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Revision as of 04:59, 30 June 2015 view source199.59.107.12 (talk) Fixed incorrect information. Brussels, not Antwerp, is the largest city in Belgium.Tags: Mobile edit Mobile web edit← Previous edit Revision as of 18:10, 5 July 2015 view source 213.128.181.105 (talk) ←Replaced content with 'A non-country.'Tag: blankingNext edit →
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{{about|the European country}} A non-country.
{{redirect2|Belgian|Belgique|the people|Belgians|the community in Missouri|Belgique, Missouri|other uses|Belgian (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2015}}
{{Infobox country
| conventional_long_name = Kingdom of Belgium
| native_name = {{vunblist|item_style=font-size:88%; |{{native name|nl|Koninkrijk België}} |{{native name|fr|Royaume de Belgique}} |{{native name|de|Königreich Belgien}}}}
| common_name = Belgium
| image_flag = Flag of Belgium.svg <!--Please do not replace the official 13:15 size flag by the more commonly used civil flag. Thank you.-->
| flag_caption = Flag <sup>a</sup>
| image_coat = Great Coat of Arms of Belgium.svg
| symbol_type = Coat of arms
| national_motto = {{vunblist |{{native phrase|nl|"Eendracht maakt macht"|italics=off}} |{{native phrase|fr|"L'union fait la force"|italics=off}} |{{native phrase|de|"Einigkeit macht stark"|italics=off}} |{{small|"Strength through Unity" (literally, "]")}}}}
| national_anthem = The '']'' <div style="padding-top:0.2em;height:10px;"><center>]</center></div> {{small|(instrumental version)}}
| image_map = EU-Belgium.svg
| image_map2 = Belgium - Location Map (2013) - BEL - UNOCHA.svg
| map_caption = {{map caption |location_color=dark green |region=Europe |region_color=dark grey |subregion=the European Union |subregion_color=green |legend=EU-Belgium.svg}}
| official_languages = ], ], ]
| demonym = Belgian
| ethnic_groups = ''see ] below''
| capital = ]<sup>b</sup>
| latd=50 |latm=51 |latNS=N |longd=4 |longm=21 |longEW=E
| largest_city = ]
| government_type = ] ]<br />]<ref>{{cite web |title=Government type: Belgium |work=The World Factbook |publisher=CIA |url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2128.html |accessdate=19 December 2011}}</ref>
| leader_title1 = ]
| leader_name1 = ]
| leader_title2 = ]
| leader_name2 = ]
| legislature = ]
| upper_house = ]
| lower_house = ]
| area_km2 = 30,528
| area_sq_mi = 11,787 <!--Do not remove per ]-->
| area_rank = 140th
| percent_water = 6.4
| population_census = 11,239,755<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ibz.rrn.fgov.be/nl/bevolking/statistieken-van-bevolking/|title=Population statistics|publisher=], ]|date=1 May 2014|accessdate=1 July 2014}}</ref><!-- Belgium does not work with censuses and estimates but has an always up-to-date population register, with official data for 1 January of each year. Monthly updated statistics are available via http://www.ibz.rrn.fgov.be/fileadmin/user_upload/Registre/nl/statistieken_bevolking/stat_1_n.pdf -->
| population_census_year = 1 February 2015
| population_census_rank = 75th
| population_density_km2 = 363.6<!-- based on 2013-01-01 population number -->
| population_density_rank = 23rd
| population_density_sq_mi = 941.68 <!--Do not remove ] / based on 2013-01-01 population number -->
| GDP_PPP_year = 2014
| GDP_PPP = $434.503 billion<ref name=IMF>{{cite web |url=http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2014/01/weodata/weorept.aspx?pr.x=30&pr.y=11&sy=2014&ey=2014&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=124&s=NGDPD%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPGDP%2CPPPPC&grp=0&a= |title=Belgium |publisher=International Monetary Fund |accessdate=26 April 2014}}</ref>
| GDP_PPP_rank = 38th
| GDP_PPP_per_capita = $38,826<ref name=IMF />
| GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 20th
| GDP_nominal_year = 2014
| GDP_nominal = $534.775 billion<ref name=IMF />
| GDP_nominal_rank = 23rd
| GDP_nominal_per_capita = $47,787<ref name=IMF />
| GDP_nominal_per_capita_rank = 17th
| Gini_year = 2011
| Gini_change = <!--increase/decrease/steady-->
| Gini = 26.3 <!--number only-->
| Gini_ref = <ref name=eurogini>{{cite web|title=Gini coefficient of equivalised disposable income (source: SILC)|url=http://appsso.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/nui/show.do?dataset=ilc_di12|publisher=Eurostat Data Explorer|accessdate=13 August 2013}}</ref>
| HDI_year = 2013<!-- Please use the year to which the data refers, not the publication year-->
| HDI_change = steady<!--increase/decrease/steady-->
| HDI = 0.881 <!--number only-->
| HDI_ref = <ref>{{cite web |url=http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/HDR_2011_EN_Table1.pdf |title=Human Development Report 2011 |publisher=United Nations |accessdate=2 November 2011}}</ref>
| HDI_rank = 21st
| sovereignty_type = ]
| established_event1 = Declared<br />from the ]
| established_date1 = <br />4 October 1830
| established_event2 = ]
| established_date2 = 19 April 1839
| established_event3 = ] the ] (now the<br />])
| established_date3 = 1 January 1958
| currency = ] (])<sup>c</sup>
| currency_code = EUR
| time_zone = ]
| utc_offset = +1
| time_zone_DST = ]
| utc_offset_DST = +2
| drives_on = right
| calling_code = ]
| cctld = ]<sup>d</sup>
| footnote_a = The flag's official proportions of 13:15 are rarely seen; proportions of 2:3 or similar are more common.
| footnote_b = The ] region is the ''de facto'' capital, but the ] municipality is the ''de jure'' capital
| footnote_c = Before 1999, ] (BEF).
| footnote_d = The ] domain is also used, as it is shared with other European Union member states.
}}

'''Belgium''' ({{IPAc-en|audio=en-us-Belgium.ogg|ˈ|b|ɛ|l|dʒ|əm}}; {{lang-nl|België}} {{Audio-IPA|Nl-belgie.ogg|||help=no}}; {{lang-fr|Belgique}} {{Audio-IPA|Fr-belgique.ogg||lang=fr|help=no}}; {{lang-de|Belgien}} {{Audio-IPA|De-belgien.ogg||lang=de|help=no}}), officially the '''Kingdom of Belgium''', is a ] ] in ]. It is a founding member of the ] and hosts the EU's headquarters as well as those of several other major international organisations such as ].<!--

--><ref group="nb" name="Note-1">Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many international organizations, including ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], EU, ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] (observers), ], ], ], ] (observer), ], ], ], ], UN, ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] (non-regional), ], ], ], ], ], ].</ref><!--

--> Belgium covers an area of {{convert|30528|km2|sqmi}} and has a population of about 11&nbsp;million people.

Straddling the cultural boundary between ] and ], Belgium is home to two main linguistic groups: the ], mostly ] community, which constitutes about 59% of the population, and the ], mostly ] population, which comprises 41% of all Belgians. Additionally, there is a small group of ] who are officially recognized.

Belgium's two largest regions are the Dutch-speaking region of ] in the north and the French-speaking southern region of ]. The ], officially bilingual, is a mostly French-speaking ] within the Flemish Region.<ref>{{cite web
|title=Belgique • België • Belgien—Région de Bruxelles-Capitale • Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest
|quote=C'est une région officiellement bilingue formant au centre du pays une enclave dans la province du Brabant flamand (Vlaams Brabant)
|work=L'aménagement linguistique dans le monde
|language=French
|date=18 January 2007
|author=Leclerc, Jacques, membre associé du TLFQ
|publisher=Host: Trésor de la langue française au Québec (TLFQ), ], Quebec
|url=http://www.tlfq.ulaval.ca/axl/EtatsNsouverains/bruxelles-capitale.htm
|accessdate=18 June 2007
| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070609031824/http://www.tlfq.ulaval.ca/AXL/EtatsNsouverains/bruxelles-capitale.htm| archivedate= 9 June 2007 | deadurl= no}}
<br />*
{{cite web
|title=About Belgium
|quote=the Brussels-Capital Region is an enclave of 162&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> within the Flemish region.
|publisher=Belgian Federal Public Service (ministry) / Embassy of Belgium in the Republic of Korea
|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081002031948/http://www.belgium.or.kr/page60.html
|accessdate=21 June 2007
}}
<br />*
{{cite web
|title=Flanders (administrative region)
|quote=The capital of Belgium, Brussels, is an enclave within Flanders.
|work=Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia
|year=2007
|publisher=Microsoft
|url=http://uk.encarta.msn.com/encnet/refpages/RefArtTextonly.aspx?refid=781531490
|accessdate=21 June 2007
|deadurl=yes
|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5kwPxLurr
|archivedate=31 October 2009
}}
<br />*
{{cite web
|title=The FIT Invasions of Mons
|quote=The country is divided into three autonomous regions: Dutch-speaking Flanders in the north, mostly French-speaking ] in the center as an enclave within Flanders and French-speaking Wallonia in the south, including the German-speaking ''Cantons de l'Est''.
|date=October 1999
|author=McMillan, Eric
|work=Capital translator, Newsletter of the <span style="font-size:92%;">NCATA</span>, Vol. 21, No. 7, p. 1
|publisher=National Capital Area Chapter of the American Translators Association (<span style="font-size:87%;">NCATA</span>)
|url=http://www.ncata.org/doc/Oct99.pdf
|accessdate=21 June 2007
| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070626185804/http://www.ncata.org/doc/Oct99.pdf| archivedate= 26 June 2007 | deadurl= yes}}
<br />*
{{cite web
|title=Language Facilities in the Brussels Periphery
|quote=Brussels is a kind of enclave within Flanders—it has no direct link with Wallonia.
|author=Van de Walle, Steven, lecturer at University of Birmingham Institute of Local Government Studies, School of Public Policy
|publisher=]—Leuvens Universitair Dienstencentrum voor Informatica en Telematica
|url=http://perswww.kuleuven.be/~u0025631/pdf/RANDBRUS.pdf
|format=PDF
|accessdate=21 June 2007
|deadurl=yes
|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5kwPxLurr
|archivedate=31 October 2009
}}</ref>
A ] exists in eastern Wallonia.<ref> at Belgium.be</ref><ref name=German-speaking_Community>{{cite web
|title=The German-speaking Community
|publisher=The German-speaking Community
|url=http://www.dglive.be/EN/Desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-1263/2264_read-27181/
|accessdate=5 May 2007
| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070530023348/http://www.dglive.be/EN/Desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-1263/2264_read-27181/| archivedate= 30 May 2007 | deadurl= no}} The (original) (already) mentions 73,000 instead of 71,500 inhabitants.</ref>
Belgium's linguistic diversity and related political conflicts are reflected in its ] and complex ].<ref name=bbcnews1>{{cite news
|title=Language dispute divides Belgium
|author=Morris, Chris<!--NO LINK unless it goes to a British TV journalist-->
|publisher=BBC News
|date=13 May 2005
|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4545433.stm
|accessdate=8 May 2007
}}</ref><ref name=paulderidder>{{cite web
|title=Langues majoritaires, langues minoritaires, dialectes et NTIC
|date=25 September 2001
|language=French
|author=Petermann, Simon, Professor at the University of Liège, Wallonia, Belgium—at colloquium ''IX<sup>e</sup> Sommet de la francophonie—Initiatives 2001—Ethique et nouvelles technologies, session 6 Cultures et langues, la place des minorités'', ]
|url=http://www.initiatives.refer.org/Initiatives-2001/_notes/sess604.htm
|accessdate=4 May 2007
}}</ref>

Historically, Belgium, the ], and ] were known as the ]; it once covered a somewhat larger area than the current ] group of states. The region was called Belgica in Latin, after the ] of ], which covered more or less the same area. From the end of the ] until the 17th century, the area of Belgium was a prosperous and cosmopolitan centre of commerce and culture. From the 16th century until the ] in 1830, when Belgium seceded from the ], the area of Belgium served as the battleground between many European powers, causing it to be dubbed the "Battlefield of Europe,"<ref name=Hass>{{cite web
|title=Rezension zu (Review of) Cook, Bernard: Belgium. A History ISBN 0-8204-5824-4
|date=17 February 2003
|quote=die Bezeichnung Belgiens als „the cockpit of Europe” (James Howell, 1640), die damals noch auf eine kriegerische Hahnenkampf-Arena hindeutete
|language=German
|author=Haß, Torsten, Head of the ] Library, ], Germany
|publisher=FH-Zeitung (journal of the ])
|url=http://www.fh-kehl.de/zeitung/rezensionen/2003/cook,belgium.htm
|accessdate=24 May 2007
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070609152931/http://www.fh-kehl.de/zeitung/rezensionen/2003/cook,belgium.htm
|archivedate=9 June 2007
}}—The book reviewer, Haß, attributes the expression in English to ] in 1640. Howell's original phrase "the cockpit of Christendom" became modified afterwards, as shown by:<br />*
{{cite web
|title=The Hydra No.1 New Series (November&nbsp;1917)—Arras And Captain Satan
|author=Carmont, John
|work=War Poets Collection
|publisher=Napier University's Business School
|url=http://www.napier.ac.uk/warpoets/Hydraissues/Hyn01/hyn01a03.html
|accessdate=24 May 2007
}}—and as such coined for Belgium:<br />*
{{cite web
|title=Nuttall Encyclopaedia of General Knowledge—Cockpit of Europe
|quote=Cockpit of Europe, Belgium, as the scene of so many battles between the Powers of Europe.
|author=Wood, James
|year=1907
|url=http://www.fromoldbooks.org/Wood-NuttallEncyclopaedia/c/cockpitofeurope.html
|accessdate=24 May 2007
}} (See also ])</ref>
a reputation strengthened by both World Wars.

