Читать книгу The 2010 CIA World Factbook - United States. Central Intelligence Agency - Страница 187

Flag description:

three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red; the vertical design was based on the flag of France; the colors are those of the arms of the duchy of Brabant (yellow lion with red claws and tongue on a black field)

National anthem:

name: "La Brabanconne" (The Song of Brabant)

lyrics/music: Louis-Alexandre DECHET[French] Victor CEULEMANS [Dutch]/Francois VAN CAMPENHOUT

note: adopted 1830; Louis-Alexandre DECHET was an actor at the theater in which the revolution against the Netherlands began; according to legend, he wrote the lyrics with a group of young people in a Brussels cafe

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 imports substantial quantities of raw materials and exports a large volume of manufactures, making its economy vulnerable to volatility in world markets. Roughly three-quarters of Belgium's trade is with other EU countries. In 2009 Belgian GDP contracted by 2.7%, the unemployment rate rose slightly, and the budget deficit worsened because of large-scale bail-outs in the financial sector. Belgium's budget deficit widened to 4.8% of GDP in 2010, while public debt was just over 100% of GDP. Belgian banks have been severely affected by the international financial crisis with three major banks receiving capital injections from the government. An ageing population and rising social expenditures are also increasing pressure on public finances, making it likely the government will need to implement unpopular austerity measures to assuage investor concerns about Belgium's ability to restore fiscal balance.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$394.9 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 31 $388.7 billion (2009 est.)

$399.5 billion (2008 est.)

note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$461.3 billion (2010 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

1.6% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 162 −2.7% (2009 est.)

0.8% (2008 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$37,900 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 27 $37,300 (2009 est.)

$38,400 (2008 est.)

note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 0.7%

industry: 22.1%

services: 77.2% (2010 est.)

Labor force:

5.02 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 74

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 2%

industry: 25%

services: 73% (2007 est.)

Unemployment rate:

8.1% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 92 7.9% (2009 est.)

Population below poverty line:

15.2% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3.4%

highest 10%: 28.4% (2006)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

28 (2005) country comparison to the world: 121 28.7 (1996)

Investment (gross fixed):

20.8% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 80

Public debt:

102.5% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 9 101% of GDP (2009 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.3% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 68 0% (2009 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

1.75% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 113 3% (31 December 2008)

note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

6.15% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 128 7.03% (31 December 2008 est.)

Stock of narrow money:

$172.9 billion (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 19 $178.7 billion (31 December 2009 est)

note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money circulating within their own borders

Stock of broad money:

$539.4 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 22 $536.7 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit:

$801.1 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 17 $767.1 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$261.4 billion (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 26 $167.4 billion (31 December 2008)

$386.4 billion (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk

Industries:

engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, transportation equipment, scientific instruments, processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum

Industrial production growth rate:

4% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 79

Electricity - production:

82.17 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 36

Electricity - consumption:

84.88 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 33

Electricity - exports:

6.561 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

17.16 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

11,220 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

Oil - consumption:

608,200 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 27

Oil - exports:

433,700 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 31

Oil - imports:

1.12 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 16

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 201

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 204

Natural gas - consumption:

16.87 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 57

Natural gas - imports:

16.78 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 14

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 202

Current account balance:

-$1.129 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 141 $1.251 billion (2009 est.)

Exports:

$279.2 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 16 $261.1 billion (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, chemicals, finished diamonds, metals and metal products, foodstuffs

Exports - partners:

Germany 19.58%, France 17.71%, Netherlands 11.84%, UK 7.21%, US 5.37%, Italy 4.77% (2009)

Imports:

$281.7 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 17 $261.3 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities:

raw materials, machinery and equipment, chemicals, raw diamonds, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, transportation equipment, oil products

Imports - partners:

Netherlands 17.93%, Germany 17.14%, France 11.69%, Ireland 6.26%, US 5.74%, UK 5.07%, China 4.09% (2009)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$NA (31 December 2010 est.)

