Kingdom of Belgium

National name: Royaume de Belgique—Koninkrijk België

Sovereign: King Albert II (1993)

Prime Minister: Guy Verhofstadt (1999)

Area: 11,780 sq mi (30,510 sq km)

Population (2005 est.): 10,364,388 (growth rate: 0.2%); birth rate: 10.5/1000; infant mortality rate: 4.7/1000; life expectancy: 78.6; density per sq mi: 880

Capital and largest city (2003 est.): Brussels, 1,750,600 (metro area), 981,200 (city proper)

Other large cities: Antwerp, 952,600 (metro area), 450,000 (city proper); Ghent, 226,900; Charleroi, 201,200; Liège, 185,700; Bruges, 117,200

Monetary units: Euro (formerly Belgian franc)

Languages: Dutch (Flemish) 60%, French 40%, German less than 1% (all official); legally bilingual (Dutch and French)

Ethnicity/race: Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11%

Religion: Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25%

Literacy rate: 98% (2003 est.)

Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2004 est.): $316.2 billion; per capita $30,600. Real growth rate: 2.6%. Inflation: 1.9%. Unemployment: 12% (first half, 2004 est.). Arable land: 23%. Agriculture: sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk. Labor force: 4.75 million; agriculture 1.3%, industry 24.5%, services 74.2% (2003 est.). Industries: engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, transportation equipment, scientific instruments, processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum. Natural resources: coal, natural gas, construction materials, silica sand, carbonates. Exports: $255.7 billion (f.o.b., 2003 est.): machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal products, foodstuffs. Imports: $235 billion (f.o.b., 2003 est.): machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, transportation equipment, oil products. Major trading partners: Germany, France, Netherlands, UK, U.S., Italy, Ireland (2003).

Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 4.769 million (1997); mobile cellular: 974,494 (1997). 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 Service Providers (ISPs): 61 (2000). Internet users: 3.76 million (2002).

Transportation: Railways: total: 3,471 km (2,631 km electrified) (2002). Highways: total: 148,216 km; paved: 116,687 km (including 1,727 km of expressways); unpaved: 31,529 km (2000). Waterways: 1,570 km (route length in regular commercial use) (2001). Ports and harbors: Antwerp (one of the world's busiest ports), Brugge, Gent, Hasselt, Liege, Mons, Namur, Oostende, Zeebrugge. Airports: 42 (2002).

International disputes: none.