Belgium:

Belgium :: Population: 10,438,353

Background:

     Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830; it was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. The country prospered in the past half century as a modern, technologically advanced European state and member of NATO and the EU. Tensions between the Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the French-speaking Walloons of the south have led in recent years to constitutional amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy.

Geography:

    Crossroads of Western Europe; most West European capitals within 1,000 km of Brussels, the seat of both the European Union and NATO

Location:     Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands

Geographic coordinates:  50 50 N, 4 00 E

Area:  total: 30,528 sq km land: 30,278 sq km water: 250 sq km

Size comparison: about the size of Maryland

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

Coastline:     66.5 km

Maritime claims:     territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: geographic coordinates define outer limit continental shelf: median line with neighbors

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

Elevation extremes:          lowest point: North Sea 0 m highest point: Botrange 694 m

Natural resources:  construction materials, silica sand, carbonates

Land use:     arable land: 27.42% permanent crops: 0.69% other: 71.89% note: includes Luxembourg (2005)

Irrigated land:        230 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:     flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes

Current Environment Issues:      the environment is exposed to intense pressures from human activities: urbanization, dense transportation network, industry, extensive animal breeding and crop cultivation; air and water pollution also have repercussions for neighboring countries; uncertainties regarding federal and regional responsibilities (now resolved) had slowed progress in tackling environmental challenges

International Environment Agreements:          party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

People:     

          Population:  10,438,353 (July 2012 est.)

Age structure:        0-14 years: 15.9% (male 846,706/female 812,486) 15-64 years: 66.1% (male 3,475,404/female 3,416,060) 65 years and over: 18% (male 783,895/female 1,096,926) (2011 est.)

Median age: total: 42.6 years male: 41.2 years female: 43.9 years (2012 est.)

Population growth rate:    0.061% (2012 est.)

Birth rate:     10.03 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)

Death rate:   10.63 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)

Net migration rate:  1.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.)

Sex ratio:     at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate:         total: 4.28 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.79 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:   total population: 79.65 years male: 76.49 years female: 82.95 years (2012 est.)

Total fertility rate:   1.65 children born/woman (2012 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:       0.2% (2009 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:    14,000 (2009 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:         fewer than 100 (2009 est.)

Nationality:   noun: Belgian(s) adjective: Belgian

Ethnic groups:       Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11%

Religions:     Roman Catholic 75%, other (includes Protestant) 25%

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

Literacy:      definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)

Government:

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

Government type:  federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy

Capital:        name: Brussels geographic coordinates: 50 50 N, 4 20 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:  3 regions (French: regions, singular - region; Dutch: gewesten, singular - gewest); Brussels-Capital Region, also known as Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest (Dutch), Region de Bruxelles-Capitale (French long form), Bruxelles-Capitale (French short form); Flemish Region (Flanders), also known as Vlaams Gewest (Dutch long form), Vlaanderen (Dutch short form), Region Flamande (French long form), Flandre (French short form); Walloon Region (Wallonia), also known as Region Wallone (French long form), Wallonie (French short form), Waals Gewest (Dutch long form), Wallonie (Dutch short form) note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a complex division of responsibilities

Independence:       4 October 1830 (a provisional government declared independence from the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King LEOPOLD I ascended to the throne)

National holiday:    21 July (1831) ascension to the Throne of King LEOPOLD I

Constitution:          drafted 25 November 1830; approved by a Belgium National Congress 7 February 1831; entered into force 26 July 1831; amended many times; revised 14 July 1993 to create a federal state; in 1967 an official Dutch version of the constitution was adopted; in 1991 an official German version of the constitution was adopted; in 1993 an official consolidated version of the constitution was adopted

Legal system:         civil law system based on the French Civil Code; note - Belgian law continues to be modified in conformance with the legislative norms mandated by the European Union; judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage:      18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:  chief of state: King ALBERT II (since 9 August 1993); Heir Apparent Prince PHILIPPE, son of the monarch head of government: Prime Minister Elio DI RUPO (since 6 December 2011); cabinet: Council of Ministers are formally appointed by the monarch (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: the monarchy is hereditary and constitutional; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the monarch and then approved by parliament

