Country Profiles: Belgium

Belgium is located in Europe. Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830. The country was occupied by Germany during both World War I and World War II. With an area of 30,528 sq km, it is about the size of the U.S. state of Maryland.

Belgium shares a border with France, Germany, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. It is mostly flat coastal plains in the northwest, with central rolling hills and rugged mountains of the Ardennes Forest in the southeast.

People who live in Belgium are called Belgians, which is also an adjective used to describe something from this country. For July 2012, it is estimated that there will be 10.4 million people in Belgium. The ethnic groups that reside in Belgium are mostly Fleming and Walloon. Three offical languages are spoken there: Dutch, French, and German. Roman Catholics make up approximately 75% of the population, while Protestants make up an additional 25%.

The country's official name is the Kingdom of Belgium. The capital is Brussels, and the country is made up of 3 regions. The constitution for Belgium was drafted in November 1830 and approved in February 1831. The constitution can be found on Constitution Finder. The current monarch is Kind Albert II. Information about the leaders of Belgium's government can be found here. The currency is the euro (abbreviated EUR), which stands at 0.7107 EUR per USD as of 2011.

All of this information was gathered from the CIA World Factbook. For more information, check out these resources...

Belgium Government Site

Belgium, CIA World Factbook

Background Note: Belgium, U.S. Department of State

2010 Country Report on Human Rights Practices, U.S. Department of State.

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