Topic: Photos of Australia

Topic: Introduction
Background: Aboriginal Australians arrived on the continent at least 60,000 years ago and developed complex hunter-gatherer societies and oral histories. Dutch navigators led by Abel TASMAN were the first Europeans to land in Australia in 1606, and they mapped the western and northern coasts. They named the continent New Holland but made no attempts to permanently settle it. In 1770, English captain James COOK sailed to the east coast of Australia, named it New South Wales, and claimed it for Great Britain. In 1788 and 1825, Great Britain established New South Wales and then Tasmania as penal colonies respectively. Great Britain and Ireland sent more than 150,000 convicts to Australia before ending the practice in 1868. As Europeans began settling areas away from the coasts, they came into more direct contact with Aboriginal Australians. Europeans also cleared land for agriculture, impacting Aboriginal Australians’ ways of life. These issues, along with disease and a policy in the 1900s that forcefully removed Aboriginal children from their parents, reduced the Aboriginal Australian population from more than 700,000 pre-European contact to a low of 74,000 in 1933.

Four additional colonies were established in Australia in the mid-1800s: Western Australia (1829), South Australia (1836), Victoria (1851), and Queensland (1859). Gold rushes beginning in the 1850s brought thousands of new immigrants to New South Wales and Victoria, helping to reorient Australia away from its penal colony roots. In the second half of the 1800s, the colonies were all gradually granted self-government, and in 1901, they federated and became the Commonwealth of Australia. Australia contributed more than 400,000 troops to Allied efforts during World War I, and Australian troops played a large role in the defeat of Japanese troops in the Pacific in World War II. Australia severed most constitutional links with the UK in 1942, and in 1951 signed the Australia, New Zealand, and US (ANZUS) Treaty, cementing its military alliance with the United States.  In 2021, Australia, the UK, and the US announced the AUKUS enhanced trilateral security partnership to maintain and expand the three countries’ edge in military capabilities and critical technologies. Australia’s post-war economy boomed and by the 1970s, racial policies that prevented most non-Whites from immigrating to Australia were removed, greatly increasing Asian immigration to the country. In recent decades, Australia has become an internationally competitive, advanced market economy due in large part to economic reforms adopted in the 1980s and its proximity to East and Southeast Asia.  In the early 2000s, Australian politics became unstable with frequent attempts to oust party leaders, including five changes of prime minister between 2010 and 2018. As a result, both major parties instituted rules to make it harder to remove a party leader.Aboriginal Australians arrived on the continent at least 60,000 years ago and developed complex hunter-gatherer societies and oral histories. Dutch navigators led by Abel TASMAN were the first Europeans to land in Australia in 1606, and they mapped the western and northern coasts. They named the continent New Holland but made no attempts to permanently settle it. In 1770, English captain James COOK sailed to the east coast of Australia, named it New South Wales, and claimed it for Great Britain. In 1788 and 1825, Great Britain established New South Wales and then Tasmania as penal colonies respectively. Great Britain and Ireland sent more than 150,000 convicts to Australia before ending the practice in 1868. As Europeans began settling areas away from the coasts, they came into more direct contact with Aboriginal Australians. Europeans also cleared land for agriculture, impacting Aboriginal Australians’ ways of life. These issues, along with disease and a policy in the 1900s that forcefully removed Aboriginal children from their parents, reduced the Aboriginal Australian population from more than 700,000 pre-European contact to a low of 74,000 in 1933.

Four additional colonies were established in Australia in the mid-1800s: Western Australia (1829), South Australia (1836), Victoria (1851), and Queensland (1859). Gold rushes beginning in the 1850s brought thousands of new immigrants to New South Wales and Victoria, helping to reorient Australia away from its penal colony roots. In the second half of the 1800s, the colonies were all gradually granted self-government, and in 1901, they federated and became the Commonwealth of Australia. Australia contributed more than 400,000 troops to Allied efforts during World War I, and Australian troops played a large role in the defeat of Japanese troops in the Pacific in World War II. Australia severed most constitutional links with the UK in 1942, and in 1951 signed the Australia, New Zealand, and US (ANZUS) Treaty, cementing its military alliance with the United States.  In 2021, Australia, the UK, and the US announced the AUKUS enhanced trilateral security partnership to maintain and expand the three countries’ edge in military capabilities and critical technologies. Australia’s post-war economy boomed and by the 1970s, racial policies that prevented most non-Whites from immigrating to Australia were removed, greatly increasing Asian immigration to the country. In recent decades, Australia has become an internationally competitive, advanced market economy due in large part to economic reforms adopted in the 1980s and its proximity to East and Southeast Asia. In the early 2000s, Australian politics became unstable with frequent attempts to oust party leaders, including five changes of prime minister between 2010 and 2018. As a result, both major parties instituted rules to make it harder to remove a party leader.Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
Location: Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean
Geographic coordinates: 27 00 S, 133 00 E
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 7,741,220 sq km

land: 7,682,300 sq km

water: 58,920 sq km

note: includes Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than the US contiguous 48 states
Land boundaries: total: 0 km
Coastline: 25,760 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate: generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north
Terrain: mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast
Elevation: highest point: Mount Kosciuszko 2,228 m

lowest point: Lake Eyre -15 m

mean elevation: 330 m
Natural resources: alumina, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, gold, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, rare earth elements, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, opals, natural gas, petroleum; note - Australia is the world's largest net exporter of coal accounting for 29% of global coal exports; as well, Australia is by far the world's largest supplier of opals
Land use: agricultural land: 46.65% (2018 est.)

arable land: 4.03% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.04% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 42.58% (2018 est.)

forest: 17.42% (2018 est.)

other: 33.42% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land: 25,460 sq km (2014)
Major lakes (area sq km): Fresh water lake(s): Lake Alexandrina - 570 sq km

Salt water lake(s): Lake Eyre - 9,690 sq km; Lake Torrens (ephemeral) - 5,780 sq km; Lake Gairdner - 4,470 sq km; Lake Mackay (ephemeral) - 3,494 sq km; Lake Frome - 2,410 sq km; Lake Amadeus (ephemeral) - 1,032 sq km
Major rivers (by length in km): River Murray - 2,508 km; Darling River - 1,545 km; Murrumbidgee River - 1,485 km; Lachlan River - 1,339 km; Cooper Creek - 1,113 km; Flinders River - 1,004 km
Major watersheds (area sq km): Indian Ocean drainage: (Great Australian Bight) Murray-Darling (1,050,116 sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Eyre (1,212,198 sq km)
Major aquifers: Great Artesian Basin, Canning Basin
Population distribution: population is primarily located on the periphery, with the highest concentration of people residing in the east and southeast; a secondary population center is located in and around Perth in the west; of the States and Territories, New South Wales has, by far, the largest population; the interior, or "outback", has a very sparse population
Natural hazards: cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest firesvolcanism: volcanic activity on Heard and McDonald Islandscyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest firesvolcanism: volcanic activity on Heard and McDonald Islands
Geography - note: note 1: world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country; the largest country in Oceania, the largest country entirely in the Southern Hemisphere, and the largest country without land borders

note 2: the Great Dividing Range that runs along eastern Australia is that continent’s longest mountain range and the third-longest land-based range in the world; the term "Great Dividing Range" refers to the fact that the mountains form a watershed crest from which all of the rivers of eastern Australia flow – east, west, north, and south

note 3: Australia is the only continent without glaciers; it is the driest inhabited continent on earth, making it particularly vulnerable to the challenges of climate change; the invigorating sea breeze known as the "Fremantle Doctor" affects the city of Perth on the west coast and is one of the most consistent winds in the world; Australia is home to 10% of the world's biodiversity, and a great number of its flora and fauna exist nowhere else in the world
Map description: Australia map showing the major cities of the continent as well parts of surrounding seas.Australia map showing the major cities of the continent as well parts of surrounding seas.

