Part 69

Defense -------

Branches: Army, Air Force, Air Defense Force, Republic Security Forces (internal and border troops)

Manpower availability: males age 15-49: 2,635,570 males fit for military service: 2,067,676 males reach military age (18) annually: 76,006 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures: 892 billion rubels, 1% of GDP (1995); note - conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results

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@Belgium -------

Map ---

Location: 50 50 N, 4 00 E -- Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands

Flag ----

Description: three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red; the design was based on the flag of France

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 area: 30,510 sq km land area: 30,230 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Maryland

Land boundaries: total: 1,385 km border countries: France 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km, Netherlands 450 km

Coastline: 64 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: median line with neighbors exclusive fishing zone: median line with neighbors (extends about 68 km from coast) territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: none

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

Natural resources: coal, natural gas

Land use: arable land: 24% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 20% forest and woodland: 21% other: 34%

Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment: current issues: Meuse River, a major source of drinking water, polluted from steel production wastes; other rivers polluted by animal wastes and fertilizers; industrial air pollution contributes to acid rain in neighboring countries natural hazards: flooding is a threat in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic Treaty, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea

Geographic note: crossroads of Western Europe; majority of West European capitals within 1,000 km of Brussels which is the seat of the EU

People ------

Population: 10,170,241 (July 1996 est.)