Belgium

Introduction

Background

Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830; it was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. The country prospered in the past half century as a modern, technologically advanced European state and member of NATO and the EU. In recent years, political divisions between the Dutch-speaking Flemish of the north and the French-speaking Walloons of the south have led to constitutional amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy. The capital city of Brussels is home to numerous international organizations including the EU and NATO.

Geography

Location

Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands

Geographic coordinates

50 50 N, 4 00 E

Map references

Europe

Area

total: 30,528 sq km
land: 30,278 sq km
water: 250 sq km
country comparison to the world: 141

Area - comparative

about the size of Maryland

Land boundaries

total: 1,297 km
border countries (4): France 556 km, Germany 133 km, Luxembourg 130 km, Netherlands 478 km

Coastline

66.5 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12nm
exclusive economic zone: geographic coordinates define outer limit
contiguous zone: 24nm
continental shelf: median line with neighbors

Climate

temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy

Terrain

flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast

Elevation

mean elevation: 181 m
lowest point: North Sea 0 m
highest point: Botrange 694 m

Natural resources

construction materials, silica sand, carbonates, arable land

Land use

agricultural land: 44.1% (2011 est.)
arable land: 27.2% (2011 est.)/permanent crops: 0.8% (2011 est.)/permanent pasture: 16.1% (2011 est.)
forest: 22.4% (2011 est.)
other: 33.5% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land

230 sq km (2012)

Population distribution

most of the population concentrated in the northern two-thirds of the country; the southeast is more thinly populated; considered to have one of the highest population densities in the world; approximately 97% live in urban areas

Natural hazards

flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes

Environment - current issues

intense pressures from human activities: urbanization, dense transportation network, industry, extensive animal breeding and crop cultivation; air and water pollution also have repercussions for neighboring countries

Environment - international agreements

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note

crossroads of Western Europe; most West European capitals are within 1,000 km of Brussels, the seat of both the European Union and NATO

People and Society

Population

11,570,762 (July 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 77

Nationality

noun: Belgian(s)
adjective: Belgian

Ethnic groups

Belgian 75.2%, Italian 4.1%, Moroccan 3.7%, French 2.4%, Turkish 2%, Dutch 2%, other 10.6% (2012 est.)

Languages

Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%

Religions

Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant and other Christian 2.5%, Muslim 5%, Jewish 0.4%, Buddhist 0.3%, atheist 9.2%, none 32.6% (2009 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 17.2%(male 1,019,427 /female 970,845)
15-24 years: 11.25%(male 664,789 /female 636,452)
25-54 years: 39.82%(male 2,323,488 /female 2,283,533)
55-64 years: 12.96%(male 742,842 /female 756,509)
65 years and over: 18.78%(male 948,956 /female 1,223,921) (2018 est.)
population pyramid:

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 54.2 (2015 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 26.2 (2015 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 28 (2015 est.)
potential support ratio: 3.6 (2015 est.)

Median age

total: 41.5 years (2018 est.)
male: 40.3 years
female: 42.7 years
country comparison to the world: 39

Population growth rate

0.67% (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145

Birth rate

11.3 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 171

Death rate

9.7 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 43

Net migration rate

5.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 26

Population distribution

most of the population concentrated in the northern two-thirds of the country; the southeast is more thinly populated; considered to have one of the highest population densities in the world; approximately 97% live in urban areas

Urbanization

urban population: 98% of total population(2019)
rate of urbanization: 0.62% annual rate of change(2015-20 est.)

Major urban areas - population

2.065 million BRUSSELS (capital), 1.037 million Antwerp (2019)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

28.6 years (2013 est.)

Maternal mortality rate

5 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164

Infant mortality rate

total: 3.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
male: 3.7 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 201

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 81.2 years (2018 est.)
male: 78.6 years
female: 83.9 years
country comparison to the world: 31

Total fertility rate

1.78 children born/woman (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151

Contraceptive prevalence rate

66.8% (2013)
note: percent of women aged 15-54

Drinking water source

improved: urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved: urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2015 est.)