Upon its independence, Belgium participated in the ]<ref name="Fitzmaurice">{{cite web
|title=New Order? International models of peace and reconciliation—Diversity and civil society
|author=Fitzmaurice, John, at the ], taught at the ]
|year=1996
|publisher=Democratic Dialogue ''Northern Ireland's first think tank'', Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/dd/report9/report9d.htm
|accessdate=12 August 2007
}}</ref><ref name="EUbusiness">{{cite web
|title=Belgium country profile
|date=27 August 2006
|publisher=EUbusiness, Richmond, UK
|url=http://www.eubusiness.com/Belgium/belgium-country-profile/
|accessdate=12 August 2007
}}</ref>
and, during the course of the 20th century, possessed a number of ].<ref name=Karl>{{cite web
|title=Chapter 27. The Age of Imperialism (Section 2. The Partition of Africa)
|work=World History II
|author=Karl, Farah ''(text)''; Stoneking, James'' (course)''
|year=1999
|publisher=Appomattox Regional Governor's School (History Department), Petersburg, Virginia, USA
|url=http://www.args.k12.va.us/academics/history/Stoneking/chapters/world2/world27.pdf
|accessdate=16 August 2007
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070925221249/http://www.args.k12.va.us/academics/history/Stoneking/chapters/world2/world27.pdf
|format=PDF
|archivedate=25 September 2007
}}</ref>
The second half of the 20th century was marked by rising tensions between the Dutch-speaking and the French-speaking citizens <!--a quarter of the Francophones are living in Brussels and are not nessarily Walloons but are nevertheless in conflict with the Flemings, so please don't change Francophone into Walloons. --> fueled by ] and the ] of Flanders and Wallonia. This continuing antagonism has led to several ], resulting in a transition from a unitary to a federal arrangement during the period from 1970 to 1993. Despite the reforms, tensions between the groups remain; the formation of a coalition government took 18 months following the June 2010 federal election.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.expatica.com/be/news/belgian-news/belgian-government-sworn-in-ending-18-month-crisis_193630.html|title=Belgian government sworn in, ending 18-month crisis|date=6 December 2011|accessdate=8 December 2011|work=]}}</ref>

== History ==
{{Main|History of Belgium}}

The name 'Belgium' is derived from '']'', a ] in the northernmost part of ] that before Roman invasion in 100&nbsp;BC, was inhabited by the '']'', a mix of ] and ].<ref>{{cite book
|title=]
|author=Bunson, Matthew
|year=1994
|page=169
|edition=Hardcover
|publisher=Facts on File, New York
|isbn=0-8160-2135-X}}<!--reference 2007-08-15 borrowed from WP article 'Gallia Belgica', version 2007-05-12 id=128931276, at "Agrippa made the divisions on what he perceived to be distinctions in language, race and community—Gallia Belgica was meant to be a mix of Celtic and Germanic peoples."; not doublechecked--></ref><ref>Footnote: The Celtic and/or Germanic influences on and origin(s) of the Belgae remains disputed. Further reading e.g.
{{cite web
|title=Ethnic and Cultural Identity
|work=Barbarians on the Greek Periphery?—Origins of Celtic Art
|date=May 1997
|author=Witt, Constanze Maria
|publisher=Institute for Advanced Technology in the Humanities, ]
|url=http://www3.iath.virginia.edu/Barbarians/Essays/ethnic_main.html
|accessdate=6 June 2007
| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070610041656/http://www3.iath.virginia.edu/Barbarians/Essays/ethnic_main.html| archivedate= 10 June 2007 | deadurl= no}}</ref>
A ] by Germanic ] tribes during the 5th century brought the area under the rule of the ] kings. A gradual shift of power during the 8th century led the kingdom of the Franks to evolve into the ].<ref name=CookP3>{{cite book
|title=Belgium: A History
|author=Cook, Bernard A., Professor of History at ], Louisiana, United States
|year=2002|page=3
|series=Studies in Modern European History, Vol. 50
|publisher=Peter Lang Pub, New York
|isbn=0-8204-5824-4}}<br /><!--
-->Ib. e-book (2004) NetLibrary, Boulder, Colorado, United States, ISBN 0-8204-7283-2 2004-06-30) or ( 2005), ISBN 0-8204-7647-1]</ref>

The ] in 843 divided the region into ] and ] and therefore into a set of more or less independent ]s which, during the ], were ]s either of the ] or of the ].<ref name=CookP3 />

] were united in the ] of the 14th and 15th centuries.<ref>{{cite web
|title=Chapter I: The Burgundian Netherlands|work=History of Holland
|author=Edmundson, George
|publisher=The University Press, Cambridge. Republished: Authorama
|year=1922
|url=http://www.authorama.com/history-of-holland-3.html
|accessdate=15 December 2010
}}</ref>
] extended the ] of the ] in the 1540s, making it far more than a personal union by the ] and increased his influence over the ].<ref>{{cite web
|title=Chapter II: Habsburg Rule in the Netherlands
|work=History of Holland
|author=Edmundson, George
|publisher=The University Press, Cambridge. Republished: Authorama
|year=1922
|url=http://www.authorama.com/history-of-holland-4.html
|accessdate=9 June 2007
}}</ref>
{{double image|left|Image-Charlemagne-by-Durer.jpg|100|Carlos V en Mühlberg, by Titian, from Prado in Google Earth.jpg|150|] and ]}}
The ] (1568–1648) divided the Low Countries into the northern ] (''Belgica Foederata'' in ], the "Federated Netherlands") and the ] (''Belgica Regia'', the "Royal Netherlands"). The latter were ruled successively by the ] and the ] ]s and comprised most of modern Belgium. This was the theatre of most ] and ]<!--disambiguation page intended: "most" wars of that list--> during the 17th and 18th centuries.

Following the ], the Low Countries—including territories that were never nominally under Habsburg rule, such as the Prince-Bishopric of Liège—were annexed by the ], ending Austrian rule in the region. The reunification of the Low Countries as the ] occurred at the dissolution of the ] in 1815, after the defeat of Napoleon.

In 1830, the ] led to the separation of the Southern Provinces from the Netherlands and to the establishment of a Catholic and bourgeois, officially French-speaking and neutral, independent Belgium under a ] and a ].<ref name=Dobbelaere-VoyE>{{cite journal
|url = http://socrel.oxfordjournals.org/content/51/Special_Issue/S1.full.pdf
|title = From Pillar to Postmodernity: The Changing Situation of Religion in Belgium
|page = S1
|publisher = . Online at ], ]
|year = 1990
|format = PDF
|accessdate =25 February 2011
|author = ] (]); Voyé, Liliane (])
}}</ref><ref name=Gooch><!--Is this the best source? It describes the February 1848 Revolution. Admittedly, it does confirm the neutrality of Belgium-->
{{cite book
|url = http://www.questia.com/read/3461234
|title = Belgium and the February Revolution
|author = ]
|publisher = ], ], Netherlands
|year = 1963
|page = 112
|accessdate=18 October 2010
}}</ref>
Since the installation of ] as king on {{nowrap|21 July}} 1831 (which is now celebrated as Belgium's ]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.belgium.be/en/about_belgium/country/belgium_in_nutshell/symbols/national_holiday/|title=National Day and feast days of Communities and Regions|publisher=Belgian Federal Government|accessdate=20 July 2011| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20110724132628/http://www.belgium.be/en/about_belgium/country/belgium_in_nutshell/symbols/national_holiday/| archivedate= 24 July 2011 | deadurl= no}}</ref>), Belgium has been a ] and ], with a ] constitution based on the ]. Although the franchise was initially restricted, ] for men was introduced after the ] (with ] until 1919) and for women in 1949.

] of 1830''</span> (1834), <span style="white-space:nowrap;">by ],</span> <span style="white-space:nowrap;">]</span>]]
The main political parties of the 19th century were the ] and the ], with the ] emerging towards the end of the 19th century. French was originally the single official language adopted by the ] and the ]. It progressively lost its overall importance as Dutch became recognised as well. This recognition became official in 1898 and in 1967 a Dutch version of the ] was legally accepted.<ref>{{cite web
|title=Ethnic structure, inequality and governance of the public sector in Belgium
|author=Deschouwer, Kris
|publisher=United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (<span style="font-size:87%;">UNRISD</span>)
|date=January 2004
|url=http://www.unrisd.org/UNRISD/website/document.nsf/ab82a6805797760f80256b4f005da1ab/ec506a59176be044c1256e9e003077c3/$FILE/Deschou.pdf
|format=PDF
|accessdate=22 May 2007
}}</ref>

The ] of 1885 ceded control of the ] to ] as his private possession. From around 1900 there was growing international concern for the extreme and savage treatment of the Congolese population (millions of whom are thought to have died)<ref>''The River Congo: The Discovery, Exploration and Exploitation of the World's Most Dramatic Rivers," Harper & Row, (1977). ISBN Forbath, Peter, p. 278.</ref> under Leopold&nbsp;II, for whom the Congo was primarily a source of revenue from ivory and rubber production. In 1908 this outcry led the Belgian state to assume responsibility for the government of the colony, henceforth called the ].<ref>{{cite book
|title=The State of Africa
|pages=95–96(?)
|edition=Hardcover 608pp
|date=6 June 2005
|author=Meredith, Mark
|publisher=Free Press
|isbn=0-7432-3221-6
}}<!--Original 2007-06-21 entry here as publisher=Simon & Schuster, year=2006, pages=95–96, isbn=978-0-7432-3222-7: ref not found on that date--></ref>

] as part of the ] to attack France and much of the ] fighting of World War&nbsp;I occurred in western parts of the country. The opening months of the war were known as the ] due to German excesses. Belgium took over the ] of ] (modern day ] and ]) during the war, and they were mandated to Belgium in 1924 by the ]. In the aftermath of the First World War, the ] of ] were annexed by Belgium in 1925, thereby causing the presence of a German-speaking minority.
] celebration in the ] Park in Brussels.]]
] and 40,690 Belgians, over half of them Jews, were killed during the subsequent ] and ]. From September 1944 to February 1945 Belgium was ]. After World War&nbsp;II, ] forced King ], who ] during the war, to abdicate in 1951.<ref>Ramon Arango, ''Leopold III and the Belgian royal question'', The Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore, 1961, p. 108.</ref> The Belgian Congo gained independence in 1960 during the ];<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A1304803
|title=The Congolese Civil War 1960–1964
|publisher=BBC News
|accessdate=29 April 2010
}}</ref>
Ruanda-Urundi followed with its independence two years later. Belgium joined ] as a founding member and formed the Benelux group of nations with the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

Belgium became one of the six founding members of the ] in 1951 and of the ] and ], established in 1957. The latter has now become the European Union, for which Belgium hosts major administrations and institutions, including the ], the ] and the extraordinary and committee sessions of the ].

== Politics ==
{{Main|Politics of Belgium|Belgian federal government}}
{{multiple image
| width1 = 141
| width2 = 141
| image1 = Charles Michel UNDP 2010.jpg
| image2 = Koning Filip van België.jpg
| caption1 = ]<br />{{small|] since 2014}}
| caption2 = ]<br />{{small|] since 2013}}
}}

] in ]]]
Belgium is a ], ] and a ] ]. The ] ] is composed of a ] and a ]. The former is made up of 50 senators appointed by the parliaments of the ] and 10 ]. Prior to 2014, most of the Senate's members were directly elected. The ]'s 150 representatives are elected under a ] system from 11 ]. Belgium has ] and thus maintains one of the highest rates of ] in the world.<ref name=Franklin>{{cite web
|title=Voter Turnout Rates from a Comparative Perspective
|year=2002
|author=López Pintor, Rafael and Gratschew, Maria
|publisher=]
|url=http://www.idea.int/publications/vt/upload/Voter%20turnout.pdf
|format=PDF
|accessdate=22 June 2011
}}</ref>

The ] (currently ]) is the ], though with limited ]. He appoints ministers, including a Prime Minister, that have the confidence of the ] to form the ]. The Council of Ministers is composed of no more than fifteen members. With the possible exception of the Prime Minister, the Council of Ministers is composed of an equal number of Dutch-speaking members and French-speaking members.<ref name=constitution1>{{cite web
|title=The Belgian Constitution – Article 99
|publisher=Belgian House of Representatives
|date=January 2009
|url=http://www.dekamer.be/kvvcr/pdf_sections/publications/constitution/grondwetEN.pdf
|accessdate=26 June 2011
| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20110706134014/http://www.dekamer.be/kvvcr/pdf_sections/publications/constitution/grondwetEN.pdf| archivedate= 6 July 2011 | deadurl= no}}</ref>
The judicial system is based on ] and originates from the ]. The ] is the court of last resort, with the ] one level below.<ref>{{cite web|title=Belgium 1831 (rev. 2012)|url=https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Belgium_2012?lang=en|website=Constitute|accessdate=30 March 2015}}</ref>

=== Political culture ===

Belgium's political institutions are complex; ].<ref>{{cite web
|title=Belgium, a federal state
|publisher=Belgium.be
|url=http://www.belgium.be/en/about_belgium/government/federale_staat/
|accessdate=26 November 2010
| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20101112080611/http://www.belgium.be/en/about_belgium/government/federale_staat/| archivedate= 12 November 2010 | deadurl= no}}</ref>
Since around 1970, the significant national ] have split into distinct components that mainly represent the political and linguistic interests of these communities.<ref name=USStateDpt>{{cite web
|title=Background Note: Belgium
|publisher=U.S. Department of States
|date=29 April 2010
|url=http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2874.htm
|accessdate=26 November 2010
| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20101124084727/http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2874.htm| archivedate= 24 November 2010 | deadurl= no}}</ref>
The major parties in each community, though close to the political centre, belong to three main groups: ], ], and ].<ref>{{cite web
|title=Belgium – Political parties
|work=European Election Database
|publisher=Norwegian Social Science Data Services
|year=2010
|url=http://www.nsd.uib.no/european_election_database/country/belgium/parties.html
|accessdate=10 December 2010
}}</ref>
Further notable parties came into being well after the middle of last century, mainly around ], nationalist, or environmental themes and recently smaller ones of some specific liberal nature.<ref name=USStateDpt />

