Names: conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium conventional short form: Belgium local long form: Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie local short form: Belgique/Belgie

Capital City: Brussels

Population: 10,379,067 (July 2006 est.)

GDP Per Capita: $31,800 (2006 est.)

Currency: euro (EUR) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

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

Total Area: total: 30,528 sq km land: 30,278 sq km water: 250 sq km about the size of Maryland

Region: Europe

Industries: engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, transportation equipment, scientific instruments, processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum

Agriculture: sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk

Resources: construction materials, silica sand, carbonates

Labor Force: 4.89 million (2006 est.)
agriculture: 1.3% industry: 24.5% services: 74.2% (2003 est.)

Exports: $335.3 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal products, foodstuffs

Imports: $333.5 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, transportation equipment, oil products

Overview: This modern, private-enterprise economy has capitalized on its central geographic location, highly developed transport network, and diversified industrial and commercial base. Industry is concentrated mainly in the populous Flemish area in the north. With few natural resources, Belgium must import substantial quantities of raw materials and export a large volume of manufactures, making its economy unusually dependent on the state of world markets. Roughly three-quarters of its trade is with other EU countries. Public debt is more than 90% of GDP. On the positive side, the government has succeeded in balancing its budget, and income distribution is relatively equal. Belgium began circulating the euro currency in January 2002. Economic growth in 2001-03 dropped sharply because of the global economic slowdown, with moderate recovery in 2004-06.

_{CIA World Book}

In 2007 Missouri exported $423,836,021 in goods to Belgium. This ranks Belgium 9^th among the 223 international buyers of Missouri goods. Missouri exports to Belgium increased from the previous year by $51,836,983 a change of 13.93%. State exports to Belgium have increased over the last 5 years by $301,520,472 a change of 246.51%. Missouri exports account for 3.16%. of all 2007 US exports to Belgium.

Chemicals at $307,224,821 was the largest export in 2007. The largest dollar gain was Chemicals with an increase of $104,358,398 a 51.44% change. The biggest dollar loss was in Food And kindred Products with an decrease of $56,825,033 a -91.19% change.