Belgium

Where is Belgium?

Located in Western Europe, Belgium has a 1,297.00 km border with France (556 km), Germany (133 km), Luxembourg (130 km) and Netherlands (478 km). It has a 67.00 km coastline.

The capital of Belgium is Brussels. It is located in the Brussels-Capital Region. Brussels is the largest, most populous and the administrative center of Belgium, it is also the headquarters of the European Union. As of January 2017, the population in the city proper was estimated at 176,000 while the metropolitan population was estimated at 1.2 million. Every year millions of tourists visit Brussels. Brussels experiences an ocean climate categorized as (Cfb) under the Köppen climate classification.

Belgium is a European country covering 30,528.00 km² of which 0.82% is water and 30,278.00 km² is land. This makes it the 59th smallest country in the world and about the size of Maryland. Its geographic coordinates are 50 50 N, 4 00 E and Brussels is the capital city.

The name derives from the Belgae, an ancient Celtic tribe.

Its ISO code is BE.

Geography

Belgium has a mean elevation of 181 m above sea level.

It has a temperate climate with mild winters and cool summers. Its terrain consists of flat coastal plains in the northwest, and rugged mountains in the southeast.

Population

Belgium has a population of 11,409,077 making it the 77th largest in the world. 97% of its population lives in urban areas, one of the highest rates in the world.

Dutch, French, and German are all official languages. The major ethnicity reported was Belgian, followed by Italian and Moroccan. Half of the population identifies as Roman Catholic, with a large group identifying as non-religious.

Dutch, French, and German are the official languages of the Kingdom of Belgium. A majority of Belgians (59%) consider Flemish their mother tongue, 40% are French, and 1% are German. Dutch is considered the official language of the Flemish community and region. Both French and Dutch are the official languages of the Brussels-Capital Region. Much of the Dutch spoken in Belgium is not standard Dutch but dialects of the language. Brabantian is the most common dialect used. English, Spanish, Arabic, and Yiddish are the minority languages used in Belgium.

The dialing code for the country is 32.

Government

Belgium is an independent country. It became an independent country in 1830. Its constitution was last ratified in 1831.

Belgium is a federal, representative democracy and a constitutional monarchy. The prime minister is the head of government while the King is the head of state. The legislative role is assumed by the Senate and the Chamber of Representatives. The King of Belgians serves a lifetime, or until he is abdicated, and he appoints the prime minister who serves for an unspecified period. Both the Senate and the House of Representatives convene at the Palace of the Nation (Palais de la Nation) in the country’s capital Brussels. The official prime minister’s office is located at Number 16, Rue de la Loi / Wetstraat, while the King resides at the Castle of Laeken.

Economy

Factoring in Purchasing Power Parity, Belgium's GDP is $509,000,000,000.00 (USD) with $44,900.00 (USD) per capita. This makes it the 37th largest economy and its citizens the 34th richest in the world. The currency of Belgium is the Euro (EUR).

Its major export partners are Germany, France, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Its main exports are chemicals, machinery and equipment, and finished diamonds. Its major import partners are the Netherlands, Germany, and France. Its major imports include raw materials, machinery and equipment, and chemicals.

Flag

The flag of Belgium is a triband flag with stripes of black yellow and red. It was adopted on 23 January 1831 after the Belgian revolution. During Austrian rule, several flags were hoisted in Belgium without success, forcing the emperor to impose the Austrian flag on Belgium. During the beginning of the revolution, insurgents inspired by the flag of France began hoisting a red-yellow-black flag used during the Brabant Revolution of 789-1790. The Brabant rebels wore these colors during the resistance against Austria in the late 18th century. The colors signify the struggle for independence and freedom. The official protocol states that the flag should measure 8.5 ft by 9.8 ft.