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate or Senaat in Dutch, Senat in French (71 seats; 40 members directly elected by popular vote, 31 indirectly elected; members serve four-year terms) and a Chamber of Deputies or Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers in Dutch, Chambre des Representants in French (150 seats; members directly elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate and Chamber of Deputies - last held on 13 June 2010 (next to be held no later than June 2014) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - N-VA 19.6%, PS 13.6%, CD&V 10%, sp.a 9.5%, MR 9.3%, Open VLD 8.2%, VB 7.6%, Ecolo 5.5%, CDH 5.1% Groen! 3.9%, other 7.7%; seats by party - N-VA 9, PS 7, CD&V 4, sp.a 4, MR 4, Open VLD 4, VB 3, Ecolo 2, CDH 2, Groen! 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - N-VA 17.4%, PS 13.7%, CD&V 10.9%, MR 9.3%, sp.a 9.2%, Open VLD 8.6%, VB 7.8%, CDH 5.5%, Ecolo 4.8%, Groen! 4.4%, List Dedecker 2.3%, the Popular Party 1.3%, other 4.8%; seats by party - N-VA 27, PS 26, CD&V 17, MR 18, sp.a 13, Open VLD 13, VB 12, CDH 9, Ecolo 8, Groen! 5, List Dedecker 1, the Popular Party 1 note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a complex division of responsibilities; this reality leaves six governments, each with its own legislative assembly

Judicial branch:      Constitutional Court (12 judges, 6 Dutch-speaking and 6 French-speaking, appointed by the King); Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie (in Dutch) or Cour de Cassation (in French) (judges are appointed for life by the government; candidacies have to be submitted by the High Justice Council)

Political parties and leaders:       Flemish parties: Christian Democratic and Flemish or CDV [Wouter BEKE]; Flemish Liberals and Democrats or Open VLD [Alexander DE CROO]; Groen! [Wouter VAN BESIEN] (formerly AGALEV, Flemish Greens); Libertarian, Direct, Democratic or LDD (formerly Dedecker's List) [Jean-Marie DEDECKER]; New Flemish Alliance or N-VA [Bart DE WEVER]; Social Progressive Alternative or SP.A [Bruno TOBBACK]; Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) or VB [Bruno VALKENIERS] Francophone parties: Ecolo (Francophone Greens) [Jean-Michel JAVAUX, Sarah TURINE]; Humanist and Democratic Center or CDH [Benoit LUTGEN]; Popular Party or PP [ Mischael MODRIKAMEN]; Reform Movement or MR [Charles MICHEL]; Socialist Party or PS [Thierry GIET]; other minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:  Federation of Belgian Industries other: trade unions; numerous other associations representing bankers, manufacturers, middle-class artisans, and the legal and medical professions; various organizations represent the cultural interests of Flanders and Wallonia; various peace groups such as Pax Christi and groups representing immigrants

International organization participation:          ADB (nonregional members), AfDB (nonregional members), Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:    chief of mission: Ambassador Jan MATTHYSEN chancery: 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-6900 FAX: [1] (202) 333-3079 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:         chief of mission: Ambassador Howard W. GUTMAN embassy: 27 Boulevard du Regent [Regentlaan], B-1000 Brussels mailing address: PSC 82, Box 002, APO AE 09710 telephone: [32] (2) 508-2111 FAX: [32] (2) 511-2725

Economy:

           This modern, open, and private-enterprise-based economy has capitalized on its central geographic location, highly developed transport network, and diversified industrial and commercial base. Industry is concentrated mainly in the more heavily-populated region of Flanders in the north. With few natural resources, Belgium imports substantial quantities of raw materials and exports a large volume of manufactures, making its economy vulnerable to volatility in world markets. Roughly three-quarters of Belgium's trade is with other EU countries, and Belgium has benefited most from its proximity to Germany. In 2011 Belgian GDP grew by 2.0%, the unemployment rate decreased slightly to 7.7% from 8.3% the previous year, and the government reduced the budget deficit from a peak of 6% of GDP in 2009 to 4.2% in 2011. Despite the relative improvement in Belgium's budget deficit, public debt hovers near 100% of GDP, a factor that has contributed to investor perceptions that the country is increasingly vulnerable to spillover from the euro-zone crisis. Belgian banks were severely affected by the international financial crisis in 2008 with three major banks receiving capital injections from the government, and the nationalization of the Belgian arm of a Franco-Belgian bank. An ageing population and rising social expenditures are mid- to long-term challenges to public finances.

GDP (purchasing power parity):          GDP (purchasing power parity): $418.6 billion (2011 est.) $410.8 billion (2010 est.) $401.7 billion (2009 est.) note: data are in 2011 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):     GDP (official exchange rate): $513.4 billion (2011 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:    1.9% (2011 est.) 2.3% (2010 est.) -2.8% (2009 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):  GDP - per capita (PPP): $38,200 (2011 est.) $37,900 (2010 est.) $37,400 (2009 est.) note: data are in 2011 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:   agriculture: 0.7% industry: 21.7% services: 77.6% (2011 est.)

