Statistics

FACTS AND FIGURES ABOUT BELGIUM

GEOGRAPHY

Area	30,518 km2 ( 11,780 square miles)
Capital	Brussels
Density of population	331 inhab. per square kilometer (857 inhab. per square mile)
Central European Time	GMT+1 hour Daylight saving time GMT+2 hours is used from April to September
Distance between furthest points	280 km (175 miles)
Highest point	Signal de Botrange: 694m (2,100 ft)
Average temperatures	9.8C (50F)
Annual precipitation	78 cm (31 inches)
Annual hours of sunshine	1,554

POPULATION

Population (1998)	10,192,264 (4,082,672 male - 5,209,592 female) Flanders 5,912,382 (2,916,640 male - 2,995, 742 female) Wallonia 3,326,707 (1,612,351 male - 1,714,356 female) Brussels 953,175 (453,681 male - 499,494 female)
Largest cities (1997)	Brussels 953,175 Antwerp 449,745 Ghent 224,545 Charleroi 203,853 Liège 188,568 Brugges 115,573 Namur 104,986
Education	Compulsory from 6 to 18 years of age
Literacy	99 %
Infant mortality rate	6.2 per 1,000 births (1990-1995) according to WHO Statistical
Life expectancy	Male 74.65 years, Female 81 years
Languages	Dutch 56% French 32% Bilingual (Brussels) 11% German 1%
Religion	Roman Catholic: 75%

ECONOMIC SUMMARY

Gross Domestic Product	9,093 billion BEF (1998) (2.9% growth)
Gross National Product	9,241 billion BEF (1998) (4.5% growth)
Annual economic growth 1999 Estimated	2.0%
Trade Balance	+414.9 billion BEF (1998)
Per capita GDP	US$ 23,001 (1998)
Inflation	1998 estimated 1.0 % 1999 estimated 1.0 %
Active population (1998)	4,364,400
Non-active population (1998)	5,837,500
Unemployment (1998)	9 %
Agriculture	Land used: 46 % Labour force: 2.49 % Principal products: a) Meat: beef, veal, pork, horsemeat, mutton, lamb b) Vegetables: onions, celery, carrots, sprouts, endives, wheats, leek, potatoes c) fruits: apple and pears d) eggs, dairy products e) ornamental plants
Industry	Labour force: 26.06 % Major products: chemicals, food industry, mechanical, electrical and plastic equipment, construction and assemblage of automobiles, trailers and semi-trailers, textiles, non-ferrous metals, iron and steel, printing industry
Services	Labour force: 71.540 %

MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

Head of State	King Albert II
National Holiday	July 21
Currency	1 Belgian Franc (BEF) = 100 centimes Coins: 50 centimes, 1BEF, 5 BEF, 20 BEF, 50 BEF Notes: 100 BEF, 200 BEF, 500 BEF, 1,000 BEF, 2,000 BEF, 5,000, 10,000 BEF 1 Euro = 40 BEF 1 Euro = 1.02 Dollars In July 99 1U$ = 39.95 BEF
Power supply	220 V, 50 Hz (domestic)
Weight & Measures	Metric system
Temperatures	Degrees Celsius

NATIONAL PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

January 1 (New Year)

Easter and Easter Monday

May 1 (Labor Day)

Ascension (6th Thursday after Easter)

Whit Sunday and Whit Monday (7th Sunday and Monday after Easter)

July 21 (National Day)

August 15 (Assumption Day)

November 1 (All Saints Day)

November 11 (Armistice Day)

December 25 (Christmas)

Government and banks also close on November 15
(King's day)