A string of Christian Democrat coalition governments from 1958 ] after the first ], a major ] scandal.<ref>{{cite web
|title=Dioxin contamination scandal hits Belgium: Effects spread through European Union and beyond
|work=World Socialist Web Site (WSWS)
|publisher=International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI)
|author=Tyler, Richard <!--Do ''not'' link to fictional character or The Daily Telegraph's Enterprise Editor, this R.T.=WSWS correspondent-->
|date=8 June 1999
|url=http://www.wsws.org/articles/1999/jun1999/belg-j08.shtml
|accessdate=25 May 2007
}}</ref><ref>ElAmin, Ahmed (31 January 2006) . foodproductiondaily.com</ref><ref>{{cite web
|title=Food Law News—EU&nbsp;: CONTAMINANTS—Commission Press Release (IP/99/399) Preliminary results of EU-inspection to Belgium
|author=]
|publisher=School of Food Biosciences, University of Reading, UK
|date=16 June 1999
|url=http://www.foodlaw.rdg.ac.uk/news/eu-99-40.htm
|accessdate=29 May 2007
}}</ref>
A "rainbow coalition" emerged from six parties: the Flemish and the French-speaking Liberals, Social Democrats and Greens.<ref>{{cite news
|title=Belgium's "rainbow" coalition sworn in
|publisher=BBC News
|date=12 July 1999
|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/392004.stm
|accessdate=20 May 2007
}}</ref>
Later, a "]" of Liberals and Social Democrats formed after the Greens lost most of their seats in the ].<ref>{{cite web
|title=La Chambre des représentants—Composition (''Composition of the Chamber of Representatives'')
|date=9 March 2006
|publisher=The Chamber of Representatives of Belgium
|language=French
|url=http://www.lachambre.be/kvvcr/pdf_sections/pri/fiche/10F.pdf
|accessdate=25 May 2007
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20061107200900/http://www.lachambre.be/kvvcr/pdf_sections/pri/fiche/10F.pdf
|format=PDF
|archivedate=7 November 2006
}}<!--REF FAILS TO CONFIRM TEXT (counting seats does not exclude possibility of Ecolo/NVA/FN as 5th etc parties)--></ref>

The government led by Prime Minister ] from 1999 to 2007 achieved a balanced budget, some ]s, a labour-market reform, scheduled ] and instigated legislation allowing more stringent ] and more lenient ] prosecution. Restrictions on withholding ] were reduced and ] legalized. The government promoted active diplomacy in Africa<ref>{{cite web
|title=Rwanda
|work=tiscali.reference
|publisher=Tiscali UK
|url=http://www.tiscali.co.uk/reference/encyclopaedia/hutchinson/m0019846.html
|accessdate=27 May 2007}} The article shows an example of Belgium's recent African policies.</ref> and ].<ref>{{cite news
|title=Belgian demand halts NATO progress
|publisher=CNN
|date=16 February 2003
|url=http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/02/16/sprj.irq.nato.belgium.ap/
|accessdate=16 June 2007 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20050116083744/http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/02/16/sprj.irq.nato.belgium.ap/ |archivedate = 16 January 2005}}</ref>

Verhofstadt's coalition fared badly in the ]. For more than a year, the country experienced a ].<ref>{{cite news
|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/country_profiles/1002141.stm
|title=Time-line Belgium
|publisher=BBC-News
|date=5 January 2009
|accessdate=16 July 2009
|quote=2007 September – Belgium without a government for 100 days.}}</ref> This crisis was such that many observers speculated on a possible ].<ref name=SanFranChro>{{cite web
|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/10/12/MNB6SEM9K.DTL
|title=Divisions could lead to a partition in Belgium
|author=Bryant, Elizabeth
|work=San Francisco Chronicle
|accessdate=28 May 2008
|date=12 October 2007
}}</ref><ref name=BBCJuly2008>{{cite news
|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7507506.stm
|title=Analysis: Where now for Belgium?
|author=Hughes, Dominic
|publisher=BBC News
|date=15 July 2008
|accessdate=16 July 2008
}}</ref><ref name=Telegraph2010>{{cite web
|title=Fears over 'break up' of Belgium
|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/belgium/7982892/Fears-over-break-up-of-Belgium.html
|author=Banks, Martin
|work=The Daily Telegraph |location=UK
|date=6 September 2010
|accessdate=6 September 2010
| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20100909132726/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/belgium/7982892/Fears-over-break-up-of-Belgium.html| archivedate= 9 September 2010 | deadurl= no}}</ref> From {{Nowrap|21 December}} 2007 until {{Nowrap|20 March}} 2008 the temporary ] was in office. This coalition of the ] and ], the ] and ] together with the ] was an interim government until {{Nowrap|20 March}} 2008.<ref name="news">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7506640.stm |title=Belgian PM offers his resignation |publisher=BBC News |date=15 July 2008 |accessdate=29 April 2010| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20100420193751/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7506640.stm| archivedate= 20 April 2010 | deadurl= no}}</ref>

On that day a ], led by Flemish Christian Democrat ], the actual winner of the federal elections of {{Nowrap|June 2007}}, was sworn in by the king. On {{Nowrap|15 July}} 2008 Leterme announced the resignation of the cabinet to the king, as no progress in ] had been made.<ref name="news" />
In December 2008 he once more offered his resignation to the king after a ] surrounding the sale of ] to ].<ref>, "Belgium Prime Minister offers resignation over banking deal"</ref> At this juncture, his resignation was accepted and ] ] was sworn in as Prime Minister on {{Nowrap|30 December}} 2008.<ref> Reuters</ref>

After Herman Van Rompuy was designated the first permanent ] on {{Nowrap|19 November}} 2009, he offered the resignation of his government to King Albert&nbsp;II on {{Nowrap|25 November}} 2009. A few hours later, the ] under Prime Minister ] was sworn in. On {{Nowrap|22 April}} 2010, Leterme again offered the resignation of his cabinet to the king<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.france24.com/en/20100422-belgium-leterme-resigns-vld-liberals-democrats-quit-ruling-coalition|title=Prime Minister Leterme resigns after liberals quit government |date=22 April 2010|publisher=France 24|accessdate=22 April 2010| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20100426001006/http://www.france24.com/en/20100422-belgium-leterme-resigns-vld-liberals-democrats-quit-ruling-coalition| archivedate= 26 April 2010 | deadurl= no}}</ref> after one of the coalition partners, the ], withdrew from the government, and on {{Nowrap|26 April}} 2010 King Albert officially accepted the resignation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.france24.com/en/20100426-leterme-albert-accepts-resignation-prime-minister-government-collapse-belgium |title=King Albert&nbsp;II accepts resignation of Prime Minister Yves Leterme |publisher=France 24 |accessdate=29 April 2010| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20100429002512/http://www.france24.com/en/20100426-leterme-albert-accepts-resignation-prime-minister-government-collapse-belgium| archivedate= 29 April 2010 | deadurl= no}}</ref>

The Parliamentary elections in Belgium on {{Nowrap|13 June}} 2010 saw the Flemish nationalist ] become the largest party in Flanders, and the Socialist Party PS the largest party in Wallonia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://electionresources.org/be/chamber.php?election=2010 |title=Federal Elections in Belgium – Chamber of Representatives Results}}</ref> Until December 2011, Belgium was governed by Leterme's ] awaiting the end of the deadlocked negotiations for ]. By 30 March 2011 this set a new world record for the elapsed time without an official government, previously held by war-torn ]. Finally, in December 2011 the ] led by Walloon socialist Prime Minister ] was sworn in.

The ] (coinciding with the ]) resulted in a further electoral gain for the Flemish nationalist N-VA, although the incumbent coalition (composed of Flemish and French-speaking Social Democrats, Liberals, and Christian Democrats) maintains a solid majority in Parliament and in all electoral constituencies. On 22 July 2014, King Philippe nominated ] (MR) and ] (CD&V) to ] composed of the Flemish parties N-VA, CD&V, Open Vld and the French-speaking MR, which resulted in the ]. It is the first time N-VA is part of the federal cabinet, while the French-speaking side is represented only by the MR, which achieved a minority of the public votes in Wallonia.

== Communities and regions ==
{{Main|Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium}}
] / Dutch language area}}
<span style="margin:0; padding-bottom:1px; font-size:90%; display:block;"><span style="background:#fab274; color:#fab274;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><span style="background:#f2536b; color:#f2536b;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>&nbsp;Flemish & French Community / bilingual language area</span>
{{legend|#f2536b|] / French language area}}{{legend|#40bb6a|] / German language area}}]]
] / Dutch language area}}{{legend|#2385d2|]-Capital Region / bilingual area}}{{legend|#f2536b|] / French and German language areas}}]]

Following a usage which can be traced back to the Burgundian and Habsburgian courts,<ref>{{cite book
|title=Zweisprachigkeit in den Benelux-ländern
|language=German
|author=Kramer, Johannes
|quote=Zur prestige Sprache wurde in den Spanischen Niederlanden ganz eindeutig das Französische. Die Vertreter Spaniens beherrschten normalerweise das Französische, nicht aber das Niederländische; ein beachtlicher Teil der am Hofe tätigen Adligen stammte aus Wallonien, das sich ja eher auf die spanische Seite geschlagen hatte als Flandern und Brabant. In dieser Situation war es selbstverständlich, dass die flämischen Adligen, die im Laufe der Zeit immer mehr ebenfalls zu Hofbeamten wurden, sich des Französischen bedienen mussten, wenn sie als gleichwertig anerkannt werden wollten.
|publisher=Buske Verlag
|year=1984
|page=69
|isbn=3-87118-597-3}}</ref> in the 19th century it was necessary to speak French to belong to the governing upper class, and those who could only speak Dutch were effectively second-class citizens.<ref>{{cite book|title=Political History of Belgium: From 1830 Onwards|author=Witte, Els; Craeybeckx, Jan and Meynen, Alain |publisher=Academic and Scientific Publishers|location=Brussels|year=2009|page=56}}</ref> Late that century, and continuing into the 20th century, ]s evolved to counter this situation.<ref name=Fitzmaurice1996-p31>], p. 31</ref>

While the people in Southern Belgium spoke French or dialects of French, and ] as their first language, the Flemings refused to do so and succeeded progressively in making Dutch an equal language in the education system.<ref name=Fitzmaurice1996-p31 /> Following World War&nbsp;II, Belgian politics became increasingly dominated by the autonomy of its two main linguistic communities.<ref name=EED>{{cite web|url=http://www.nsd.uib.no/european_election_database/country/belgium/background.html|title=Belgium|work=]|publisher=]|year=2010|accessdate=8 December 2010}}</ref> Intercommunal tensions rose and the constitution was amended to minimise the potential for conflict.<ref name=EED />

Based on the four language areas defined in 1962–63 (the Dutch, bilingual, French and German language areas), consecutive ] of ] in 1970, 1980, 1988 and 1993 established a unique form of a federal state with segregated political power into three levels:<ref name=rolandwillemyns>{{cite journal
|title=The Dutch-French Language Border in Belgium
|journal=Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development
|volume= 23
|issue= 1&2
|year=2002
|pages=36–49
|author=Willemyns, Roland, ], Germanic Languages
|url=http://www.multilingual-matters.net/jmmd/023/0036/jmmd0230036.pdf
|accessdate=22 June 2007
|doi=10.1080/01434630208666453
| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070626185804/http://www.multilingual-matters.net/jmmd/023/0036/jmmd0230036.pdf| archivedate= 26 June 2007 | deadurl= no}}</ref><ref name=constitution2>{{cite web
|title=The Belgian Constitution – Article 4
|publisher=Belgian House of Representatives
|date=January 2009
|url=http://www.dekamer.be/kvvcr/pdf_sections/publications/constitution/grondwetEN.pdf
|accessdate=26 June 2011
| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20110706134014/http://www.dekamer.be/kvvcr/pdf_sections/publications/constitution/grondwetEN.pdf| archivedate= 6 July 2011 | deadurl= no}}</ref>
# The ], based in Brussels.
# The three language communities:
#* the ] (Dutch-speaking);
#* the ] (French-speaking);
#* the ].
# The three regions:
#* the ], subdivided into five ];
#* the ], subdivided into five provinces;
#* the ].

