Kingdom of Belgium

National name: Royaume de Belgique¡ªKoninkrijk Belgi?

Sovereign: King Albert II (1993)

Prime Minister: Guy Verhofstadt (1999)

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

Population (2003 est.): 10,289,088 (growth rate: 0.04%); birth rate: 10.4/1000; infant mortality rate: 4.6/1000; density per sq mi: 873

Capital and largest city (1994): Brussels, 949,070 (metro area)

Other large cities (1994): Antwerp, 476,044; Ghent, 229,900; Li¨¨ge, 207,496; Charleroi, 206,898; Bruges, 116,724

Monetary units: Euro (formerly Belgian franc)

Languages: Dutch (Flemish), 57%; French, 32%; bilingual (Brussels), 10%; German, 0.7%

Ethnicity/race: Fleming 55%, Walloon 33%, mixed or other 12%

Religion: Roman Catholic 75%

Literacy rate: 99% (1980)

One of the magnificent buildings in Brussels'central square, the Grand Place.	Magnigicent carvings in the Grand Place
Bruges from the Canal	Bourse in Brussel
La Grand-Place	Brussels, Belgium
Gables of old houses in Antwerpen, Belgium.	Houses at the market square of Bruegge, Belgium

( www.adamandlyn.co.uk/www.picturesofplaces.com)

Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2001 est.): $267.7 billion; per capita $26,100. Real growth rate: 1.1%. Inflation: 2.4%. Unemployment: 6.8%. Arable land: 25%. Agriculture: sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk. Labor force: 4.44 million; services 73%, industry 25%, agriculture 2% (1999 est.). Industries: engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum, coal. Natural resources: coal, natural gas. Exports: $160.3 billion (f.o.b., 2001): machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal products. Imports: $154 billion (f.o.b., 2001): machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals and metal products. Major trading partners: EU.

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: 2.807 million (2001).

Transportation: Railways: total: 3,437 km (2,446 km electrified; 2,563 km double track) (2001). Highways: total: 145,774 km; paved: 116,182 km (including 1,674 km of expressways); unpaved: 29,592 km (1999). 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 (2001).

International disputes: none.