Belgium vs. Nigeria
Introduction
| Belgium | Nigeria | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. In recent years, political divisions between the Dutch-speaking Flemish of the north and the French-speaking Walloons of the south have led to constitutional amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy. The capital city of Brussels is home to numerous international organizations including the EU and NATO. | In ancient and pre-colonial times, the area of present-day Nigeria was occupied by a great diversity of ethnic groups with very different languages and traditions. British influence and control over what would become Nigeria and Africa's most populous country grew through the 19th century. A series of constitutions after World War II granted Nigeria greater autonomy. After independence in 1960, politics were marked by coups and mostly military rule, until the death of a military head of state in 1998 allowed for a political transition. In 1999, a new constitution was adopted and a peaceful transition to civilian government was completed. The government continues to face the daunting task of institutionalizing democracy and reforming a petroleum-based economy, whose revenues have been squandered through decades of corruption and mismanagement. In addition, Nigeria continues to experience longstanding ethnic and religious tensions. Although both the 2003 and 2007 presidential elections were marred by significant irregularities and violence, Nigeria is currently experiencing its longest period of civilian rule since independence. The general elections of 2007 marked the first civilian-to-civilian transfer of power in the country's history. National and state elections in 2011 and 2015 were generally regarded as credible. The 2015 election was also heralded for the fact that the then-umbrella opposition party, the All Progressives Congress, defeated the long-ruling People's Democratic Party that had governed since 1999, and assumed the presidency, marking the first peaceful transfer of power from one party to another. Presidential and legislative elections were held in early 2019 and deemed broadly free and fair despite voting irregularities, intimidation, and violence. |
Geography
| Belgium | Nigeria | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands | Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin and Cameroon |
| Geographic coordinates | 50 50 N, 4 00 E | 10 00 N, 8 00 E |
| Map references | Europe | Africa |
| Area | total: 30,528 sq km land: 30,278 sq km water: 250 sq km | total: 923,768 sq km land: 910,768 sq km water: 13,000 sq km |
| Area - comparative | about the size of Maryland | about six times the size of Georgia; slightly more than twice the size of California |
| Land boundaries | total: 1,297 km border countries (4): France 556 km, Germany 133 km, Luxembourg 130 km, Netherlands 478 km | total: 4,477 km border countries (4): Benin 809 km, Cameroon 1975 km, Chad 85 km, Niger 1608 km |
| Coastline | 66.5 km | 853 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 | territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
| Climate | temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy | varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north |
| Terrain | flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast | southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountains in southeast, plains in north |
| Elevation extremes | highest point: Botrange 694 m lowest point: North Sea 0 m mean elevation: 181 m | highest point: Chappal Waddi 2,419 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 380 m |
| Natural resources | construction materials, silica sand, carbonates, arable land | natural gas, petroleum, tin, iron ore, coal, limestone, niobium, lead, zinc, arable land |
| Land use | agricultural land: 44.1% (2018 est.) arable land: 27.2% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.8% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 16.1% (2018 est.) forest: 22.4% (2018 est.) other: 33.5% (2018 est.) | agricultural land: 78% (2018 est.) arable land: 37.3% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 7.4% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 33.3% (2018 est.) forest: 9.5% (2018 est.) other: 12.5% (2018 est.) |
| Irrigated land | 230 sq km (2012) | 2,930 sq km (2012) |
| Natural hazards | flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes | periodic droughts; flooding |
| Environment - current issues | 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 | serious overpopulation and rapid urbanization have led to numerous environmental problems; urban air and water pollution; rapid deforestation; soil degradation; loss of arable land; oil pollution - water, air, and soil have suffered serious damage from oil spills |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Tropical Timber 2006 |
| Geography - note | crossroads of Western Europe; most West European capitals are within 1,000 km of Brussels, the seat of both the European Union and NATO | the Niger River enters the country in the northwest and flows southward through tropical rain forests and swamps to its delta in the Gulf of Guinea |
| Total renewable water resources | 18.3 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | 286.2 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Population distribution | most of the population concentrated in the northern two-thirds of the country; the southeast is more thinly populated; considered to have one of the highest population densities in the world; approximately 97% live in urban areas | largest population of any African nation; significant population clusters are scattered throughout the country, with the highest density areas being in the south and southwest as shown in this population distribution map |
Demographics
| Belgium | Nigeria | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,778,842 (July 2021 est.) | 219,463,862 (July 2021 est.) note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 17.22% (male 1,033,383/female 984,624) 15-24 years: 11.2% (male 670,724/female 642,145) 25-54 years: 39.23% (male 2,319,777/female 2,278,450) 55-64 years: 13.14% (male 764,902/female 775,454) 65 years and over: 19.21% (male 988,148/female 1,263,109) (2020 est.) | 0-14 years: 41.7% (male 45,571,738/female 43,674,769) 15-24 years: 20.27% (male 22,022,660/female 21,358,753) 25-54 years: 30.6% (male 32,808,913/female 32,686,474) 55-64 years: 4.13% (male 4,327,847/female 4,514,264) 65 years and over: 3.3% (male 3,329,083/female 3,733,801) (2020 est.) |
| Median age | total: 41.6 years male: 40.4 years female: 42.8 years (2020 est.) | total: 18.6 years male: 18.4 years female: 18.9 years (2020 est.) |
| Population growth rate | 0.59% (2021 est.) | 2.53% (2021 est.) |
