 Geography
People
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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: 66 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: NA sq km
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
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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.
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People |
Population: 10,241,506 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 18% (male 919,445; female 877,896)
15-64 years: 66% (male 3,386,193; female
3,334,081)
65 years and over: 16% (male 701,842; female
1,022,049) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.18% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 10.91 births/1,000 population (2000
est.)
Death rate: 10.13 deaths/1,000 population (2000
est.)
Net migration rate: 0.98 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2000 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 (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 4.76 deaths/1,000 live
births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.8 years
male: 74.47 years
female: 81.3 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.61 children born/woman
(2000 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 58%, French 32%, German 10%,
legally bilingual
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: NA%
female: NA%
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Communications |
Telephones - main lines in use: 4.632 million (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 664,000 (1999)
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: FM 79, AM 7, shortwave 1
(1998)
Radios: 8.075 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 24 (1997)
Televisions: 4.72 million (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 51 (1999)
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Transportation |
Railways:
total: 3,437 km (2,446 km electrified; 2,563 km
double track)
standard gauge: 3,437 km 1.435-m gauge (1998)
Highways:
total: 145,850 km
paved: 117,701 km (including 1,682 km of
expressways)
unpaved: 28,149 km (1998)
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: 22 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling
35,075 GRT/57,347 DWT
ships by type: cargo 7, chemical tanker 8,
petroleum tanker 7 (1999 est.)
Airports: 42 (1999 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 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 18
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 16 (1999 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1999 est.) |
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