Short Name: Belgium

Long 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


Countries of Europe - Facts and InformationAlbania | Andorra | Austria | Belarus | Belgium | Bosnia-HerzegovinaBulgaria | Croatia | Cyprus | Czech Republic | Denmark | EstoniaFaroe Islands | Finland | France | Germany | Greece | GreenlandHungary | Iceland | Ireland | Italy | Latvia | Liechtenstein | LithuaniaLuxembourg | Macedonia | Malta | Moldova | Monaco | NetherlandsNorway | Poland | Portugal | Romania | Russia | San MarinoSerbia & Montenegro | Slovakia | Slovenia | Spain | SwedenSwitzerland | Turkey | Ukraine | United Kingdom | Vatican City

---

Graphics and statistics are public domain courtesy of The CIA World Factbook.
Outline map courtesy of WorldAtlas.com.

---