| Birth rate | 11.03 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 34.38 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Death rate | 9.71 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 8.89 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Net migration rate | 4.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) | -0.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2020 est.) | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2020 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 3.24 deaths/1,000 live births male: 3.68 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) | total: 58.23 deaths/1,000 live births male: 63.67 deaths/1,000 live births female: 52.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 81.65 years male: 79.02 years female: 84.4 years (2021 est.) | total population: 60.87 years male: 59.07 years female: 62.78 years (2021 est.) |
| Total fertility rate | 1.77 children born/woman (2021 est.) | 4.67 children born/woman (2021 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | NA | 1.3% (2020 est.) |
| Nationality | noun: Belgian(s) adjective: Belgian | noun: Nigerian(s) adjective: Nigerian |
| Ethnic groups | Belgian 75.2%, Italian 4.1%, Moroccan 3.7%, French 2.4%, Turkish 2%, Dutch 2%, other 10.6% (2012 est.) | Hausa 30%, Yoruba 15.5%, Igbo (Ibo) 15.2%, Fulani 6%, Tiv 2.4%, Kanuri/Beriberi 2.4%, Ibibio 1.8%, Ijaw/Izon 1.8%, other 24.7% (2018 est.) note: Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, is composed of more than 250 ethnic groups |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | NA | 1.7 million (2020 est.) |
| Religions | Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant and other Christian 2.5%, Muslim 5%, Jewish 0.4%, Buddhist 0.3%, atheist 9.2%, none 32.6% (2009 est.) | Muslim 53.5%, Roman Catholic 10.6%, other Christian 35.3%, other .6% (2018 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths | NA | 49,000 (2020 est.) |
| Languages | Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1% major-language sample(s): Het Wereld Feitenboek, een omnisbare bron van informatie. (Dutch) The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. | English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani, over 500 additional indigenous languages |
| School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) | total: 20 years male: 19 years female: 21 years (2018) | total: 9 years male: 9 years female: 8 years (2011) |
| Education expenditures | 6.4% of GDP (2017) | NA |
| Urbanization | urban population: 98.1% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 0.38% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) | urban population: 52.7% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 3.92% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) |
| Drinking water source | improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 100% of population total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0% of population (2017 est.) | improved: urban: 92.6% of population rural: 63.6% of population total: 77.9% of population unimproved: urban: 7.4% of population rural: 36.4% of population total: 22.1% of population (2017 est.) |
| Sanitation facility access | improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 100% of population total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0% of population (2017 est.) | improved: urban: 80.2% of population rural: 39.5% of population total: 59.7% of population unimproved: urban: 19.8% of population rural: 60.5% of population total: 40.3% of population (2017 est.) |
| Major cities - population | 2.096 million BRUSSELS (capital), 1.048 million Antwerp (2021) | 14.862 million Lagos, 4.103 million Kano, 3.649 million Ibadan, 3.464 million ABUJA (capital), 3.171 million Port Harcourt, 1.782 million Benin City (2021) |
| Maternal mortality rate | 5 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) | 917 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) |
| Children under the age of 5 years underweight | 1% (2014/15) | 18.4% (2019/20) |
| Health expenditures | 10.3% (2018) | 3.9% (2018) |
| Physicians density | 3.07 physicians/1,000 population (2017) | 0.38 physicians/1,000 population (2018) |
| Obesity - adult prevalence rate | 22.1% (2016) | 8.9% (2016) |
| Mother's mean age at first birth | 29.2 years (2019 est.) | 20.4 years (2018 est.) note: median age at first birth among women 25-49 |
| Contraceptive prevalence rate | 66.7% (2018) | 16.6% (2018) |
| Dependency ratios | total dependency ratio: 57 youth dependency ratio: 26.7 elderly dependency ratio: 30.2 potential support ratio: 3.3 (2020 est.) | total dependency ratio: 86 youth dependency ratio: 80.9 elderly dependency ratio: 5.1 potential support ratio: 19.6 (2020 est.) |
Government
| Belgium | Nigeria | |
|---|---|---|
| Country name | conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium conventional short form: Belgium local long form: Royaume de Belgique (French)/Koninkrijk Belgie (Dutch)/Koenigreich Belgien (German) local short form: Belgique/Belgie/Belgien etymology: the name derives from the Belgae, an ancient Celtic tribal confederation that inhabited an area between the English Channel and the west bank of the Rhine in the first centuries B.C. | conventional long form: Federal Republic of Nigeria conventional short form: Nigeria etymology: named for the Niger River that flows through the west of the country to the Atlantic Ocean; from a native term "Ni Gir" meaning "River Gir" |
| Government type | federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy | federal presidential republic |
| 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 etymology: may derive from the Old Dutch "bruoc/broek," meaning "marsh" and "sella/zele/sel" signifying "home" to express the meaning "home in the marsh" | name: Abuja geographic coordinates: 9 05 N, 7 32 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: Abuja is a planned capital city, it replaced Lagos in 1991; situated in the center of the country, Abuja takes its name from a nearby town, now renamed Suleja |
| 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; the 2012 sixth state reform transferred additional competencies from the federal state to the regions and linguistic communities | 36 states and 1 territory*; Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Federal Capital Territory*, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara |
| Independence | 4 October 1830 (a provisional government declared independence from the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King LEOPOLD I ascended to the throne) | 1 October 1960 (from the UK) |
| National holiday | Belgian National Day (ascension to the throne of King LEOPOLD I), 21 July (1831) | Independence Day (National Day), 1 October (1960) |
