FAX: (2) 511-2725

FAX: (202) 333-3079

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)

embassy: 27 Boulevard du Regent, B-1000 Brussels

mailing address: PSC 82, Box 002, APO AE 09710

telephone: (2) 508-2111

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red; the design was based on the flag of France

Belgium Economy

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, although the government is encouraging investment in the southern region of Wallonia. With few natural resources, Belgium must import substantial quantities of raw materials and export a large volume of manufactures, making its economy unusually dependent on the state of world markets. About three-quarters of its trade is with other EU countries. Belgium's public debt is expected to fall below 100% of GDP in 2002, and the government has succeeded in balancing is budget. Belgium became a charter member of the European Monetary Union (EMU) in January 1999. Economic growth in 2000 was broad based, putting the government in a good position to pursue its energy market liberalization policies and planned tax cuts.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $259.2 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4.1% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $25,300 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.4%

industry: 26%

services: 72.6% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 4%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.7%

highest 10%: 20.2% (1992)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.2% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 4.34 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: services 73%, industry 25%, agriculture 2% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 8.4% (2000 est.)

Budget: revenues: $114.8 billion

expenditures: $117 billion, including capital expenditures of $7.6 billion (1999)

Industries: engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum, coal

Industrial production growth rate: 5.5% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: 79.829 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 40.01%

hydro: 0.42%

nuclear: 58.33%

other: 1.24% (1999)

Electricity - consumption: 75.089 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: 8.207 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: 9.055 billion kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk

Exports: $181.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal products

Exports - partners: EU 76% (Germany 18%, France 18%, Netherlands 12%, UK 10%) (1999)

Imports: $166 billion (c.i.f., 2000)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals and metal products

Imports - partners: EU 71% (Germany 18%, Netherlands 17%, France 14%, UK 9%) (1999)

Debt - external: $28.3 billion (1999 est.)

Economic aid - donor: ODA, $764 million (1997)

Currency: Belgian franc (BEF); euro (EUR)

note: on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced the euro as a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in Belgium at a fixed rate of 40.3399 Belgian francs per euro and will replace the local currency for all transactions in 2002

Currency code: BEF; EUR

Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.0659 (January 2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); Belgian francs per US dollar - 34.77 (January 1999), 36.229 (1998), 35.774 (1997), 30.962 (1996)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Belgium Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 4.769 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 974,494 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: 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: 25 (plus 10 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 4.72 million (1997)

Internet country code: .be

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 61 (2000)

Internet users: 2.7 million (2000)

Belgium 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: 145,774 km

paved: 116,182 km (including 1,674 km of expressways)

unpaved: 29,592 km (1999)

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: 21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 32,912 GRT/53,161 DWT

ships by type: cargo 6, chemical tanker 9, petroleum tanker 6 (2000 est.)

Airports: 42 (2000 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 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 18

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 16 (2000 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2000 est.)

Belgium Military

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie,
Medical Service

Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,517,596 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,079,624 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 63,247 (2001 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $2.5 billion (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.2% (FY99)

Belgium Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: growing producer of synthetic drugs; 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

@Belize

Belize Introduction

Background: Territorial disputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed the independence of Belize (formerly British Honduras) until 1981. Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation until 1992. Tourism has become the mainstay of the economy. The country remains plagued by high unemployment, growing involvement in the South American drug trade, and increased urban crime.

Belize Geography

Location: Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between
Guatemala and Mexico

Geographic coordinates: 17 15 N, 88 45 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 22,966 sq km

land: 22,806 sq km

water: 160 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Land boundaries: total: 516 km

border countries: Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km

Coastline: 386 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

territorial sea: 12 NM in the north, 3 NM in the south; note - from the mouth of the Sarstoon River to Ranguana Cay, Belize's territorial sea is 3 NM; according to Belize's Maritime Areas Act, 1992, the purpose of this limitation is to provide a framework for the negotiation of a definitive agreement on territorial differences with Guatemala

Climate: tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to
November); dry season (February to May)

Terrain: flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Victoria Peak 1,160 m

Natural resources: arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 10%

permanent crops: 1%

permanent pastures: 2%

forests and woodland: 84%

other: 3% (2000 est.)

Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: frequent, devastating hurricanes (September to
December) and coastal flooding (especially in south)

Environment - current issues: deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff; solid waste disposal

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: only country in Central America without a coastline on the North Pacific Ocean

Belize People

Population: 256,062 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.04% (male 54,876; female 52,780)

15-64 years: 54.43% (male 70,534; female 68,837)

65 years and over: 3.53% (male 4,403; female 4,632) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.7% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 31.69 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 4.7 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female

total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 25.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.19 years

male: 68.91 years

female: 73.57 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.05 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 2.01% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 2,400 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 170 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Belizean(s)

adjective: Belizean

Ethnic groups: mestizo 43.7%, Creole 29.8%, Maya 10%, Garifuna 6.2%, other 10.3%

Religions: Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 30% (Anglican 12%, Methodist 6%, Mennonite 4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Pentecostal 2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1%, other 2%), none 2%, other 6% (1980)

Languages: English (official), Spanish, Mayan, Garifuna (Carib),
Creole

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 70.3%

male: 70.3%

female: 70.3% (1991 est.)

note: other sources list the literacy rate as high as 75%

Belize Government

Country name: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Belize

former: British Honduras

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Belmopan

Administrative divisions: 6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange
Walk, Stann Creek, Toledo

Independence: 21 September 1981 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 21 September (1981)

Constitution: 21 September 1981

Legal system: English law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Colville YOUNG (since 17 November 1993)

head of government: Prime Minister Said MUSA (since 27 August 1998); Deputy Prime Minister John BRICENO (since 1 September 1998)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; governor general appoints the member of the House of Representatives who is leader of the majority party to be prime minister

Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (eight members, five appointed on the advice of the prime minister, two on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and one by the governor general; members are appointed for five-year terms); and the House of Representatives (29 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: House of Representatives - last held 27 August 1998 (next to be held by NA August 2003)

election results: percent of vote by party - PUP 59.2%, UDP 40.8%; seats by party - PUP 26, UDP 3

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister)

Political parties and leaders: People's United Party or PUP [Said
MUSA]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Manuel ESQUIVEL, Dean BARROW,
Doug SINGH]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Society for the Promotion of
Education and Research or SPEAR [Diane HAYLOCK]; United Worker's
Front

International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB,
ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Lisa M. SHOMAN

chancery: 2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: (202) 332-9636