Labor force: 5.177 million (2011 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:     agriculture: 2% industry: 25% services: 73% (2007 est.)

Unemployment rate:         7.7% (2011 est.) 8.3% (2010 est.)

Population below poverty line:   15.2% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:  lowest 10%: 3.4% highest 10%: 28.4% (2006)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:     28 (2005) 28.7 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.5% (2011 est.) 2.3% (2010 est.)

Investment (gross fixed): Investment (gross fixed): 20.8% of GDP (2011 est.)

Budget:        revenues: $249.6 billion expenditures: $271.2 billion (2011 est.)

Public debt: 99.7% of GDP (2011 est.) 96.2% of GDP (2010 est.) note: data cover general government debt, and includes debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment. Debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions.

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

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

Industrial production growth rate:        5.6% (2011 est.)

Electricity - production:   84.2 billion kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity - consumption:          84.78 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - exports:        11.32 billion kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity - imports:        1.837 billion kWh (2009 est.)

Oil - production:    11,220 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Oil - consumption: 622,600 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Oil - exports:         353,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - imports:         1.007 million bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - proved reserves:      0 bbl (1 January 2011 est.)

Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2010 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:        19.53 billion cu m (2010 est.)

Natural gas - exports:       0 cu m (2010 est.)

Natural gas - imports:      19.32 billion cu m (2010 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:    0 cu m (1 January 2011 est.)

Current account balance: -$4.2 billion (2011 est.) $6.351 billion (2010 est.)

Exports:       $344.9 billion (2011 est.) $279.7 billion (2010 est.)

Exports - commodities:   machinery and equipment, chemicals, finished diamonds, metals and metal products, foodstuffs

Exports - partners: Germany 18.7%, France 16.9%, Netherlands 12.5%, UK 7.2%, Italy 4.6%, US 4.5% (2011)

Imports:       $355.1 billion (2011 est.) $284.4 billion (2010 est.)

Imports - commodities:   raw materials, machinery and equipment, chemicals, raw diamonds, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, transportation equipment, oil products

Imports - partners: Netherlands 19.9%, Germany 14.8%, France 10.7%, UK 6%, US 5.3%, Ireland 4.5%, China 4.2% (2011)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:        $29.43 billion (31 December 2011 est.) $26.81 billion

Debt - external:      $1.399 trillion (30 June 2011) $1.241 trillion (30 June 2010)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: $1.068 trillion (31 December 2011 est.) $988.3 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:  $943.5 billion (31 December 2011 est.) $868.6 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares:          $229.9 billion (31 December 2011) $269.3 billion (31 December 2010) $261.4 billion (31 December 2009)

Exchange rates:      euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7106 (2011 est.) 0.754 (2010 est.) 0.7198 (2009 est.) 0.6827 (2008 est.) 0.7345 (2007 est.)

Fiscal year:  calendar year

Communications: 

           Telephones in use:         4.64 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 32

Cellular Phones in use:     12.154 million (2009)

  Telephone system:         general assessment: highly developed, technologically advanced, and completely automated domestic and international telephone and telegraph facilities domestic: nationwide mobile-cellular telephone system; extensive cable network; limited microwave radio relay network international: country code - 32; landing point for a number of submarine cables that provide links to Europe, the Middle East, and Asia; satellite earth stations - 7 (Intelsat - 3) (2007)

Radio broadcast stations:

Television broadcast stations:   

Internet country code:      .be

Internet hosts:        5.18 million (2010)

Internet users:        8.113 million (2009)

Transportation:

      Airports:          43 (2012) country comparison to the world: 100

Airports (paved runways):         total: 27 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 9 (2012)

Airports (unpaved runways):     total: 16 under 914 m: 16 (2012)

Heliports:     1 (2012)

Pipelines:     gas 2,826 km; oil 154 km; refined products 535 km (2010)

Railways:     total: 3,233 km standard gauge: 3,233 km 1.435-m gauge (2,950 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways:   total: 153,595 km paved: 120,111 km (includes 1,763 km of expressways) unpaved: 33,484 km (2006)

Waterways:  2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use) (2012)

Merchant marine:   total: 87 by type: bulk carrier 23, cargo 15, chemical tanker 5, container 4, liquefied gas 23, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 8, roll on/roll off 7 foreign-owned: 15 (Denmark 4, France 7, Russia 1, UK 2, US 1) registered in other countries: 107 (Bahamas 6, Cambodia 1, Cyprus 3, France 7, Gibraltar 1, Greece 17, Hong Kong 26, Liberia 1, Luxembourg 11, Malta 7, Marshall Islands 1, Mozambique 2, North Korea 1, Panama 1, Portugal 8, Russia 4, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 7, Singapore 1, Vanuatu 1) (2010)