| Constitution | history: drafted 25 November 1830, approved 7 February 1831, entered into force 26 July 1831, revised 14 July 1993 (creating a federal state) amendments: "revisions" proposed as declarations by the federal government in accord with the king or by Parliament followed by dissolution of Parliament and new elections; adoption requires two-thirds majority vote of a two-thirds quorum in both houses of the next elected Parliament; amended many times, last in 2019 | history: several previous; latest adopted 5 May 1999, effective 29 May 1999 amendments: proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of both houses and approval by the Houses of Assembly of at least two thirds of the states; amendments to constitutional articles on the creation of a new state, fundamental constitutional rights, or constitution-amending procedures requires at least four-fifths majority vote by both houses of the National Assembly and approval by the Houses of Assembly in at least two thirds of the states; passage of amendments limited to the creation of a new state require at least two-thirds majority vote by the proposing National Assembly house and approval by the Houses of Assembly in two thirds of the states; amended several times, last in 2018 |
| 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 | mixed legal system of English common law, Islamic law (in 12 northern states), and traditional law |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch | chief of state: King PHILIPPE (since 21 July 2013); Heir Apparent Princess ELISABETH (daughter of the monarch, born 25 October 2001) head of government: Prime Minister Alexander DE CROO (since 1 October 2020); Deputy Prime Ministers Vincent Van Quickenborne (since 1 October 2020), Sophie Wilmes (since 1 October 2020), Vincent Van Peteghem (since 1 October 2020), Frank Vandenbroucke (since 1 October 2020), Pierre-Yves Dermagne (since 1 October 2020), Petra De Sutter (since 1 October 2020), Georges Gilkinet (since 1 October 2020) cabinet: Council of Ministers formally appointed by the monarch elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary and constitutional; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the monarch and approved by Parliament | chief of state: President Maj. Gen. (ret.) Muhammadu BUHARI (since 29 May 2015); Vice President Oluyemi "Yemi" OSINBAJO (since 29 May 2015); note - the president is both chief of state, head of government, and commander-in-chief of the armed forces head of government: President Maj.Gen. (ret.) Muhammadu BUHARI (since 29 May 2015); Vice President Oluyemi "Yemi" OSINBAJO (since 29 May 2015) cabinet: Federal Executive Council appointed by the president but constrained constitutionally to include at least one member from each of the 36 states elections/appointments: president directly elected by qualified majority popular vote and at least 25% of the votes cast in 24 of Nigeria's 36 states; president elected for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 23 February 2019 (next to be held in February 2023); note: the election was scheduled for 16 February 2019, but postponed on 16 February 2019 election results: Muhammadu BUHARI elected president; percent of vote - Muhammadu BUHARI (APC) 53%, Atiku ABUBAKER (PDP) 39%, other 8% |
| Legislative branch | description: bicameral Parliament consists of: Senate or Senaat (in Dutch), Senat (in French) (60 seats; 50 members indirectly elected by the community and regional parliaments based on their election results, and 10 elected by the 50 other senators; members serve 5-year terms) Chamber of Representatives or Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers (in Dutch), Chambre des Representants (in French) (150 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 26 May 2019 (next to be held in 2024) Chamber of Representatives - last held on 26 May 2019 (next to be held in 2024); note - elections coincided with the EU electionselection results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition men 32, women 28, percent of women 46.7% Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - N-VA 16.0%, VB 11.9%, PS 9.5%, CD&V 8.9%, PVDA+/PTB 8.62%, Open VLD 8.5%, MR 7.6%, SP.A 6.7%, Ecolo 6.1%, Groen 6.1%, CDH 3.7%, Defi 2.2%, PP 1.1%, other 20.1%; seats by party - N-VA 25, VB 18, PS 20, CD&V 12, PVDA+PTB 12, Open VLD 12, MR 14, SP.A 9, Ecolo 13, Groen 8, CDH 5, Defi 2; composition - men 86, women 64, percent of women 42.7% note: the 1993 constitutional revision that further devolved Belgium into a federal state created 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; changes above occurred since the sixth state reform | description: bicameral National Assembly consists of: Senate (109 seats - 3 each for the 36 states and 1 for Abuja-Federal Capital Territory; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms) House of Representatives (360 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms) elections: Senate - last held on 23 February 2019 (next to be held on 23 February 2023); note: election was scheduled for 16 February 2019 but was postponed on 15 February 2019 House of Representatives - last held on 23 February 2019 (next to be held on 23 February 2023); note: election was scheduled for 16 February 2019 but was postponed on 15 February 2019 election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - APC 65, PDP 39, YPP 1, TBD 3; composition - men 103, women 6, percent of women 5.5% House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - APC 217, PDP 115, other 20, TBD 8; composition - men 346, women 14, percent of women 3.9%; note - total National Assembly percent of women 4.3% |
| Judicial branch | highest courts: Constitutional Court or Grondwettelijk Hof (in Dutch) and Cour Constitutionelle (in French) (consists of 12 judges - 6 Dutch-speaking and 6 French-speaking); Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie (in Dutch) and Cour de Cassation (in French) (court organized into 3 chambers: civil and commercial; criminal; social, fiscal, and armed forces; each chamber includes a Dutch division and a French division, each with a chairperson and 5-6 judges) judge selection and term of office: Constitutional Court judges appointed by the monarch from candidates submitted by Parliament; judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 70; Supreme Court judges appointed by the monarch from candidates submitted by the High Council of Justice, a 44-member independent body of judicial and non-judicial members; judges appointed for life subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; regional courts; specialized courts for administrative, commercial, labor, immigration, and audit issues; magistrate's courts; justices of the peace | highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 15 justices) judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the president upon the recommendation of the National Judicial Council, a 23-member independent body of federal and state judicial officials; judge appointments confirmed by the Senate; judges serve until age 70 subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; Federal High Court; High Court of the Federal Capital Territory; Sharia Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory; Customary Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory; state court system similar in structure to federal system |
