Section A – About Belgium A1 – History A1 – i – General http://pespmc1.vub.ac.be/belgcul.html • Belgium is a small, highly developed and densely populated country (10 million of inhabitants) at the cross-roads ofWestern Europe. • Belgium is one of the founding members of the European Community, and its capital, Brussels, is also the capital ofthe European Union. It is a federal state, with 3 relatively autonomous regions: Flanders in the north, where the language is Dutch ("Flemish"), Wallonia in the south, where the language is French, and the centrally located Brussels, which is officially bilingual. • Belgium's rich history has left impressive churches, town halls, castles and works of art, dating back to the early Middle Ages, spread around the cities and country-side. • Belgium has possibly the highest "quality of life" in the world, as testified by its excellent food, housing, health care, education and infrastructure, its world records for high productivity and low poverty , and the appreciation of foreigners residing in Belgium. A1 – ii – Political http://www .state.gov/r/pa/ei /bgn/2874.htm • A parliamentary democracy , Belgium has been governed by successive coalitions of two or more political parties. The centrist Christian Democratic Party often provided the Prime Minister. In the 1999 general election, Belgian voters rejected Jean Luc Dehaene's longstanding coalition government ofChristian Democrats and Socialists and voted into power a coalition led by Flemish Liberal Leader Guy Verhofstadt. • The first Verhofstadt government (1999-2003) was a six-party coalition between the Flemish and Francophone Liberals, Socialists, and Greens. It was the first Liberal-led coalition in generations and the first six-party coalition in 20 years. It also was the first time the Greens had participated in Belgium's federal government. In the general election of 2003, the Greens suffered significant losses, while the Socialists posted strong gains and the Liberals also had modest growth in electoral support. Liberal Prime Minister Guy Verhofst adt reconstituted the coalition as a four-party government in July 2003, with only the Liberals and Socialists in power. • In the 2007 general elections, the Flemish Christian Democratic CD&V recouped the lost ground, becoming the country's largest party. The two Socialist parties and Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt's Open VLD lost support. The Francophone L iberal MR became the largest party of Wallonia and Brussels. Following the election, the King tasked CD&V leader Yves Leterme with forming a new government. The ruling coalition was composed of Flemish Christian Democrats (CD&V), Francophone Christian Democrats (CDH), Flemish Liberals (Open VLD), Francophone Liberals (MR), and the Francophone Socialists (PS). • However, it took over nine months to form a government, which remained subject to intense strains. Leterme stepped down in December 2008 and was replaced as Prime Minister and head of the same coalition by the CD&V's Herman Van Rompuy.Van Rompuy’s appointment as President of the European Council under the Treaty of Lisbon paved the way for Leterme to regain his position as Prime Minister in November 2009. However, an electoral dispute between the francophone and Flemish parties continually plagued his government coalition, which finally collapsed in April 2010. Leterme and his ministers now serve as a caretaker government until general elections are held in June 2010 and a new coalition forms.
• Belgium is a small, highly developed and densely populatedcountry (10 million of inhabitants) at the cross-roads of Western Europe.
• Belgium is one of the founding members of the EuropeanCommunity, and its capital, Brussels, is also the capital of the European Union. It is a federal state, with 3 relativelyautonomous regions: Flanders in the north, where thelanguage is Dutch ("Flemish"), Wallonia in the south, wherethe language is French, and the centrally located Brussels,which is officially bilingual.
• Belgium's rich history has left impressive churches, town halls, castles and works of art, dating back to
the early Middle Ages, spread around the cities and country-side.• Belgium has possibly the highest "quality of life" in the world, as testified by its excellent food, housing,
health care, education and infrastructure, its world records for high productivity and low poverty, and theappreciation of foreigners residing in Belgium.
A1 – ii – Political
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2874.htm
• A parliamentary democracy, Belgium has been governed by successive coalitions of two or morepolitical parties. The centrist Christian Democratic Party often provided the Prime Minister. In the 1999general election, Belgian voters rejected Jean Luc Dehaene's longstanding coalition government of Christian Democrats and Socialists and voted into power a coalition led by Flemish Liberal Leader Guy
Verhofstadt.• The first Verhofstadt government (1999-2003) was a six-party coalition between the Flemish and
Francophone Liberals, Socialists, and Greens. It was the first Liberal-led coalition in generations and thefirst six-party coalition in 20 years. It also was the first time the Greens had participated in Belgium'sfederal government. In the general election of 2003, the Greens suffered significant losses, while theSocialists posted strong gains and the Liberals also had modest growth in electoral support. LiberalPrime Minister Guy Verhofstadt reconstituted the coalition as a four-party government in July 2003, withonly the Liberals and Socialists in power.
