King: Albert II Prime Minister-designate: Elio di Rupo
Head of state: King Abdullah II
Population
10,438,353
6,508,887
Life Expectancy
79.650 years
80.180 years
Capital City
Brussels
Amman
Largest city
Brussels (population: 1,019,020)
Amman (population: 1,275,860)
Human Development Index
0.948
0.769
GDP per capita
$38,200 US
$6,000 US
Literacy Rate
99%
89.9%
Corruption Perception Index
7.3
5.1
Percentage of Women in Parliament
36.2%
8.5%
Wealthiest Citizens
Albert Frere ($2.4bn US)
NA
Unemployment Rate
7.700%
12.300%
Death Penalty
Abolished
Legal
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)
25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)
Religions
Roman Catholic 75%, other (includes Protestant) 25%
Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 6% (majority Greek Orthodox, but some Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), other 2% (several small Shia Muslim and Druze populations) (2001 est.)
Languages
Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French)
Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and middle classes
Exports
machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal products, foodstuffs
