King: Albert II Prime Minister-designate: Elio di Rupo
Interim president: Dioncounda Traore
Population
10,438,353
15,494,466
Life Expectancy
79.650 years
53.060 years
Capital City
Brussels
Bamako
Largest city
Brussels (population: 1,019,020)
Bamako (population: 1,297,280)
Human Development Index
0.948
0.391
GDP per capita
$38,200 US
$1,100 US
Literacy Rate
99%
46.4%
Corruption Perception Index
7.3
3.1
Percentage of Women in Parliament
36.2%
10.2%
Wealthiest Citizens
Albert Frere ($2.4bn US)
NA
Unemployment Rate
7.700%
30.000%
Death Penalty
Abolished
Abolished in practice
Political System
federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy
republic
Independence date
4 October 1830 (a provisional government declared independence from the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King LEOPOLD I ascended to the throne)
22 September 1960 (from France)
Religions
Roman Catholic 75%, other (includes Protestant) 25%
Muslim 90%, Christian 1%, indigenous beliefs 9%
Languages
Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French)
French (official), Bambara 80%, numerous African languages
Exports
machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal products, foodstuffs
cotton, gold, livestock
External Debt
$1,399,000,000,000 $
$3,192,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6802 (2008), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar 438.77 (2008 est.), 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004) note: since 1 January 1999, the XOF franc has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF francs per euro
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.300%
1.900%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
2
0
Location
Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands
