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. Political divisions between the Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the French-speaking Walloons of the south have led in recent years to constitutional amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy. Its capital, Brussels, is home to numerous international organizations including the EU and NATO.

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
 

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
 

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
 

Independence:

4 October 1830 (a provisional government declared independence from the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King LEOPOLD I ascended to the throne)
 

National holiday:

21 July (1831) ascension to the Throne of King LEOPOLD I
 

Constitution:

drafted 25 November 1830, approved 7 February 1831, entered into force 26 July 1831, revised 14 July 1993 (creating a federal state); amended many times, last in 2012 (2012)
 

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
 

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
head of government: Prime Minister Elio DI RUPO (since 6 December 2011); Deputy Prime Minister Alexander DE CROO (since 22 October 2012); Deputy Prime Minister Joelle MILQUET (since 20 March 2008); Deputy Prime Minister Laurette ONKELINX (since 30 December 2008); Deputy Prime Minister Didier REYNDERS (since 30 December 2008); Depurty Prime Minister Johan VANDE LANOTTE (since i6 December 2011); Deputy Prime Minister Pieter DE CREM (since 5 March 2013)
cabinet: Council of Ministers are formally appointed by the monarch
(For more information visit the World Leaders website Opens in New Window)
elections: the monarchy is hereditary and constitutional; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the monarch and approved by parliament
 

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate or Senaat in Dutch, Senat in French (71 seats indirectly elected serve five-year terms) and a Chamber of Deputies or Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers in Dutch, Chambre des Representants in French (150 seats; members directly elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve five-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Deputies - last held on 23 May 2014 (next to be held May 2019); note - elections will coincide with the EU's elections
election results: Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - N-VA 20.3%, PS 11.7%, CD&V 11.6%, Open VLD 9.8%, MR 9.6%, SP.A 8.8%, Groen! 5.3%, CDH 5.0% Workers' Party 3.7%, VB 3.7%, Ecolo 3.3%, FDF 1.8%, the People's Party 1.5%, other 7.2%; seats by party - N-VA 33, PS 23, CD&V 18, Open VLD 14, MR 20, SP.A 13, Groen! 6, CDH 9, Workers' Party 2, VB 3, Ecolo 6, FDF 2, the People's Party 1
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; this reality leaves six governments, each with its own legislative assembly
 

Judicial branch:

highest court(s): 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, and audit issues; magistrate's courts; justices of the peace
 

Political parties and leaders:

Flemish parties: 
Christian Democratic and Flemish or CD&V [Wouter BEKE]
Flemish Liberals and Democrats or Open VLD [Gwendolyn RUTTEN]
Groen! [Wouter VAN BESIEN] (formerly AGALEV, Flemish Greens)
Libertarian, Direct, Democratic or LDD (formerly Dedecker's List) [Jean-Marie DEDECKER]
New Flemish Alliance or N-VA [Bart DE WEVER]
People's Party [Mischael MODRIKAMEN]
Social Progressive Alternative or SP.A [Bruno TOBBACK]
Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) or VB [Gerolf ANNEMANS]
Francophone parties: 
Ecolo (Francophone Greens) [Olivier DELEUZE, Emily HOYOS]
Francophone Federalist Democrats [Olivier MAINGAIN]
Humanist and Democratic Center or CDH [Benoit LUTGEN]
Reform Movement or MR [Charles MICHEL]
Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI RUPO]
Workers' Party [Peter Mertens]
other minor parties
 

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Federation of Enterprises in Belgium [Pieter TIMMERMANS/Pierre Alain DE SMEDT]; Confederation of Christan Trade Unions [Luc CORTEBEECK/Claude ROLIN]; Belgian General Federation of Labor [Rudy DE LEEUW/Anne DEMELENNE]
other: trade unions; numerous other associations representing bankers, manufacturers, middle-class artisans, and the legal and medical professions; various organizations representing the cultural interests of Flanders and Wallonia; various peace groups such as Pax Christi and groups representing immigrants
 

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), 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, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
 

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Johan VERBEKE (since 10 March 2014)
chancery: 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 333-6900
FAX: [1] (202) 338-4960
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York
 

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Denise BAUER (since 7 August 2013)
embassy: 27 Boulevard du Regent [Regentlaan], B-1000 Brussels
mailing address: PSC 82, Box 002, APO AE 09710
telephone: [32] (2) 811-4000
FAX: [32] (2) 811-4500
 

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):

lion
 

National anthem:

name: 'La Brabanconne' (The Song of Brabant)

lyrics/music: Louis-Alexandre DECHET[French] Victor CEULEMANS [Dutch]/Francois VAN CAMPENHOUT
note: adopted 1830; Louis-Alexandre DECHET was an actor at the theater in which the revolution against the Netherlands began; according to legend, he wrote the lyrics with a group of young people in a Brussels cafe

