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ECON FACTBOOK

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Economy of Belgium

Population: 11 million in 20131

GDP: $508 billion in 20132

GDP per capita: $46,878 nominal3 ($40,338 PPP4) in 2013

GDP growth rate: 0.3% in 20135

Industries

GDP by Industry 20126

Industry sectorValue added ($ billions) 2012Percent of total
Other activities24152.4%
Wholesale, retail trade, restaurants and hotels6514.2%
Manufacturing6313.8%
Transport, storage and communication4610.0%
Construction265.7%
Mining and utilities153.2%
Agriculture, hunting, forestry, fishing30.7%
Total value added459100%

Employment

Unemployment rate: 8.4% in 20127

Employment by Industry 20138

Employment sector Employees (thousands) 2013Percent of total
Human health and social work63414.0%
Wholesale trade, retail trade and repair of motor vehicles63013.9%
Manufacturing58913.0%
Education3998.8%
Public administration and defence3838.5%
Construction3307.3%
Administrative and support service2585.7%
Transportation and storage2425.3%
Professional, scientific and technical2234.9%
Finance and insurance1583.5%
Accommodation and food service1453.2%
Information and communication1413.1%
Other service1062.3%
Arts, entertainment and recreation731.6%
Agriculture, forestry and fishing621.4%
Extraterritorial organizations and bodies420.9%
Water supply, sewerage and waste management330.7%
Real estate300.7%
Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning270.6%
Activities of households as employers230.5%
Mining and quarrying50.1%
Total employment4,530100%

Corporations

Top 2 Corporations by Revenue 2013* 9

RankCorporationRevenue ($ billions) 2013Profit ($ billions) 2013Assets ($ billions) 12/31/13Industry
1Anheuser-Busch InBev3714.1121Brewing
2Delhaize Group250.214Retail

* Corporate data calculated using the exchange rate .8484 EUR = 1 USD

Households

Household Wealth: $2.51 trillion (494% of GDP) in 201410

Household Wealth per Adult: $300,850 in 201410

Gini Coefficient: .280 in 200511

Government

Central Government

Central Government Revenue: $242 billion (48% of GDP) in 201312

Central Government Expenditure: $258 billion (51% of GDP) in 201312

Central Government Budget Balance: -$16 billion (-3% of GDP) in 201312

Central Government Public Debt: $441 billion (87% of GDP) in Q1 2014*13

Central Government 10 Year Bond Interest Rate: 0.62% on Jan 14, 201514

* Public debt calculated using the exchange rate .8484 EUR = 1 USD

Government Funds

N/A

Tax Structure

Invidual Income Tax Rates and Thresholds in 2013*15

Corporate Tax Rate: 33.99% in 201416

* Individual thresholds calculated using the exchange rate .8484 EUR = 1 USD

Monetary Policy

Monetary Supply (Euro area, M1): $6.85 trillion in Nov 2014*17

Benchmark Interest Rate (Euro area): 0.05% in Sept 201418

Total Reserves: $27 billion (5% of GDP) in 201319

Exchange Rate: .8484 Euros = 1 U.S. Dollar on Jan 14, 201520

Inflation: 1.1% in 201321

* Money supply calculated using the exchange rate .8484 EUR = 1 USD

Financial Institutions

Top 10 Financial Institutions by Assets 201322

N/A (data not available at Relbanks.com)

International Accounts

Exports: $295 billion (58% of GDP) in 201323

Imports: $310 billion (61% of GDP) in 201323

Trade Balance: -$15 billion (-3% of GDP) in 201323

Foreign Direct Investment Inflow: -$2.4 billion (-0.5% of GDP) in 201324

Foreign Direct Investment Outflow: -$26 billion (-5% of GDP) in 201324

Foreign Aid Inflow: N/A

Foreign Aid Outflow: $2.3 billion (0.4% of GDP) in 201325

References

1. Source: World Bank Indicators (Population) Go back
2. Source: World Bank Indicators (GDP) Go back
3. Source: World Bank Indicators (GDP per capita) Go back
4. Source: World Bank Indicators (GDP per capita PPP) Go back
5. Source: World Bank Indicators (GDP growth rate) Go back
6. Source: United Nations Statistics Division (GDP by industry) Go back
7. Source: World Bank Indicators (Unemployment rate) Go back
8. Source: International Labor Organization, Downloads (Employment by economic activity) Go back
9. Source: Annual reports (Corporate data) Go back
10. Source: Credit Suisse Global Wealth Databook (Household wealth) Go back
11. Source: CIA World Factbook (Gini coefficient) Go back
12. Source: CIA World Factbook (Government budget) Go back
13. Source: OECD Stat Extracts, National Accounts, Quarterly Public Sector Debt (Public debt) Go back
14. Source: Investing.com (Government bond yield) Go back
15. Source: OECD Stat Extracts, Public Sector, Tax Database (Individual tax rates) Go back
16. Source: Tax Foundation (Corporate tax rate) Go back
17. Source: ECB Monetary developments (Money supply) Go back
18. Source: ECB Key interest rates (Benchmark interest rate) Go back
19. Source: World Bank Indicators (Total reserves) Go back
20. Source: Yahoo Finance (Exchange rate) Go back
21. Source: World Bank Indicators (Inflation rate) Go back
22. Source: Relbanks.com (Financial institutions by assets) Go back
23. Source: CIA World Factbook (Trade data) Go back
24. Source: OECD FDI in Figures (FDI data) Go back
25. Source: OECD Aid Statisitcs (Aid outflow) Go back