Belgium

Location

Northwestern Europe, the Netherlands is to the north, Germany and Luxembourg to the east, France to the south, and the North Sea to the west.

Coastline 40 miles Capital Brussels Area 11,777 sq. miles Land Use 24% cropland; 21% permanent

pasture; 21% forests and woodland; 34% other (coastal plains and mountains).

Three geographic regions

The northwest border with the Netherlands has very flat and low-lying coastal plains. In certain areas the land has been reclaimed from the sea, meaning that coastal marshes and wetlands have been diked off and the water has been pumped from behind the dikes to create dry land. These regions are at high risk of flooding if their protective levees are breached or collapse.

The central region of Belgium is a zone of gently rolling hills covered in mixed forests, vineyards, pastures, and other farmland. This is the most developed and heavily populated part of the country.

In the southeast, near the border with Luxembourg and France, is an area of rugged mountains and the Ardennes Forest. The highest point in Belgium is located here—2,276-foot-tall Signal de Botrange. While not a tall mountain, it and its surrounding peaks seem to tower over the low-lying landscape that typifies Belgium.

Southeast Belgium

Ethnic Groups

Belgium has a dual ethnic and cultural personality characterized by its location in Western Europe between the Netherlands and France.

About 60% of the population of roughly 10 million people are Flemish and speak Dutch

French culture is still important because about 40% of the population are French-speaking Walloons.

There is also a small German community near the border with that country.

Religion

Belgium is held together in part by the fact that three-quarters of the entire population is Roman Catholic

25% Protestant

Ruled by many different groups

Celtic ancestry Part of Gaul during Roman Empire Part of Frankish Empire Viking Raids Dukes of Burgundy Spanish Netherlands Austrian Hapsburgs Napoleon Independent 1831

Colonized the Congo Exploited it for

ivory, rubber, natural resources

Invaded and occupied by Germany in WWI and WWII

History

Most of the older parts of Brussels were destroyed in World War II, although the historic "Grand Place," which has Baroque, Gothic, and Renaissance buildings, remains.

Brussels is also home to the headquarters of NATO and the EU.

Government

Constitutional monarchy with a federal system Three relatively autonomous ethnic regions, northern

Flanders (Dutch), southern Wallonia (French, with a small German minority), and the capital, Brussels (Dutch and French).

The king is the nominal head of the government, acting under the advice of the prime minister, both of whom are responsible to a bicameral parliament.

Chief Government Officials Monarch: King Albert II - since August 1993. Prime Minister: Guy Verhofstadt - since July 1999.

King Albert II

Economy

Wallonia, in the south, has many older declining industries, while Flanders in the north is the home to the growing service sector and more modern, high-technology industries. Even though the decline in Wallonia is set off by the growth in Flanders, Belgium has fairly low inflation and a high per-capita gross national product of $34,264 a year (2004).

The economy is primarily based on private enterprise. Belgium has limited natural resources (mainly natural gas and coal) and generates just over 60% of its energy from nuclear power. Most of Belgium's trade is with Germany and its other EU neighbors, France and the Netherlands.

Education : Two systems

Education in Belgium follows one of two systems: Flemish or French-speaking. In the Flemish system, students begin six years of primary school at the age of six. Education can then follow a variety of paths: six years in a general, technical, or artistic secondary school, or seven years of vocational school. Students can also leave secondary school at 15 to pursue professional studies or at 16 to serve retail apprenticeships.

Education

In the French-speaking community, students also attend primary school for six years beginning at the age of six, but then attend three levels of secondary school, each lasting for two years. After finishing these six years of secondary school, students can attend one-year programs in professional or pre-university studies or a seventh year of secondary studies.

Northern Renaissance

15th -17th centuries

Jan Van Eyck invented oil paints

Peter Rubens opened school for artists

Peter Brueghel painted scenes of everyday life

Landmarks

Tournai – near France was once the capital of the Merovingian Empire

Bruges – preserved Medieval Trading Center

Holidays

July 21 Independence Day Carnival of Binche – Mardi Gras July – Ommegang Pageant is a parade that

celebrates local folklore and the city’s heritage

December – Christmas horse show

Eureka Fair

Mid November World Exhibition of

Innovation, Research, and New Technologies

Cuisine

Mussels, fried potatoes, beer Produces 200 types of cheese 400 varieties of chocolates 400 types of beer

Luxembourg

990 square miles Independent spirit despite ties to Germany,

France, and Belgium Languages: French, German, Luxembourgish

(German dialect) One of the highest standard of living in Europe High-tech and service industries Steel Trade mostly with other EU countries