4.77 (January
1999), 36.229 (1998), 35.774 (1997), 30.962 (1996), 29.480 (1995),
33.456 (1994)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Union introduced a common
currency that is now being used by financial institutions in some
member countries at the rate of 0.8597 euros per US$ and a fixed
rate of 40.3399 Belgian francs per euro; the euro will replace the
local currency in consenting countries for all transactions in 2002

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 5.691 million (1992 est.); 1.7 million cellular
telephone subscribers (1998)

Telephone system: highly developed, technologically advanced, and
completely automated domestic and international telephone and
telegraph facilities
domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; extensive cable
network; limited microwave radio relay network
international: 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations--2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat

Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 77, shortwave 1 (Belgium's
single shortwave station, Radio Vlaanderen Internationaal, transmits
its programs internationally in Dutch, English, French, and German,
using 21 shortwave frequencies)

Radios: 100,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 24 (in addition, there are Dutch
programs on cable, TV-5 Europe by satellite relay, and American
Forces Network by relay from Germany) (1997)

Televisions: 3,315,662 (1993 est.)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 3,380 km (2,459 km electrified; 2,563 km double track)
standard gauge: 3,380 km 1.435-m gauge (1996)

Highways:
total: 143,175 km
paved: 143,175 km (including 1,674 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (1996 est.)

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

Pipelines: crude oil 161 km; petroleum products 1,167 km; natural
gas 3,300 km

Ports and harbors: Antwerp (one of the world's busiest ports),
Brugge, Gent, Hasselt, Liege, Mons, Namur, Oostende, Zeebrugge

Merchant marine:
total: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 35,668 GRT/56,412 DWT
ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 8, chemical tanker 8, oil tanker 6
(1998 est.)

Airports: 42 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 24
over 3,047 m: 6
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 6 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 18
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 16 (1998 est.)

Heliports