| Political parties and leaders | Flemish parties: Christian Democratic and Flemish or CD&V [Joachim COENS] Flemish Liberals and Democrats or Open VLD [Egbert LACHAERT] Groen or Green [Meyrem ALMACI] (formerly AGALEV, Flemish Greens) New Flemish Alliance or N-VA [Bart DE WEVER] Social Progressive Alternative or SP.A [Conner ROUSSEAU] Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) or VB [Tom VAN GRIEKEN] Francophone parties: Ecolo (Francophone Greens) [Jean-Marc NOLLET, Rajae MAOUANE] Francophone Federalist Democrats or Defi [Olivier MAINGAIN] Humanist and Democratic Center or CDH [Maxine PREVOT] People's Party or PP [Mischael MODRIKAMEN] Reform Movement or MR [George-Louis BOUCHEZ] Socialist Party or PS [Paul MAGNETTE] Workers' Party or PTB [Peter MERTENS] other minor parties | Accord Party or ACC [Mohammad Lawal MALADO] All Progressives Congress or APC [Adams OSHIOMHOLE] All Progressives Grand Alliance or APGA [Victor Ike OYE] Democratic Peoples Party or DPP [Biodun OGUNBIYI] Labor Party or LP [Alhai Abdulkadir ABDULSALAM] Peoples Democratic Party or PDP [Uche SECONDUS] Young Progressive Party or YPP [Kingsley MOGHALU] |
| International organization participation | ADB (nonregional members), AfDB (nonregional members), Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC | ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, D-8, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Jean-Arthur REGIBEAU (since 17 September 2020) chancery: 1430 K Street NW, Washington DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 333-6900 FAX: [1] (202) 338-4960 email address and website: Washington@diplobel.fed.be https://unitedstates.diplomatie.belgium.be/en consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York | chief of mission: Ambassador Uzoma Elizabeth EMENIKE (since 7 July 2021) chancery: 3519 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 800-7201 (ext. 100) FAX: [1] (202) 362-6541 email address and website: info@nigeriaembassyusa.org https://www.nigeriaembassyusa.org/ consulate(s) general: Atlanta, New York |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Nicholas BERLINER (since 20 January 2021) embassy: 27 Boulevard du Regent [Regentlaan], B-1000 Brussels mailing address: 7600 Brussels Place, Washington DC 20521-7600 telephone: [32] (2) 811-4000 FAX: [32] (2) 811-4500 email address and website: uscitizenBrussels@state.gov https://be.usembassy.gov/ | chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Beth LEONARD (since 24 December 2019) embassy: Plot 1075 Diplomatic Drive, Central District Area, Abuja mailing address: 8320 Abuja Place, Washington DC 20521-8320 telephone: [234] (9) 461-4000 FAX: [234] (9) 461-4036 email address and website: AbujaACS@state.gov https://ng.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Lagos |
| Flag description | three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red; the vertical design was based on the flag of France; the colors are those of the arms of the duchy of Brabant (yellow lion with red claws and tongue on a black field) | three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green; the color green represents the forests and abundant natural wealth of the country, white stands for peace and unity |
| National anthem | name: "La Brabanconne" (The Song of Brabant) lyrics/music: Louis-Alexandre DECHET[French] Victor CEULEMANS [Dutch]/Francois VAN CAMPENHOUT note: adopted 1830; according to legend, Louis-Alexandre DECHET, an actor at the theater in which the revolution against the Netherlands began, wrote the lyrics with a group of young people in a Brussels cafe | name: Arise Oh Compatriots, Nigeria's Call Obey lyrics/music: John A. ILECHUKWU, Eme Etim AKPAN, B.A. OGUNNAIKE, Sotu OMOIGUI and P.O. ADERIBIGBE/Benedict Elide ODIASE note: adopted 1978; lyrics are a mixture of the five top entries in a national contest |
| International law organization participation | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
| National symbol(s) | golden rampant lion; national colors: red, black, yellow | eagle; national colors: green, white |
| Citizenship | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Belgium dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Nigeria dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 15 years |
Economy
| Belgium | Nigeria | |
|---|---|---|
| Economy - overview | Belgium's central geographic location and highly developed transport network have helped develop a well-diversified economy, with a broad mix of transport, services, manufacturing, and high tech. Service and high-tech industries are concentrated in the northern Flanders region while the southern region of Wallonia is home to industries like coal and steel manufacturing. Belgium is completely reliant on foreign sources of fossil fuels, and the planned closure of its seven nuclear plants by 2025 should increase its dependence on foreign energy. Its role as a regional logistical hub makes its economy vulnerable to shifts in foreign demand, particularly with EU trading partners. Roughly three-quarters of Belgium's trade is with other EU countries, and the port of Zeebrugge conducts almost half its trade with the United Kingdom alone, leaving Belgium's economy vulnerable to the outcome of negotiations on the UK's exit from the EU. Belgium's GDP grew by 1.7% in 2017 and the budget deficit was 1.5% of GDP. Unemployment stood at 7.3%, however the unemployment rate is lower in Flanders than Wallonia, 4.4% compared to 9.4%, because of industrial differences between the regions. The economy largely recovered from the March 2016 terrorist attacks that mainly impacted the Brussels region tourist and hospitality industry. Prime Minister Charles MICHEL's center-right government has pledged to further reduce the deficit in response to EU pressure to decrease Belgium's high public debt of about 104% of GDP, but such efforts would also dampen economic growth. In addition to restrained public spending, low wage growth and higher inflation promise to curtail a more robust recovery in private consumption. The government has pledged to pursue a reform program to improve Belgium's competitiveness, including changes to labor market rules and welfare benefits. These changes have generally made Belgian wages more competitive regionally, but have raised tensions with trade unions, which have called for extended strikes. In 2017, Belgium approved a tax reform plan to ease corporate rates from 33% to 29% by 2018 and down to 25% by 2020. The tax plan also included benefits for innovation and SMEs, intended to spur competitiveness and private investment. | Nigeria is Sub Saharan Africa's largest economy and relies heavily on oil as its main source of foreign exchange earnings and government revenues. Following the 2008-09 global financial