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
country comparison to the world: 141
land: 30,278 sq km
water: 250 sq km
 

Area - comparative:

about the size of Maryland
 

Land boundaries:

total: 1,297 km
border countries: 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 extremes:

lowest point: North Sea 0 m
highest point: Botrange 694 m
 

Natural resources:

construction materials, silica sand, carbonates
 

Land use:

arable land: 27.06%
permanent crops: 0.72%
other: 72.22%
note: includes Luxembourg (2011)
 

Irrigated land:

233.5 sq km (2007)
 

Total renewable water resources:

18.3 cu km (2011)
 

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 6.22 cu km/yr (12%/88%/1%)
per capita: 589.8 cu m/yr (2007)
 

Natural hazards:

flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes
 

Environment - current issues:

the environment is exposed to 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; uncertainties regarding federal and regional responsibilities (now resolved) had slowed progress in tackling environmental challenges
 

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
 

Geography - note:

crossroads of Western Europe; most West European capitals within 1,000 km of Brussels, the seat of both the European Union and NATO

Nationality:
 
noun: Belgian(s)
adjective: Belgian
 

Ethnic groups:

Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11%
 

Languages:

Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French)
 

Religions:

Roman Catholic 75%, other (includes Protestant) 25%
 

Population:

10,449,361 (July 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84
 

Age structure:

0-14 years: 15.6% (male 830,980/female 797,624)
15-24 years: 11.7% (male 624,486/female 598,904)
25-54 years: 40.4% (male 2,131,869/female 2,086,212)
55-64 years: 13.3% (male 690,395/female 704,284)
65 years and over: 19% (male 836,685/female 1,147,922) (2014 est.)
population pyramid:  
 

Dependency ratios:

total dependency ratio: 54.8 %
youth dependency ratio: 26.4 %
elderly dependency ratio: 28.4 %
potential support ratio: 3.5 (2014 est.)
 

Median age:

total: 43.1 years
male: 41.7 years
female: 44.4 years (2014 est.)
 

Population growth rate:

0.05% (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 188
 

Birth rate:

9.99 births/1,000 population (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 193
 

Death rate:

10.76 deaths/1,000 population (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 38
 

Net migration rate:

1.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 57
 

Urbanization:

urban population: 97.5% of total population (2011)
rate of urbanization: 0.32% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
 

Major urban areas - population:

BRUSSELS (capital) 1.949 million; Antwerp 959,000 (2011)
 

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2014 est.)
 

Mother's mean age at first birth:

28 (2010 est.)
 

Maternal mortality rate:

8 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
country comparison to the world: 156
 

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.18 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 194
male: 4.67 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2014 est.)
 

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 79.92 years
country comparison to the world: 37
male: 76.76 years
female: 83.22 years (2014 est.)
 

Total fertility rate:

1.65 children born/woman (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 176
 

Contraceptive prevalence rate:

70.4%
note: percent of women aged 18-49 (2010)
 

Health expenditures:

10.6% of GDP (2011)
country comparison to the world: 20
 

density:

3.78 physicians/1,000 population (2010)
 

Hospital bed density:

6.5 beds/1,000 population (2011)
 

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 (2012 est.)
 

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 (2012 est.)
 

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.2% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 108
 

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

14,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94
 

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 100 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 125
 

Obesity - adult prevalence rate:

22.1% (2008)
country comparison to the world: 83
 

Education expenditures:

6.6% of GDP (2010)
country comparison to the world: 30
 

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2003 est.)
 

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 16 years
male: 16 years
female: 17 years (2011)
 

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:

total: 19.8%
country comparison to the world: 60
male: 20.4%
female: 19.8% (2012)

Telephones - main lines in use:
 
4.631 million (2012)
country comparison to the world: 33
 

Telephones - mobile cellular:

12.88 million (2012)
country comparison to the world: 67
 

Telephone system:

general assessment: highly developed, technologically advanced, and completely automated domestic and international telephone and telegraph facilities
domestic: nationwide mobile-cellular telephone system; extensive cable network; limited microwave radio relay network
international: country code - 32; landing point for a number of submarine cables that provide links to Europe, the Middle East, and Asia; satellite earth stations - 7 (Intelsat - 3) (2007)
 

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 co-existing with private broadcasters (2007)
 

Internet country code:

.be
 

Internet hosts:

5.192 million (2012)
country comparison to the world: 21
 

Internet users:

8.113 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 36

Airports:
 
41 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 102
 

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 (2013)
 

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 15
under 914 m: 
15 (2013)
 

Heliports:

1 (2013)
 

Pipelines:

gas 3,139 km; oil 154 km; refined products 535 km (2013)
 

Railways:

total: 3,233 km
country comparison to the world: 55
standard gauge: 3,233 km 1.435-m gauge (2,950 km electrified) (2008)
 

Roadways:

total: 154,012 km
country comparison to the world: 31
paved: 120,514 km (includes 1,756 km of expressways)
unpaved: 33,498 km (2010)
 

Waterways:

2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use) (2012)
country comparison to the world: 42
 

Merchant marine:

total: 87
country comparison to the world: 56
by type: bulk carrier 23, cargo 15, chemical tanker 5, container 4, liquefied gas 23, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 8, roll on/roll off 7
foreign-owned: 15 (Denmark 4, France 7, Russia 1, UK 2, US 1)
registered in other countries: 107 (Bahamas 6, Cambodia 1, Cyprus 3, France 7, Gibraltar 1, Greece 17, Hong Kong 26, Liberia 1, Luxembourg 11, Malta 7, Marshall Islands 1, Mozambique 2, North Korea 1, Panama 1, Portugal 8, Russia 4, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 7, Singapore 1, Vanuatu 1) (2010)
 

Ports and terminals:

major seaport(s): Oostende, Zeebrugge
river port(s): Antwerp, Gent (Schelde River); Brussels (Senne River); Liege (Meuse River)
container port(s) (TEUs): Antwerp (8,664,243), Zeebrugge (2,207,257) (2011)
LNG terminal(s) (import): Zeebrugge

Electricity - production:
 
83.37 billion kWh (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 38
 

Electricity - consumption:

84.68 billion kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 37
 

Electricity - exports:

6.911 billion kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 24
 

Electricity - imports:

16.85 billion kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 12
 

Electricity - installed generating capacity:

18.32 million kW (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 41
 

Electricity - from fossil fuels:

43.6% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164
 

Electricity - from nuclear fuels:

32.3% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 2
 

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:

0.6% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 144
 

Electricity - from other renewable sources:

16.3% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 12
 

Crude oil - production:

10,530 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 89
 

Crude oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 83
 

Crude oil - imports:

667,700 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16
 

Crude oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107
 

Refined petroleum products - production:

720,000 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 24
 

Refined petroleum products - consumption:

644,400 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28
 

Refined petroleum products - exports:

442,800 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16
 

Refined petroleum products - imports:

355,100 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 17
 

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102
 

Natural gas - consumption:

13.46 billion cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 42
 

Natural gas - exports:

21.18 billion cu m (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 18
 

Natural gas - imports:

38.9 billion cu m (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 14
 

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
 

dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:

131.1 million Mt (2011 est.)

A total of 453 Realistic Export Opportunities (REOs) from South Africa to Belgium are identified based on the North-West University’s (South Africa) TRADE Decision Support Model (DSM).

The methodology is a very useful instrument to identify market opportunities globally for one’s product and also provides a good reference for one to be able to prioritise marketing efforts based on the value and size of these opportunities.

The TRADE-DSM Navigator provides sound information that companies are able to use in developing their export marketing strategy and forms the basis and guidance for further research should this be required.

In total 453 of the products associated with import demand are identified as realistic export opportunities. The relative 'untapped' potential of the market opportunity is shown in the chart below:

A total 'untapped' potential from South Africa's perspective of approximately 9.10 (in million US dollar terms) based on the average value of the top 6 supplying countries (excluding South Africa) are associated with these specific product export opportunities.

The highest number of identified opportunities are associated with the economic sector of

Food (301-304) .

Not all sectors will be present, as not all economic sectors (some of which are based on economic activity while the REOs are based on traded products) are relevant for all products. However, various other sectors also do exhibit potential.

While the above examples are based on high level economic sectors, the information is available at a much more granular level on the HS 6-digit tariff code level. To demonstrate the following example of a product description is provided:

HS CHAPTER 84:
NUCLEAR REACTORS, BOILERS, MACHINERY AND MECHANICAL APPLIANCES; PARTS THEREOF
Sub-heading 84.27:
Fork-lift trucks; other works trucks fitted with lifting or handling equipment:
HS 6-digit product code 8427.10:
Self-propelled trucks powered by an electric motor.

Research reports containing more detailed information related to these realistic export opportunities (down to product level as illustrated with the above product description) for each country are available from TIKZN.

Please contact us if you are interested in more detail by clicking here.

For an example of a more detailed country report please click here.

Please note that a more up-to-date version for the specific country report used in this example is available from TIKZN. This report is provided for demonstration purposes only and should not be used for any decision-making.

For more in-depth research you can also contact our NWU knowledge partners at
TRADE Research Advisory.

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