Ports and terminals:         cargo ports (tonnage): Antwerp, Gent, Liege, Zeebrugge container ports (TEUs): Antwerp (8,662,891), Zeebrugge (2,209,715)

Military:

      

Military branches:  Belgian Armed Forces: Land Operations Command, Naval Operations Command, Air Operations Commands (2010)

Military service age and obligation:      18 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 1994 (2012)

Manpower available for military service:        males age 16-49: 2,359,232 females age 16-49: 2,291,689 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:        males age 16-49: 1,934,957 females age 16-49: 1,877,268 (2010 est.)

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA::USA

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA::USA

History:

      Britain's American colonies broke with the mother country in 1776 and were recognized as the new nation of the United States of America following the Treaty of Paris in 1783. During the 19th and 20th centuries, 37 new states were added to the original 13 as the nation expanded across the North American continent and acquired a number of overseas possessions. The two most traumatic experiences in the nation's history were the Civil War (1861-65), in which a northern Union of states defeated a secessionist Confederacy of 11 southern slave states, and the Great Depression of the 1930s, an economic downturn during which about a quarter of the labor force lost its jobs. Buoyed by victories in World Wars I and II and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the US remains the world's most powerful nation state. Since the end of World War II, the economy has achieved relatively steady growth, low unemployment and inflation, and rapid advances in technology.

 Geography:

      World's third-largest country by size (after Russia and Canada) and by population (after China and India); Mt. McKinley is highest point in North America and Death Valley the lowest point on the continent

Location: North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico

Geographic coordinates: 38 00 N, 97 00 W

Area:       total: 9,826,675 sq km land: 9,161,966 sq km water: 664,709 sq km note: includes only the 50 states and District of Columbia

Size comparison: about half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the size of Africa; about half the size of South America (or slightly larger than Brazil); slightly larger than China; more than twice the size of the European Union

Land Boundaries:    total: 12,034 km border countries: Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with Alaska), Mexico 3,141 km note: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba is leased by the US and is part of Cuba; the base boundary is 28 km

Coastline:        19,924 km

Maritime claims:   territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: not specified

Climate:   mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida, arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the Mississippi River, and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest; low winter temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in January and February by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains

Terrain: vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low mountains in east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys in Alaska; rugged, volcanic topography in Hawaii

Elevation extremes:        lowest point: Death Valley -86 m highest point: Mount McKinley 6,194 m note: the peak of Mauna Kea (4,207 m above sea level) on the island of Hawaii rises about 10,200 m above the Pacific Ocean floor; by this measurement, it is the world's tallest mountain - higher than Mount Everest, which is recognized as the tallest mountain above sea level

Natural resources:   coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, rare earth elements, uranium, bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, petroleum, natural gas, timber note: the US has the world's largest coal reserves with 491 billion short tons accounting for 27% of the world's total

  Land use:      arable land: 18.01% permanent crops: 0.21% other: 81.78% (2005)

Irrigated land:  230,000 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:      tsunamis; volcanoes; earthquake activity around Pacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts; tornadoes in the Midwest and Southeast; mud slides in California; forest fires in the west; flooding; permafrost in northern Alaska, a major impediment to development volcanism: volcanic activity in the Hawaiian Islands, Western Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, and in the Northern Mariana Islands; both Mauna Loa (elev. 4,170 m) in Hawaii and Mount Rainier (elev. 4,392 m) in Washington have been deemed "Decade Volcanoes" by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to their explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Pavlof (elev. 2,519 m) is the most active volcano in Alaska's Aleutian Arc and poses a significant threat to air travel since the area constitutes a major flight path between North America and East Asia; St. Helens (elev. 2,549 m, famous for the devastating 1980 eruption, remains active today; numerous other historically active volcanoes exist, mostly concentrated in the Aleutian arc and Hawaii; they include: in Alaska: Aniakchak, Augustine, Chiginagak, Fourpeaked, Iliamna, Katmai, Kupreanof, Martin, Novarupta, Redoubt, Spurr, Wrangell; in Hawaii: Trident, Ugashik-Peulik, Ukinrek Maars, Veniaminof; in the Northern Mariana Islands: Anatahan; and in the Pacific Northwest: Mount Baker, Mount Hood

Current Environment Issues:  air pollution resulting in acid rain in both the US and Canada; the US is the largest single emitter of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels; water pollution from runoff of pesticides and fertilizers; limited natural freshwater resources in much of the western part of the country require careful management; desertification

International Environment Agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes

  People

Population:    313,847,465 (July 2012 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 20.1% (male 32,107,900/female 30,781,823) 15-64 years: 66.8% (male 104,411,352/female 104,808,064) 65 years and over: 13.1% (male 17,745,363/female 23,377,542) (2011 est.)