The ] determine the official languages in their municipalities, as well as the geographical limits of the empowered institutions for specific matters.<ref name=Fitzmaurice1996-p121>], p. 121</ref> Although this would allow for seven parliaments and governments, when the Communities and Regions were created in 1980, Flemish politicians decided to merge both.<ref name=Fitzmaurice1996-p122>], p. 122</ref> Thus the Flemings just have one single institutional body of parliament and government is empowered for all except federal and specific municipal matters.<ref group="nb" name="OneFlemishBody">The Constitution set out seven institutions each of which can have a parliament, government and administration. In fact there are only six such bodies because the Flemish Region merged into the Flemish Community. This single Flemish body thus exercises powers about Community matters in the bilingual area of Brussels-Capital and in the Dutch language area, while about Regional matters only in Flanders.</ref>

The overlapping boundaries of the Regions and Communities have created two notable peculiarities: the territory of the Brussels-Capital Region (which came into existence nearly a decade after the other regions) is included in both the Flemish and French Communities, and the territory of the German-speaking Community lies wholly within the Walloon Region. Conflicts about jurisdiction between the bodies are resolved by the ]. The structure is intended as a compromise to allow different cultures to live together peacefully.<ref name="Fitzmaurice" />

=== Locus of policy jurisdiction ===

The Federal State's authority includes justice, defence, federal police, social security, nuclear energy, monetary policy and public debt, and other aspects of public finances. State-owned companies include the ] and ]. The Federal Government is responsible for the obligations of Belgium and its federalized institutions towards the European Union and NATO. It controls substantial parts of public health, home affairs and foreign affairs.<ref name=fedgov1>{{cite web|title=The Federal Government's Powers|work=.be Portal|publisher=Belgian Federal Government|url=http://www.belgium.be/en/about_belgium/government/federal_authorities/competence_federal_government/|accessdate=4 February 2011}}</ref> The budget—without the debt—controlled by the federal government amounts to about 50% of the national fiscal income. The federal government employs around 12% of the civil servants.<ref>{{cite book|quote=In 2002, 58.92% of the fiscal income was going to the budget of the federal government, but more than one-third was used to pay the interests of the public debt. Without including this post, the share of the federal government budget would be only 48.40% of the fiscal income. There are 87.8% of the civil servants who are working for the Regions or the Communities and 12.2% for the Federal State.|author=Lagasse, Charles-Etienne |title=Les nouvelles institutions politiques de la Belgique et de l'Europe|publisher=Erasme|location=Namur|year=2003|isbn=2-87127-783-4|page=289}}</ref>

Communities exercise their authority only within linguistically determined geographical boundaries, originally oriented towards the individuals of a Community's language: culture (including audiovisual media), education and the use of the relevant language. Extensions to personal matters less directly connected with language comprise health policy (curative and preventive medicine) and assistance to individuals (protection of youth, social welfare, aid to families, ] assistance services, and so on.).<ref name=fedgov2>{{cite web|title=The Communities|work=.be Portal|publisher=Belgian Federal Government|url=http://www.belgium.be/en/about_belgium/government/communities/|accessdate=26 June 2011| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20110615153816/http://www.belgium.be/en/about_belgium/government/communities/| archivedate= 15 June 2011 | deadurl= no}}</ref>

Regions have authority in fields that can be broadly associated with their territory. These include economy, employment, agriculture, water policy, housing, public works, energy, transport, the environment, town and country planning, nature conservation, credit and foreign trade. They supervise the provinces, municipalities and intercommunal utility companies.<ref name=fedgov3>{{cite web|title=The Regions|work=.be Portal|publisher=Belgian Federal Government|url=http://www.belgium.be/en/about_belgium/government/regions/|accessdate=26 June 2011| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20110615153938/http://www.belgium.be/en/about_belgium/government/regions/| archivedate= 15 June 2011 | deadurl= no}}</ref>

In several fields, the different levels each have their own say on specifics. With education, for instance, the autonomy of the Communities neither includes decisions about the compulsory aspect nor allows for setting minimum requirements for awarding qualifications, which remain federal matters.<ref name=fedgov1 /> Each level of government can be involved in scientific research and international relations associated with its powers. The treaty-making power of the Regions' and Communities' Governments is the broadest of all the Federating units of all the Federations all over the world.<ref name=Lagasse1>{{cite web |url = http://www.kazanfed.ru/en/actions/konfer8/6/ |title = Federalism in Russia, Canada and Belgium: experience of comparative research |language = French |quote = La Belgique constitue ainsi le seul exemple clair du transfert d'une partie de la compétence « affaires étrangères » à des entités fédérées. (Transl.: Belgium is thus the only clear example of a transfer of a part of the "Foreign Affairs" competences to federated units.) |author = Lagasse, Charles-Etienne |date = 17–18 May 2004 |publisher = Kazan Institute of Federalism }}</ref><ref name=Lagasse2>{{cite book |title = Les nouvelles institutions de la Belgique et de l'Europe |language = French |quote = repose sur une combinaison unique d'équipollence, d'exclusivité et de prolongement international des compétences. ( is based on a unique combination of equipollence, of exclusivity, and of international extension of competences.) |author = Lagasse, Charles-Etienne |page = 603}}</ref><ref name=Suinen>{{cite web |url = http://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/2000/10/SUINEN/14406.html |title = Une Première mondiale |work = ] |language = French |quote = Dans l'organisation de ces autonomies, la Belgique a réalisé une « première » mondiale: afin d'éviter la remise en cause, par le biais de la dimension internationale, de compétences exclusives transférées aux entités fédérées, les communautés et régions se sont vu reconnaître une capacité et des pouvoirs internationaux. (In organizing its autonomies, Belgium realised a World's First: to avoid a relevant stalemate, international consequences caused transfers of exclusive competences to federal, community and regional entities that are recognised to have become internationally enabled and enpowered.) |author = Suinen, Philippe |date=October 2000 }}</ref>

== Geography ==
{{Main|Geography of Belgium}}
]s along the ] river.]]

Belgium shares borders with ] ({{nowrap|620&nbsp;km}}), ] ({{nowrap|167&nbsp;km}}), ] ({{nowrap|148&nbsp;km}}) and the ] ({{nowrap|450&nbsp;km}}). Its total area, including surface water area, is 30,528 square kilometres; land area alone is 30,278&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>.<ref name=CIA>{{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/be.html|title=The World Factbook|work=cia.gov}}</ref> It lies between latitudes 49°30 and 51°30 N, and longitudes 2°33 and 6°24 E.<ref>{{nl icon}} . Belgium.be. Retrieved 12 August 2013.</ref>

Belgium has three main geographical regions: the coastal plain in the north-west and the central plateau both belong to the Anglo-Belgian Basin; the ] uplands in the south-east are part of the ]. The ] reaches a small fourth area at Belgium's southernmost tip, ].<ref>{{cite web
|title=Belgium—The land—Relief
|work=Encyclopædia Britannica
|year=2007
|publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica, Chicago, Illinois, USA
|url=https://edit.britannica.com/getEditableToc?tocId=24981
|accessdate=3 July 2007}}</ref>

The coastal plain consists mainly of sand dunes and ]s. Further inland lies a smooth, slowly rising landscape irrigated by numerous waterways, with fertile valleys and the northeastern sandy plain of the ] (''Kempen''). The thickly forested hills and plateaux of the Ardennes are more rugged and rocky with caves and small ]. Extending westward into France, this area is eastwardly connected to the ] in Germany by the ] plateau, on which the ] forms the country's highest point at {{convert|694|m|ft|0}}.<ref>{{cite web
|title=Geography of Belgium
|publisher=123independenceday.com
|url=http://www.123independenceday.com/belgium/geography.html
|accessdate=10 August 2007| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070912093214/http://www.123independenceday.com/belgium/geography.html| archivedate= 12 September 2007 | deadurl= no}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|title=Life—Nature
|year=2005
|publisher=Office for Official Publications of the European Communities
|url=http://kp.org.pl/n2k/pdf/15.pdf
|accessdate=10 August 2007}}</ref>

] is ] with significant precipitation in all seasons (]: ''Cfb''), like most of northwest Europe.<ref>{{cite journal | author=Peel, M. C.; Finlayson, B. L. and McMahon, T. A. | year=2007 | title= Updated world map of the Köppen–Geiger climate classification | journal=Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. | volume=11 | pages=1633–1644 | url=http://www.hydrol-earth-syst-sci.net/11/1633/2007/hess-11-1633-2007.html | issn = 1027-5606|doi=10.5194/hess-11-1633-2007 | issue=5}} ''(direct: )''</ref> The average temperature is lowest in January at {{convert|3|°C|°F|1}} and highest in July at {{convert|18|°C|°F|1}}. The average precipitation per month varies between {{convert|54|mm|in|1}} for February or April, to {{convert|78|mm|in|1|abbr=on}} for July.<ref>{{cite web
|title=Climate averages—Brussels
|publisher=Euro<span style="font-size:87%;">WEATHER</span>/Euro<span style="font-size:87%;">METEO</span>, Nautica Editrice Srl, Rome, Italy
|url=http://www.euroweather.net/english/climate/city_EBBR/id_GT/meteo_brussels%20belgium
|accessdate=27 May 2007}}</ref> Averages for the years 2000 to 2006 show daily temperature minimums of {{convert|7|°C|°F|1}} and maximums of {{convert|14|°C|°F|1}} and monthly rainfall of {{convert|74|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}; these are about 1&nbsp;°C and nearly 10 millimetres above last century's normal values, respectively.<ref name=statbel2>{{cite web
|url = http://statbel.fgov.be/pub/d0/p007y2006_nl.pdf
|title = Kerncijfers 2006 – Statistisch overzicht van België
|pages = 9–10
|language = Dutch
|publisher = Belgian Federal Government Service (ministry) of Economy—Directorate-general Statistics Belgium
|accessdate =8 May 2007
|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20070605012645/http://statbel.fgov.be/pub/d0/p007y2006_nl.pdf
|archivedate = 5 June 2007
}}</ref>

], Belgium is shared between the Atlantic European and Central European provinces of the ] within the ].<ref>Takhtajan, Armen, 1986. ''Floristic Regions of the World''. (translated by T.J. Crovello and A. Cronquist). ], ].</ref> According to the ], the territory of Belgium belongs to the ] of Atlantic mixed forests.<ref>{{WWF ecoregion|id=pa0402|name=Atlantic mixed forests}}</ref> Because of its high population density, its location in the centre of Western Europe and inadequate political effort, Belgium faces serious ]. A 2003 report suggested Belgian natural waters
(rivers and groundwater) to have the lowest water quality of the 122 countries studied.<ref>{{cite web
|title=Sewage-laden Belgian water worst in world
|last=Pearce |first=Fred
|work=]
|date=5 March 2003
|url=http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn3458
|accessdate=9 May 2006}}</ref>
In the 2006 pilot ], Belgium scored 75.9% for overall environmental performance and was ranked lowest of the EU member countries, though it was only 39th of 133 countries.<ref> – Yale Center for Environmental Law & Policy and Columbia University Center for International Earth Science Information Network</ref>

=== Provinces ===
{{Belgian provinces Labelled Map}}
{{Main|Provinces of Belgium}}
The territory of Belgium is divided into three Regions, two of which, the ] and ], are in turn subdivided into ]; the third Region, the ], is neither a province nor a part of a province.
{| class="sortable wikitable" style="text-align:left"
|-
! style="width:110px;"| Province
! style="width:110px;"| Dutch name
! style="width:110px;"| French name
! style="width:110px;"| German name
! style="width:115px;"| Capital
! style="width:115px;"| Largest city
! style="width:50px;"| Area<br />(km²)
! style="width:70px;"| Population<br />(1 January 2013)
|-
| ] || '''Antwerpen''' || Anvers || Antwerpen || ]<br />(Dutch: ''Antwerpen'')<br />(French: ''Anvers'')|| ]<br />(Dutch: ''Antwerpen'')<br />(French: ''Anvers'') || style="text-align:right"|2,860|| style="text-align:right"| 1,793,377
|-
| ] || '''Oost-Vlaanderen''' || Flandre-Orientale || Ostflandern || ]<br />(Dutch: ''Gent'')<br />(French: ''Gand'') || ]<br />(Dutch: ''Gent'')<br />(French: ''Gand'') || style="text-align:right"|2,982|| style="text-align:right"| 1,460,944
|-
| ] || '''Vlaams-Brabant''' || Brabant flamand || Flämisch Brabant || ]<br />(French: ''Louvain'') || ]<br />(French: ''Louvain'') || style="text-align:right"|2,106 || style="text-align:right" | 1,101,280
|-
| ] || Henegouwen || '''Hainaut''' || Hennegau || ]<br />(Dutch: ''Bergen'') || ] || style="text-align:right"|3,800|| style="text-align:right"| 1,328,760
|-
| ] || Luik || '''Liège''' || '''Lüttich''' || ]<br />(Dutch: ''Luik'')<br />(German: ''Lüttich'') || ]<br />(Dutch: ''Luik'')<br />(German: ''Lüttich'') || style="text-align:right"|3,844 || style="text-align:right"| 1,087,729
|-
| ] || '''Limburg''' || Limbourg || Limburg || ] || ] || style="text-align:right"|2,414|| style="text-align:right"| 853,239
|-
| ] || Luxemburg || '''Luxembourg''' || Luxemburg || ]<br />(Dutch: ''Aarlen'')<br />(German: ''Arel'') || ]<br />(Dutch: ''Aarlen'')<br />(German: ''Arel'') || style="text-align:right"|4,443|| style="text-align:right"| 275,594
|-
| ] || Namen || '''Namur''' || Namur || ]<br />(Dutch: ''Namen'') || ]<br />(Dutch: ''Namen'') || style="text-align:right"|3,664|| style="text-align:right"| 482,451
|-
| ] || Waals-Brabant|| '''Brabant wallon''' || Wallonisch Brabant || ]<br />(Dutch: ''Waver'') || ]<br />(Dutch: ''Eigenbrakel'') || style="text-align:right"|1,093|| style="text-align:right"| 388,526
|-
| ] || '''West-Vlaanderen''' || Flandre-Occidentale || Westflandern || ]<br />(Dutch: ''Brugge'')<br />(French: ''Bruges'')<br />(German: ''Brügge'') || ]<br />(Dutch: ''Brugge'')<br />(French: ''Bruges'')<br />(German: ''Brügge'')|| style="text-align:right"|3,151|| style="text-align:right"| 1,173,019
|}

== Economy ==
{{Main|Economy of Belgium}}
], ] ].]]
]
Belgium's strongly globalized economy<ref>Belgium ranked first in the KOF ] 2009{{cite web
|url=http://globalization.kof.ethz.ch/
|title=KOF Index of Globalization
|editor=ETH Zürich
|editor-link=ETH Zürich
|accessdate=2 February 2009}}</ref> and its ] are integrated with the rest of Europe. Its location at the heart of a highly industrialized region helped make it the world's 15th largest trading nation in 2007.<ref>{{cite web
|url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2078rank.html
|title=Rank Order – Exports
|work=CIA – The 2008 world factbook
|quote=15: Belgium $322,200,000,000 (2007 est.)
|accessdate=5 October 2008| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20081004073036/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook//rankorder/2078rank.html| archivedate= 4 October 2008 | deadurl= no}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2087rank.html
|title=Rank Order – Imports
|work=CIA – The 2008 world factbook
|quote=15: Belgium $323,200,000,000 (2007 est.)
|accessdate=5 October 2008| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20081004070323/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook//rankorder/2087rank.html| archivedate= 4 October 2008 | deadurl= no}}</ref> The economy is characterized by a highly productive work force, high ] and high exports per capita.<ref name=diplomatbe1>{{cite web
|title=Belgian economy
|work=Belgium
|publisher=Belgian Federal Public Service (ministry) of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation
|url=http://www.diplomatie.be/en/belgium/belgiumdetail.asp?TEXTID=49019
|accessdate=12 June 2009
|quote=Belgium is the world leader in terms of export per capita and can justifiably call itself the 'world's largest exporter'.
| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20090615182722/http://www.diplomatie.be/en/belgium/belgiumdetail.asp?TEXTID=49019| archivedate= 15 June 2009 | deadurl= no}}</ref> Belgium's main imports are raw materials, machinery and equipment, chemicals, raw diamonds, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, transportation equipment, and oil products. Its main exports are machinery and equipment, chemicals, finished diamonds, metals and metal products, and foodstuffs.<ref name=CIA />

