on4jz-joe
PROPAGATION
|
Where is Antwerp, Belgium??
(see map
below - click
to enlarge)
Source: The CIA's World Factbook
|
Background:
|
Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830 and
was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. It has
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. |
|
Location:
|
Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and
the Netherlands |
|
Geographic coordinates:
|
50 50 N, 4 00 E
|
|
Area:
|
total: 30,528 sq km - land: 30,278 sq km -
water: 250 sq km |
|
Land boundaries:
|
total: 1,385 km (861 miles)
border countries: France 620 km (385 miles), Germany 167 km
104 miles) ,
Luxembourg 148 km (92 miles), Netherlands 450 km (280 miles) |
|
Coastline:
|
66.5 km (41 miles) |
|
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 (2277 ft) |
|
Natural resources:
|
construction materials, silica sand,
carbonates |
Natural hazards:
|
flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed
coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes |
|
Geography - note:
|
crossroads of Western Europe; most of West European
capitals within 1,000 km (625 miles) of Brussels, the seat of both the
European Union and NATO |
|
Population:
|
10,403,951 (July 2008 est.) |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total population: 79.07 years
male: 75.90 years
female: 82.38 years (2008 est.)
|
|
Ethnic groups:
|
Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11% |
|
Religions:
|
Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25% |
|
Languages:
|
Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German
(official) less than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and
French) |
|
Country name:
|
conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium
conventional short form: Belgium
local long form: Royaume de Belgique (in French) / Koninkrijk
België (in Dutch)
local short form: Belgique / België |
|
Government type:
|
federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional
monarch |
|
Capital:
|
Brussels 50 50 N, 4 20 E
daylight saving time: + 1 hour, begins last Saturday
night in March, ends last Saturday night in October |
|
Administrative divisions:
|
10 provinces (French: provinces, singular - province; Dutch:
provincies, singular - provincie) and 3 regions (French:
regions; Dutch: gewesten);
Brussels (Bruxelles); Flanders (Vlaanderen) region (5
provinces): Antwerpen (Antwerp), Limburg, Oost-Vlaanderen
(East Flanders), Vlaams-Brabant (Flemish Brabant), West-Vlaanderen
(West Flanders); Wallonia (Wallonie) region (5 provinces):
Brabant Wallon (Walloon Brabant), Hainaut, Liège,
Luxembourg, Namur.
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 |
|
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:
|
21 July (1831) ascension to the Throne of King Leopold I
|
|
Constitution:
|
7 February 1831; amended many times, last revised 14 July 1993
to create a federal state
|
|
Legal system:
|
based on
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 Yves LETERME
(since 20 March 2008), previously Guy VERHOFSTADT
(1999-2007)
cabinet: Council of Ministers formally appointed by
the monarch
elections: the monarchy is hereditary and
constitutional;
following legislative elections, the leader of the majority
party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
appointed prime minister by the monarch and then approved by
Parliament |
|
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; to 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
10 June 2007 (next to be held June 2011)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party -
CD&V-NVA 19.4%, open VLD 12.4%, MR 12.3%, VB 11.9%, PS
10.2%, SP.A-Spirit 10%, CDH 5.9%, Ecolo 5.8%, GROEN! 3.6%,
List Dedecker 3.4%, FN 2.3%, other 2.8%; seats by party -
CD&V-NVA 9, open VLD 5, MR 6, VB 5, PS 4, SP.A-Spririt 4,
CDH 2, Ecolo 2, GROEN! 1, List Dedecker 1, FN 1 (note -
there are also 31 indirectly elected senators); Chamber of
Deputies - percent of vote by party - CD&V-NVA 18.5%, MR
12.5%, VB 12%, open VLD 11.8%, PS 10.9%, SP.A-Spirit 10.3%,
CDH 6.1%, Ecolo 5.1%, List Dedecker 4%, GROEN! 4%, FN 2%,
other 2.8%; seats by party - CD&V-NVA 9, VLD 5, MR 6, VB
5, PS 4, SP.A-Spirit 2, CDH 2, Ecolo 2, GROEN! 1, List Dedecker
1, FN 1
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 |
|
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 Government; candidacies have to be submitted by the
High Justice Council) |
|
Political parties and their
president:
|
Flemish parties - Christian Democrats and Flemish or
CD & V [Etienne SCHOUPPE]; List Dedecker [Jean-Marie DEDECKER]; Flemish Liberal and Democrats or VLD
[Bart SOMERS]; GROEN! [Mieke VOGELS] (formerly AGALEV,
Flemish Greens); New Flemish
Alliance or NVA [Bart DE WEVER]; Social Progressive
Alternative or SP.A [Caroline GENNEZ]; Spirit [Geert
LAMBERT] (new party now associated with SP.A); Vlaams Belang
(Flemish Interest) or VB [Bruno VALKENIERS]
Francophone parties - Ecolo (Francophone
Greens) [Jean-Michel JAVAUX, Isabelle DURANT, Claude BROUIR];
Humanist and Democratic Center of CDH [Joelle MILQUET];
National Front or FN [Michel BELCROIX]; Reform Movement or MR
[Didier REYNDERS]; Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI RUPO];
other minor parties |
|
Political pressure groups and leaders:
|
Christian, Socialist, and Liberal 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 |
|
Flag description:
|
three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow,
and red; the design was based on the flag of France |
|
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. Roughly
three-quarters of its trade is with other EU countries.