• In the 2007 general elections, the Flemish Christian Democratic CD&V recouped the lost ground,becoming the country's largest party. The two Socialist parties and Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt'sOpen VLD lost support. The Francophone Liberal MR became the largest party of Wallonia andBrussels. Following the election, the King tasked CD&V leader Yves Leterme with forming a newgovernment. The ruling coalition was composed of Flemish Christian Democrats (CD&V), FrancophoneChristian Democrats (CDH), Flemish Liberals (Open VLD), Francophone Liberals (MR), and theFrancophone Socialists (PS).
• However, it took over nine months to form a government, which remained subject to intense strains.Leterme stepped down in December 2008 and was replaced as Prime Minister and head of the samecoalition by the CD&V's Herman Van Rompuy.Van Rompuy’s appointment as President of the EuropeanCouncil under the Treaty of Lisbon paved the way for Leterme to regain his position as Prime Minister inNovember 2009. However, an electoral dispute between the francophone and Flemish partiescontinually plagued his government coalition, which finally collapsed in April 2010. Leterme and hisministers now serve as a caretaker government until general elections are held in June 2010 and a newcoalition forms.
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 99%male: 99%female: 99% (2003 est.)
Definition - This entry includes a definition of literacy and Census Bureau percentages for the total population,males, and females. There are no universal definitions and standards of literacy. Unless otherwise specified, allrates are based on the most common definition - the ability to read and write at a specified age. Detailing thestandards that individual countries use to assess the ability to read and write is beyond the scope of theFactbook. Information on literacy, while not a perfect measure of educational results, is probably the most easilyavailable and valid for international comparisons. Low levels of literacy, and education in general, can impedethe economic development of a country in the current rapidly changing, technology-driven world.
The penetration rate in terms of active subscribers increased significantly to 102%, compared to94% in 2007. This is still well below the European average of 119%. Growth in minutes amounted to 15%(compared to a 21% rise in 2006), while prices are further decreasing. The second and the third operator aregaining a slightly bigger market share, of respectively 33% and 23% (based on subscribers). The number of post-paid customers has risen to 45% (compared to 44% in 2007). Mobile virtual network operators haveincreased their presence with a market share of 2.3%, compared to less than 1% in 2007 (in minutes).
Age structure: 0-14 years: 16.1% (male 857,373/female 822,303)15-64 years: 66.3% (male 3,480,072/female 3,419,721)65 years and over: 17.6% (male 760,390/female 1,074,477) (2009 est.)
Definition: This entry provides the distribution of the population according to age. Information is included by sexand age group (0-14 years, 15-64 years, 65 years and over). The age structure of a population affects a nation'skey socioeconomic issues. Countries with young populations (high percentage under age 15) need to invest
• Belgium’s advantageous central geographic location in Europe has helped it to become a highlydeveloped transit and distribution center for many other countries in the European market.
• The declining global demand for Belgian exports, tightening credit conditions and continued uncertaintyin the financial sector have all factored into the significant decline in GDP growth
in 2009.
Political Risk: Very Low
• Belgium is a member of the European Union and one of the original 11 countries to adopt the euro as itscurrency in 1999.
Financial System Risk: Low
• The insurance industry is regulated by the Insurance Supervisory Authority of the Commission BancaireFinanciere et des Assurances.
• This modern, private-enterprise economy has capitalized on its central geographic location, highlydeveloped 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 vulnerable to volatility in world markets.
• Roughly three-quarters of Belgium's trade is with other EU countries and its overall current accountdeficit widened to 4% of GDP in 2009.
• Public debt is nearly 100% of GDP. On the positive side, income distribution is relatively equal and thegovernment succeeded in balancing its budget during the 2000-2008 period.
• In 2009 Belgian GDP contracted by 3.1%, the unemployment rate rose slightly, and the budget deficitworsened because of large-scale bail-outs in the financial sector.
• Belgian banks have been severely affected by the international financial crisis with three major banks allreceiving capital injections from the government.
• An ageing population and rising social expenditures are also increasing pressure on public finances,making it likely the government will need to implement unpopular austerity measures to restore fiscal