Current Health Expenditure

10% (2016)

Physicians density

3.32 physicians/1,000 population (2016)

Hospital bed density

6.2 beds/1,000 population (2014)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 99.5% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 99.4% of population (2015 est.)
total: 99.5% of population (2015 est.)
unimproved: urban: 0.5% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 0.6% of population (2015 est.)
total: 0.5% of population (2015 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

22.1% (2016)
country comparison to the world: 81

Education expenditures

6.5% of GDP (2016)
country comparison to the world: 20

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 20 years
male: 19 years
female: 21 years (2016)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 19.3%
male: 20.2%
female: 18% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70

Government

Country name

conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium
conventional short form: Belgium
local long form: Royaume de Belgique (French)/Koninkrijk Belgie (Dutch)/Koenigreich Belgien (German)
local short form: Belgique/Belgie/Belgien
etymology: the name derives from the Belgae, an ancient Celtic tribal confederation that inhabited an area between the English Channel and the west bank of the Rhine in the first centuries B.C.

Government type

federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy

Capital

name: Brussels
geographic coordinates: 50 50 N, 4 20 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
etymology: may derive from the Old Dutch "bruoc/broek," meaning "marsh" and "sella/zele/sel" signifying "home" to express the meaning "home in the marsh"

Administrative divisions

3 regions (French: regions, singular - region; Dutch: gewesten, singular - gewest); Brussels-Capital Region, also known as Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest (Dutch), Region de Bruxelles-Capitale (French long form), Bruxelles-Capitale (French short form); Flemish Region (Flanders), also known as Vlaams Gewest (Dutch long form), Vlaanderen (Dutch short form), Region Flamande (French long form), Flandre (French short form); Walloon Region (Wallonia), also known as Region Wallone (French long form), Wallonie (French short form), Waals Gewest (Dutch long form), Wallonie (Dutch short form)
note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a complex division of responsibilities; the 2012 sixth state reform transferred additional competencies from the federal state to the regions and linguistic communities

Independence

4 October 1830 (a provisional government declared independence from the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King LEOPOLD I ascended to the throne)

National holiday

Belgian National Day (ascension to the throne of King LEOPOLD I), 21 July (1831)

Constitution

history: drafted 25 November 1830, approved 7 February 1831, entered into force 26 July 1831, revised 14 July 1993 (creating a federal state)
amendments: "revisions" proposed as declarations by the federal government in accord with the king or by Parliament followed by dissolution of Parliament and new elections; adoption requires two-thirds majority vote of a two-thirds quorum in both houses of the next elected Parliament; amended many times, last in 2014 (2016)

Legal system

civil law system based on the French Civil Code; note - Belgian law continues to be modified in conformance with the legislative norms mandated by the European Union; judicial review of legislative acts

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Belgium
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch

chief of state: King PHILIPPE (since 21 July 2013); Heir Apparent Princess ELISABETH (daughter of the monarch, born 25 October 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Sophie WILMES (since 26 October 2019); Deputy Prime Ministers Alexander DE CROO (since 27 October 2019), Koen GEENS (27 October 2019), Didier REYNDERS (since 27 October 2019), David CLARINVAL (30 November 2019)
cabinet: Council of Ministers formally appointed by the monarch
elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary and constitutional; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the monarch and approved by Parliament

Legislative branch

description: bicameral Parliament consists of:
Senate or Senaat (in Dutch), Senat (in French) (60 seats; 50 members indirectly elected by the community and regional parliaments based on their election results, and 10 elected by the 50 other senators; members serve 5-year terms)
Chamber of Representatives or Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers (in Dutch), Chambre des Representants (in French) (150 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 26 May 2019 (next to be held in 2024)Chamber of Representatives - last held on 26 May 2019 (next to be held in 2024); note - elections coincided with the EU elections
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition men 32, women 28, percent of women 46.7%

Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - N-VA 16.0%, VB 11.9%, PS 9.5%, CD&V 8.9%, PVDA+/PTB 8.62%, Open VLD 8.5%, MR 7.6%, SP.A 6.7%, Ecolo 6.1%, Groen 6.1%, CDH 3.7%, Defi 2.2%, PP 1.1%, other 20.1%; seats by party - N-VA 25, VB 18, PS 20, CD&V 12, PVDA+PTB 12, Open VLD 12, MR 14, SP.A 9, Ecolo 13, Groen 8, CDH 5, Defi 2; composition - men 86, women 64, percent of women 42.7%
note: the 1993 constitutional revision that further devolved Belgium into a federal state created three levels of government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a complex division of responsibilities; this reality leaves six governments, each with its own legislative assembly; changes above occurred since the sixth state reform

Judicial branch

highest courts: Constitutional Court or Grondwettelijk Hof (in Dutch) and Cour Constitutionelle (in French) (consists of 12 judges - 6 Dutch-speaking and 6 French-speaking); Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie (in Dutch) and Cour de Cassation (in French) (court organized into 3 chambers: civil and commercial; criminal; social, fiscal, and armed forces; each chamber includes a Dutch division and a French division, each with a chairperson and 5-6 judges)
judge selection and term of office: Constitutional Court judges appointed by the monarch from candidates submitted by Parliament; judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 70; Supreme Court judges appointed by the monarch from candidates submitted by the High Council of Justice, a 44-member independent body of judicial and non-judicial members; judges appointed for life
subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; regional courts; specialized courts for administrative, commercial, labor, immigration, and audit issues; magistrate's courts; justices of the peace

Political parties and leaders

Flemish parties:
Christian Democratic and Flemish or CD&V [Wouter BEKE]
Flemish Liberals and Democrats or Open VLD [Gwendolyn RUTTEN]
Groen [Meyrem ALMACI] (formerly AGALEV, Flemish Greens)
New Flemish Alliance or N-VA [Bart DE WEVER]
Social Progressive Alternative or SP.A [John CROMBEZ]
Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) or VB [Tom VAN GRIEKEN]
Francophone parties:
Ecolo (Francophone Greens) [Jean-Marc NOLLET, Zakia KHATTABI]
Francophone Federalist Democrats or Defi [Olivier MAINGAIN]
Humanist and Democratic Center or CDH [Maxine PREVOT]
People's Party or PP [Mischael MODRIKAMEN]
Reform Movement or MR [Charles MICHEL]
Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI RUPO]
Workers' Party or PTB [Peter MERTENS]
other minor parties

International organization participation

ADB (nonregional members), AfDB (nonregional members), Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US

Ambassador Dirk Jozef M. WOUTERS (since 16 September 2016)
chancery: 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 333-6900
FAX: [1] (202) 333-3079
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald GIDWITZ (since 4 July 2018)
telephone: [32] (2) 811-4000
embassy: 27 Boulevard du Regent [Regentlaan], B-1000 Brussels
mailing address: PSC 82, Box 002, APO AE 09710
FAX: [32] (2) 811-4500

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 symbol(s)

golden rampant lion; national colors: red, black, yellow

National anthem

name: "La Brabanconne" (The Song of Brabant)
lyrics/music: Louis-Alexandre DECHET[French] Victor CEULEMANS [Dutch]/Francois VAN CAMPENHOUT
note: adopted 1830; according to legend, Louis-Alexandre DECHET, an actor at the theater in which the revolution against the Netherlands began, wrote the lyrics with a group of young people in a Brussels cafe