Public debt is more than 85% of GDP. On the positive side,
the government has succeeded in balancing its budget, and
income distribution is relatively equal. Belgium began
circulating the euro currency in January 2002. Economic
growth in 2001-03 dropped sharply because of the global
economic slowdown, with moderate recovery in 2004-2007.
Economic growth and foreign direct investment are expected
to slow down in 2008, due to credit tightening, falling
consumer and business confidence, and above average
inflation. However, with the successful negotiation of the
2008 budget and devolution of power within the government,
political tensions seem to be easing and could lead to an
improvement in the economic outlook for 2008. |
|
Unemployment rate:
|
7.6% (2007 est.) |
|
Industries:
|
engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly,
transportation equipment, scientific instruments, processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals,
textiles, glass, petroleum |
|
Currency:
|
Euro (EUR) €
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
Exchange rates Euro per US$: 0.886 (2003), 0.8054
(2004), 0.8041 (2005), 0.7964 (2006), 0.7345 (2007), 0.6744
(2008) |
|
Telephones - main lines in use:
|
4,719,000 (2006) |
|
Telephones - mobile cellular:
|
9,660,000 (2006) |
|
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: country code +32 |
|
Radio broadcast stations:
|
AM 7, FM 79, shortwave 1 (1998) |
|
Television broadcast stations:
|
25 (plus 10 repeaters) (1997) |
|
Internet country code:
|
.be |
|
Internet hosts:
|
3,195,000 (2007) |
|
Internet users:
|
4.8 million (2005)
|
|
Airports:
|
43 |
|
Airports with paved runways:
|
total: 27
over 3,047 meters (9997 ft): 6
2,438 (7999 ft) to 3,047 meters (9997 ft): 7
1,524 (5000 ft) to 2,437 meters (7996 ft): 4
914 (2999 ft) to 1,523 meters (4997 ft): 1
under 914 meters (2999 ft): 9 (2007) |
|
Airports with unpaved runways:
|
total: 16
914 (2999 ft) to 1,523 meters (4997 ft): 1
under 914 meters (2999 ft): 15 (2007) |
|
Pipelines:
|
gas: 1,562 km (970 miles); oil 158 km (98 miles) ; refined products 535 km
(332 miles) (2007) |
|
Railways:
|
total: 3,536 km (2.196 miles)
standard gauge: 3,536 km (2.196 miles) 1.435-m gauge (2,950 km
[1.832 miles] electrified) (20056 |
|
Highways:
|
total: 150,567 km (93558 miles)
paved: 117,442 km [72975 miles] (including 1,747 km
[1085 miles] of expressways)
unpaved: 33,125 km [20583 miles] (2004) |
|
Waterways:
|
2,043 km [1103 Nautical miles] (1,528 km [825 Nautical
miles] in regular commercial use) (2006)
|
|
Ports and terminals:
|
Antwerp (one of the world's busiest ports), Gent,
Liège, Zeebrugge |
|
Merchant marine:
|
total: 68 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,786,089 GRT/6,074,664 DWT
foreign-owned: 9 (Denmark 3, France 1, Germany 1, Greece 4)
registered in other countries: 123 (Bahamas 15, Bermuda
3, Cyprus 1, France 6, Gibraltar 3,
Greece 16, Hong Kong 4, Liberia 1, Luxembourg 9, Malta 10, Marshall
Islands
2, Netherlands 2, Netherlands Antilles 1, Panama 11,
Portugal 9, Russia 6, Sierra Leone 1, Singapore
8,
St. Kitts and Nevis 1, St. Vincent and the Grenadines 9,
Vanuatu 4) (2007)
by type: bulk carrier 20, cargo 5, chemical tanker 2,
container 9, liquefied gas 16, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 10
, roll on/roll off 5 (2007) |
|
Military branches:
|
Belgian Armed Forces: Land, Naval, and Air Operations Commands
(2008) |
|
Military manpower - military age:
|
18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription
suspended (2008) |
|
Military manpower - availability:
|
males age 16-49: 2,436,736
females age 16-49: 2,369,463 (2005 est.) |
|
Military manpower - fit for military service:
|
males age 16-49: 1,998,003
females age 16-49: 1,940,918 (2005 est.) |
|
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
|
males age 16-49: 64,263
females age 16-49: 61,402 (2005 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
|
1.3% (2005 est) |
|
Illicit drugs:
|
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 |
Always
|
Last
update:
Thursday, 30 July, 2009 11:53:56
(local time = UTC + 1h winter
UTC + 2h summer)
Ziegelshiffer Joseph
ON4JZ - OP4K© 2009 |
renovations
Counter
Hits since Saturday, July 17, 2004 |
|
