grew at a strong 4% pace during the period 1988–90, but economicgrowth slowed to a 1% pace in 1991–92 and dropped by 1.5% in 1993.
Belgium's public debt has risen to 140% of GDP, and the government is
trying to control its expenditures to bring the figure more into line
with other industrialized countries.
National product:
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $177.5 billion (1993)
National product real growth rate:
−1.5% (1993)
National product per capita:
$17,700 (1993)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.8% (1993 est.)
Unemployment rate:
13.5% (March 1994)
Budget:
revenues:
$97.8 billion
enditures:
$109.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1989)
Exports:
7 billion (f.o.b., 1992) Belgium-Luxembourg Economic Union
commodities:
iron and steel, transportation equipment, tractors, diamonds,
petroleum products
partners:
EC 75.5%, US 3.7%, former Communist countries 1.4% (1991)
Imports:
$120 billion (c.i.f., 1992) Belgium-Luxembourg Economic Union
commodities:
fuels, grains, chemicals, foodstuffs
partners:
EC 73%, US 4.8%, oil-exporting less developed countries 4%, former
Communist countries 1.8% (1991)
External debt:
$31.3 billion (1992 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate −0.1% (1993 est.); accounts for 25% of GDP
Electricity:
capacity:
17,500,000 kW
production:
68 billion kWh
consumption per capita:
6,790 kWh (1992)
Industries:
engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, processed food
and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum,
coal
Agriculture:
accounts for 2.0% of GDP; emphasis on livestock production - beef,
veal, pork, milk; major crops are sugar beets, fresh vegetables,
fruits, grain, tobacco; net importer of farm products
Illicit drugs:
source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine processors;
important gateway country for cocaine entering the European market
Economic aid:
donor:
ODA and OOF commitments (1970–89), $5.8 billion
Currency:
1 Belgian franc (BF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates:
Belgian francs (BF) per US$1 - 36.242 (January 1994), 34.597 (1993),
32.150 (1992), 34.148 (1991), 33.418 (1990), 39.404 (1989)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
@Belgium, Communications
Railroads:
Belgian National Railways (SNCB) operates 3,568 km 1.435-meter
standard gauge, government owned; 2,563 km double track; 2,207 km
electrified
Highways:
total:
137,876 km
paved:
129,603 km (including 1,631 km of limited access divided highway)
unpaved:
8,273 km (1989)
Inland waterways:
2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use)
Pipelines:
crude oil 161 km; petroleum products 1,167 km; natural gas 3,300 km
Ports:
Antwerp, Brugge, Gent, Oostende, Zeebrugge
Merchant marine:
21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 36,200 GRT/52,039 DWT, bulk 1,
cargo 9, chemical tanker 5, liquefied gas 1, oil tanker 5
Airports:
total:
42
usable:
42
with permanent-surface runways:
24
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440–3,659 m:
15
with runways 1,220–2,439 m:
3
Telecommunications:
highly developed, technologically advanced, and completely automated
domestic and international telephone and telegraph facilities;
