Language
Flemish and French are are the official languages. French is the main language in the south and east, and Flemish in the north and west. German is spoken by a minority.
Source: New Internationalist World Guide

Population

2009	10.6 million	U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2009)
2007	10.5 million	U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2006)
2006	10.4 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2005	10.4 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2004	10.4 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2003	10.3 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2002	10.3 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2001	10.2 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2000	10.2 million	U.N. DESA (2006)

Future population estimates
11.5 million (2050)
Source: U.N. DESA (2009)

Ethnic groups
The country's two major language-based groups are the Flemish (55 percent) and the Walloons (44 percent), with a 1 percent German minority.
Source: NI World Guide

Religion
Mainly Catholic, with Protestant, Muslim and Jewish minorities.
Source: NI World Guide

Percentage urban population

2007	97.3 percent	U.N. DESA - World Urbanisation Prospects 2005
2006	97.2 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2005	97.2 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2004	97.2 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2003	97.2 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2002	97.2 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2001	97.1 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2000	97.1 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)

Year women granted right to vote
1919 1948
Source: U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report
Where two figures are shown, the first refers to a partial recognition of the right to vote and the second to the year women received the right to vote on a universal and equal basis.

Net percentage of girls enrolled in primary education
98 (2007)
Source: UNESCO

Percentage of population under 15

2005	17.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	16.9 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	17.1 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	17.2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	17.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	17.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Time zone
Standard Time GMT +1, Summer Time GMT +2

Climate description
Continental; hot, dry summers and cold winters.

Currency
Euro

Telephone dialling code
(+) 32

Driving (left/right)
Right

Average life expectancy

2005	78.8 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	79.1 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	78.9 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	78.8 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	78.5 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	78.4 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - male

2005	75.8 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	75.9 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	75.7 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	75.6 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	75.4 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	75.2 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - female

2005	81.8 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	82.1 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	82.0 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	81.8 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	81.7 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	81.5 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Infant mortality

2007	4 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2006	4 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005	4 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2007
2004	4 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003	4 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	5 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	5 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	6 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Child mortality - deaths before the age of five

2007	5 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2006	4 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005	5 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007
2004	5 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003	5 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	6 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2000	6 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Births attended by skilled personnel

1997-2005	No data available percent
1996-2004	No data available percent
1995-2003	100 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1995-2002	No data available percent
1995-2001	No data available percent
1995-2000	No data available percent

Maternal mortality

2005	8 per 100,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2000	10 per 100,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006

Human development index (HDI rank)

2005	17	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	13	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	9	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	6	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	6	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	4	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Percentage of children under weight for age (under age 5)
No data available percent

Percentage of undernourished population

2003-2005	<5 percent	U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2008
2002-2004average	<2.5 percent	U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2006
2001-2003average	<2.5 percent	FAO 2006

Food intake falls below the minimum requirement.

Population with access to improved water

2006	No data available percent
2004	100 percent	UNICEF and World Health Organisation (WHO) 2006
2002	No data available percent
2000	No data available percent

Population with access to improved sanitation

2006	No data available percent
2004	100 percent	UNICEF and WHO 2006
2002	No data available percent
2000	No data available percent

Literacy - average

2004	99.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	99.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	99.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	99.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	99.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - male

2004	99.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	99.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	99.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	99.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	99.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - female

2004	99.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	99.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	99.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	99.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	99.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Landlines telephones

2008	421 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2007	443 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2006	452 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2005	460 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2004	463 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2003	473 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2002	480 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2001	502 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2000	494 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009

Cellular telephone subscribers

2008	1116 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2007	1020 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2006	940 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2005	922 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2004	881 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2003	835 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2002	789 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2001	753 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2000	552 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009

Internet users

2008	670 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2007	670 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2006	620 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2005	580 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2004	537 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2003	497 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2002	459 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2001	310 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2000	291 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009

Transparency International corruption ranking (Scale: 1 = least corrupt, >175 = most corrupt)

2008	18 (joint)	Transparency International 2008
2007	21	Transparency International 2007
2006	20 (joint)	Transparency International
2005	19 (joint)	Transparency International
2004	17 (joint)	Transparency International
2003	17	Transparency International
2002	20 (joint)	Transparency International
2001	24	Transparency International
2000	25	Transparency International

Signatory of International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment for the crime of Genocide
Yes (1948)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
Yes (1984)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Yes (1989)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Percentage of population living on less than US$1 a day
No data available percent

GNI per capita, Atlas method

2007	41110 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2006	38800 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005	36330 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004	31780 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003	26290 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	23360 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	23840 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	25360 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

The purpose of the Atlas conversion factor is to reduce the impact of exchange rate fluctuations in a cross-country comparison of national incomes. The Atlas conversion factor for any year is the average of a country's exchange rate (or alternative conversion factor) for that year and its exchange rates for the two preceding years.

GDP

2007	452.8 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2006	397.2 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005	375.5 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004	359.7 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003	310.1 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	251.9 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	231.7 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	231.9 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

Annual GDP growth

2006	3.2 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2005	1.1 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2004	3.0 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2003	1.0 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2002	1.5 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2001	0.8 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2000	3.7 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

Annual inflation

2007	1.6 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2006	2.0 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005	2.5 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004	2.4 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003	1.6 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	1.9 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	2.0 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	1.8 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

Share of income or consumption (poorest 10 percent)
3.4 (latest available year)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008

Share of income or consumption (richest 10 percent)
28.1 (latest available year)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008

Physicians

2000-2004	449 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1990-2004	449 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1990-2003	419 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1990-2002	395 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage HIV+ (adults aged 15-49)

2007	0.2 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2006	0.2 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2005	0.2 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2004	0.2 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2003	0.2 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008

Malaria
No risk
Source: WHO

TB cases

2007	12 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2006	13 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2005	13 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2004	13 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2003	14 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2002	15 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2001	16 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2000	16 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009

Number of refugees originating here

2008	61	UNHCR
2007	60	UNHCR
2006	64	Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
2005	95	UNHCR
2004	45	UNHCR
2003	40	UNHCR
2002	27	UNHCR
2001	13	UNHCR
2000	19	UNHCR

Number of refugees residing here

2008	17026	UNHCR
2007	17575	UNHCR
2006	16820	UNHCR
2005	15282	UNHCR
2004	13529	UNHCR
2003	12596	UNHCR
2002	12578	UNHCR
2001	12265	UNHCR
2000	18832	UNHCR

Number of internally displaced people\Estimate

No data available

Landmine casualties per year

2004	0	Landmine Monitor Report 2005
2003	0	Landmine Monitor Report 2004

Casualty figures may include both civilians and military personnel injured or killed by landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Signatory to landmine convention?
Yes (1997)
Source: Landmine Monitor Report

Percentage of GDP spent on military

2005	1.1 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	1.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	1.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005

Percentage of GDP spent on education

2002-2005	6.1 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2002-2004	6.2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2000-2002	6.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1999-2001	5.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1998-2000	5.9 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage of GDP spent on health

2004	6.9 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2003-2004	6.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2002	6.5 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2001	6.4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2000	6.2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003