Short Name: BelgiumLong Name: Kingdom of Belgium
Short Name (local): Belgique/Belgie
Long Name (local): Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie
Member of European Union: Yes, 1957
International Dialing Code: +32
Capital City: Brussels
National Tourist Office: Belgian Tourist Office
Foreign Embassies in Belgium: Australia | Canada | U.K. | U.S.
Embassies and Visa Information: In Australia | In Canada | In the U.K. | In the U.S.
Nationality: Noun - Belgian(s), Adjective - Belgian
Government Type: Federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarch
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)Monetary Unit: 1 Euro = 100 cents
Area: 30,528 sq km - about the size of Maryland
Climate: Temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy
Population: 10,348,276 (July 2004 est.)
Sex Ratio: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Median Age: 40.2 years, male 38.9 years, female 41.5 years (2004 est.)
Life Expectancy: 78.44 years, male 75.26 years, female 81.75 years (2004 est.)
Population Growth Rate: 0.16% (2004 est.)
Net Migration Rate: 1.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Population Below Poverty Line: 4% (1989 est.)
Unemployment Rate: 8.1% (2003 est.)
Gross National Income: US$25,820 (2003, World Bank)
Export Commodities: Machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal products, foodstuffs
Export Partners: Germany 19.5%, France 17.4%, Netherlands 11.7%, UK 9%, US 6.7%, Italy 5.4% (2003 est.)
Import Commodities: Machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, transportation equipment, oil products
Import Partners: Germany 17.7%, Netherlands 16.5%, France 13.2%, UK 7.5%, US 5.9%, Ireland 5.7% (2003 est.)
Natural Resources: Coal, natural gas, construction materials, silica sand, carbonates
Public Television: RTBF, VRT
Public Radio: RTBF, VRT
Graphics and statistics are public domain courtesy of The CIA World Factbook.
Outline map courtesy of WorldAtlas.com.
