
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