crises, the banking sector was effectively recapitalized and regulation enhanced. Since then, Nigeria's economic growth has been driven by growth in agriculture, telecommunications, and services. Economic diversification and strong growth have not translated into a significant decline in poverty levels; over 62% of Nigeria's over 180 million people still live in extreme poverty. Despite its strong fundamentals, oil-rich Nigeria has been hobbled by inadequate power supply, lack of infrastructure, delays in the passage of legislative reforms, an inefficient property registration system, restrictive trade policies, an inconsistent regulatory environment, a slow and ineffective judicial system, unreliable dispute resolution mechanisms, insecurity, and pervasive corruption. Regulatory constraints and security risks have limited new investment in oil and natural gas, and Nigeria's oil production had been contracting every year since 2012 until a slight rebound in 2017. President BUHARI, elected in March 2015, has established a cabinet of economic ministers that includes several technocrats, and he has announced plans to increase transparency, diversify the economy away from oil, and improve fiscal management, but has taken a primarily protectionist approach that favors domestic producers at the expense of consumers. President BUHARI ran on an anti-corruption platform, and has made some headway in alleviating corruption, such as implementation of a Treasury Single Account that allows the government to better manage its resources and a more transparent government payroll and personnel system that eliminated duplicate and "ghost workers." The government also is working to develop stronger public-private partnerships for roads, agriculture, and power. Nigeria entered recession in 2016 as a result of lower oil prices and production, exacerbated by militant attacks on oil and gas infrastructure in the Niger Delta region, coupled with detrimental economic policies, including foreign exchange restrictions. GDP growth turned positive in 2017 as oil prices recovered and output stabilized. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity) | $596.414 billion (2019 est.) $586.192 billion (2018 est.) $575.757 billion (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars | $1,032,048,000,000 (2019 est.) $1,009,748,000,000 (2018 est.) $990.7 billion (2017 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars |
| GDP - real growth rate | 1.41% (2019 est.) 1.49% (2018 est.) 1.9% (2017 est.) | 0.8% (2017 est.) -1.6% (2016 est.) 2.7% (2015 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | $51,934 (2019 est.) $51,299 (2018 est.) $50,615 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars | $5,136 (2019 est.) $5,155 (2018 est.) $5,190 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 0.7% (2017 est.) industry: 22.1% (2017 est.) services: 77.2% (2017 est.) | agriculture: 21.1% (2016 est.) industry: 22.5% (2016 est.) services: 56.4% (2017 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | 14.8% (2018 est.) | 40.1% (2018 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 3.4% highest 10%: 28.4% (2006) | lowest 10%: 1.8% highest 10%: 38.2% (2010 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1.4% (2019 est.) 2% (2018 est.) 2.1% (2017 est.) | 11.3% (2019 est.) 12.1% (2018 est.) 16.5% (2017 est.) |
| Labor force | 4.122 million (2020 est.) | 60.08 million (2017 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 1.3% industry: 18.6% services: 80.1% (2013 est.) | agriculture: 70% industry: 10% services: 20% (1999 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 5.36% (2019 est.) 5.96% (2018 est.) | 16.5% (2017 est.) 13.9% (2016 est.) |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index | 27.4 (2017 est.) 28.7 (1996) | 35.1 (2018 est.) 50.6 (1997) |
| Budget | revenues: 253.5 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 258.6 billion (2017 est.) | revenues: 12.92 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 19.54 billion (2017 est.) |
| Industries | engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, transportation equipment, scientific instruments, processed food and beverages, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, base metals, textiles, glass, petroleum | crude oil, coal, tin, columbite; rubber products, wood; hides and skins, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food products, footwear, chemicals, fertilizer, printing, ceramics, steel |
| Industrial production growth rate | 0.2% (2017 est.) | 2.2% (2017 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | sugar beet, milk, potatoes, wheat, pork, lettuce, poultry, maize, barley, pears | cassava, yams, maize, oil palm fruit, rice, vegetables, sorghum, groundnuts, fruit, sweet potatoes |
| Exports | $474.278 billion (2019 est.) $469.48 billion (2018 est.) $466.732 billion (2017 est.) | $34.545 billion (2020 est.) $62.531 billion (2019 est.) $60.547 billion (2018 est.) |
| Exports - commodities | cars and vehicle parts, refined petroleum, packaged medicines, medical cultures/vaccines, diamonds, natural gas (2019) | crude petroleum, natural gas, scrap vessels, flexible metal tubing, cocoa beans (2019) |
| Exports - partners | Germany 17%, France 14%, Netherlands 13%, United Kingdom 8%, United States 6%, Italy 5% (2019) | India 16%, Spain 10%, United States 7%, France 7%, Netherlands 6% (2019) |
| Imports | $473.129 billion (2019 est.) $469.546 billion (2018 est.) $463.706 billion (2017 est.) | $32.67 billion (2017 est.) $35.24 billion (2016 est.) |
| Imports - commodities | cars, refined petroleum, packaged medicines, medical cultures/vaccines, diamonds, natural gas (2019) | refined petroleum, cars, wheat, laboratory glassware, packaged medicines (2019) |
| Imports - partners | Netherlands 16%, Germany 13%, France 10%, United States 8%, Ireland 5%, China 5% (2019) | China 30%, Netherlands 11%, United States 6%, Belgium 5% (2019) |
| Debt - external | $1,317,513,000,000 (2019 est.) $1,332,358,000,000 (2018 est.) | $26.847 billion (2019 est.) $22.755 billion (2018 est.) |
| Exchange rates | euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.82771 (2020 est.) 0.90338 (2019 est.) 0.87789 (2018 est.) 0.885 (2014 est.) 0.7634 (2013 est.) | nairas (NGN) per US dollar - 383.5 (2020 est.) 362.75 (2019 est.) 363 (2018 est.) 192.73 (2014 est.) 158.55 (2013 est.) |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
| Public debt | 103.4% of GDP (2017 est.) 106% of GDP (2016 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; general government debt is defined by the Maastricht definition and calculated by the National Bank of Belgium as consolidated gross debt; the debt is defined in European Regulation EC479/2009 concerning the implementation of the protocol on the excessive deficit procedure annexed to the Treaty on European Union (Treaty of Maastricht) of 7 February 1992; the sub-sectors of consolidated gross debt are: federal government, communities and regions, local government, and social security funds | 21.8% of GDP (2017 est.) 19.6% of GDP (2016 est.) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | $26.16 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $24.1 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $38.77 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $25.84 billion (31 December 2016 est.) |
