King: Albert II Prime Minister-designate: Elio di Rupo
Queen: Margrethe II Prime Minister: Helle Thorning-Schmidt
Population
10,438,353
5,543,453
Life Expectancy
79.650 years
78.780 years
Capital City
Brussels
Copenhagen
Largest city
Brussels (population: 1,019,020)
Copenhagen (population: 1,153,620)
Human Development Index
0.948
0.952
GDP per capita
$38,200 US
$37,600 US
Literacy Rate
99%
99%
Corruption Perception Index
7.3
9.3
Percentage of Women in Parliament
36.2%
38%
Wealthiest Citizens
Albert Frere ($2.4bn US)
Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen ($2.1bn US)
Unemployment Rate
7.700%
6.000%
Death Penalty
Abolished
Abolished
Political System
federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy
constitutional monarchy
Independence date
4 October 1830 (a provisional government declared independence from the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King LEOPOLD I ascended to the throne)
first organized as a unified state in 10th century; in 1849 became a constitutional monarchy
Religions
Roman Catholic 75%, other (includes Protestant) 25%
Evangelical Lutheran 95%, other Christian (includes Protestant and Roman Catholic) 3%, Muslim 2%
Languages
Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French)
Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect), German (small minority) note: English is the predominant second language
Exports
machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal products, foodstuffs
machinery and instruments, meat and meat products, dairy products, fish, pharmaceuticals, furniture, windmills
External Debt
$1,399,000,000,000 $
$626,900,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6802 (2008), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)
Danish kroner (DKK) per US dollar - 5.0236 (2008 est.), 5.4797 (2007), 5.9468 (2006), 5.9969 (2005), 5.9911 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.300%
1.300%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
2
7
Location
Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands
Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, on a peninsula north of Germany (Jutland); also includes two major islands (Sjaelland and Fyn)