The Belgian economy is heavily service-oriented and shows a dual nature: a dynamic Flemish economy and a Walloon economy that lags behind.<ref name="Fitzmaurice" /><ref>{{cite web
|title=Wallonia in 'decline' thanks to politicians
|publisher=Expatica Communications BV
|date=9 March 2005
|url=http://www.expatica.com/actual/article.asp?subchannel_id=48&story_id=17824
|accessdate=16 June 2007}}</ref><ref group=nb>The richest (per capita income) of Belgium's three regions is the ], followed by the ] and lastly the ]. The ten municipalities with the highest reported income are: ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ].{{cite web
|title=Où habitent les Belges les plus riches?
|publisher=trends.be
|year=2010
|url=http://trends.rnews.be/fr/economie/actualite/politique-economique/ou-habitent-les-belges-les-plus-riches/article-1194966031033.htm
|accessdate=15 July 2011}}</ref> One of the founding members of the European Union, Belgium strongly supports an ] and the extension of the powers of EU institutions to integrate member economies. Since 1922, through the ], Belgium and Luxembourg have been a single trade market with customs and currency union.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.mae.lu/fr/Site-MAE/Politique-etrangere-et-europeenne/Organisations-Economiques-Regionales/L-Union-economique-belgo-luxembourgeoise | title=L'Union économique belgo-luxembourgeoise | publisher=Luxembourgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs | accessdate=15 June 2011 | language=French }}</ref>

] at ], near ].]]
Belgium was the first continental European country to undergo the ], in the early 19th century.<ref name=erih>{{cite web
|title=Industrial History Belgium
|publisher=European Route of Industrial Heritage
|url=http://en.erih.net/index.php?pageId=114
|accessdate=8 May 2007}}</ref> ] and ] rapidly developed mining and steelmaking, which flourished until the mid-20th century in the ] and made Belgium among one of the three most industrialized nations in the world from 1830 to 1910.<ref>{{cite book
|author=Rioux, Jean-Pierre
|title=La révolution industrielle
|language=French
|publisher=Seuil
|location=Paris
|year=1989
|page=105
|isbn=2-02-000651-0}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.erih.net/industrial-history/belgium.html|publisher=European route of industrial heritage|title=Industrial History, Belgium}}</ref> However, by the 1840s the textile industry of Flanders was in severe crisis, and the region experienced ] from 1846 to 1850.<ref>{{cite conference
| url = http://www.helsinki.fi/iehc2006/papers3/Vanhaute.pdf
| title = The European subsistence crisis of 1845–1850: a comparative perspective
| author = Vanhaute, Eric; Paping, Richard and Ó Gráda, Cormac
| year = 2006
| conference = IEHC
| location = Helsinki
| accessdate =31 May 2011
}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Vanhaute |first1=Eric |title=When the potato failed. Causes and effects of the 'last' European subsistance crisis, 1845–1850 |format=PDF |accessdate=31 May 2011 |year=2007|publisher=Brepols |isbn=978-2-503-51985-2 |pages=123–148 |chapter='So worthy an example to Ireland'. The subsistance and industrial crisis of 1845–1850 in Flanders |url=http://biblio.ugent.be/input/download?func=downloadFile&fileOId=919187&recordOId=359578}}</ref>

After ], ] and ] experienced a rapid expansion of the chemical and petroleum industries. The ] and ] sent the economy into a recession; it was particularly prolonged in Wallonia, where the steel industry had become less competitive and experienced serious decline.<ref name=usdepartmentofstate1>{{cite web
|title=Background Note: Belgium
|publisher=], Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs
|date=April 2007
|url=http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2874.htm
|accessdate=8 May 2007| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070508230300/http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2874.htm| archivedate= 8 May 2007 | deadurl= no}}</ref> In the 1980s and 1990s, the economic centre of the country continued to shift northwards and is now concentrated in the populous ] area.<ref>{{cite web
|title=Het belang van de Vlaamse Ruit vanuit economisch perspectief ''The importance of the Flemish Diamond from an economical perspective''
|language=Dutch
|author=Vanhaverbeke, Wim
|url=http://edata.ub.unimaas.nl/www-edocs/loader/file.asp?id=264
|publisher=Netherlands Institute of Business Organization and Strategy Research, ]
|accessdate=19 May 2007| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20070314033239/http://edata.ub.unimaas.nl/www-edocs/loader/file.asp?id=264| archivedate = 14 March 2007}}</ref>

By the end of the 1980s, Belgian ] had resulted in a cumulative government debt of about 120% of GDP. As of 2006, the budget was balanced and public debt was equal to 90.30% of GDP.<ref>{{cite web
|title=The World Factbook—(Rank Order—Public debt)
|date=17 April 2007
|url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2186rank.html
|publisher=CIA
|accessdate=8 May 2007| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070613005546/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2186rank.html| archivedate= 13 June 2007 | deadurl= no}}</ref> In 2005 and 2006, real GDP growth rates of 1.5% and 3.0%, respectively, were slightly above the average for the Euro area. Unemployment rates of 8.4% in 2005 and 8.2% in 2006 were close to the area average. By {{Nowrap|October 2010}}, this had grown to 8.5% compared to an average rate of 9.6% for the European Union as a whole (EU 27).<ref name=nbb>{{cite web
|title=Key figures
|publisher=]
|url=http://www.nbb.be/pub/00_00_00_00_02/?l=en&t=ho
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070430165049/http://www.nbb.be/pub/00_00_00_00_02/?l=en&t=ho
|archivedate=30 April 2007
|accessdate=19 May 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=EurActiv|url=http://www.euractiv.com/en/regional-policy/belgium-makes-place-urban-enterprises-news-500878|work=Belgium makes place for urban enterprises|publisher=EurActiv|accessdate=19 March 2011| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20110430045610/http://www.euractiv.com/en/regional-policy/belgium-makes-place-urban-enterprises-news-500878| archivedate= 30 April 2011 | deadurl= no}}</ref> From 1832 until 2002, Belgium's currency was the ]. Belgium switched to the euro in 2002, with the first sets of euro coins being minted in 1999. The standard ] designated for circulation show the portrait of the monarch (first King Albert&nbsp;II, since 2013 King Philippe).

Despite an 18% decrease observed from 1970 to 1999, Belgium still had in 1999 the highest ] density within the European Union with 113.8&nbsp;km/1 000&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>. On the other hand, the same period of time, 1970–1999, has seen a huge growth (+56%) of the ]. In 1999, the density of km motorways per 1000&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> and 1000 inhabitants amounted to 55.1 and 16.5 respectively and were significantly superior to the EU's means of 13.7 and 15.9.<ref name=panorama>{{cite book| title=Panorama of Transport |publisher=Office for Official Publications of the European Communities | year=2003 | isbn=92-894-4845-8 |url=http://www.uni-mannheim.de/edz/pdf/eurostat/02/KS-DA-02-001-EN-N-EN.pdf | format=PDF }}</ref>

Belgium experiences some of the most congested traffic in Europe. In 2010, commuters to the cities of Brussels and Antwerp spent respectively 65 and 64 hours a year in traffic jams.<ref>{{cite web|work=Wallstreet Journal |author=Fidler, Stephen |date=3 November 2010 |accessdate=21 June 2011 |url=http://blogs.wsj.com/brussels/2010/11/03/europes-traffic-jam-capitals/ |title=Europe's Top Traffic Jam Capitals }}</ref> Like in most small European countries, more than 80% of the airways traffic is handled by a single airport, the ]. The ] and ] share more than 80% of Belgian maritime traffic, Antwerp being the second European harbour with a gross weight of goods handled of 115 988 000 t in 2000 after a growth of 10.9% over the preceding five years.<ref name=panorama /><ref>Another comparative study on transportation in Belgium: {{cite book | title=OECD environmental performance reviews: Belgium | publisher=OECD | year=2007 | isbn=92-64-03111-1}}</ref>

== Military ==

{{Main|Belgian Armed Forces}}

The Belgian Armed Forces have about 47,000 active troops. In 2010, Belgium's defence budget totaled €3.95 billion (representing 1.12% of its GDP).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.eda.europa.eu/DefenceData/Belgium?DDYear=2010 |title=Defence Data of Belgium in 2010 |publisher=] |accessdate=9 August 2012}}</ref> They are organised into one unified structure which consists of four main components: ], or the Army; ], or the Air Force; ], or the Navy; ]. The operational commands of the four components are subordinate to the Staff Department for Operations and Training of the ], which is headed by the ], and to the ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mil.be/def/index.asp |title=Defensie La Défense|accessdate=15 June 2011| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20110614214307/http://www.mil.be/def/index.asp| archivedate= 14 June 2011 | deadurl= no}}</ref>

The effects of World War II made ] a priority for ]. In March 1948 Belgium signed the ], and then joined ] in 1948. However the integration of the armed forces into NATO did not begin until after the ].<ref>David Isby and Charles Kamps Jr, 'Armies of NATO's Central Front,' Jane's Publishing Company, 1985, p.59</ref> The Belgians, along with the Luxembourg government, sent a detachment of battalion strength to fight in Korea known as the ]. This mission was the first in a long line of UN missions which the Belgians supported.

== Science and technology ==
{{Further2|]|]|]}}
]]]

Contributions to the development of science and technology have appeared throughout the country's history. The 16th century ] flourishing of Western Europe included ] ], ] ], ] ]<ref>{{cite web|title=Rembert Dodoens: iets over zijn leven en werk—Dodoens' werken|date=20 December 2005|work=Plantaardigheden—Project Rembert Dodoens (Rembertus Dodonaeus)|language=Dutch|quote=...&nbsp;het Cruijdeboeck, dat in 1554 verscheen. Dit meesterwerk was na de bijbel in die tijd het meest vertaalde boek. Het werd gedurende meer dan een eeuw steeds weer heruitgegeven en gedurende meer dan twee eeuwen was het het meest gebruikte handboek over kruiden in West-Europa. Het is een werk van wereldfaam en grote wetenschappelijke waarde. De nieuwe gedachten die Dodoens erin neerlegde, werden de bouwstenen voor de botanici en medici van latere generaties. ''(...&nbsp;the Cruijdeboeck, published in 1554. This masterpiece was, after the Bible, the most translated book in that time. It continued to be republished for more than a century and for more than two centuries it was the mostly used referential about herbs. It is a work with world fame and great scientific value. The new thoughts written down by Dodoens, became the building bricks for botanists and physicians of later generations.)''
|publisher=Stichting Kruidenhoeve/Plantaardigheden|location=Balkbrug|url=http://plantaardigheden.nl/dodoens/over_dodoens/leven_en_werk.htm#dodoens|accessdate=17 May 2007| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070610070835/http://www.plantaardigheden.nl/dodoens/over_dodoens/leven_en_werk.htm| archivedate= 10 June 2007 | deadurl= no}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Simon Stevin|last1=O'Connor|first1=J. J.|last2=Robertsonfirst2=E. F.|publisher=School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of St Andrews, Scotland|year=2004|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-andrews.ac.uk/~history/Biographies/Stevin.html|quote=Although he did not invent decimals (they had been used by the Arabs and the Chinese long before Stevin's time) he did introduce their use in mathematics in Europe.|accessdate=11 May 2007| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070609192011/http://www-groups.dcs.st-andrews.ac.uk/~history/Biographies/Stevin.html| archivedate= 9 June 2007 | deadurl= no}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Abstract (*)|quote=The importance of A. Vesalius' publication'' 'de humani corporis fabrica libri septem' ''cannot be overestimated.|publisher=S. Karger AG, Basel|url=http://content.karger.com/ProdukteDB/produkte.asp?Aktion=ShowPDF&ProduktNr=223979&Ausgabe=225203&ArtikelNr=13462|accessdate=11 May 2007}} (*) Free abstract for pay-per-view article by{{cite journal|title=The Low Countries – 16th/17th century|last1=De Broe|first1=Marc E.|last2=De Weerdt|first2=Dirk L.|last3=Ysebaert|first3=Dirk K.|last4=Vercauteren|first4=Sven R.|last5=De Greef|first5=Kathleen E.|last6=De Broe|first6=Luc C.|journal=American Journal of Nephrology|year=1999|volume=19|issue=2|pages=282–9|pmid=10213829|doi=10.1159/000013462|url=http://content.karger.com/ProdukteDB/produkte.asp?Aktion=ShowPDF&ArtikelNr=13462&Ausgabe=225203&ProduktNr=223979&filename=13462.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title='A Day Without Yesterday': Georges Lemaitre & the Big Bang|date=24 March 2000|pages=18–19|author=Midbon, Mark, ]|publisher=], republished: Catholic Education Resource Center (<span style="font-size:87%;">CERC</span>)|url=http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/science/sc0022.html|accessdate=7 June 2007| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070706021420/http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/science/sc0022.html| archivedate= 6 July 2007 | deadurl= no}}</ref> and ] ] among the most influential scientists.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Fair Face of Flanders|author=Carson, Patricia |page=136|isbn=90-209-4385-5|publisher=Lannoo Uitgeverij}}</ref>

Chemist ]<ref>{{cite book|title=Biographical Dictionary of the History of Technology|page=1135|author=Day, Lance |editor=Lance Day, Ian McNeil|publisher=Routledge|year=2003|isbn=0-203-02829-5}}</ref> and engineer ] (École Industrielle de Liège)<ref>{{cite book|title=Biographical Dictionary of the History of Technology|page=523|author=Woodward, Gordon |editor=Lance Day, Ian McNeil|publisher=Routledge|year=2003|isbn=0-203-02829-5}}</ref> gave their names to the ] and the ], respectively, in the 1860s. ] was developed in 1907–1909 by ]. Ernest Solvay also acted as a major philanthropist and gave its name to the ], the ] and the International Solvay Institutes for Physics and Chemistry which are now part of the ]. In 1911, he started a series of conferences, the ]s on Physics and Chemistry, which have had a deep impact on the evolution of quantum physics and chemistry.<ref>{{cite book|title=Cultures of Creativity: the Centennial Exhibition of the Nobel Prize|author=Larsson, Ulf |page=211|isbn=0-88135-288-8|publisher=Science History Publications|year=2001}}</ref> A major contribution to fundamental science was also due to a Belgian, ] ] (]), who is credited with proposing the ] theory of the origin of the universe in 1927.<ref>{{cite web|title=Georges Lemaître, Father of the Big Bang|url=http://www.amnh.org/education/resources/rfl/web/essaybooks/cosmic/p_lemaitre.html|publisher=]|year=2000|accessdate=9 December 2010}}</ref>

Three ] were awarded to Belgians: ] (Université libre de Bruxelles) in 1919, ] (]) in 1938 and ] (Université Libre de Bruxelles) together with ] (Université Catholique de Louvain) in 1974. ] (Université Libre de Bruxelles) was awarded the ] in 2013. ] (Université Libre de Bruxelles) was awarded the ] in 1977.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1977|url=http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/laureates/1977/|publisher=Nobelprize.org|accessdate=9 December 2010| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20101203102528/http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/laureates/1977/| archivedate= 3 December 2010 | deadurl= no}}</ref> Two Belgian mathematicians have been awarded the ]: ] in 1978 and ] in 1994.<ref>{{MacTutor Biography|id=Deligne|title=Pierre Deligne}} (Retrieved 10 November 2011)</ref><ref>{{MacTutor Biography|id=Bourgain|title=Jean Bourgain}} (Retrieved 10 November 2011)</ref>

== Demographics ==
{{Main|Demographics of Belgium}}
], the capital city and largest metropolitan area of Belgium.]]