| Current Account Balance | $1.843 billion (2019 est.) -$4.135 billion (2018 est.) | $10.38 billion (2017 est.) $2.714 billion (2016 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate) | $533.028 billion (2019 est.) | $475.062 billion (2019 est.) |
| Credit ratings | Fitch rating: AA- (2016) Moody's rating: Aa3 (2011) Standard & Poors rating: AA (2011) | Fitch rating: B (2020) Moody's rating: B2 (2017) Standard & Poors rating: B- (2020) |
| Ease of Doing Business Index scores | Overall score: 75 (2020) Starting a Business score: 92.3 (2020) Trading score: 100 (2020) Enforcement score: 64.3 (2020) | Overall score: 56.9 (2020) Starting a Business score: 86.2 (2020) Trading score: 29.2 (2020) Enforcement score: 61.5 (2020) |
| Taxes and other revenues | 51.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | 3.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) | -1% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | -1.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| Unemployment, youth ages 15-24 | total: 14.2% male: 16% female: 12.3% (2019 est.) | total: 18.3% male: 18.4% NA female: 18.2% NA (2019 est.) |
| GDP - composition, by end use | household consumption: 51.2% (2017 est.) government consumption: 23.4% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 23.3% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 1.3% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 85.1% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -84.4% (2017 est.) | household consumption: 80% (2017 est.) government consumption: 5.8% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 14.8% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 0.7% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 11.9% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -13.2% (2017 est.) |
| Gross national saving | 25.3% of GDP (2019 est.) 24.8% of GDP (2018 est.) 25.2% of GDP (2017 est.) | 23.2% of GDP (2019 est.) 19.3% of GDP (2018 est.) 18.3% of GDP (2017 est.) |
Energy
| Belgium | Nigeria | |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity - production | 79.83 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 29.35 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - consumption | 82.16 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 24.72 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - exports | 8.465 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 0 kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - imports | 14.65 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 0 kWh (2016 est.) |
| Oil - production | 0 bbl/day (2018 est.) | 1.989 million bbl/day (2018 est.) |
| Oil - imports | 687,600 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Oil - exports | 0 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 2.096 million bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Oil - proved reserves | 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.) | 37.45 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves | 0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.) | 5.475 trillion cu m (1 January 2018 est.) |
| Natural gas - production | 0 cu m (2017 est.) | 44.48 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption | 17.61 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 17.24 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports | 736.2 million cu m (2017 est.) | 27.21 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports | 18.09 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 0 cu m (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - installed generating capacity | 21.56 million kW (2016 est.) | 10.52 million kW (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from fossil fuels | 35% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) | 80% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from hydroelectric plants | 1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 19% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - from nuclear fuels | 28% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - from other renewable sources | 36% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - production | 731,700 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 35,010 bbl/day (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - consumption | 648,600 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 325,000 bbl/day (2016 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - exports | 680,800 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 2,332 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - imports | 601,400 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 223,400 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Electricity access | electrification - total population: 100% (2020) | electrification - total population: 62% (2019) electrification - urban areas: 91% (2019) electrification - rural areas: 30% (2019) |
Telecommunications
| Belgium | Nigeria | |
|---|---|---|
| Telephones - main lines in use | total subscriptions: 3,930,410 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 33.78 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 107,154 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2019 est.) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | total subscriptions: 11,509,573 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 98.92 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 184,592,255 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 88.47 (2019 est.) |
| Internet country code | .be | .ng |
| Internet users | total: 10,258,638 percent of population: 88.66% (July 2018 est.) | total: 85,450,052 percent of population: 42% (July 2018 est.) |