Median age:    total: 37.1 years male: 35.8 years female: 38.5 years (2012 est.)

Population growth rate:  0.899% (2012 est.)

Birth rate:        13.68 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)

Death rate:      8.39 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)

Net migration rate:  3.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate:       total: 5.98 deaths/1,000 live births male: 6.64 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.49 years male: 76.05 years female: 81.05 years (2012 est.)

Total fertility rate:   2.06 children born/woman (2012 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.6% (2009 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:    1.2 million (2009 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 17,000 (2009 est.)

Nationality:     noun: American(s) adjective: American

Ethnic groups: white 79.96%, black 12.85%, Asian 4.43%, Amerindian and Alaska native 0.97%, native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander 0.18%, two or more races 1.61% (July 2007 estimate) note: a separate listing for Hispanic is not included because the US Census Bureau considers Hispanic to mean persons of Spanish/Hispanic/Latino origin including those of Mexican, Cuban, Puerto Rican, Dominican Republic, Spanish, and Central or South American origin living in the US who may be of any race or ethnic group (white, black, Asian, etc.); about 15.1% of the total US population is Hispanic

Religions:        Protestant 51.3%, Roman Catholic 23.9%, Mormon 1.7%, other Christian 1.6%, Jewish 1.7%, Buddhist 0.7%, Muslim 0.6%, other or unspecified 2.5%, unaffiliated 12.1%, none 4% (2007 est.)

Languages:      English 82.1%, Spanish 10.7%, other Indo-European 3.8%, Asian and Pacific island 2.7%, other 0.7% (2000 census) note: Hawaiian is an official language in the state of Hawaii

Literacy:  definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)

 

 Government:

Country name:        conventional long form: United States of America conventional short form: United States abbreviation: US or USA

Government type:   Constitution-based federal republic; strong democratic tradition

Capital:    name: Washington, DC geographic coordinates: 38 53 N, 77 02 W time difference: UTC-5 (during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November note: the 50 United States cover six time zones

Administrative divisions: 50 states and 1 district*; Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia*, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

Dependent areas:

         American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Wake Island note: from 18 July 1947 until 1 October 1994, the US administered the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands; it entered into a political relationship with all four political entities: the Northern Mariana Islands is a commonwealth in political union with the US (effective 3 November 1986); the Republic of the Marshall Islands signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 21 October 1986); the Federated States of Micronesia signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 3 November 1986); Palau concluded a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 1 October 1994)

Independence: 4 July 1776 (declared); 3 September 1783 (recognized by Great Britain)

National holiday:    

Constitution:  17 September 1787, effective 4 March 1789

Legal system:  common law system based on English common law at the federal level; state legal systems based on common law except Louisiana, which is based on Napoleonic civil code; judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage:  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:   chief of state: President Barack H. OBAMA (since 20 January 2009); Vice President Joseph R. BIDEN (since 20 January 2009); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Barack H. OBAMA (since 20 January 2009); Vice President Joseph R. BIDEN (since 20 January 2009) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with Senate approval (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by a college of representatives who are elected directly from each state; president and vice president serve four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held on 6 November 2012) election results: Barack H. OBAMA elected president; percent of popular vote - Barack H. OBAMA 52.4%, John MCCAIN 46.3%, other 1.3%;

Legislative branch:  bicameral Congress consists of the Senate (100 seats, 2 members elected from each state by popular vote to serve six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the House of Representatives (435 seats; members directly elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms) elections: Senate - last held on 2 November 2010 (next to be held in November 2012); House of Representatives - last held on 2 November 2010 (next to be held in November 2012) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 51, Republican Party 47, independent 2; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 192, Republican Party 243

Judicial branch:       Supreme Court (nine justices; nominated by the president and confirmed with the advice and consent of the Senate; appointed to serve for life); United States Courts of Appeal; United States District Courts; State and County Courts

Political parties and leaders:   Democratic Party [Debbie Wasserman SCHULTZ]; Green Party; Libertarian Party [Mark HINKLE]; Republican Party [Reince PRIEBUS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:     environmentalists; business groups; labor unions; churches; ethnic groups; political action committees or PAC; health groups; education groups; civic groups; youth groups; transportation groups; agricultural groups; veterans groups; women's groups; reform lobbies