Almost all of the Belgian population is urban—97% in 2004.<ref>{{cite web
|title=Quelques résultats des précédents recensements—Indicateurs de logement (1991)
|publisher=Belgian Federal Government Service (ministry) of Economy—Directorate-general Statistics Belgium
|year= 2006
|language=French
|url=http://statbel.fgov.be/census/previous_fr.asp
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070625171813/http://www.statbel.fgov.be/census/previous_fr.asp
|archivedate=25 June 2007
|accessdate=8 May 2007}}</ref> The population density of Belgium is 365 per square kilometre (952 per square mile) as of March 2013. The most densely inhabited area is Flanders.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gvpedia.com/Uploads/Files/market%20essentials%20-%20belgium.pdf|publisher=British chamber of commerce in Belgium|title=Belgium – Market essentials|accessdate=7 January 2011}}</ref> The Ardennes have the lowest density. As of 2012, the Flemish Region had a population of 6,350,765, its most populous cities being ] (502,604), Ghent (248,242) and ] (117,170). Wallonia had 3,546,329 with ] (203,871), ] (195,576) and ] (110,096), its most populous cities. ] has 1,138,854 inhabitants in the Capital Region's ], three of which have over 100,000 residents.<ref name="statbel1">{{cite web|title= Population statistics |year= 2012 |language= Dutch |publisher=], ] |url= http://statbel.fgov.be/nl/statistieken/cijfers/bevolking/loop/ }}</ref>

As of 2007, nearly 92% of the population had Belgian citizenship,<ref>This number evolved to 89% in 2011. {{cite web | title=Population par sexe et nationalité pour la Belgique et les régions, 2001 et 2011 | language=French| url=http://statbel.fgov.be/fr/statistiques/chiffres/population/structure/natact/beletr/ | author=Belgian Federal Government | accessdate=31 August 2012}}</ref> and other European Union member citizens account for around 6%. The prevalent foreign nationals were Italian (171,918), French (125,061), Dutch (116,970), ] (80,579), ] (43,509), Spanish (42,765), ] (39,419) and German (37,621).<ref>{{cite web|title=European Migration Network—Annual Statistical Report on migration and asylum in Belgium (Reference year 2003)—section A. 1) b) Population by citizenship & c) Third country nationals, 1&nbsp;January 2004
|date=April 2006
|author=Perrin, Nicolas, ], Study Group of Applied Demographics (Gédap)
|pages= 5–9
|publisher=Belgian Federal Government Service (ministry) of Interior—Immigration Office
|url=http://www.dofi.fgov.be/nl/statistieken/belgian%20migration%20point/punt%208%20Belgian%20Statistical%20Report%20on%20Asylum%20and%20Migration%202003.pdf
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070605012645/http://www.dofi.fgov.be/nl/statistieken/belgian+migration+point/punt+8+Belgian+Statistical+Report+on+Asylum+and+Migration+2003.pdf
|archivedate=5 June 2007
|accessdate=28 May 2007}}</ref><ref>. ecodata.mineco.fgov.be</ref> In 2007, there were 1.38 million foreign-born residents in Belgium, corresponding to 12.9% of the total population. Of these, 685,000 (6.4%) were born outside the EU and 695,000 (6.5%) were born in another EU Member State.<ref>. Rapport 2009. Direction générale Emploi et marché du travai</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Structure de la population selon le pays de naissance | language=French| url=http://statbel.fgov.be/fr/statistiques/chiffres/population/structure/paysnaiss/ | author=Belgian Federal Government | accessdate=31 August 2012 }}</ref>

At the beginning of 2012, people of foreign background and their descendants were estimated to have formed around 25% of the total population i.e. 2.8 million ''new Belgians''.<ref name="npdata.be">. npdata.be (1 January 2012).</ref> Of these new Belgians, 1,200,000 are of European ancestry and 1,350,000<ref name="ReferenceA">. npdata.be (7 May 2012).</ref> are from non-Western countries (most of them from ], ], and the ]). Since the modification of the ] in 1984 more than ]. The largest group of immigrants and their descendants in Belgium are ], with more than 450,000<ref name="npdata.be" /> people. The ] are the third largest group, and the second largest Muslim ethnic group, numbering 220,000.<ref name="npdata.be" /><ref name="hbvl.be">. hbvl.be. {{Nowrap|21 May}} 2007</ref> 89.2% of inhabitants of ] origin have been naturalized, as have 88.4% of people of Moroccan background, 75.4% of Italians, 56.2% of the French and 47.8% of Dutch people.<ref name="ReferenceA" />

{{Largest cities of Belgium}}
{{-}}

=== Languages ===
{{Main|Languages of Belgium}}
{{bar box
|float = right
|title = Distribution of languages of Belgium
|bars =
{{bar percent|]|DarkSlateGray|59}}
{{bar percent|]|DarkSlateGray|40}}
{{bar percent|]|DarkSlateGray|1}}
}}
] signs in Brussels]]
Belgium has three official languages, which are (in order of size of the native speaking population of Belgium) Dutch, French and German. A number of non-official minority languages are spoken as well.<ref name=Ethnologue-16thEd>{{cite book |title=Languages of Belgium |work=Ethnologue: Languages of the World |edition=sixteenth |editor=Lewis, M. Paul |publisher=] |location=Dallas, Texas, U.S.A. |year=2009 |pages=1,248 |isbn=978-1-55671-216-6 |url=http://www.ethnologue.com/show_country.asp?name=BE |accessdate=27 February 2011 }}</ref>
As no census exists, there are no official statistical data regarding the distribution or usage of Belgium's three official languages or their ]s.<ref>{{cite news | title=Surviving in Babel? Language rights and European integration | journal=Canaanite in the Amarna tablets | volume=1 | author=de Witte, Bruno |editor=Rainey, Anson F. | publisher=Brill | year=1996 | isbn=90-04-10521-2 | page=122}}</ref> However, various criteria, including the language(s) of parents, of education, or the second-language status of foreign born, may provide suggested figures. An estimated 60% of the Belgian population speaks Dutch (often referred to as Flemish), and 40% of the population speaks French. French-speaking Belgians are often referred to as Walloons, although the French speakers in Brussels are not Walloons.<ref group="nb">Native speakers of Dutch living in Wallonia and of French in Flanders are relatively small minorities that furthermore largely balance one another, hence attributing all inhabitants of each unilingual area to the area's language can cause only insignificant inaccuracies (99% can speak the language). Dutch: Flanders' 6.079&nbsp;million inhabitants and about 15% of Brussels' 1.019&nbsp;million are 6.23&nbsp;million or 59.3% of the 10.511&nbsp;million inhabitants of Belgium (2006); German: 70,400 in the German-speaking Community (which has ] for its less than 5% French-speakers) and an estimated 20,000–25,000 speakers of German in the Walloon Region outside the geographical boundaries of their official Community, or 0.9%; French: in the latter area as well as mainly in the rest of Wallonia (3.414 − 0.093 = 3.321&nbsp;million) and 85% of the Brussels inhabitants (0.866&nbsp;million) thus 4.187&nbsp;million or 39.8%; together indeed 100%.</ref>

Total Dutch speakers are 6.23&nbsp;million, concentrated in the northern Flanders region, while French speakers number 3.32&nbsp;million in Wallonia and an estimated 870,000 (or 85%) in the officially bilingual Brussels-Capital Region.<ref group=nb name=ericcorijn>Flemish Academic Eric Corijn (initiator of ), at a colloquium regarding Brussels, on 2001-12-05, states that in Brussels 91% of the population speaks French at home, either alone or with another language, and about 20% speaks Dutch at home, either alone (9%) or with French (11%)—After ponderation, the repartition can be estimated at between 85 and 90% French-speaking, and the remaining are Dutch-speaking, corresponding to the estimations based on languages chosen in Brussels by citizens for their official documents (ID, driving licenses, weddings, birth, sex, and so on); all these statistics on language are also available at Belgian Department of Justice (for weddings, birth, sex), Department of Transport (for Driving licenses), Department of Interior (for IDs), because there are no means to know ''precisely'' the proportions since Belgium has abolished 'official' linguistic censuses, thus official documents on language choices can only be estimations. For a web source on this topic, see e.g. ]</ref><ref name=britishcouncil>{{cite web|title=Belgium Market background|quote=The capital Brussels, 80–85 percent French-speaking,&nbsp;... |publisher=]|url=http://www.britishcouncil.org/eumd-information-background-belgium.htm|accessdate=5 May 2007}}—Strictly, the capital is the municipality ], though the Brussels-Capital Region might be intended because of its name and also its other municipalities housing institutions typical for a capital.</ref> The ] is made up of 73,000 people in the east of the ]; around 10,000 German and 60,000 Belgian nationals are speakers of German. Roughly 23,000 more German speakers live in municipalities near the official Community.<ref name=German-speaking_Community /><ref>{{cite web |title=Citizens from other countries in the German-speaking Community |publisher=The German-speaking Community |url=http://www.dglive.be/EN/Desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-1408/2267_read-27184/ |accessdate=5 May 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=German (Belgium)—Overview of the language |publisher=Mercator, Minority Language Media in the European Union, supported by the ] and the ] |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511181257/http://www.aber.ac.uk/cgi-bin/user/merwww/index.pl?rm=lang_detail;id=112;lang=1 |accessdate=7 May 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Belgique • België • Belgien—La Communauté germanophone de Belgique |work=L'aménagement linguistique dans le monde |language=French |date=19 April 2006 |author=Leclerc, Jacques, membre associé du TLFQ |publisher=Host: Trésor de la langue française au Québec (TLFQ), ], Quebec |url=http://www.tlfq.ulaval.ca/axl/europe/belgiqueger.htm |accessdate=7 May 2007 | archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070503050229/http://www.tlfq.ulaval.ca/AXL/europe/belgiqueger.htm| archivedate= 3 May 2007 | deadurl= no}}</ref>

Both ] and ] have minor differences in vocabulary and semantic nuances from the varieties spoken respectively in the Netherlands and France. Many Flemish people still speak ] in their local environment. ], considered either as a dialect of French or a distinct ],<ref>According to ], Walloon is a dialect of the ]. According to the ]</ref><ref>{{cite book | author = Feller Jules | title = Notes de philologie wallonne | publisher = Vaillant Carmanne | location = Liège | year = 1912 }}</ref> is now only understood and spoken occasionally, mostly by elderly people. Walloon is the name collectively given to four French dialects spoken in Belgium. Wallonia's dialects, along with those of ],<ref name=Ethnologue-15thEd>Among Belgium native German speakers many are familiar with the local dialect varieties of their region, that include dialects that spill over into neighboring Luxembourg and Germany.{{cite book |title=Languages of Belgium |work=Ethnologue: Languages of the World |edition=Fifteenth |editor=Gordon, Raymond G., Jr. |publisher=] |location=Dallas, Texas, U.S.A. |year=2005}} (Online version: )</ref> are not used in public life and have been replaced by French.

=== Education ===
{{Main|Education in Belgium}}
Education is compulsory from 6 to 18 years of age for Belgians.<ref name=Hofman_Hofman_Gray_Daly>{{cite book
|title=Institutional context of education systems in Europe: a cross-country comparison on quality and equity
|first1=Roelande H.
|last1=Hofman
|first2=W. H. A.
|last2=Hofman
|first3=J. M.
|last3=Gray
|first4=P.
|last4=Daly
|publisher=Kluwer Academic Publishers
|year=2004
|isbn=1-4020-2744-3
|pages=97, 105
|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=nskLDqh40dwC
|accessdate=27 February 2011
}} Extracts:
,
<!--
--></ref> Among ] countries in 2002, Belgium had the third highest proportion of 18- to 21-year-olds enrolled in ], at 42%.<ref name=NCES_Tbl-388>{{cite web
|title=Table 388. Percentage of population enrolled in secondary and postsecondary institutions, by age group and country – Chapter 6. International Comparisons of Education, data: 2002
|work=Digest of Education Statistics—Tables and Figures
|year=2005
|publisher=], ] (<span style="font-size:87%;">IES</span>), ]
|url=http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d05/tables/dt05_388.asp
|accessdate=6 June 2007
| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070605120831/http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d05/tables/dt05_388.asp| archivedate= 5 June 2007 | deadurl= no}}</ref> Though an estimated 99% of the adult population is literate, concern is rising over ].<ref name=Ethnologue-15thEd /><ref name=UNDP>{{cite web
|title=I. Monitoring Human Development: Enlarging peoples's choices&nbsp;... —5. Human poverty in OECD, Eastern Europe and the CIS
|work=Human Development Indicators
|pages=172–173
|publisher=] (<span style="font-size:87%;">UNDP</span>)
|year=2000
|url=http://hdr.undp.org/reports/global/2000/en/pdf/hdr_2000_back1.pdf
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070614025222/http://hdr.undp.org/reports/global/2000/en/pdf/hdr_2000_back1.pdf
|archivedate=14 June 2007
|accessdate=6 June 2007
}}</ref> The ] (PISA), coordinated by the OECD, currently ranks Belgium's education as the 19th best in the world, being significantly higher than the OECD average.<ref name=OECD_PISA-2006>{{cite web
|title=Range of rank on the PISA 2006 science scale
|publisher=]
|url=http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/42/8/39700724.pdf
|format=PDF
|accessdate=27 February 2011
}}</ref> Education being organised separately by each, the Flemish Community scores noticeably above the French and German-speaking Communities.<ref name=De-Meyer_Pauly_Van-de-Poele>{{cite journal
|title=Learning for Tomorrow's Problems – First Results from PISA2003
|page=52
|publisher=Ministry of the Flemish Community – Education Department; ] – Department of Education, Ghent, Belgium (Online by ])
|year = 2005
|url=http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/57/60/36324368.pdf
|format=PDF
|accessdate=27 February 2011
|author=De Meyer, Inge; Pauly, Jan; Van de Poele, Luc
}}</ref>

Mirroring the dual structure of the 19th-century Belgian political landscape, characterized by the ] and the ], the educational system is segregated within a secular and a religious segment. The secular branch of schooling is controlled by the communities, the provinces, or the municipalities, while religious, mainly ] education, is organised by religious authorities, although subsidized and supervised by the communities.<ref name=De-Ley>{{cite web
|title=Humanists and Muslims in Belgian Secular Society (Draft version)
|author=De Ley, Herman
|publisher=Centrum voor Islam in Europe (Centre for Islam in Europe), ]
|year=2000
|url=http://www.flwi.ugent.be/cie/CIE/deley10.htm
|accessdate=7 June 2007
| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070609120804/http://www.flwi.ugent.be/cie/CIE/deley10.htm| archivedate= 9 June 2007 | deadurl= no}}</ref>

=== Religion ===
{{Main|Religion in Belgium}}

] in ], Brussels.]]
Since the country's independence, ], counterbalanced by strong ] movements, has had an important role in Belgium's politics.<ref>See for example ] entry of the ]</ref> However Belgium is largely a secular country as the '']'' ] provides for freedom of religion, and the government generally respects this right in practice. During the reigns of ] and ], the monarchy had a reputation of deeply rooted Catholicism.<ref name=MarshallCavendish2009>{{cite book|publisher=Marshall Cavendish|year=2009|author=Loopbuyck, P. and Torfs, R. |volume=4|title=The world and its people – Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands|isbn=0-7614-7890-6|page=499}}</ref>

Roman Catholicism has traditionally been Belgium's majority religion; being especially strong in Flanders. However, by 2009 Sunday ] was 5% for Belgium in total; 3% in Brussels,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.brusselnieuws.be/artikel/met-uitsterven-bedreigd-de-brusselse-kerkganger |language=Dutch|title=Churchgoers in Brussels threatened with extinction |publisher=Brusselnieuws.be |date=30 November 2010 |accessdate=4 September 2011}}</ref> and 5.4% in Flanders. Church attendance in 2009 in Belgium was roughly half of the Sunday church attendance in 1998 (11% for the total of Belgium in 1998).<ref>. Standaard.be (25 November 2010). Retrieved 26 September 2011.</ref> Despite the drop in church attendance, Catholic identity nevertheless remains an important part of Belgium's culture.<ref name=MarshallCavendish2009 />

Symbolically and materially, the Roman Catholic Church remains in a favourable position.<ref name=MarshallCavendish2009 /> Belgium has three officially recognized religions: Christianity (Catholic, Protestantism, ] and Anglicanism), Islam and Judaism.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100717143131/http://www.euresisnet.eu/Pages/ReligionAndState/BELGIUM.aspx | title=State and Church in BELGIUM |publisher=euresisnet.eu|date=31 October 2007 }}</ref>

In the early 2000s there were approximately 42,000 Jews in Belgium. The ] (numbering some 18,000) is one of the largest in Europe, and one of the last places in the world where ] is the primary language of a large Jewish community (mirroring certain Orthodox and Hassidic communities in New York and Israel). In addition most Jewish children in Antwerp receive a Jewish education.<ref>Ghiuzeli, Haim F. . Beit Hatfutsot, the Museum of the Jewish People</ref> There are several Jewish newspapers and more than 45 active synagogues (30 of which are in Antwerp) in the country.

A 2006 inquiry in Flanders, considered to be a more religious region than Wallonia, showed that 55% considered themselves religious and that 36% believed that God created the universe.<ref>Inquiry by 'Vepec', 'Vereniging voor Promotie en Communicatie' (Organisation for Promotion and Communication), published in Knack magazine {{Nowrap|22 November}} 2006 p. 14 ] sense, or in some ]], or both.</ref> On the other hand, Wallonia has become one of Europe's most secular/least religious regions. Most of the French-speaking region's population does not consider religion an important part of their lives, and as much as 45% of the population identifies as irreligious. This is particularly the case in eastern Wallonia and areas along the French border.

A 2008 estimate found<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indymedia.be/en/node/29363 |title=In België wonen 650.000 muslims |publisher=Indymedia.be |date=12 September 2008 |accessdate=18 June 2010}}</ref> that 6% of the Belgian population, about 628,751, is ] (98% Sunni), while a 2011 estimate claims 1,000,000 inhabitants of Muslim background in the country.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.npdata.be/BuG/155-Vreemde-afkomst/Vreemde-afkomst.htm |title=Vreemde afkomst 01/01/2012 |publisher=Npdata.be |date= 1 January 2012}}</ref> Muslims constitute 22.0%<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.npdata.be/BuG/157-Moslims-Brussel/Moslims-Brussel.htm |title=Moslims in Brussel 2010–2030 |publisher=Npdata.be |accessdate=26 March 2013}}</ref> of the population of ], 4.0% of ] and 3.9% of ]. The majority of Belgian Muslims live in the major cities, such as ], Brussels and ]. The largest group of immigrants in Belgium are Moroccans, with 400,000<ref name="npdata.be" /> people. The Turks are the third largest group, and the second largest Muslim ethnic group, numbering 220,000.<ref name="npdata.be" /><ref name="hbvl.be" />

According to the ] Poll in 2010, 37% of Belgian citizens responded that "they believe there is a God", whereas 31% answered that "they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force" and 27% that "they do not believe there is any sort of spirit, God, or life force".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_341_en.pdf|title=Special Eurobarometer, biotechnology- Fieldwork: Jan–Feb 2010|page =204|format=PDF}}</ref>

=== Health ===
{{Main|Healthcare in Belgium}}
The Belgians are known to be favored with good health. According to 2012 estimates, the average life expectancy is 79.65 years.<ref name=CIA /> Since 1960, life expectancy has, in line with the European average, grown by two months per year. Death in Belgium is mainly due to heart and vascular disorders, ]s, disorders of the respiratory system and unnatural causes of death (accidents, suicide). Non-natural causes of death and cancer are the most common causes of death for females up to age 24 and males up to age 44.<ref name=Corens2007>{{cite journal |journal=Health Systems in Transition |volume=9 |year=2007 |title=Belgium, health system review |author=Corens, Dirk |publisher=European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies |url=http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/96442/E90059.pdf |issue=2}}</ref>

] is financed through both social security contributions and taxation. Health insurance is compulsory. Health care is delivered by a mixed public and private system of independent medical practitioners and public, university- and semi-private hospitals. Health care service are payable by the patient and reimbursed later by health insurance institutions, but for eliligible categories (of patients and services) so-called 3rd party payment systems exist.<ref name=Corens2007 /> Belgian health care system is supervised and financed by the federal government, the Flemish and Walloon Regional gouvernments and the German Community also have an (indirect) oversight and responsibilities.<ref name=Corens2007 />

== Culture ==
{{Main|Culture of Belgium}}

Despite its ], the region corresponding to today's Belgium has seen the flourishing of major artistic movements that have had tremendous influence on European art and culture. Nowadays, to a certain extent, cultural life is concentrated within each language Community, and a variety of barriers have made a shared cultural sphere less pronounced.<ref name="Fitzmaurice" /><ref>{{cite web
|title=Belgium—Arts and cultural education
|work=Compendium of Cultural Policies and Trends in Europe, 8th edition
|publisher=Council of Europe / ERICarts
|year=2007
|url=http://www.culturalpolicies.net/web/belgium.php?aid=831
|accessdate=8 May 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|title=Belgique
|work=European Culture Portal
|publisher=]
|year=2007|url=http://ec.europa.eu/culture/portal/sites/members/belgium_en.htm
|accessdate=10 May 2007}}</ref> Since the 1970s, there are no bilingual universities or colleges in the country except the ] and the ], no common media<ref>{{cite web
|title=Frontière linguistique, frontière politique, une presse en crise
|language=French
|author=Gonthier, Adrien
|work=Le Monde diplomatique
|year=2003
|url=http://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/2003/05/GONTHIER/10142
|accessdate=17 June 2008}}</ref> and no single large cultural or scientific organisation in which both main communities are represented.<ref>{{cite book
|last = Mumford
|first = David
|authorlink = David Mumford
|title = The World Today Series
|work=The New York Times
|series = Western Europe/2007
|year = 2008
|isbn = 1-887985-89-1}}</ref>

=== Fine arts ===
{{See also|List of Belgian painters|Architecture of Belgium|Music of Belgium}}
]: The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb'' (interior view), painted 1432 by ]]]

Contributions to painting and architecture have been especially rich. The ], the ],<ref>{{cite web
|title=Low Countries, 1000–1400&nbsp;AD
|work=Timeline of Art History
|publisher=]
|year=2007
|url=http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/07/euwl/ht07euwl.htm
|accessdate=10 May 2007| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070415094905/http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/07/euwl/ht07euwl.htm| archivedate= 15 April 2007 | deadurl= no}}</ref> the ] and ]<ref>{{cite web
|title=Low Countries, 1400–1600&nbsp;AD
|work=Timeline of Art History
|publisher=Metropolitan Museum of Art
|year=2007
|url=http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/08/euwl/ht08euwl.htm
|accessdate=10 May 2007| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070429051506/http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/08/euwl/ht08euwl.htm| archivedate= 29 April 2007 | deadurl= no}}</ref> and major examples of ], ], ] and ]<ref>Several examples of major architectural realisations in Belgium belong to ]'s ]:{{cite web
|title=Belgium
|work=Properties inscribed on the World Heritage List
|publisher=]
|url=http://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/be
|accessdate=15 May 2007| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070428173145/http://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/be| archivedate= 28 April 2007 | deadurl= no}}</ref> are milestones in the history of art. While the 15th century's art in the Low Countries is dominated by the religious paintings of ] and ], the 16th century is characterized by a broader panel of styles such as ]'s landscape paintings and ]'s representation of the antique.<ref>{{cite book|language=French|first=Jacques
|last=Hendrick|title=La peinture au pays de Liège|year=1987|location=Liège|publisher=Editions du Perron|isbn=2-87114-026-X|page=24}}</ref> Though the Baroque style of ] and ] flourished in the early 17th century in the Southern Netherlands,<ref>{{cite book
|language=German
|first=Herwig
|last=Guratzsch
|title=Die große Zeit der niederländische Malerei
|year=1979
|publisher=Verlag Herder
|location=Freiburg im Beisgau
|page=7}}</ref> it gradually declined thereafter.<ref>{{cite web
|title=Low Countries, 1600–1800&nbsp;AD
|work=Timeline of Art History
|publisher=Metropolitan Museum of Art
|year=2007
|url=http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/09/euwl/ht09euwl.htm
|accessdate=10 May 2007| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070513131424/http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/09/euwl/ht09euwl.htm| archivedate= 13 May 2007 | deadurl= no}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|title=Art History: Flemish School: (1600–1800)—Artists: (biography & artworks)
|date=5 February 2006
|publisher=World Wide Arts Resources
|url=http://wwar.com/masters/movements/flemish_school.html
|accessdate=10 May 2007}}—A general presentation of the Flemish artistic movement with a list of its artists, linking to their biographies and artworks</ref>

During the 19th and 20th centuries many original ], ] and ] Belgian painters emerged, including ] and other artists belonging to the ] group, ], ] and ]. The avant-garde ] appeared in the 1950s, while the sculptor ] remains a remarkable figure in contemporary art.<ref>{{cite web
|title=Belgian Artists: (biographies & artworks)
|date=5 February 2006
|publisher=World Wide Arts Resources
|url=http://wwar.com/masters/nationalities/belgian.html
|accessdate=10 May 2007}}—List of Belgian painters, linking to their biographies and artworks</ref><ref>{{cite web
|author=Baudson, Michel
|title=Panamarenko
|publisher=Flammarion (Paris), quoted at presentation of the ''XXIII Bienal Internacional de São Paulo''
|year=1996
|url=http://www1.uol.com.br/bienal/23bienal/universa/iueopa.htm
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070207233008/http://www1.uol.com.br/bienal/23bienal/universa/iueopa.htm
|archivedate=7 February 2007
|accessdate=10 May 2007}}</ref> Multidisciplinary artists ], ] and the painters ] and ] are other internationally renowned figures on the contemporary art scene.