Topic: People and Society
Population: 26,141,369 (2022 est.)
Nationality: noun: Australian(s)

adjective: Australian
Ethnic groups: English 36.1%, Australian 33.5%, Irish 11.0%, Scottish 9.3%, Chinese 5.6%, Italian 4.6%, German 4.5%, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 2.8%, Indian 2.8%, Greek 1.8%, Dutch 1.6% (2016 est.)

note: data represent self-identified ancestry, with the option of reporting two ancestriesEnglish 36.1%, Australian 33.5%, Irish 11.0%, Scottish 9.3%, Chinese 5.6%, Italian 4.6%, German 4.5%, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 2.8%, Indian 2.8%, Greek 1.8%, Dutch 1.6%
Languages: English 72.7%, Mandarin 2.5%, Arabic 1.4%, Cantonese 1.2%, Vietnamese 1.2%, Italian 1.2%, Greek 1%, other 14.8%, unspecified 6.5% (2016 est.)

note: data represent language spoken at home
Religions: Protestant 23.1% (Anglican 13.3%, Uniting Church 3.7%, Presbyterian and Reformed 2.3%, Baptist 1.5%, Pentecostal 1.1%, Lutheran .7%, other Protestant .5%), Roman Catholic 22.6%, other Christian 4.2%, Muslim 2.6%, Buddhist 2.4%, Orthodox 2.3% (Eastern Orthodox 2.1%, Oriental Orthodox .2%), Hindu 1.9%, other 1.3%, none 30.1%, unspecified 9.6% (2016 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.72% (male 2,457,418/female 2,309,706)

15-24 years: 12.89% (male 1,710,253/female 1,572,794)

25-54 years: 41.15% (male 5,224,840/female 5,255,041)

55-64 years: 11.35% (male 1,395,844/female 1,495,806)

65 years and over: 15.88% (2020 est.) (male 1,866,761/female 2,177,996)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 55.1

youth dependency ratio: 29.9

elderly dependency ratio: 25.1

potential support ratio: 4 (2020 est.)
Median age: total: 37.5 years

male: 36.5 years

female: 38.5 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.25% (2022 est.)
Birth rate: 12.3 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate: 6.77 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Net migration rate: 6.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Population distribution: population is primarily located on the periphery, with the highest concentration of people residing in the east and southeast; a secondary population center is located in and around Perth in the west; of the States and Territories, New South Wales has, by far, the largest population; the interior, or "outback", has a very sparse population
Urbanization: urban population: 86.5% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 1.27% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

note: data include Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island
Major urban areas - population: 5,151 million Melbourne, 5.057 million Sydney, 2.472 million Brisbane, 2.093 million Perth, 1.356 million Adelaide, 467,000 CANBERRA (capital) (2022)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.09 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 28.7 years (2019 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 6 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 3.01 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 3.24 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 2.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 83.09 years

male: 80.93 years

female: 85.36 years (2022 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.73 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate: 66.9% (2015/16)

note: percent of women aged 18-44
Drinking water source: improved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
Current Health Expenditure: 9.9% (2019)
Physicians density: 4.13 physicians/1,000 population (2020)
Hospital bed density: 3.8 beds/1,000 population (2016)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: NA

rural: NA

total: 100% of population

unimproved: urban: NA

rural: NA

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 30,000 (2020 est.)

note: estimate does not include children
HIV/AIDS - deaths: (2020 est.) <100

note: estimate does not include children
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 29% (2016)
Tobacco use: total: 13.6% (2020 est.)

male: 15.6% (2020 est.)

female: 11.5% (2020 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA
Education expenditures: 5.1% of GDP (2018 est.)
Literacy: total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 22 years

male: 21 years

female: 22 years (2019)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 14.3%

male: 15.3%

female: 13.2% (2020 est.)

Topic: Environment
Environment - current issues: soil erosion from overgrazing, deforestation, industrial development, urbanization, and poor farming practices; limited natural freshwater resources; soil salinity rising due to the use of poor quality water; drought, desertification; clearing for agricultural purposes threatens the natural habitat of many unique animal and plant species; disruption of the fragile ecosystem has resulted in significant floral extinctions; the Great Barrier Reef off the northeast coast, the largest coral reef in the world, is threatened by increased shipping and its popularity as a tourist site; overfishing, pollution, and invasive species are also problems
Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Air pollutants: particulate matter emissions: 7.19 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 375.91 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 105.01 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate: generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north
Land use: agricultural land: 46.65% (2018 est.)

arable land: 4.03% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.04% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 42.58% (2018 est.)

forest: 17.42% (2018 est.)

other: 33.42% (2018 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 86.5% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 1.27% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

note: data include Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island
Revenue from forest resources: forest revenues: 0.13% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from coal: coal revenues: 0.78% of GDP (2018 est.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 13.345 million tons (2015 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually: 5,618,245 tons (2015 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 42.1% (2015 est.)
Major lakes (area sq km): Fresh water lake(s): Lake Alexandrina - 570 sq km

Salt water lake(s): Lake Eyre - 9,690 sq km; Lake Torrens (ephemeral) - 5,780 sq km; Lake Gairdner - 4,470 sq km; Lake Mackay (ephemeral) - 3,494 sq km; Lake Frome - 2,410 sq km; Lake Amadeus (ephemeral) - 1,032 sq km
Major rivers (by length in km): River Murray - 2,508 km; Darling River - 1,545 km; Murrumbidgee River - 1,485 km; Lachlan River - 1,339 km; Cooper Creek - 1,113 km; Flinders River - 1,004 km
Major watersheds (area sq km): Indian Ocean drainage: (Great Australian Bight) Murray-Darling (1,050,116 sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Eyre (1,212,198 sq km)
Major aquifers: Great Artesian Basin, Canning Basin
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 3.392 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 2.662 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 10.5 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 492 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Topic: Government
Country name: conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia

conventional short form: Australia

etymology: the name Australia derives from the Latin "australis" meaning "southern"; the Australian landmass was long referred to as "Terra Australis" or the Southern Land
Government type: federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm
Capital: name: Canberra

geographic coordinates: 35 16 S, 149 08 E

time difference: UTC+10 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in October; ends first Sunday in April

time zone note: Australia has four time zones, including Lord Howe Island (UTC+10:30)

etymology: the name is claimed to derive from either Kambera or Camberry, which are names corrupted from the original native designation for the area "Nganbra" or "Nganbira"
Administrative divisions: 6 states and 2 territories*; Australian Capital Territory*, New South Wales, Northern Territory*, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia
Dependent areas: Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Norfolk Island
Independence: 1 January 1901 (from the federation of UK colonies)
National holiday: Australia Day (commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet of Australian settlers), 26 January (1788); ANZAC Day (commemorates the anniversary of the landing of troops of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps during World War I at Gallipoli, Turkey), 25 April (1915)
Constitution: history: approved in a series of referenda from 1898 through 1900 and became law 9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901

amendments: proposed by Parliament; passage requires approval of a referendum bill by absolute majority vote in both houses of Parliament, approval in a referendum by a majority of voters in at least four states and in the territories, and Royal Assent; proposals that would reduce a state’s representation in either house or change a state’s boundaries require that state’s approval prior to Royal Assent; amended several times, last in 1977
Legal system: common law system based on the English model
International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen or permanent resident of Australia