International organization participation: ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), ANZUS, APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CD, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CICA (observer), CP, EAPC, EAS, EBRD, FAO, FATF, G-20, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAFTA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SELEC (observer), SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNRWA, UNSC (permanent), UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

 

 Economy:

 The US has the largest and most technologically powerful economy in the world, with a per capita GDP of $48,100. In this market-oriented economy, private individuals and business firms make most of the decisions, and the federal and state governments buy needed goods and services predominantly in the private marketplace. US business firms enjoy greater flexibility than their counterparts in Western Europe and Japan in decisions to expand capital plant, to lay off surplus workers, and to develop new products. At the same time, they face higher barriers to enter their rivals' home markets than foreign firms face entering US markets. US firms are at or near the forefront in technological advances, especially in computers and in medical, aerospace, and military equipment; their advantage has narrowed since the end of World War II. The onrush of technology largely explains the gradual development of a "two-tier labor market" in which those at the bottom lack the education and the professional/technical skills of those at the top and, more and more, fail to get comparable pay raises, health insurance coverage, and other benefits. Since 1975, practically all the gains in household income have gone to the top 20% of households. Since 1996, dividends and capital gains have grown faster than wages or any other category of after-tax income. Imported oil accounts for nearly 55% of US consumption. Oil prices doubled between 2001 and 2006, the year home prices peaked; higher gasoline prices ate into consumers' budgets and many individuals fell behind in their mortgage payments. Oil prices increased another 50% between 2006 and 2008. In 2008, soaring oil prices threatened inflation and caused deterioration in the US merchandise trade deficit, which peaked at $840 billion. In 2009, with the global recession deepening, oil prices dropped 40% and the US trade deficit shrank, as US domestic demand declined, but in 2011 the trade deficit ramped back up to $803 billion, as oil prices climbed once more. The global economic downturn, the sub-prime mortgage crisis, investment bank failures, falling home prices, and tight credit pushed the United States into a recession by mid-2008. GDP contracted until the third quarter of 2009, making this the deepest and longest downturn since the Great Depression. To help stabilize financial markets, in October 2008 the US Congress established a $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). The government used some of these funds to purchase equity in US banks and industrial corporations, much of which had been returned to the government by early 2011. In January 2009 the US Congress passed and President Barack OBAMA signed a bill providing an additional $787 billion fiscal stimulus to be used over 10 years - two-thirds on additional spending and one-third on tax cuts - to create jobs and to help the economy recover. In 2010 and 2011, the federal budget deficit reached nearly 9% of GDP; total government revenues from taxes and other sources are lower, as a percentage of GDP, than that of most other developed countries. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan required major shifts in national resources from civilian to military purposes and contributed to the growth of the US budget deficit and public debt - through 2011, the direct costs of the wars totaled nearly $900 billion, according to US government figures. In March 2010, President OBAMA signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, a health insurance reform bill that will extend coverage to an additional 32 million American citizens by 2016, through private health insurance for the general population and Medicaid for the impoverished. Total spending on health care - public plus private - rose from 9.0% of GDP in 1980 to 17.9% in 2010. In July 2010, the president signed the DODD-FRANK Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, a bill designed to promote financial stability by protecting consumers from financial abuses, ending taxpayer bailouts of financial firms, dealing with troubled banks that are "too big to fail," and improving accountability and transparency in the financial system - in particular, by requiring certain financial derivatives to be traded in markets that are subject to government regulation and oversight. Long-term problems include inadequate investment in deteriorating infrastructure, rapidly rising medical and pension costs of an aging population, sizable current account and budget deficits - including significant budget shortages for state governments - energy shortages, and stagnation of wages for lower-income families.

GDP (purchasing power parity):     GDP (purchasing power parity): $15.29 trillion (2011 est.) $15.03 trillion (2010 est.) $14.58 trillion (2009 est.) note: data are in 2011 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate): GDP (official exchange rate): $15.09 trillion (2011 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:  1.7% (2011 est.) 3% (2010 est.) -3.5% (2009 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP): GDP - per capita (PPP): $49,000 (2011 est.) $48,500 (2010 est.) $47,400 (2009 est.) note: data are in 2011 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.2% industry: 19.2% services: 79.6% (2011 est.)

