The 2004 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

- products:

       sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal,

       pork, milk

      Industries:

       engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, processed

       food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass,

       petroleum

      Industrial production growth rate:

       −1.5% (2003 est.)

      Electricity - production:

       74.28 billion kWh (2001)

      Electricity - consumption:

       78.18 billion kWh (2001)

      Electricity - exports:

       6.712 billion kWh (2001)

      Electricity - imports:

       15.82 billion kWh (2001)

      Oil - production:

       0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

      Oil - consumption:

       595,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

      Oil - exports:

       450,000 bbl/day (2001)

      Oil - imports:

       1.042 million bbl/day (2001)

      Natural gas - production:

       0 cu m (2001 est.)

      Natural gas - consumption:

       15.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)

      Natural gas - exports:

       0 cu m (2001 est.)

      Natural gas - imports:

       15.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

      Current account balance:

       $10.69 billion (2003)

      Exports:

       $182.9 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

      Exports - commodities:

       machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal

       products, foodstuffs

      Exports - partners:

       Germany 19.5%, France 17.4%, Netherlands 11.7%, UK 9%, US 6.7%,

       Italy 5.4% (2003)

      Imports:

       $173 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

      Imports - commodities:

       machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, pharmaceuticals,

       foodstuffs, transportation equipment, oil products

      Imports - partners:

       Germany 17.7%, Netherlands 16.5%, France 13.2%, UK 7.5%, US 5.9%,

       Ireland 5.7% (2003)

      Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:

       $14.45 billion (2003)

      Debt - external:

       $28.3 billion (1999 est.)

      Economic aid - donor:

       ODA, $1.072 billion (2002)

      Currency:

       euro (EUR)

       note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the

       euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of

       member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole

       currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

      Currency code:

       EUR

      Exchange rates:

       euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),

       1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

      Fiscal year:

       calendar year

      Communications Belgium

      Telephones - main lines in use:

       5,120,400 (2002)

      Telephones - mobile cellular:

       8,135,500 (2002)

      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: country code - 32; 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 hosts:

       166,799 (2004)

      Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

       61 (2000)

      Internet users:

       3.4 million (2002)

      Transportation Belgium

      Railways: total: 3,518 km standard gauge: 3,518 km 1.435-m gauge (2,631 km electrified) (2003)

      Highways:

       total: 148,216 km

       paved: 116,687 km (including 1,727 km of expressways)

       unpaved: 31,529 km (2000)

      Waterways:

       2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use) (2003)

      Pipelines:

       gas 1,485 km; oil 158 km; refined products 535 km (2004)

      Ports and harbors:

       Antwerp (one of the world's busiest ports), Brugge, Gent, Hasselt,

       Liege, Mons, Namur, Oostende, Zeebrugge

      Merchant marine:

       total: 50 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,146,301 GRT/1,588,184 DWT

       foreign-owned: Denmark 6, Finland 1, France 2, Netherlands 3

       registered in other countries: 69 (2004 est.)

       by type: bulk 1, cargo 8, chemical tanker 11, container 6, liquefied

       gas 18, petroleum tanker 6

      Airports:

       42 (2003 est.)

      Airports - with paved runways: total: 25 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

      Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 16 (2004 est.)

      Heliports: 1 (2003 est.)

      Military Belgium

      Military branches:

       Army, Naval, and Air Operations Commands

      Military manpower - military age and obligation:

       16 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

      Military manpower - availability:

       males age 15–49: 2,509,538 (2004 est.)

      Military