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 4 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General David HURLEY (since 1 July 2019)

head of government: Prime Minister Anthony ALBANESE (since 23 May 2022)

cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the prime minister from among members of Parliament and sworn in by the governor general

elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is sworn in as prime minister by the governor general
Legislative branch: description: bicameral Federal Parliament consists of:
Senate (76 seats; 12 members from each of the 6 states and 2 each from the 2 mainland territories; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 6-year terms with one-half of state membership renewed every 3 years and territory membership renewed every 3 years)
House of Representatives (151 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by majority preferential vote; members serve terms of up to 3 years)

elections:
Senate - last held on 21 May 2022 (next to be held on May 2025)
House of Representatives - last held on 21 May 2022 (next to be held on May 2025)

election results:
Senate (initial results) - percent of vote by party - Liberal/National coalition 32.13%, ALP 29.81%, The Greens 13.85%, One Nation 4.38%, Lambie Network .26%; seats by party - Liberal/National coalition 29, ALP 21, The Greens 9, One Nation 1, Lambie Network 1, undecided 14
House of Representatives (initial results) - percent of vote by party - ALP 32.83%, Liberal/National coalition 35.77%, The Greens 11.85%, Katter's Australian Party 0.4%, Centre Alliance 0.24%, independents 5.52%; seats by party - ALP 76, Liberal/National Coalition 57, The Greens 4, Katter's Australian Party 1, Centre Alliance 1, independent 10, undecided 2
Judicial branch: highest courts: High Court of Australia (consists of 7 justices, including the chief justice); note - each of the 6 states, 2 territories, and Norfolk Island has a Supreme Court; the High Court is the final appellate court beyond the state and territory supreme courts

judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the governor-general in council for life with mandatory retirement at age 70

subordinate courts: subordinate courts: at the federal level: Federal Court; Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia;  at the state and territory level: Local Court - New South Wales; Magistrates' Courts – Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, Northern Territory, Australian Capital Territory; District Courts – New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia; County Court – Victoria; Family Court – Western Australia; Court of Petty Sessions – Norfolk Island
Political parties and leaders: Australian Greens Party [Adam BANDT]
Australian Labor Party or ALP [Anthony ALBANESE]
Liberal Party of Australia [Scott MORRISON]
The Nationals [Barnaby JOYCE]
Pauline Hanson’s One Nation [Pauline HANSON]
International organization participation: ADB, ANZUS, APEC, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CD, CP, EAS, EBRD, EITI (implementing country), FAO, FATF, G-20, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF, SAARC (observer), SICA (observer), Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNMISS, UNMIT, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Arthur SINODINOS (since 6 February 2020)

chancery: 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 797-3000

FAX: [1] (202) 797-3168

email address and website:
https://usa.embassy.gov.au/

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Michael GOLDMAN (since 19 January 2021)

embassy: Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Australian Capital Territory 2600

mailing address: 7800 Canberra Place, Washington DC  20512-7800

telephone: [61] (02) 6214-5600

FAX: [61] (02) 9373-9184

email address and website:
AskEmbassyCanberra@state.gov

https://au.usembassy.gov/

consulate(s) general: Melbourne, Perth, Sydney
Flag description: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large seven-pointed star in the lower hoist-side quadrant known as the Commonwealth or Federation Star, representing the federation of the colonies of Australia in 1901; the star depicts one point for each of the six original states and one representing all of Australia's internal and external territories; on the fly half is a representation of the Southern Cross constellation in white with one small, five-pointed star and four larger, seven-pointed stars
National symbol(s): Commonwealth Star (seven-pointed Star of Federation), golden wattle tree (Acacia pycnantha Benth), kangaroo, emu; national colors: green, gold
National anthem: name: Advance Australia Fair

lyrics/music: Peter Dodds McCORMICK

note 1: adopted 1984; although originally written in the late 19th century, the anthem was not used for all official occasions until 1984; as a Commonwealth country, in addition to the national anthem, "God Save the Queen" serves as the royal anthem (see United Kingdom)

note 2: the well-known and much-loved bush ballad "Waltzing Matilda" is often referred to as Australia's unofficial national anthem; the original lyrics were written in 1895 by Australian poet Banjo PATERSON, and were first published as sheet music in 1903; since 2012, a Waltzing Matilda Day has been held annually on 6 April, the anniversary of the first performance of the song in 1895
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 20 (4 cultural, 12 natural, 4 mixed); note - includes one site on Heard Island and McDonald Islands

selected World Heritage Site locales: Great Barrier Reef (n); Greater Blue Mountains Area (n); Fraser Island (n); Gondwana Rainforests (n); Lord Howe Island Group (n); Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens (c); Shark Bay (n); Sydney Opera House (c); Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park (m); Kakadu National Park (m)

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: Australia is an open market with minimal restrictions on imports of goods and services. The process of opening up has increased productivity, stimulated growth, and made the economy more flexible and dynamic. Australia plays an active role in the WTO, APEC, the G20, and other trade forums. Australia’s free trade agreement (FTA) with China entered into force in 2015, adding to existing FTAs with the Republic of Korea, Japan, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, and the US, and a regional FTA with ASEAN and New Zealand. Australia continues to negotiate bilateral agreements with Indonesia, as well as larger agreements with its Pacific neighbors and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, and an Asia-wide Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership that includes the 10 ASEAN countries and China, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, and India.   Australia is a significant exporter of natural resources, energy, and food. Australia's abundant and diverse natural resources attract high levels of foreign investment and include extensive reserves of coal, iron, copper, gold, natural gas, uranium, and renewable energy sources. A series of major investments, such as the US$40 billion Gorgon Liquid Natural Gas Project, will significantly expand the resources sector.   For nearly two decades up till 2017, Australia had benefited from a dramatic surge in its terms of trade. As export prices increased faster than import prices, the economy experienced continuous growth, low unemployment, contained inflation, very low public debt, and a strong and stable financial system. Australia entered 2018 facing a range of growth constraints, principally driven by the sharp fall in global prices of key export commodities. Demand for resources and energy from Asia and especially China is growing at a slower pace and sharp drops in export prices have impacted growth.Australia is an open market with minimal restrictions on imports of goods and services. The process of opening up has increased productivity, stimulated growth, and made the economy more flexible and dynamic. Australia plays an active role in the WTO, APEC, the G20, and other trade forums. Australia’s free trade agreement (FTA) with China entered into force in 2015, adding to existing FTAs with the Republic of Korea, Japan, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, and the US, and a regional FTA with ASEAN and New Zealand. Australia continues to negotiate bilateral agreements with Indonesia, as well as larger agreements with its Pacific neighbors and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, and an Asia-wide Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership that includes the 10 ASEAN countries and China, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, and India. Australia is a significant exporter of natural resources, energy, and food. Australia's abundant and diverse natural resources attract high levels of foreign investment and include extensive reserves of coal, iron, copper, gold, natural gas, uranium, and renewable energy sources. A series of major investments, such as the US$40 billion Gorgon Liquid Natural Gas Project, will significantly expand the resources sector. For nearly two decades up till 2017, Australia had benefited from a dramatic surge in its terms of trade. As export prices increased faster than import prices, the economy experienced continuous growth, low unemployment, contained inflation, very low public debt, and a strong and stable financial system. Australia entered 2018 facing a range of growth constraints, principally driven by the sharp fall in global prices of key export commodities. Demand for resources and energy from Asia and especially China is growing at a slower pace and sharp drops in export prices have impacted growth.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): $1,250,900,000,000 (2020 est.)

$1,254,480,000,000 (2019 est.)

$1,227,940,000,000 (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate: 1.84% (2019 est.)

2.77% (2018 est.)

2.45% (2017 est.)
Real GDP per capita: $48,700 (2020 est.)

$49,500 (2019 est.)

$49,200 (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate): $1,390,790,000,000 (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.6% (2019 est.)

1.9% (2018 est.)

1.9% (2017 est.)
Credit ratings: Fitch rating: AAA (2011)

Moody's rating: Aaa (2002)

Standard & Poors rating: AAA (2003)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 3.6% (2017 est.)

industry: 25.3% (2017 est.)

services: 71.2% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 56.9% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 18.4% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 24.1% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 0.1% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 21.5% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -21% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products: sugar cane, wheat, barley, milk, rapeseed, beef, cotton, grapes, poultry, potatoes
Industries: mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, steel
Industrial production growth rate: 1.4% (2017 est.)
Labor force: 12.568 million (2020 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 3.6%

industry: 21.1%

services: 75.3% (2009 est.)
Unemployment rate: 5.16% (2019 est.)