$23.98 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Debt - external:

$1.241 trillion (30 June 2010) country comparison to the world: 12 $1.354 trillion (31 December 2008)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$741.7 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 6 $705.2 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$632.8 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 10 $595.8 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Exchange rates:

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7715 (2010), 0.7179 (2009), 0.6827 (2008), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006)

Communications ::Belgium

Telephones - main lines in use:

4,255 (2009) country comparison to the world: 215

Telephones - mobile cellular:

12.419 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 55

Telephone system:

general assessment: highly developed, technologically advanced, and completely automated domestic and international telephone and telegraph facilities

domestic: nationwide mobile-cellular telephone system; extensive cable network; limited microwave radio relay network

international: country code - 32; landing point for a number of submarine cables that provide links to Europe, the Middle East, and Asia; satellite earth stations - 7 (Intelsat - 3) (2007)

Broadcast media:

a segmented market with the three major communities (Flemish, French, and German-speaking) each having responsibility for their own broadcast media; multiple TV channels exist for each community; additionally, in excess of 90% of households are connected to cable and can access broadcasts of TV stations from neighboring countries; each community has a public radio network co-existing with private broadcasters (2007)

Internet country code:

.be

Internet hosts:

4.465 million (2010) country comparison to the world: 19

Internet users:

8.113 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 36

Transportation ::Belgium

Airports:

43 (2010) country comparison to the world: 99

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 27

over 3,047 m: 6

2,438 to 3,047 m: 9

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 9 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 16

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 15 (2010)

Heliports:

1 (2010)

Pipelines:

gas 1,330 km; oil 158 km; refined products 535 km (2009)

Railways:

total: 3,233 km country comparison to the world: 54 standard gauge: 3,233 km 1.435-m gauge (2,950 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 152,256 km country comparison to the world: 35 paved: 119,079 km (includes 1,763 km of expressways)

unpaved: 33,177 km (2006)

Waterways:

2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use) (2008) country comparison to the world: 44

Merchant marine:

total: 81 country comparison to the world: 55 by type: bulk carrier 21, cargo 8, chemical tanker 5, container 4, liquefied gas 23, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 11, roll on/roll off 7

foreign-owned: 13 (Denmark 4, France 5, UK 2, US 2)

registered in other countries: 104 (Bahamas 9, Cambodia 1, Cyprus 2,

France 7, Gibraltar 2, Greece 16, Hong Kong 16, Liberia 1,

Luxembourg 9, Malta 14, Moldova 2, Mozambique 2, North Korea 1,

Panama 2, Portugal 8, Russia 4, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint

Vincent and the Grenadines 6, Vanuatu 1) (2010)

Ports and terminals:

cargo ports (tonnage): Antwerp, Gent, Liege, Zeebrugge

container ports (TEUs): Antwerp (8,662,891), Zeebrugge (2,209,715)

Military ::Belgium

Military branches:

Belgian Armed Forces: Land Operations Command, Naval Operations

Command, Air Operations Commands (2010)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription suspended (2010)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16–49: 2,377,191

females age 16–49: 2,309,941 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16–49: 1,949,361

females age 16–49: 1,891,966 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 60,726

female: 57,882 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.3% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 119

Transnational Issues ::Belgium

Disputes - international:

none

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

page last updated on January 20, 2011

======================================================================

@Belize (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::Belize

Background:

Belize was the site of several Mayan city states until their decline at the end of the first millennium A.D. The British and Spanish disputed the region in the 17th and 18th centuries; it formally became the colony of British Honduras in 1854. Territorial disputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed the independence of Belize until 1981. Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation until 1992 and the two countries are involved in an ongoing border dispute. Guatemala and Belize plan to hold a simultaneous referendum to determine if this dispute will go before the International Court of Justice at The Hague, though they have not yet set a date. Tourism has become the mainstay of the economy. Current concerns include the country's heavy foreign debt burden, high unemployment, growing involvement in the South American drug trade, high crime rates, and increasing incidences of HIV/AIDS.

Geography ::Belize

Location:

Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and

Mexico

Geographic coordinates: