• Capital -- Brussels
• Population -- 10,379,067
• Language -- Dutch
• GDP per capita($) -- 31,400
• Currency -- euro (EUR)
• Year Joined EU -- 1958

• GDP($) -- 330,400,000,000
• GDP per capita($) -- 31,400
• GDP growth rate(%) -- 1.50
• Inflation(%) -- 2.80
• Unemployment(%) -- 8.40
• Imports($) -- 264,500,000,000
• Exports($) -- 269,600,000,000
• Military Spending($) -- 3,999,000,000
• Military Spending (% of GDP) -- 1.30

• Land Area (sq. km) -- 30,528
• about the size of Maryland
• Population growth rate(%) -- 0.13
• Infant Mortality (deaths per 1,000 live births) -- 4.62
• Life Expectancy -- 78.77
• Poverty --
• Migration -- 1.22 migrant(s)/1,000 pop

• ---

  * all data/material from the CIA World Fact Book 2006

Belgium

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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. Tensions between the Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the French-speaking Walloons of the south have led in recent years to constitutional amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy.

his 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 more than 90% of GDP. On the positive side, the government has succeeded in balancing its budget, and income distribution is relatively equal. Belgium began circulating the euro currency in January 2002. Economic growth in 2001-03 dropped sharply because of the global economic slowdown, with moderate recovery in 2004-06.