5.29% (2018 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 14.3%

male: 15.3%

female: 13.2% (2020 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: 34.4 (2014 est.)

35.2 (1994)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2%

highest 10%: 25.4% (1994)
Budget: revenues: 490 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 496.9 billion (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): -0.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Public debt: 40.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

40.6% of GDP (2016 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 35.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
Current account balance: $8.146 billion (2019 est.)

-$29.777 billion (2018 est.)
Exports: $299.04 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$342.43 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$327.32 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Exports - partners: China 39%, Japan 15%, South Korea 7%, India 5% (2019)
Exports - commodities: iron ore, coal, natural gas, gold, aluminum oxide (2019)
Imports: $249.07 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$295.46 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$310.23 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Imports - partners: China 25%, United States 12%, Japan 7%, Germany 5%, Thailand 5% (2019)
Imports - commodities: refined petroleum, cars, crude petroleum, broadcasting equipment, delivery trucks (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $66.58 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$55.07 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Debt - external: $3,115,913,000,000 (2019 est.)

$2,837,818,000,000 (2018 est.)
Exchange rates: Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar -

1.34048 (2020 est.)

1.46402 (2019 est.)

1.38552 (2018 est.)

1.3291 (2014 est.)

1.1094 (2013 est.)

Topic: Energy
Electricity access: electrification - total population: 100% (2020)
Electricity: Installed generating capacity: 82.517 million kW (2020 est.)

Consumption: 237,388,272,000 kWh (2019 est.)

Exports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)

Imports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)

Transmission/distribution losses: 12,607,778,000 kWh (2019 est.)
Electricity generation sources: Fossil fuels: 75.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Solar: 8.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Wind: 8.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Hydroelectricity: 6.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Biomass and waste: 1.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Coal: Production: 504.051 million metric tons (2020 est.)

Consumption: 99.048 million metric tons (2020 est.)

Exports: 390.808 million metric tons (2020 est.)

Imports: 583,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

Proven reserves: 149.079 billion metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum: Total petroleum production: 442,500 bbl/day (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum consumption: 1,174,100 bbl/day (2019 est.)

Crude oil and lease condensate exports: 197,700 barrels/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil and lease condensate imports: 356,900 barrels/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil estimated reserves: 2.446 billion barrels (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production: 462,500 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports: 64,120 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports: 619,600 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Natural gas: Production: 142,104,321,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)

Consumption: 41,905,381,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)

Exports: 101,766,728,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)

Imports: 6,295,646,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)

Proven reserves: 3,228,115,000,000 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 417.87 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

From coal and metallurgical coke: 162.26 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

From petroleum and other liquids: 158.668 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

From consumed natural gas: 96.942 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: 241.004 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Topic: Communications
Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 6.2 million (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 24 (2020 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 27.453 million (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 108 (2020 est.)
Telecommunication systems: general assessment: the Australian telecom market since 2020 has been impacted by the pandemic, which forced many people to school and work from home and thus adopt fixed-line broadband services; internet traffic, both fixed and mobile, increased substantially as a result; in the fixed sector, there is an ongoing migration from copper-based platforms to fiber; NBN Co increased the number of premises migrated from hybrid fiber/copper infrastructure to FttP; by the end of 2023 NBN Co is expected to deliver a 1Gb/s service across 75% of its fixed-line network; the extension of fixed wireless access will mean that up to 120,000 premises currently dependent on satellite broadband will be able to access 5G-based fixed services; the fixed-line market has been falling steadily over the past five years; in the Australian fixed broadband market, there is a dynamic shift among customers to fiber networks; this infrastructure is being built out by NBN Co (also known as nbn), the company responsible for deploying the national broadband network, which is based on a multi-technology mix including VDSL, fibre, HFC, fixed wireless, and satellite; the DSL sector is steadily shrinking as customers are migrated to the NBN, while subscribers on HFC infrastructure will continue to be provided by existing cable within the NBN’s multi-technology mix, with a steady migration to full fiber connectivity; the mobile market is dominated by the three MNOs Telstra, Optus, and TPG Telecom; these offer LTE services on a wholesale basis, thus encouraging growth in the LTE sector, while also deploying services based on 5G; Optus and (since mid-2022) Telstra provide 5G access to their MVNOs. (2022)

domestic: roughly 24 per 100 fixed-line and 108 per 100 mobile-cellular; more subscribers to mobile services than there are people; 90% of all mobile device sales are now smartphones, growth in mobile traffic brisk (2020)

international: country code - 61; landing points for more than 20 submarine cables including: the SeaMeWe-3 optical telecommunications submarine cable with links to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; the INDIGO-Central, INDIGO West and ASC, North West Cable System, Australia-Papua New Guinea cable, CSCS, PPC-1, Gondwana-1, SCCN, Hawaiki, TGA, Basslink, Bass Strait-1, Bass Strait-2, JGA-S, with links to other Australian cities, New Zealand and many countries in southeast Asia, US and Europe; the H2 Cable, AJC, Telstra Endeavor, Southern Cross NEXT with links to Japan, Hong Kong, and other Pacific Ocean countries as well as the US; satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat (4 Indian Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean), 2 Inmarsat, 2 Globalstar, 5 other (2019)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments
Broadcast media: the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) runs multiple national and local radio networks and TV stations, as well as ABC Australia, a TV service that broadcasts in the Asia-Pacific region and is the main public broadcaster; Special Broadcasting Service (SBS), a second large public broadcaster, operates radio and TV networks broadcasting in multiple languages; several large national commercial TV networks, a large number of local commercial TV stations, and hundreds of commercial radio stations are accessible; cable and satellite systems are available (2022)
Internet country code: .au
Internet users: total: 23,123,940 (2020 est.)

percent of population: 90% (2020 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 9,099,619 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 36 (2020 est.)

Topic: Transportation
National air transport system: number of registered air carriers: 25 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 583

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 75,667,645 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 2,027,640,000 (2018) mt-km
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: VH
Airports: total: 418 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 349

over 3,047 m: 11

2,438 to 3,047 m: 14

1,524 to 2,437 m: 155

914 to 1,523 m: 155

under 914 m: 14 (2021)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 131

1,524 to 2,437 m: 16

914 to 1,523 m: 101

under 914 m: 14 (2021)
Heliports: 1 (2021)
Pipelines: 637 km condensate/gas, 30,054 km gas, 240 km liquid petroleum gas, 3,609 km oil, 110 km oil/gas/water, 72 km refined products (2013)
Railways: total: 33,011 km (2015)

standard gauge: 17,446 km (2015) 1.435-m gauge (650 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 12,318 km (2015) 1.067-m gauge (2,075.5 km electrified)

broad gauge: 3,247 km (2015) 1.600-m gauge (372 km electrified)
Roadways: total: 873,573 km (2015)

urban: 145,928 km (2015)

non-urban: 727,645 km (2015)
Waterways: 2,000 km (2011) (mainly used for recreation on Murray and Murray-Darling River systems)
Merchant marine: total: 581

by type: bulk carrier 2, general cargo 76, oil tanker 7, other 496 (2021)
Ports and terminals: major seaport(s):
Indian Ocean: Adelaide, Darwin, Fremantle, Geelong, Melbourne
Pacific Ocean: Brisbane, Cairns, Gladstone, Hobart, Newcastle, Port Port Kembla, Sydney

container port(s) (TEUs): Melbourne (2,967,315), Sydney (2,572,714) (2019)

LNG terminal(s) (export): Australia Pacific, Barrow Island, Burrup (Pluto), Curtis Island, Darwin, Karratha, Bladin Point (Ichthys), Gladstone, Prelude (offshore FLNG), Wheatstone

dry bulk cargo port(s): Dampier (iron ore), Dalrymple Bay (coal), Hay Point (coal), Port Hedland (iron ore), Port Walcott (iron ore)

Topic: Military and Security
Military and security forces: Australian Defense Force (ADF): Australian Army (includes Special Operations Command), Royal Australian Navy (includes Naval Aviation Force), Royal Australian Air Force (2022)
Military expenditures: 2.1% of GDP (2021 est.)