Economy

Economy - overview

Belgium’s central geographic location and highly developed transport network have helped develop a well-diversified economy, with a broad mix of transport, services, manufacturing, and high tech. Service and high-tech industries are concentrated in the northern Flanders region while the southern region of Wallonia is home to industries like coal and steel manufacturing. Belgium is completely reliant on foreign sources of fossil fuels, and the planned closure of its seven nuclear plants by 2025 should increase its dependence on foreign energy. Its role as a regional logistical hub makes its economy vulnerable to shifts in foreign demand, particularly with EU trading partners. Roughly three-quarters of Belgium's trade is with other EU countries, and the port of Zeebrugge conducts almost half its trade with the United Kingdom alone, leaving Belgium’s economy vulnerable to the outcome of negotiations on the UK’s exit from the EU.Belgium’s GDP grew by 1.7% in 2017 and the budget deficit was 1.5% of GDP. Unemployment stood at 7.3%, however the unemployment rate is lower in Flanders than Wallonia, 4.4% compared to 9.4%, because of industrial differences between the regions. The economy largely recovered from the March 2016 terrorist attacks that mainly impacted the Brussels region tourist and hospitality industry. Prime Minister Charles MICHEL's center-right government has pledged to further reduce the deficit in response to EU pressure to decrease Belgium's high public debt of about 104% of GDP, but such efforts would also dampen economic growth. In addition to restrained public spending, low wage growth and higher inflation promise to curtail a more robust recovery in private consumption.The government has pledged to pursue a reform program to improve Belgium’s competitiveness, including changes to labor market rules and welfare benefits. These changes have generally made Belgian wages more competitive regionally, but have raised tensions with trade unions, which have called for extended strikes. In 2017, Belgium approved a tax reform plan to ease corporate rates from 33% to 29% by 2018 and down to 25% by 2020. The tax plan also included benefits for innovation and SMEs, intended to spur competitiveness and private investment.

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$529.2 billion (2017 est.)
$520.2 billion (2016 est.)
$513 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 37

GDP (official exchange rate)

$493.7 billion (2017 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

1.7% (2017 est.)
1.4% (2016 est.)
1.4% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$46,600 (2017 est.)
$46,000 (2016 est.)
$45,700 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 35

Gross national saving

24.5% of GDP (2017 est.)
24% of GDP (2016 est.)
23.4% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 65

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 51.2% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 23.4% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 23.3% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: 1.3% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 85.1% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -84.4% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 0.7% (2017 est.)
industry: 22.1% (2017 est.)
services: 77.2% (2017 est.)

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, pharmaceuticals, base metals, textiles, glass, petroleum

Industrial production growth rate

0.2% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168

Labor force

5.324 million (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 79

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 1.3%
industry: 18.6%
services: 80.1% (2013 est.)

Unemployment rate

7.1% (2017 est.)
7.9% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 108

Population below poverty line

15.1% (2013 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3.4%
highest 10%: 28.4% (2006)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

25.9 (2013 est.)
28.7 (1996)
country comparison to the world: 150

Budget

revenues: 253.5 billion (2017 est.)
expenditures: 258.6 billion (2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

51.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 15

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 74

Public debt

103.4% of GDP (2017 est.)
106% of GDP (2016 est.)
note: data cover general government debt and includes debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions; general government debt is defined by the Maastricht definition and calculated by the National Bank of Belgium as consolidated gross debt; the debt is defined in European Regulation EC479/2009 concerning the implementation of the protocol on the excessive deficit procedure annexed to the Treaty on European Union (Treaty of Maastricht) of 7 February 1992; the sub-sectors of consolidated gross debt are: federal government, communities and regions, local government, and social security funds
country comparison to the world: 13

Fiscal year

calendar year

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.2% (2017 est.)
1.8% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 112

Central bank discount rate

0% (31 December 2017)
0% (31 December 2010)
note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area
country comparison to the world: 148

Commercial bank prime lending rate

2.08% (31 December 2017 est.)
2.02% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183

Stock of narrow money

$240.5 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$198 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
note: see entry for the European Union for money supply for the entire euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 18 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
country comparison to the world: 22

Stock of broad money

$240.5 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$198 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 22

Stock of domestic credit

$711.3 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$684.8 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20

Market value of publicly traded shares

$414.6 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$378.5 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$374.3 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 24

Current account balance

-$807 million (2017 est.)
$451 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134

Exports

$300.8 billion (2017 est.)
$277.7 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20

Exports - partners

Germany 16.6%, France 14.9%, Netherlands 12%, UK 8.4%, Italy 4.9%, US 4.8% (2017)

Exports - commodities

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

Imports

$300.4 billion (2017 est.)
$273.4 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 17

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

Netherlands 17.3%, Germany 13.8%, France 9.5%, US 7.1%, UK 4.9%, Ireland 4.2%, China 4.1% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$26.16 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$24.1 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 54

Debt - external

$1.281 trillion (31 March 2016 est.)
$1.214 trillion (31 March 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 15

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$1.035 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)
$1.054 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 11

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$1.159 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)
$1.016 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 12

Exchange rates

euros (EUR) per US dollar -
0.885 (2017 est.)
0.903 (2016 est.)
0.9214 (2015 est.)
0.885 (2014 est.)
0.7634 (2013 est.)

