Introduction
Belgium enjoys a moderate climate that is very pleasant and comfortable. It
rains frequently in the summer. And this is the real time that one must pack
their bags for Belgium to come and explore the beautiful and exotic locations
that Belgim has.Whether it is eating out in restaurants or even sight seeing
of popular tourist destinations this country has it all and it exceeds your
expectations as far as tourism is concerned.
Business and Economy
This country is considered to be very modern and the mai reason for its economy
to be growing is due to the perfect geographical loccation that it possesses
and moreover this modern private enterprise economy has capitalized on its central
geographic location, which is highly developed in infrastructure and the transport
network that is regarded mainly with the communication of the people in Belgium,
and diversified industrial and commercial base. Industry is concentrated mainly
in the populous Flemish area in the north. Belgium is not a country that has
too many resources and the need is there that 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.
Major Cities
The major cities in Belgium are Louvière, Leuven, Liège, Mechelen,
Mons, Namur, Oostende, Aalst, Antwerpen, Brugge, Brussel, Charleroi, Genk, Gent,
Hasselt, Kortrijk, La.
Fact Sheet
GDP- purchasing power parity - $298.2 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 0.8% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $29,000 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1.6%
industry: 26.8%
services: 71.6% (2002)
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): 1.4% (2003 est.)
Labor force: 4.44 million (2001)
Labor force - by occupation: services 73%, industry 25%, agriculture
2% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate: 8.1% (2003 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $113.4 billion
expenditures: $106 billion, including capital expenditures
of $7.17 billion (2000)
Industries: engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, processed
food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum
Agriculture - products: sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain,
tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk
Exports: $182.9 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds,
metals and metal products, foodstuffs
Exports - partners: Germany 18.6%, France 16.3%, Netherlands 11.6%, UK
9.6%, US 7.9%, Italy 5.4% (2002)
Imports: $173 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds,
pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, transportation equipment, oil products
Imports - partners: Germany 17.2%, Netherlands 15.6%, France 12.8%, UK
7.3%, Ireland 7%, US 6.4%, Italy 4% (2002)
Debt - external: $28.3 billion (1999 est.)
Economic aid - donor: ODA, $1.072 billion (2002)
Currency: euro (EUR)
Currency code: EUR
Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 0.89 (2003), 1.06 (2002), 1.12
(2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94 (1999)