Labor force:    153.6 million note: includes unemployed (2011 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:  farming, forestry, and fishing: 0.7% manufacturing, extraction, transportation, and crafts: 20.3% managerial, professional, and technical: 37.3% sales and office: 24.2% other services: 17.6% note: figures exclude the unemployed (2009)

Unemployment rate:       9% (2011 est.) 9.6% (2010 est.)

Population below poverty line:       15.1% (2010 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:      lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 30% (2007 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:    45 (2007) 40.8 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):     Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.1% (2011 est.) 1.6% (2010 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):        Investment (gross fixed): 12.4% of GDP (2011 est.)

Budget:    revenues: $2.303 trillion expenditures: $3.599 trillion note: for the US, revenues exclude social contributions of approximately $1.0 trillion; expenditures exclude social benefits of approximately $2.3 trillion (2011 est.)

Public debt:     67.7% of GDP (2011 est.) 62.8% of GDP (2010 est.) note: data cover only what the United States Treasury denotes as "Debt Held by the Public," which includes all debt instruments issued by the Treasury that are owned by non-US Government entities; the data include Treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data exclude debt issued by individual US states, as well as intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental debt consists of Treasury borrowings from surpluses in the trusts for Federal Social Security, Federal Employees, Hospital Insurance (Medicare and Medicaid), Disability and Unemployment, and several other smaller trusts; if data for intra-government debt were added, "Gross Debt" would increase by about one-third of GDP

Agriculture - products:    wheat, corn, other grains, fruits, vegetables, cotton; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish; forest products

Industries:       highly diversified, world leading, high-technology innovator, second largest industrial output in world; petroleum, steel, motor vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food processing, consumer goods, lumber, mining

Industrial production growth rate:  4.1% (2011 est.)

Electricity - production:  3.953 trillion kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity - consumption:       3.741 trillion kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity - exports:       18.11 billion kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity - imports:       34.32 billion kWh (2009 est.)

Oil - production:      9.688 million bbl/day (2010 est.)

Oil - consumption:  19.15 million bbl/day (2010 est.)

Oil - exports:   1.92 million bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - imports:   10.27 million bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - proved reserves:      20.68 billion bbl (1 January 2011 est.)

Natural gas - production:        611 billion cu m (2010 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:     683.3 billion cu m (2010 est.)

Natural gas - exports:      32.2 billion cu m (2010 est.)

Natural gas - imports:      105.8 billion cu m (2010 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:        7.716 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Current account balance:        -$473.4 billion (2011 est.) -$470.9 billion (2010 est.)

Exports:   $1.497 trillion (2011 est.) $1.289 trillion (2010 est.)

Exports - commodities:   agricultural products (soybeans, fruit, corn) 9.2%, industrial supplies (organic chemicals) 26.8%, capital goods (transistors, aircraft, motor vehicle parts, computers, telecommunications equipment) 49.0%, consumer goods (automobiles, medicines) 15.0%

Exports - partners:  Canada 19%, Mexico 13.3%, China 7%, Japan 4.5% (2011)

Imports:   $2.236 trillion (2011 est.) $1.935 trillion (2010 est.)

Imports - commodities:   agricultural products 4.9%, industrial supplies 32.9% (crude oil 8.2%), capital goods 30.4% (computers, telecommunications equipment, motor vehicle parts, office machines, electric power machinery), consumer goods 31.8% (automobiles, clothing, medicines, furniture, toys)

Imports - partners:  China 18.4%, Canada 14.2%, Mexico 11.7%, Japan 5.8%, Germany 4.4% (2011)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $148 billion (31 December 2011 est.) $132.4 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

Debt - external:       $14.71 trillion (30 June 2011) $13.98 trillion (30 June 2010) note: approximately 4/5ths of US external debt is denominated in US dollars; foreign lenders have been willing to hold US dollar denominated debt instruments because they view the dollar as the world's reserve currency

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: $2.571 trillion (31 December 2011 est.) $2.343 trillion (31 December 2010 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:  $4.314 trillion (31 December 2011 est.) $3.908 trillion (31 December 2010 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares: $15.64 trillion (31 December 2011) $17.14 trillion (31 December 2010) $15.08 trillion (31 December 2009)

Exchange rates:       British pounds per US dollar: 0.6176 (2011 est.), 0.6468 (2010 est.), 0.6494 (2009), 0.5302 (2008), 0.4993 (2007) Canadian dollars per US dollar: 0.9801 (2011 est.), 1.0302 (2010 est.), 1.1431 (2009), 1.0364 (2008), 1.0724 (2007) Chinese yuan per US dollar: 6.455 (2011 est.), 6.7703 (2010 est.), 6.8314 (2009), 6.9385 (2008), 7.61 (2007) euros per US dollar: 0.7107 (2011 est.), 0.755 (2010 est.), 0.7198 (2009), 0.6827 (2008), 0.7345 (2007) Japanese yen per US dollar: 79.67 (2011 est.), 87.78 (2010), 93.57 (2009), 103.58 (2008), 117.99 (2007)