2.1% of GDP (2020)

2% of GDP (2019) (approximately $31.5 billion)

1.9% of GDP (2018) (approximately $29.8 billion)

2% of GDP (2017) (approximately $29.7 billion)
Military and security service personnel strengths: the Australian Defense Force has approximately 60,000 total active troops (30,000 Army; 15,000 Navy; 15,000 Air Force) (2022)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the Australian military's inventory includes a mix of domestically-produced and imported Western weapons systems; since 2015, the US is the largest supplier of arms; the Australian defense industry produces a variety of land and sea weapons platforms; the defense industry also participates in joint development and production ventures with other Western countries, including the US and Canada (2022)
Military service age and obligation: 17 years of age for voluntary military service (with parental consent); no conscription (abolished 1973); women allowed to serve in all roles, including combat arms since 2013 (2022)

note: in 2020-2021, women comprised nearly 20% of the ADF
Military - note: Australia has been part of the Australia, New Zealand, and US Security (ANZUS) Treaty since 1951; Australia is also is a member of the Five Powers Defense Arrangements (FPDA), a series of mutual assistance agreements reached in 1971 embracing Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the UK; the FPDA commits the members to consult with one another in the event or threat of an armed attack on any of the members and to mutually decide what measures should be taken, jointly or separately; there is no specific obligation to intervene militarily

Australia has a long-standing military relationship with the US; Australian and US forces first fought together in France in 1918 at the Battle of Hamel, and have fought together in every major US conflict since; Australia and the US signed an agreement in 2014 that allowed for closer bi-lateral defense and security cooperation, including annual rotations of US Marines and enhanced rotations of US Air Force aircraft to Australia; Australian military forces train often with US forces; Australia has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation

Australia also has long-standing defense and security ties to the UK, including a Defense and Security Cooperation Treaty signed in 2013; in 2020, Australia and the UK signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate on the building of a next generation of frigates for their respective navies; the Australia-UK Ministerial Consultations (AUKMIN) is their premier bilateral forum on foreign policy, defense, and security issues

in 2021, Australia, the UK, and the US announced an enhanced trilateral security partnership called “AUKUS” which would build on existing bilateral ties, including deeper integration of defense and security-related science, technology, industrial bases, and supply chains, as well as deeper cooperation on a range of defense and security capabilities; the first initiative under AUKUS was a commitment to support Australia in acquiring conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarines for the Royal Australian Navy

since the 1990s, Australia has deployed more than 30,000 personnel on nearly 100 UN peacekeeping and coalition military operations, including in Cambodia, Rwanda, the Solomon Islands, Somalia, and East Timor (2022)

Topic: Terrorism
Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T

Topic: Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Australia-Indonesia (Maritime Boundary): All borders between Indonesia and Australia have been agreed upon bilaterally, but a 1997 treaty that would settle the last of their maritime and EEZ boundary has yet to be ratified by Indonesia's legislature. Indonesian groups challenge Australia's claim to Ashmore Reef. Australia closed parts of the Ashmore and Cartier reserve to Indonesian traditional fishing.

Australia-Timor-Leste (Maritime Boundary): In 2007, Australia and Timor-Leste agreed to a 50-year development zone and revenue sharing arrangement and deferred a maritime boundary.Australia-Indonesia (Maritime Boundary): All borders between Indonesia and Australia have been agreed upon bilaterally, but a 1997 treaty that would settle the last of their maritime and EEZ boundary has yet to be ratified by Indonesia's legislature. Indonesian groups challenge Australia's claim to Ashmore Reef. Australia closed parts of the Ashmore and Cartier reserve to Indonesian traditional fishing.

Australia-Timor-Leste (Maritime Boundary): In 2007, Australia and Timor-Leste agreed to a 50-year development zone and revenue sharing arrangement and deferred a maritime boundary.
Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 12,701 (Iran), 10,108 (Afghanistan), 5,400 (Pakistan) (mid-year 2021)

stateless persons: 5,770 (mid-year 2021)
Illicit drugs: Tasmania is one of the world's major suppliers of licit opiate products; government maintains strict controls over areas of opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw concentrate; major consumer of cocaine and amphetamines


Topic: Photos of Belgium

Topic: Introduction
Background: Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830; it was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. The country prospered in the past half century as a modern, technologically advanced European state and member of NATO and the EU. In recent years, political divisions between the Dutch-speaking Flemish of the north and the French-speaking Walloons of the south have led to constitutional amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy. The capital city of Brussels is home to numerous international organizations including the EU and NATO.Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830; it was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. The country prospered in the past half century as a modern, technologically advanced European state and member of NATO and the EU. In recent years, political divisions between the Dutch-speaking Flemish of the north and the French-speaking Walloons of the south have led to constitutional amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy. The capital city of Brussels is home to numerous international organizations including the EU and NATO.Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
Location: Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands
Geographic coordinates: 50 50 N, 4 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 30,528 sq km

land: 30,278 sq km

water: 250 sq km
Area - comparative: about the size of Maryland
Land boundaries: total: 1,297 km

border countries (4): France 556 km; Germany 133 km; Luxembourg 130 km; Netherlands 478 km
Coastline: 66.5 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: geographic coordinates define outer limit

continental shelf: median line with neighbors
Climate: temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy
Terrain: flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast
Elevation: highest point: Botrange 694 m

lowest point: North Sea 0 m

mean elevation: 181 m
Natural resources: construction materials, silica sand, carbonates, arable land
Land use: agricultural land: 44.1% (2018 est.)

arable land: 27.2% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.8% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 16.1% (2018 est.)

forest: 22.4% (2018 est.)

other: 33.5% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land: 230 sq km (2012)
Major watersheds (area sq km): Atlantic Ocean drainage: Seine 78,919 sq km), Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km)
Population distribution: most of the population concentrated in the northern two-thirds of the country; the southeast is more thinly populated; considered to have one of the highest population densities in the world; approximately 97% live in urban areas
Natural hazards: flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes
Geography - note: crossroads of Western Europe; most West European capitals are within 1,000 km of Brussels, the seat of both the European Union and NATO
Map description: Belgium map showing major cities as well as parts of surrounding countries and the North Sea.Belgium map showing major cities as well as parts of surrounding countries and the North Sea.

Topic: People and Society
Population: 11,847,338 (2022 est.)
Nationality: noun: Belgian(s)

adjective: Belgian
Ethnic groups: Belgian 75.2%, Italian 4.1%, Moroccan 3.7%, French 2.4%, Turkish 2%, Dutch 2%, other 10.6% (2012 est.)
Languages: Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%

major-language sample(s):
Het Wereld Feitenboek, een omnisbare bron van informatie. (Dutch)

The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions: Roman Catholic 57.1%, Protestant 2.3%, other Christian, 2.8%, Muslim 6.8%, other 1.7%, atheist 9.1%, nonbeliever/agnostic 20.2% (2018 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 17.22% (male 1,033,383/female 984,624)

15-24 years: 11.2% (male 670,724/female 642,145)

25-54 years: 39.23% (male 2,319,777/female 2,278,450)

55-64 years: 13.14% (male 764,902/female 775,454)

65 years and over: 19.21% (2020 est.) (male 988,148/female 1,263,109)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 57

youth dependency ratio: 26.7

elderly dependency ratio: 30.2

potential support ratio: 3.3 (2020 est.)
Median age: total: 41.6 years

male: 40.4 years

female: 42.8 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.57% (2022 est.)
Birth rate: 10.95 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate: 9.64 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Net migration rate: 4.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Population distribution: most of the population concentrated in the northern two-thirds of the country; the southeast is more thinly populated; considered to have one of the highest population densities in the world; approximately 97% live in urban areas
Urbanization: urban population: 98.2% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 0.38% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 2.110 million BRUSSELS (capital), 1.053 million Antwerp (2022)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 29.2 years (2020 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 5 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 3.19 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 3.63 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 2.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 81.86 years

male: 79.25 years

female: 84.59 years (2022 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.77 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate: 66.7% (2018)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
Current Health Expenditure: 10.7% (2019)
Physicians density: 6.08 physicians/1,000 population (2020)
Hospital bed density: 5.6 beds/1,000 population (2019)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 22.1% (2016)
Tobacco use: total: 23.4% (2020 est.)

male: 25.8% (2020 est.)

female: 21% (2020 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 1% (2014/15)
Education expenditures: 6.4% of GDP (2018)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 20 years

male: 19 years

female: 21 years (2019)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 15.3%

male: 15.5%

female: 15.1% (2020 est.)

Topic: Environment
Environment - current issues: intense pressures from human activities: urbanization, dense transportation network, industry, extensive animal breeding and crop cultivation; air and water pollution also have repercussions for neighboring countries
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Air pollutants: particulate matter emissions: 12.88 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 96.89 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 7.78 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate: temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy
Land use: agricultural land: 44.1% (2018 est.)

arable land: 27.2% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.8% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 16.1% (2018 est.)

forest: 22.4% (2018 est.)

other: 33.5% (2018 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 98.2% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 0.38% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Revenue from forest resources: forest revenues: 0.02% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from coal: coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 4.708 million tons (2015 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually: 1,614,985 tons (2015 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 34.3% (2015 est.)
Major watersheds (area sq km): Atlantic Ocean drainage: Seine 78,919 sq km), Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 739 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 3.21 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 45 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 18.3 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Topic: Government
Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium

conventional short form: Belgium

local long form: Royaume de Belgique (French)/Koninkrijk Belgie (Dutch)/Koenigreich Belgien (German)

local short form: Belgique/Belgie/Belgien

etymology: the name derives from the Belgae, an ancient Celtic tribal confederation that inhabited an area between the English Channel and the west bank of the Rhine in the first centuries B.C.
Government type: federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy
Capital: name: Brussels

geographic coordinates: 50 50 N, 4 20 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

etymology: may derive from the Old Dutch "bruoc/broek," meaning "marsh" and "sella/zele/sel" signifying "home" to express the meaning "home in the marsh"
Administrative divisions: 3 regions (French: regions, singular - region; Dutch: gewesten, singular - gewest); Brussels-Capital Region, also known as Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest (Dutch), Region de Bruxelles-Capitale (French long form), Bruxelles-Capitale (French short form); Flemish Region (Flanders), also known as Vlaams Gewest (Dutch long form), Vlaanderen (Dutch short form), Region Flamande (French long form), Flandre (French short form); Walloon Region (Wallonia), also known as Region Wallone (French long form), Wallonie (French short form), Waals Gewest (Dutch long form), Wallonie (Dutch short form)

note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a complex division of responsibilities; the 2012 sixth state reform transferred additional competencies from the federal state to the regions and linguistic communities
Independence: 4 October 1830 (a provisional government declared independence from the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King LEOPOLD I ascended to the throne)
National holiday: Belgian National Day (ascension to the throne of King LEOPOLD I), 21 July (1831)
Constitution: history: drafted 25 November 1830, approved 7 February 1831, entered into force 26 July 1831, revised 14 July 1993 (creating a federal state)

amendments: "revisions" proposed as declarations by the federal government in accord with the king or by Parliament followed by dissolution of Parliament and new elections; adoption requires two-thirds majority vote of a two-thirds quorum in both houses of the next elected Parliament; amended many times, last in 2019
Legal system: civil law system based on the French Civil Code; note - Belgian law continues to be modified in conformance with the legislative norms mandated by the European Union; judicial review of legislative acts
International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Belgium

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch: chief of state: King PHILIPPE (since 21 July 2013); Heir Apparent Princess ELISABETH (daughter of the monarch, born 25 October 2001)

head of government: Prime Minister Alexander DE CROO (since 1 October 2020); Deputy Prime Ministers Vincent Van Quickenborne (since 1 October 2020), Sophie Wilmes (since 1 October 2020), Vincent Van Peteghem (since 1 October 2020), Frank Vandenbroucke (since 1 October 2020), Pierre-Yves Dermagne (since 1 October 2020), Petra De Sutter (since 1 October 2020), Georges Gilkinet (since 1 October 2020)

cabinet: Council of Ministers formally appointed by the monarch

elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary and constitutional; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the monarch and approved by Parliament
Legislative branch: description: bicameral Parliament consists of:
Senate or Senaat (in Dutch), Senat (in French) (60 seats; 50 members indirectly elected by the community and regional parliaments based on their election results, and 10 elected by the 50 other senators; members serve 5-year terms)
Chamber of Representatives or Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers (in Dutch), Chambre des Representants (in French) (150 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 26 May 2019 (next to be held in 2024) Chamber of Representatives - last held on 26 May 2019 (next to be held in 2024); note - elections coincided with the EU elections

election results:
Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition as of March 2022 - men 31, women 29, percent of women 48.3%
Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - N-VA 16.0%, VB 11.9%, PS 9.5%, CD&V 8.9%, PVDA+/PTB 8.62%, Open VLD 8.5%, MR 7.6%, SP.A 6.7%, Ecolo 6.1%, Groen 6.1%, CDH 3.7%, Defi 2.2%, PP 1.1%, other 20.1%; seats by party - N-VA 25, VB 18, PS 20, CD&V 12, PVDA+PTB 12, Open VLD 12, MR 14, SP.A 9, Ecolo 13, Groen 8, CDH 5, Defi 2; composition as of March 2022 - men 87, women 63, percent of women 42%; note - overall Parliament percent of women 43.8%

note: the 1993 constitutional revision that further devolved Belgium into a federal state created three levels of government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a complex division of responsibilities; this reality leaves six governments, each with its own legislative assembly; changes above occurred since the sixth state reformSenate - last held 26 May 2019 (next to be held in 2024)
Judicial branch: highest courts: Constitutional Court or Grondwettelijk Hof (in Dutch) and Cour Constitutionelle (in French) (consists of 12 judges - 6 Dutch-speaking and 6 French-speaking); Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie (in Dutch) and Cour de Cassation (in French) (court organized into 3 chambers: civil and commercial; criminal; social, fiscal, and armed forces; each chamber includes a Dutch division and a French division, each with a chairperson and 5-6 judges)

judge selection and term of office: Constitutional Court judges appointed by the monarch from candidates submitted by Parliament; judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 70; Supreme Court judges appointed by the monarch from candidates submitted by the High Council of Justice, a 44-member independent body of judicial and non-judicial members; judges appointed for life

subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; regional courts; specialized courts for administrative, commercial, labor, immigration, and audit issues; magistrate's courts; justices of the peace
Political parties and leaders: Flemish parties:
Christian Democratic and Flemish or CD&V [Joachim COENS]
Flemish Liberals and Democrats or Open VLD [Egbert LACHAERT]
Groen or Green [Meyrem ALMACI] (formerly AGALEV, Flemish Greens)
New Flemish Alliance or N-VA [Bart DE WEVER]
Forward [Conner ROUSSEAU] (formerly Social Progressive Alternative or SP.A)
Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) or VB [Tom VAN GRIEKEN]
Francophone parties:
Ecolo (Francophone Greens) [Jean-Marc NOLLET, Rajae MAOUANE]
Francophone Federalist Democrats or Defi [Francois DE SMET]
Humanist and Democratic Center or CDH [Maxine PREVOT]
People's Party or PP [Mischael MODRIKAMEN] (dissolved 18 June 2019)
Reform Movement or MR [George-Louis BOUCHEZ]
Socialist Party or PS [Paul MAGNETTE]
Workers' Party or PTB [Peter MERTENS]
other minor parties
International organization participation: ADB (nonregional members), AfDB (nonregional members), Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jean-Arthur REGIBEAU (since 17 September 2020)

chancery: 1430 K Street NW, Washington DC 20005

telephone: [1] (202) 333-6900

FAX: [1] (202) 338-4960

email address and website:
Washington@diplobel.fed.be

https://unitedstates.diplomatie.belgium.be/en

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael ADLER (since 15 March 2022)

embassy: 27 Boulevard du Regent [Regentlaan], B-1000 Brussels

mailing address: 7600 Brussels Place, Washington DC  20521-7600

telephone: [32] (2) 811-4000

FAX: [32] (2) 811-4500

email address and website:
uscitizenBrussels@state.gov

https://be.usembassy.gov/
Flag description: three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red; the vertical design was based on the flag of France; the colors are those of the arms of the duchy of Brabant (yellow lion with red claws and tongue on a black field)
National symbol(s): golden rampant lion; national colors: red, black, yellow
National anthem: name: "La Brabanconne" (The Song of Brabant)

lyrics/music: Louis-Alexandre DECHET[French] Victor CEULEMANS [Dutch]/Francois VAN CAMPENHOUT

note: adopted 1830; according to legend, Louis-Alexandre DECHET, an actor at the theater in which the revolution against the Netherlands began, wrote the lyrics with a group of young people in a Brussels cafe
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 15 (14 cultural, 1 natural)

selected World Heritage Site locales: Belfries of Belgium (c); Historic Brugge (c); The Grand Place, Brussels (c); Major Town Houses of Victor Horta (c); Notre-Dame Cathedral, Tournai (c); Spa, Liege (c); Primeval Beech Forests - Sonian Wood (n); Stoclet Palace (c)

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: Belgium’s central geographic location and highly developed transport network have helped develop a well-diversified economy, with a broad mix of transport, services, manufacturing, and high tech. Service and high-tech industries are concentrated in the northern Flanders region while the southern region of Wallonia is home to industries like coal and steel manufacturing. Belgium is completely reliant on foreign sources of fossil fuels, and the planned closure of its seven nuclear plants by 2025 should increase its dependence on foreign energy. Its role as a regional logistical hub makes its economy vulnerable to shifts in foreign demand, particularly with EU trading partners. Roughly three-quarters of Belgium's trade is with other EU countries, and the port of Zeebrugge conducts almost half its trade with the United Kingdom alone, leaving Belgium’s economy vulnerable to the outcome of negotiations on the UK’s exit from the EU.   Belgium’s GDP grew by 1.7% in 2017 and the budget deficit was 1.5% of GDP. Unemployment stood at 7.3%, however the unemployment rate is lower in Flanders than Wallonia, 4.4% compared to 9.4%, because of industrial differences between the regions. The economy largely recovered from the March 2016 terrorist attacks that mainly impacted the Brussels region tourist and hospitality industry. Prime Minister Charles MICHEL's center-right government has pledged to further reduce the deficit in response to EU pressure to decrease Belgium's high public debt of about 104% of GDP, but such efforts would also dampen economic growth. In addition to restrained public spending, low wage growth and higher inflation promise to curtail a more robust recovery in private consumption.   The government has pledged to pursue a reform program to improve Belgium’s competitiveness, including changes to labor market rules and welfare benefits. These changes have generally made Belgian wages more competitive regionally, but have raised tensions with trade unions, which have called for extended strikes. In 2017, Belgium approved a tax reform plan to ease corporate rates from 33% to 29% by 2018 and down to 25% by 2020. The tax plan also included benefits for innovation and SMEs, intended to spur competitiveness and private investment.Belgium’s central geographic location and highly developed transport network have helped develop a well-diversified economy, with a broad mix of transport, services, manufacturing, and high tech. Service and high-tech industries are concentrated in the northern Flanders region while the southern region of Wallonia is home to industries like coal and steel manufacturing. Belgium is completely reliant on foreign sources of fossil fuels, and the planned closure of its seven nuclear plants by 2025 should increase its dependence on foreign energy. Its role as a regional logistical hub makes its economy vulnerable to shifts in foreign demand, particularly with EU trading partners. Roughly three-quarters of Belgium's trade is with other EU countries, and the port of Zeebrugge conducts almost half its trade with the United Kingdom alone, leaving Belgium’s economy vulnerable to the outcome of negotiations on the UK’s exit from the EU. Belgium’s GDP grew by 1.7% in 2017 and the budget deficit was 1.5% of GDP. Unemployment stood at 7.3%, however the unemployment rate is lower in Flanders than Wallonia, 4.4% compared to 9.4%, because of industrial differences between the regions. The economy largely recovered from the March 2016 terrorist attacks that mainly impacted the Brussels region tourist and hospitality industry. Prime Minister Charles MICHEL's center-right government has pledged to further reduce the deficit in response to EU pressure to decrease Belgium's high public debt of about 104% of GDP, but such efforts would also dampen economic growth. In addition to restrained public spending, low wage growth and higher inflation promise to curtail a more robust recovery in private consumption. The government has pledged to pursue a reform program to improve Belgium’s competitiveness, including changes to labor market rules and welfare benefits. These changes have generally made Belgian wages more competitive regionally, but have raised tensions with trade unions, which have called for extended strikes. In 2017, Belgium approved a tax reform plan to ease corporate rates from 33% to 29% by 2018 and down to 25% by 2020. The tax plan also included benefits for innovation and SMEs, intended to spur competitiveness and private investment.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): $557.11 billion (2020 est.)

$594.47 billion (2019 est.)

$584.05 billion (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate: 1.41% (2019 est.)

1.49% (2018 est.)

1.9% (2017 est.)
Real GDP per capita: $48,200 (2020 est.)

$51,700 (2019 est.)

$51,100 (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate): $533.028 billion (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.4% (2019 est.)

2% (2018 est.)

2.1% (2017 est.)
Credit ratings: Fitch rating: AA- (2016)

Moody's rating: Aa3 (2011)

Standard & Poors rating: AA (2011)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 0.7% (2017 est.)

industry: 22.1% (2017 est.)

services: 77.2% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 51.2% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 23.4% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 23.3% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 1.3% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 85.1% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -84.4% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products: sugar beet, milk, potatoes, wheat, pork, lettuce, poultry, maize, barley, pears
Industries: engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, transportation equipment, scientific instruments, processed food and beverages, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, base metals, textiles, glass, petroleum
Industrial production growth rate: 0.2% (2017 est.)
Labor force: 4.122 million (2020 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 1.3%

industry: 18.6%

services: 80.1% (2013 est.)
Unemployment rate: 5.36% (2019 est.)

5.96% (2018 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 15.3%

male: 15.5%

female: 15.1% (2020 est.)
Population below poverty line: 14.8% (2018 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: 27.4 (2017 est.)

28.7 (1996)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.4%

highest 10%: 28.4% (2006)
Budget: revenues: 253.5 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 258.6 billion (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): -1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Public debt: 103.4% of GDP (2017 est.)

106% of GDP (2016 est.)

note: data cover general government debt and includes debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions; general government debt is defined by the Maastricht definition and calculated by the National Bank of Belgium as consolidated gross debt; the debt is defined in European Regulation EC479/2009 concerning the implementation of the protocol on the excessive deficit procedure annexed to the Treaty on European Union (Treaty of Maastricht) of 7 February 1992; the sub-sectors of consolidated gross debt are: federal government, communities and regions, local government, and social security funds
Taxes and other revenues: 51.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Current account balance: $1.843 billion (2019 est.)