| Telecommunication systems | general assessment: Belgium has a highly developed, technologically advanced telecom system; LTE is nearly universal; ongoing investment in 5G with services to dozens of cities and towns; competition between the DSL and cable platforms with investment in fiber networks; 5G; operators accelerating fiber roll-out program; Brussels Airport collaborating with operator to deploy 5G and IoT solutions; international connections through satellite and submarine cables; importer of broadcast equipment from EU neighbors (2021) (2020)domestic: 34 per 100 fixed-line, 100 per 100 mobile-cellular; nationwide mobile-cellular telephone system; extensive cable network; limited microwave radio relay network (2019) international: country code - 32; landing points for Concerto, UK-Belgium, Tangerine, and SeaMeWe-3, submarine cables that provide links to Europe, the Middle East, Australia and Asia; satellite earth stations - 7 (Intelsat - 3) (2019) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments | general assessment: one of the larger telecom markets in Africa subject to sporadic access to electricity and vandalism of infrastructure; most Internet connections are via mobile networks; foreign investment presence, particularly from China; market competition with affordable access; LTE technologies available but GSM is dominate; mobile penetration high due to use of multiple SIM cards and phones; government committed to expanding broadband penetration; operators to deploy fiber optic cable in six geopolitical zones and Lagos; operators invested in base stations to deplete network congestion; submarine cable break in 2020 slowed speeds and interrupted connectivity; importer of phones and broadcast equipment from China (2020) (2020)domestic: fixed-line subscribership remains less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular services growing rapidly, in part responding to the shortcomings of the fixed-line network; multiple cellular providers operate nationally with subscribership base over 88 per 100 persons (2019) international: country code - 234; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC, NCSCS, MainOne, Glo-1 & 2, ACE, and Equiano fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and South and West Africa; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) (2019) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments |
| Broadband - fixed subscriptions | total: 4,590,707 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 39.45 (2019 est.) | total: 83,360 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2018 est.) |
| Broadcast media | a segmented market with the three major communities (Flemish, French, and German-speaking) each having responsibility for their own broadcast media; multiple TV channels exist for each community; additionally, in excess of 90% of households are connected to cable and can access broadcasts of TV stations from neighboring countries; each community has a public radio network coexisting with private broadcasters | nearly 70 federal government-controlled national and regional TV stations; all 36 states operate TV stations; several private TV stations operational; cable and satellite TV subscription services are available; network of federal government-controlled national, regional, and state radio stations; roughly 40 state government-owned radio stations typically carry their own programs except for news broadcasts; about 20 private radio stations; transmissions of international broadcasters are available; digital broadcasting migration process completed in three states in 2018 (2019) |
Transportation
| Belgium | Nigeria | |
|---|---|---|
| Railways | total: 3,592 km (2014) standard gauge: 3,592 km 1.435-m gauge (2,960 km electrified) (2014) | total: 3,798 km (2014) standard gauge: 293 km 1.435-m gauge (2014) narrow gauge: 3,505 km 1.067-m gauge (2014) note: as of the end of 2018, there were only six operational locomotives in Nigeria primarily used for passenger service; the majority of the rail lines are in a severe state of disrepair and need to be replaced |
| Roadways | total: 118,414 km (2015) paved: 118,414 km (includes 1,747 km of expressways) (2015) | total: 195,000 km (2017) paved: 60,000 km (2017) unpaved: 135,000 km (2017) |
| Waterways | 2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use) (2012) | 8,600 km (Niger and Benue Rivers and smaller rivers and creeks) (2011) |
| Pipelines | 3139 km gas, 154 km oil, 535 km refined products (2013) | 124 km condensate, 4045 km gas, 164 km liquid petroleum gas, 4441 km oil, 3940 km refined products (2013) |
| Ports and terminals | major seaport(s): Oostende, Zeebrugge container port(s) (TEUs): Antwerp (11,860,204) (2019) LNG terminal(s) (import): Zeebrugge river port(s): Antwerp, Gent (Schelde River) Brussels (Senne River) Liege (Meuse River) | major seaport(s): Bonny Inshore Terminal, Calabar, Lagos oil terminal(s): Bonny Terminal, Brass Terminal, Escravos Terminal, Forcados Terminal, Pennington Terminal, Qua Iboe Terminal LNG terminal(s) (export): Bonny Island |
| Merchant marine | total: 203 by type: bulk carrier 21, container ship 5, general cargo 16, oil tanker 25, other 136 (2020) | total: 728 by type: general cargo 15, oil tanker 110, other 603 (2020) |
| Airports | total: 41 (2013) | total: 54 (2013) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 26 (2019) 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: 8 | total: 40 (2017) over 3,047 m: 10 (2017) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 12 (2017) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 (2017) 914 to 1,523 m: 6 (2017) under 914 m: 3 (2017) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 15 (2013) under 914 m: 15 (2013) | total: 14 (2013) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 9 (2013) under 914 m: 3 (2013) |
| Heliports | 1 (2013) | 5 (2013) |
| National air transport system | number of registered air carriers: 7 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 117 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 13,639,487 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 1,285,340,000 mt-km (2018) | number of registered air carriers: 13 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 104 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 8,169,192 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 19.42 million mt-km (2018) |
| Civil aircraft registration country code prefix | OO | 5N |
Military
| Belgium | Nigeria | |
|---|---|---|
| Military branches | Belgian Armed Forces: Land Component, Naval Component, Air Component, Medical Service (2021) | Nigerian Armed Forces: Army, Navy (includes Coast Guard), Air Force; Ministry of Interior: Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC, a paramilitary agency commissioned to assist the military in the management of threats to internal security, including attacks and natural disasters) (2021) |
| Military service age and obligation | 18 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 1995 (2019) | 18-26 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2019) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.07% of GDP (2020 est.) 0.89% of GDP (2019) 0.89% of GDP (2018) 0.88% of GDP (2017) 0.89% of GDP (2016) | 0.5% of GDP (2019) 0.5% of GDP (2018) 0.4% of GDP (2017) 0.4% of GDP (2016) 0.4% of GDP (2015) |