Fiscal year:      1 October - 30 September

 Communications:

  Telephones in use: 151 million (2009) country comparisons to the world: 2

Cellular Phones in use:   279 million (2009)

Telephone system:

      General assessment: a large, technologically advanced, multipurpose communications system domestic: a large system of fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and domestic satellites carries every form of telephone traffic; a rapidly growing cellular system carries mobile telephone traffic throughout the country international: country code - 1; multiple ocean cable systems provide international connectivity; satellite earth stations - 61 Intelsat (45 Atlantic Ocean and 16 Pacific Ocean), 5 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 4 Inmarsat (Pacific and Atlantic Ocean regions) (2000)

Radio broadcast stations:       

Television broadcast stations:

Internet country code:    .us

Internet hosts: 498 million (2011); note - the US Internet total host count includes the following top level domain host addresses: .us, .com, .edu, .gov, .mil, .net, and .org

Internet users: 245 million (2009)

 

 Transportation

Airports:  15,079 (2010) country comparison to the world: 1

Airports (paved runways):      total: 5,194 over 3,047 m: 189 2,438 to 3,047 m: 235 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1,479 914 to 1,523 m: 2,316 under 914 m: 975 (2010)

Airports (unpaved runways):  total: 9,885 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 155 914 to 1,523 m: 1,752 under 914 m: 7,971 (2010)

Heliports: 126 (2012)

Pipelines: petroleum products 244,620 km; natural gas 548,665 km (2010)

Railways: total: 224,792 km standard gauge: 224,792 km 1.435-m gauge (2007)

Roadways:      total: 6,506,204 km paved: 4,374,784 km (includes 75,238 km of expressways) unpaved: 2,131,420 km (2008)

Waterways:     41,009 km (19,312 km used for commerce; Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint Lawrence River of 3,058 km, is shared with Canada) (2012)

Merchant marine:    total: 393 by type: barge carrier 6, bulk carrier 55, cargo 51, carrier 2, chemical tanker 30, container 84, passenger 18, passenger/cargo 56, petroleum tanker 35, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 27, vehicle carrier 26 foreign-owned: 85 (Australia 1, Bermuda 5, Denmark 31, France 4, Germany 5, Malaysia 2, Norway 17, Singapore 16, UK 4) registered in other countries: 794 (Antigua and Barbuda 7, Australia 2, Bahamas 109, Belgium 1, Bermuda 26, Canada 10, Cayman Islands 57, Comoros 2, Cyprus 5, Georgia 1, Greece 8, Honduras 1, Hong Kong 44, Indonesia 2, Ireland 2, Isle of Man 1, Italy 23, Liberia 53, Malta 34, Marshall Islands 200, Netherlands 16, Norway 10, Panama 90, Portugal 4, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 18, Singapore 36, South Korea 8, Togo 1, UK 14, Vanuatu 2, unknown 6) (2010)

Ports and terminals:        cargo ports (tonnage): Baton Rouge, Corpus Christi, Houston, Long Beach, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Plaquemines, Tampa, Texas City container ports (TEUs): Los Angeles (7,849,985), Long Beach (6,350,125), New York/New Jersey (5,265,058), Savannah (2,616,126), Oakland (2,236,244), Hampton Roads (2,083,278) (2008) cruise departure ports (passengers): Miami (2,032,000), Port Everglades (1,277,000), Port Canaveral (1,189,000), Seattle (430,000), Long Beach (415,000) (2009) oil terminals: LOOP terminal, Haymark terminal

Military:

Military branches:   United States Armed Forces: US Army, US Navy (includes Marine Corps), US Air Force, US Coast Guard; note - Coast Guard administered in peacetime by the Department of Homeland Security, but in wartime reports to the Department of the Navy (2009)

Military service age and obligation:        18 years of age (17 years of age with parental consent) for male and female voluntary service; maximum enlistment age 42 (Army), 27 (Air Force), 34 (Navy), 28 (Marines); service obligation 8 years, including 2-5 years active duty (Army), 2 years active (Navy), 4 years active (Air Force, Marines) (2010)

Manpower available for military service:       males age 16-49: 73,270,043 females age 16-49: 71,941,969 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:  males age 16-49: 60,620,143 females age 16-49: 59,401,941 (2010 est.)

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