-$4.135 billion (2018 est.)
Exports: $414.79 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$436.3 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$451.25 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Exports - partners: Germany 17%, France 14%, Netherlands 13%, United Kingdom 8%, United States 6%, Italy 5% (2019)
Exports - commodities: cars and vehicle parts, refined petroleum, packaged medicines, medical cultures/vaccines, diamonds, natural gas (2019)
Imports: $412.85 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$433.04 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$452.53 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Imports - partners: Netherlands 16%, Germany 13%, France 10%, United States 8%, Ireland 5%, China 5% (2019)
Imports - commodities: cars, refined petroleum, packaged medicines, medical cultures/vaccines, diamonds, natural gas (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $26.16 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$24.1 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
Debt - external: $1,317,513,000,000 (2019 est.)

$1,332,358,000,000 (2018 est.)
Exchange rates: euros (EUR) per US dollar -

0.82771 (2020 est.)

0.90338 (2019 est.)

0.87789 (2018 est.)

0.885 (2014 est.)

0.7634 (2013 est.)

Topic: Energy
Electricity access: electrification - total population: 100% (2020)
Electricity - production: 79.83 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - consumption: 82.16 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - exports: 8.465 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - imports: 14.65 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - installed generating capacity: 21.56 million kW (2016 est.)
Electricity - from fossil fuels: 35% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Electricity - from nuclear fuels: 28% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants: 1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from other renewable sources: 36% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Crude oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil - exports: 0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Crude oil - imports: 687,600 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Crude oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production: 731,700 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - consumption: 648,600 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports: 680,800 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports: 601,400 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: 17.61 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - exports: 736.2 million cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - imports: 18.09 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves: 0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Topic: Communications
Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 3,634,639 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 31 (2020 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 11,529,728 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 99 (2020 est.)
Telecommunication systems: general assessment: Belgium’s mobile market is served by the three network operators Proximus, Orange Belgium and BASE, and by a good number of MVNOs; mobile networks have been upgraded to support growing mobile data use among subscribers, with near-comprehensive LTE coverage; operators have also trialed 5G in preparation for launching services; the auction of 5G-suitable spectrum has been delayed to the beginning of 2022, while the onerous restrictions on radiation have meant that some 5G trials have been suspended; there is effective competition in Belgium between the DSL and cable platforms, while in recent years government support has also encouraged investment in fiber networks; Telenet, supported by its parent Liberty Global, has extended the reach of services based on the DOCSIS3.1 standard, while Proximus also has extensive fibre/VDSL and FttP deployments and is currently investing in €3 billion 'Fibre for Belgium' program through to 2027; in a bid to encourage investment in under served areas, the regulator in 2018 amended the conditions by which market players grant wholesale access to copper and fiber infrastructure; in May 2019 it opened a further consultation on cost models for access to the networks of cablecos and those of Proximus’s fibre infrastructure.  (2021)

domestic: about 31 per 100 fixed-line and 99 per 100 mobile-cellular; nationwide mobile-cellular telephone system; extensive cable network; limited microwave radio relay network (2020)

international: country code - 32; landing points for Concerto, UK-Belgium, Tangerine, and SeaMeWe-3, submarine cables that provide links to Europe, the Middle East, Australia and Asia; satellite earth stations - 7 (Intelsat - 3) (2019)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments
Broadcast media: a segmented market with the three major communities (Flemish, French, and German-speaking) each having responsibility for their own broadcast media; multiple TV channels exist for each community; additionally, in excess of 90% of households are connected to cable and can access broadcasts of TV stations from neighboring countries; each community has a public radio network coexisting with private broadcasters
Internet country code: .be
Internet users: total: 10,620,701 (2020 est.)

percent of population: 92% (2020 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 4,734,210 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 41 (2020 est.)

Topic: Transportation
National air transport system: number of registered air carriers: 7 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 117

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 13,639,487 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 1,285,340,000 (2018) mt-km
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: OO
Airports: total: 41 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 26

over 3,047 m: 6

2,438 to 3,047 m: 9

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 8 (2021)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 15

under 914 m: 15 (2021)
Heliports: 1 (2021)
Pipelines: 3,139 km gas, 154 km oil, 535 km refined products (2013)
Railways: total: 3,592 km (2014)

standard gauge: 3,592 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge (2,960 km electrified)
Roadways: total: 118,414 km (2015)

paved: 118,414 km (2015) (includes 1,747 km of expressways)
Waterways: 2,043 km (2012) (1,528 km in regular commercial use)
Merchant marine: total: 201

by type: bulk carrier 19, container ship 7, general cargo 16, oil tanker 21, other 138 (2021)
Ports and terminals: major seaport(s): Oostende, Zeebrugge

container port(s) (TEUs): Antwerp (11,860,204) (2019)

LNG terminal(s) (import): Zeebrugge

river port(s): Antwerp, Gent (Schelde River)

Brussels (Senne River) Liege (Meuse River)

Topic: Military and Security
Military and security forces: Belgian Armed Forces: Land Component, Marine (Naval) Component, Air Component, Medical Service (2022)
Military expenditures: 1.1% of GDP (2021 est.)

1% of GDP (2020)

0.9% of GDP (2019) (approximately $5.54 billion)

0.9% of GDP (2018) (approximately $5.43 billion)

0.9% of GDP (2017) (approximately $5.2 billion)
Military and security service personnel strengths: the Belgian Armed Forces have approximately 26,000 active duty personnel (11,000 Land Component; 1,500 Marine Component; 5,000 Air Force Component; 1,500 Medical Service; 7,000 other, including joint staff, support, and training schools) (2021)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the Belgian Armed Forces have a mix of weapons systems from European countries, Israel, and the US; since 2010, several European nations are the leading suppliers of armaments; Belgium has an export-focused defense industry that focuses on components and subcontracting (2021)
Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 1995 (2021)

note - in 2020, women comprised about 9% of the military's full-time personnel
Military deployments: 125 France (contributing member of EuroCorps); 200 Lithuania (NATO) (2022)

note - in 2022, Belgium joined other NATO countries in sending additional military forces to Eastern Europe following the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Military - note: Belgium is a member of NATO and was one of the original 12 countries to sign the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty) in 1949; Belgium hosts the NATO headquarters in Brussels

in 2015, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg signed an agreement to conduct joint air policing of their territories; under the agreement, which went into effect in January of 2017, the Belgian and Dutch Air Forces trade responsibility for patrolling the skies over the three countries
 in 2018, the Defense Ministers of Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the creation of a Composite Special Operations Component Command (C-SOCC); the C-SOCC was declared operational in December 2020in 2018, the Defense Ministers of Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the creation of a Composite Special Operations Component Command (C-SOCC); the C-SOCC was declared operational in December 2020

Topic: Terrorism
Terrorist group(s): Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T

Topic: Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none identifiednone identified
Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 18,493 (Syria), 5,094 (Iraq) (2020); 50,242 (Ukraine) (as of 5 July 2022)

stateless persons: 1,159 (mid-year 2021)
Illicit drugs: a primary entry point for cocaine smuggled into Europe; also a transit point for precursor chemicals from China for amphetamine and MDMA production labs in Belgium; a transit country for new psychoactive substances (NPS); increasing number of amphetamine and ecstasy production labs in Belgium; heroin also transits through Belgium.a primary entry point for cocaine smuggled into Europe; also a transit point for precursor chemicals from China for amphetamine and MDMA production labs in Belgium; a transit country for new psychoactive substances (NPS); increasing number of amphetamine and ecstasy production labs in Belgium; heroin also transits through Belgium.


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