| Military - note | Belgium is a member of NATO and was one of the original 12 countries to sign the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty) in 1949 in 2018, the Defense Ministers of Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the creation of a Composite Special Operations Component Command (C-SOCC); the C-SOCC was declared operational in December 2020 | the Nigerian Armed Forces are used primarily for internal security operations; in the northeast, the military is conducting counterinsurgency/counter-terrorist operations against the Boko Haram (BH) and Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA) terrorist groups, where it has deployed as many as 70,000 troops at times and jihadist-related violence has killed an estimated 35,000 people, mostly civilians, since 2009 (as of Dec 2020); in the northwest, it faces threats from criminal gangs, bandits, and militants associated with ongoing farmer-herder violence, as well as BH and ISWA terrorists; the military also focuses on the Niger Delta region to protect the oil industry against militants and criminal activity, although the levels of violence there have decreased in recent years; in May 2021, a contingent of military troops and police were deployed to eastern Nigeria to quell renewed agitation for a state of Biafra (Biafra seceded from Nigeria in the late 1960s, sparking a civil war that caused more than 1 million deaths) |
| Military and security service personnel strengths | the Belgian Armed Forces have approximately 26,000 active duty personnel (11,000 Land Component; 1,500 Navy; 5,000 Air Force; 1,500 Medical Service; 7,000 other, including joint staff, support, and training schools) (2020) | size estimates for the Nigerian Armed Forces vary; approximately 135,000 active personnel (100,000 Army; 20,000 Navy/Coast Guard; 15,000 Air Force); est. 80,000 Security and Civil Defense Corps (2020) |
| Military equipment inventories and acquisitions | the Belgian Armed Forces have a mix of weapons systems from European countries, Israel, and the US; since 2010, France, Germany, and Switzerland are the leading suppliers of armaments; Belgium has an export-focused defense industry that focuses on components and subcontracting (2020) | the Nigerian Armed Forces' inventory consists of a wide variety of imported weapons systems of Chinese, European, Middle Eastern, Russian (including Soviet-era), and US origin; since 2010, Nigeria has undertaken a considerable military modernization program, and has received equipment from some 20 countries with China, Russia, and the US as the leading suppliers; Nigeria has been the largest arms importer in sub-Saharan Africa since 2014; Nigeria is also developing a defense-industry capacity, including small arms, armored personnel vehicles, and small-scale naval production (2020) |
| Military deployments | 125 France (contributing member of EuroCorps); 100 Mali (EUTM/MINUSMA); est. 260 Baltic States (NATO) (2020) | 200 Ghana (ECOMIG); MNJTF (1 brigade or approximately 3,000 troops committed; note - the national MNJTF troop contingents are deployed within their own country territories, although cross-border operations are conducted periodically) (2021) |
Transnational Issues
| Belgium | Nigeria | |
|---|---|---|
| Disputes - international | none | Joint Border Commission with Cameroon reviewed 2002 ICJ ruling on the entire boundary and bilaterally resolved differences, including June 2006 Greentree Agreement that immediately cedes sovereignty of the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon with a phaseout of Nigerian control within two years while resolving patriation issues; the ICJ ruled on an equidistance settlement of Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf of Guinea, but imprecisely defined coordinates in the ICJ decision and a sovereignty dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an island at the mouth of the Ntem River all contribute to the delay in implementation; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty which also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries; location of Benin-Niger-Nigeria tripoint is unresolved |
| Illicit drugs | growing producer of synthetic drugs and cannabis; transit point for US-bound ecstasy; source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine processors; transshipment point for cocaine, heroin, hashish, and marijuana entering Western Europe; despite a strengthening of legislation, the country remains vulnerable to money laundering related to narcotics, automobiles, alcohol, and tobacco; significant domestic consumption of ecstasy | a transit point for heroin and cocaine intended for European, East Asian, and North American markets; consumer of amphetamines; safe haven for Nigerian narcotraffickers operating worldwide; major money-laundering center; massive corruption and criminal activity; Nigeria has improved some anti-money-laundering controls, resulting in its removal from the Financial Action Task Force's (FATF's) Noncooperative Countries and Territories List in June 2006; Nigeria's anti-money-laundering regime continues to be monitored by FATF |
| Refugees and internally displaced persons | refugees (country of origin): 16,604 (Syria), 5,602 (Iraq), 5,070 (Afghanistan) (2019) stateless persons: 1,264 (2020) | refugees (country of origin): 67,456 (Cameroon) (2021) IDPs: 2,880,168 (northeast Nigeria; Boko Haram attacks and counterinsurgency efforts in northern Nigeria; communal violence between Christians and Muslims in the middle belt region, political violence; flooding; forced evictions; cattle rustling; competition for resources) (2021) |
Terrorism
| Belgium | Nigeria | |
|---|---|---|
| Terrorist Group(s) | Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T | Boko Haram; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham - West Africa; Jama'atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis-Sudan (Ansaru) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T |
Environment
| Belgium | Nigeria | |
|---|---|---|
| Air pollutants | particulate matter emissions: 12.88 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 96.89 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 7.78 megatons (2020 est.) | particulate matter emissions: 48.73 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 120.37 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 143.99 megatons (2020 est.) |
| Total water withdrawal | municipal: 739 million cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 3.21 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 45 million cubic meters (2017 est.) | municipal: 5 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 1.965 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 5.51 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Revenue from forest resources | forest revenues: 0.02% of GDP (2018 est.) | forest revenues: 1.02% of GDP (2018 est.) |
| Revenue from coal | coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.) | coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.) |
| Waste and recycling | municipal solid waste generated annually: 4.708 million tons (2015 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 1,614,985 tons (2015 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 34.3% (2015 est.) | municipal solid waste generated annually: 27,614,830 tons (2009 est.) |
Source: CIA Factbook
