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NAVIGATION
Kingdom of Belgium
Royaume de Belgique
Koninkrijk Belgie
COMMUNICATIONS
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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4.769 million (1997) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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974,494 (1997) |
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Telephone system:
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general assessment: highly developed, technologically advanced, and completely automated domestic and international telephone and telegraph facilities
domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; extensive cable network; limited microwave radio relay network international: 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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FM 79, AM 7, shortwave 1 (1998) |
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Radios:
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8.075 million (1997) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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25 (plus 10 repeaters) (1997) |
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Televisions:
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4.72 million (1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.be |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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61 (2000) |
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Internet users:
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3.76 million (2002) |
TRANSPORTATION
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Railways:
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total: 3,422 km
standard gauge: 3,422 km 1.435-m gauge (2,517 km electrified; 2,563 km double-tracked) (2001) |
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Highways:
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total: 145,774 km
paved: 116,182 km (including 1,674 km of expressways) unpaved: 29,592 km (1999) |
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Waterways:
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1,570 km (route length in regular commercial use) (2001) |
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Pipelines:
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crude oil 161 km; petroleum products 1,167 km; natural gas 3,300 km |
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Ports and harbors:
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Antwerp (one of the world's busiest ports), Brugge, Gent, Hasselt, Liege, Mons, Namur, Oostende, Zeebrugge |
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Merchant marine:
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total: 20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 31,362 GRT/54,058 DWT
ships by type: cargo 6, chemical tanker 9, petroleum tanker 5, includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Finland 1, Netherlands 3 (2002 est.) |
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Airports:
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42 (2001) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 25
over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 7 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 15 (2002) |
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Heliports:
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1 (2002) |
MILITARY
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Military branches:
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Army, Navy, Air Components, Federal Police |
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Military manpower - military age:
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19 years of age (2002 est.) |
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Military manpower - availability:
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males age 15-49: 2,508,557 (2002 est.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military service:
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males age 15-49: 2,070,016 (2002 est.) |
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Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
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males: 63,247 (2002 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$3,076.5 million (FY01/02) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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1.4% (FY01/02) |
TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES
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Disputes - international:
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none |
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Illicit drugs:
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growing producer of synthetic drugs; transit point for US-bound ecstasy; source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine processors; transshipment point for cocaine, heroin, hashish, and marijuana entering Western Europe; money laundering related to trafficking of drugs, automobiles, alcohol, and tobacco |