Energy

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2016)

Electricity - production

79.83 billion kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 37

Electricity - consumption

82.16 billion kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 36

Electricity - exports

8.465 billion kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 25

Electricity - imports

14.65 billion kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 15

Electricity - installed generating capacity

21.56 million kW (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 41

Electricity - from fossil fuels

35% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

28% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 2

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146

Electricity - from other renewable sources

36% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 8

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92

Crude oil - imports

687,600 bbl/day (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106

Refined petroleum products - production

731,700 bbl/day (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 25

Refined petroleum products - consumption

648,600 bbl/day (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 31

Refined petroleum products - exports

680,800 bbl/day (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 12

Refined petroleum products - imports

601,400 bbl/day (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 14

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102

Natural gas - consumption

17.61 billion cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40

Natural gas - exports

736.2 million cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40

Natural gas - imports

18.09 billion cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 17

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

134.7 million Mt (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 35

Communications

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 4,251,564
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 37 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 33

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 11,961,089
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 104 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 76

Telephone system

general assessment: highly developed, technologically advanced, and completely automated domestic and international telephone and telegraph facilities; LTE availability is nearly universal in mobile sector; ongoing investments in developing applications and services for 5G; consumer are interested in quad-play services (broadband +television +telephone +wireless services)  which will mean MNOs (mobile network operators)  are enhancing their fixed-line offerings (2018)
domestic: nationwide mobile-cellular telephone system; extensive cable network; limited microwave radio relay network; 37 per 100 fixed-line, 104 per 100 mobile-cellular (2018)
international: country code - 32; landing points for Concerto, UK-Belgium, Tangerine, and SeaMeWe-3, submarine cables that provide links to Europe, the Middle East, Australia and Asia; satellite earth stations - 7 (Intelsat - 3) (2019)

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 coexisting with private broadcasters

Internet country code

.be

Internet users

total: 9,870,734
percent of population: 86.5% (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 48

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 4,378,973
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 38 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 30

Military and Security

Military expenditures

0.93% of GDP (2018)
0.9% of GDP (2017)
0.91% of GDP (2016)
0.92% of GDP (2015)
0.98% of GDP (2014)
country comparison to the world: 122

Military and security forces

Belgian Armed Forces: Land Component, Naval Component, Air Component (2019)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 1994 (2012)

Transportation

National air transport system

number of registered air carriers: 7 (2015)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 117 (2015)
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 11,193,023 (2015)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 1,464,316,900mt-km (2015)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

OO (2016)

Airports

41 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 102

Airports - with paved runways

total: 26 (2019)
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: 8

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 15 (2013)
under 914 m: 15 (2013)

Heliports

1 (2013)

Pipelines

3139 km gas, 154 km oil, 535 km refined products (2013)

Railways

total: 3,592 km (2014)
standard gauge: 3,592 km1.435-m gauge (2,960 km electrified) (2014)
country comparison to the world: 55

Roadways

total: 118,414 km (2015)
paved: 118,414 km(includes 1,747 km of expressways) (2015)
country comparison to the world: 41

Waterways

2,043 km(1,528 km in regular commercial use) (2012)
country comparison to the world: 41

Merchant marine

total: 192
by type: bulk carrier 18, general cargo 18, oil tanker 20, other 136 (2018)
country comparison to the world: 64

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s): Oostende, Zeebrugge
container port(s) (TEUs): Antwerp (10,450,000) (2017)
LNG terminal(s) (import): Zeebrugge
river port(s): Antwerp, Gent (Schelde River)
Brussels (Senne River) Liege (Meuse River)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international

none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 9,080 (Syria) (2018)
stateless persons: 7,695 (2018)

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

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