15.5%, VLD 15.4%, CD & V 12.7%, PS 12.8%, MR 12.1%, VB 9.4%, CDH
5.6%; seats by party - SP.A-Spirit 7, VLD 7, CD & V 6, PS 6, MR 5,
VB 5, CDH 2, other 2 (note - there are also 31 indirectly elected
senators); Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - VLD
15.4%, SP.A-Spirit 14.9%, CD & V 13.3%, PS 13.0%, VB 11.6%, MR
11.4%, CDH 5.5%, Ecolo 3.1%; seats by party - VLD 25, SP.A-Spirit
23, CD & V 21, PS 25, VB 18, MR 24, CDH 8 Ecolo 4, other 2
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; this reality leaves six
governments each with its own legislative assembly; for other
acronyms of the listed parties see the Political parties and leaders
entry
elections: Senate and Chamber of Deputies - last held 18 May 2003
(next to be held no later than May 2007)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie (in Dutch) or Cour de
Cassation (in French) (judges are appointed for life by the
Government; candidacies have to be submitted by the High Justice
Council)
Political parties and leaders:
Christian Democrats and Flemish or CD & V [Jo VANDEURZEN]; Ecolo
(Francophone Greens) [Jean-Michel JAVAUX, Evelyne HUYTEBROECK,
Claude BROUIR]; Flemish Liberal Democrats or VLD [Bart SOMERS];
Flemish Socialist Party.Alternative or SP.A [Steve STEVAERT];
Francophone Humanist and Democratic Center of CDH [Joelle MILQUET];
Francophone Reformist Movement or MR [Didier REYNDERS]; Francophone
Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI RUPO]; GROEN! (formerly AGALEV,
Flemish Greens) [Vera DUA]; National Front or FN [Daniel FERET]; New
Flemish Alliance or NVA [Bart DE WEVER]; Spirit [Els VAN WEERT];
note - new party now associated with SP.A; Vlaams Belang or VB
[Frank VANHECKE]; other minor parties
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Christian, Socialist, and Liberal Trade Unions; Federation of
Belgian Industries; numerous other associations representing
bankers, manufacturers, middle-class artisans, and the legal and
medical professions; various organizations represent the cultural
interests of Flanders and Wallonia; various peace groups such as Pax
Christi and groups representing immigrants
International organization participation:
ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC,
EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WADB
(nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Franciskus VAN DAELE
FAX: [1] (202) 333–3079
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Los Angeles, and New York
telephone: [1] (202) 333–6900
chancery: 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Tom C. KOROLOGOS
embassy: Regentlaan 27 Boulevard du Regent, B-1000 Brussels
mailing address: PSC 82, Box 002, APO AE 09710
telephone: [32] (2) 508–2111
FAX: [32] (2) 511–2725
Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red;
the design was based on the flag of France
Economy Belgium
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. 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. Roughly
three-quarters of its trade is with other EU countries. Public debt
is about 100% of GDP, and the government has succeeded in balancing
its budget. Belgium, together with 11 of its EU partners, began
circulating the euro currency in January 2002. Economic growth in
2001–03 dropped sharply because of the global economic slowdown.
Prospects for 2004 again depend largely on recovery in the EU and
the US.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $299.1 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
1.1% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $29,100 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.9% industry: 26.3% services: 71.8% (2003)
Investment (gross fixed):
19.7% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:
4% (1989 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 23% (1996)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
28.7 (1996)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.6% (2003 est.)
Labor force:
4.73 million (2003)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 1.3%, industry 24.5%, services 74.2% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate:
8.1% (2003 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $151.6 billion
expenditures: $151.1 billion, including capital expenditures of
$1.56 billion (2003)
Public debt:
102% of GDP (2003 est.)
Agriculture