Profile
Background and figures as recorded in the CIA World Factbook.
Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830; it was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. The country prospered as a modern, technologically advanced European state and member of NATO and the EU. In recent years, longstanding tensions 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.
- Capital
- Brussels
- Government
- federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy
- Population
- 11,960,170
- Area
- 30,528 sq km
- Location
- Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands
- Climate
- temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy
- Natural resources
- construction materials; silica sand; carbonates; arable land
- Languages
- Dutch (official) 60%; French (official) 40%; German (official) less than 1%
- Religions
- Roman Catholic 57.1%; Protestant 2.3%; other Christian; 2.8%…
- Independence
- 4 October 1830 (a provisional government declared independence from the Netherlands);
- Administrative divisions
- 3 regions (French: régions, singular - région; Dutch: gewesten, singular - gewest);
- Currency
- euros (EUR)
- Export partners
- France 20%; Netherlands 15%; Germany 14%; Italy 6%…
- Import partners
- Netherlands 20%; Germany 13%; France 11%; USA 7%…
Source: CIA World Factbook — a work of the US government, in the public domain