Belgian contributions to architecture also continued into the 19th and 20th centuries, including the work of ] and ], who were major initiators of the ] style.<ref>,{{cite web
|title=ib. (page2)
|year=2007
|publisher=Senses Art Nouveau Shop, Brussels
|url=http://www.senses-artnouveau.com/brussels.php?page=2
|accessdate=11 May 2007}} (for example)</ref><ref>{{cite web
|title=Major Town Houses of the Architect Victor Horta (Brussels)
|work=]'s ]
|publisher=UNESCO
|url=http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1005
|quote=The appearance of Art Nouveau in the closing years of the 19th century marked a decisive stage in the evolution of architecture, making possible subsequent developments, and the Town Houses of Victor Horta in Brussels bear exceptional witness to its radical new approach.
|accessdate=16 May 2007| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070609192153/http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1005| archivedate= 9 June 2007 | deadurl= no}}</ref>

], 1963]]
The ] of the ] developed in the southern part of the Low Countries and was an important contribution to Renaissance culture.<ref>{{cite web
|title=Western music, the Franco-Flemish school
|quote=Most significant musically was the pervasive influence of musicians from the Low Countries, whose domination of the musical scene during the last half of the 15th century is reflected in the period designations the Netherlands school and the Franco-Flemish school.
|work=]
|year=2007
|url=http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-15698/Western-music
|accessdate=15 May 2007}}</ref> In the 19th and 20th centuries, there was an emergence of major violinists, such as ], ] and ], while ] invented the saxophone in 1846. The composer ] was born in Liège in 1822. Contemporary ] in Belgium is also of repute. Jazz musician ] and singer ] have achieved global fame. Nowadays, singer ] has been a musical revelation in Europe and beyond, having great success. In rock/pop music, ], ], ], ], ], ] and ] are well known. In the heavy metal scene, bands like ], ] and ] have a worldwide fan-base.<ref>Two comprehensive discussions of rock and pop music in Belgium since the 1950s:<br />{{cite web
|title=The Timeline—A brief history of Belgian Pop Music
|date=March 2007
|work=The Belgian Pop & Rock Archives
|publisher=Flanders Music Centre, Brussels
|url=http://houbi.com/belpop/timeline.htm
|accessdate=7 June 2007| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070712181502/http://houbi.com/belpop/timeline.htm| archivedate= 12 July 2007 | deadurl= no}}<br />{{cite web
|title=Belgian Culture—Rock
|year= 2006
|publisher=Vanberg & DeWulf Importing
|url=http://www.belgianexperts.com/rock.php
|accessdate=11 May 2007| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070607110011/http://www.belgianexperts.com/rock.php| archivedate= 7 June 2007 | deadurl= yes}}</ref>
<!-- Please note: How can you list Amelie Nothomb and not Jacqueline Harpman!? Jacqueline Harpman more than deserves to be in this list. -->
Belgium has produced several well-known ], including the poets ], ] and novelists ], ], ], ], ] and ]. The poet and playwright ] won the ] in 1911. '']'' by ] is the best known of ], but many other major authors, including ] ('']''), ] ('']''), ] ('']''), ] ('']''), ] ('']''), ] ('']''), ] and ] brought the Belgian cartoon strip industry a worldwide fame.<ref>{{cite book|title=Comics in French: the European bande dessinée in context|author= Grove, Laurence|publisher=Berghahn Books|year=2010|isbn=1-84545-588-6}}</ref>

] has brought a number of mainly Flemish novels to life on-screen.<ref group="nb">Notable Belgian films based on works by Flemish authors include: ''De Witte'' (author ]) movie by Jan Vanderheyden and Edith Kiel in 1934, remake as ''De Witte van Sichem'' directed by ] in 1980; ''De man die zijn haar kort liet knippen'' (]) ] 1965; ''Mira'' ('De teleurgang van de Waterhoek' by ]) ] 1971; ''] (aka The Legend of Doom House)'' (] ) ] 1971<!--not 1973 as hereafter 'see also' link, it won the Cannes Festival in 1972-->; ''De loteling'' (]) Roland Verhavert 1974; ''Dood van een non'' (]) Paul Collet and Pierre Drouot 1975; ''Pallieter'' (]) Roland Verhavert 1976; ''De komst van Joachim Stiller'' (]) ] 1976; '']'' (]) ] (a famous author himself) 1985; '']'' ('Pieter Daens' by ]) ] 1992; see also (in Dutch). Retrieved on {{Nowrap|7 June}} 2007.</ref> Other Belgian directors include ], ], ] and ]; well-known actors include ], ] and ]; and successful films include ''], ]'' and '']''.<ref>A review of the Belgian cinema till about 2000 can be found at{{cite web
|title=History of Cinema in Belgium
|work=Film Birth
|year=2007
|url=http://www.filmbirth.com/belgium.html
|accessdate=26 June 2011}}</ref> In the 1980s, Antwerp's ] produced important fashion trendsetters, known as the ].<ref>{{cite web
|title=Fashion and the 'Antwerp Six'
|year= 2004
|publisher=Fashion Worlds, Dorset, UK
|url=http://fashionworlds.blogspot.com/2000_01_16_fashionworlds_archive.html
|accessdate=13 May 2007| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070419042245/http://fashionworlds.blogspot.com/2000_01_16_fashionworlds_archive.html| archivedate= 19 April 2007 | deadurl= no}}</ref>

=== Folklore ===
{{Further|Folklore of Belgium}}
] of ], in costume, wearing wax masks]]

Folklore plays a major role in Belgium's cultural life: the country has a comparatively high number of processions, cavalcades, parades, 'ommegangs' and 'ducasses',<ref group="nb">The Dutch word 'ommegang' is here used in the sense of an entirely or mainly non-religious procession, or the non-religious part thereof—see also ]; the Processional Giants of Brussels, Dendermonde and Mechelen mentioned in this paragraph are part of each city's 'ommegang'. The French word 'ducasse' refers also to a procession; the mentioned Processional Giants of Ath and Mons are part of each city's 'ducasse'.</ref> ']' and other local festivals, nearly always with an originally religious or ]. The ] with its famous ] and the 'Processional Giants and Dragons' of ], Brussels, ], ] and ] are recognised by ] as ].<ref>{{cite web
|title=Processional Giants and Dragons in Belgium and France
|publisher=]
|url=http://www.unesco.org/culture/intangible-heritage/05eur_uk.htm
|accessdate=15 May 2007| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070427153103/http://www.unesco.org/culture/intangible-heritage/05eur_uk.htm| archivedate= 27 April 2007 | deadurl= no}}</ref>

Other examples are the ]; the still very religious processions of ] in ], ] in ] and ] in Mechelen; {{Nowrap|15 August}} festival in ]; and the Walloon festival in ]. Originated in 1832 and revived in the 1960s, the ] have become a modern tradition. A major non-official holiday is the ], a festivity for children and, in Liège, for students.<ref>{{cite web
|title=Folklore estudiantin liégeois
|publisher=]
|url=http://www.ulg.ac.be/cms/c_36320/photographies-folklore-etudiant?hlText=Saint+Nicolas&hlMode=any&hlText=Saint+Nicolas&hlMode=any&hlText=Saint+Nicolas&hlMode=any
|language=French
|accessdate=17 June 2008}}</ref>

=== Cuisine ===
{{Main|Belgian cuisine}}
]'' / ''mosselen-friet'' is the national dish of Belgium]]
Many highly ranked Belgian restaurants can be found in the most influential restaurant guides, such as the ].<ref>{{cite web|title=The Michelin stars 2007 in Belgium|publisher=Resto.be TM Dreaminvest
|year=2007
|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081009160257/http://www2.resto.be/bib_new.cfm?langue=uk
|accessdate=15 May 2007}}</ref> Belgium is famous for ], ], ]s and ] with ]. Contrary to their name, french fries are claimed to have originated in Belgium, although their exact place of origin is uncertain. The national dishes are "] with salad", and "]".<ref>{{cite web
|title=Steak-frites
|publisher=Epicurious
|url=http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/40035
|accessdate=12 August 2007| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070808152457/http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/40035| archivedate= 8 August 2007 | deadurl= no}} Republished from{{cite book
|title=Everybody Eats Well in Belgium Cookbook
|date=October 1996
|author=Van Waerebeek, Ruth; Robbins, Maria
|publisher=Workman Publishing
|isbn=1-56305-411-6}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|title=Belgium
|publisher=Global Gourmet
|url=http://www.globalgourmet.com/destinations/belgium/backgrounder.html
|accessdate=12 August 2007}} Republished from{{cite book
|title=Everybody Eats Well in Belgium Cookbook
|date=October 1996
|author=Van Waerebeek, Ruth; Robbins, Maria
|publisher=Workman Publishing
|isbn=1-56305-411-6}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Mussels|year=2005|work=Visit Belgium|publisher=Official Site of the Belgian Tourist Office in the Americas|url=http://www.visitbelgium.com/mussels.htm|accessdate=12 August 2007| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20070210101230/http://www.visitbelgium.com/mussels.htm| archivedate = 10 February 2007}}—Note: Contrarily to what the text suggests, the season starts as early as July and lasts through April.</ref>

Brands of Belgian chocolate and ], like ], ], ] and ] are famous, as well as independent producers such as Burie and Del Rey in Antwerp and Mary's in Brussels.<ref>{{cite book | title=Belgium and Luxembourg | author=Elliott, Mark and Cole, Geert | publisher=Lonely Planet | year=2000 | page=53|isbn=1-86450-245-2}}</ref> Belgium produces over ].<ref name="BierbijbelNieuwsblad">{{cite news
|url=http://www.nieuwsblad.be/article/detail.aspx?articleid=G2I3H7IVR
|title=Nieuwe bierbijbel bundelt alle 1.132 Belgische bieren
|first=Chris
|last=Snick
|date=18 October 2011
|language=Dutch
|newspaper=Het Nieuwsblad
}}</ref><ref name="BierbijbelKW">{{cite news
|url=http://kw.knack.be/west-vlaanderen/nieuws/algemeen/nieuwe-bierbijbel-met-1-132-belgische-bieren-voorgesteld-in-brugge/article-1195119387827.htm
|title=Nieuwe bierbijbel met 1.132 Belgische bieren voorgesteld in Brugge
|date=18 October 2011
|language=dutch
|newspaper=Krant van West-Vlaanderen
}}</ref> The ] of the ] has repeatedly been rated the world's best beer.<ref>{{cite news|last=Ames|first=Paul|title=Buying the World's Best Beer|url=http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/benelux/090828/st-sixtus-westvleteren-beer|accessdate=19 November 2010|newspaper=Global Post|date=30 August 2009| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20101109221604/http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/benelux/090828/st-sixtus-westvleteren-beer| archivedate= 9 November 2010 | deadurl= no}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Guthrie|first=Tyler|title=Day trip to the best beer in the world|url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-08-11/travel/sc-trav-0810-strip-belgian-bike-trip-20100810_1_westvleteren-beer-day-trip|accessdate=19 November 2010|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=11 August 2010| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20101204040743/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-08-11/travel/sc-trav-0810-strip-belgian-bike-trip-20100810_1_westvleteren-beer-day-trip| archivedate= 4 December 2010 | deadurl= no}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Monks run short of 'world's best' beer|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090310004301/http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200508/s1435915.htm|accessdate=19 November 2010|newspaper=ABC|date=12 August 2005|agency=Reuters}}</ref>
The biggest brewer in the world by volume is ], based in ].<ref>{{cite web
|title=InBev dividend 2006: 0.72 euro per share—infobox: About InBev
|quote=InBev is a publicly traded company (]: INB) based in ], Belgium. The company's origins date back to 1366, and today it is the leading global brewer by volume.
|date=24 April 2007
|publisher=InBev
|url=http://www.inbev.com/press_releases/20070424.1.e.cfm
|accessdate=31 May 2007}}</ref>

=== Sports ===
{{Main|Sport in Belgium}}
]
] in 2013]]
] in 2005 and 2010]]
Since the 1970s, sports clubs and federations are organised separately within each language community.<ref>{{cite book|title=Organised sport in transition: development, structures and trends of sports clubs in Belgium|author=Task, Marijke; Renson, Roland and van Reusel, Bart |work=Sport clubs in various European countries|editor=Klaus Heinemann|publisher=Schattauer Verlag|year=1999|isbn=3-7945-2038-6|pages=183–229}}</ref> Association football is one of the most popular sports in both parts of Belgium, together with cycling, tennis, swimming, judo<ref>{{cite book|title=Belgium|author=Wingfield, George |publisher=Infobase Publishing|editor=Charles F. Gritzner|year=2008|isbn=978-0-7910-9670-3|pages=94–95}}</ref> and basketball.<ref>{{cite news
|title=Belgium's 10 most popular sports |author=Hendricks, Kelly |work=The Bulletin |date=20 June 2014|url=http://www.xpats.com/belgiums-10-most-popular-sports|accessdate=26 October 2014| deadurl= no}}</ref> Belgians hold ] of any country except France. They have also the most victories on the ]. ] is the 2012 world champion. Another modern well-known Belgian cyclist is ]. With five victories in the ] and numerous other cycling records, Belgian cyclist ] is regarded as one of the greatest cyclists of all time.<ref>{{cite news
|title=Great, but there are greater
|author=Majendie, Matt
|publisher=BBC Sport
|date=18 April 2005
|quote= top five of all time: 1 Eddy Merckx, 2 ], 3 ], 4 ], 5 ]
|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/cycling/3925265.stm
|accessdate=20 September 2007| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070824143546/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/cycling/3925265.stm| archivedate= 24 August 2007 | deadurl= no}}</ref> ], a former Belgian goalkeeper, is considered one of the greatest in the history of football (soccer).<ref>"" Goalkeepersaredifferent.com. Retrieved on {{Nowrap|29 June}} 2008</ref> Belgium hosted the ], and co-hosted the ] with the Netherlands. The current ] starring a range of Premier League football players such as ], ], ], ] and ] had qualified for the ] in Brazil and reached the quarter finals before losing 0–1 to Argentina.

] and ] both were ] in the ] as they were ranked the number one female tennis player.
The ] motor-racing circuit hosts the ] ]. The Belgian driver, ], won eight Grands Prix and six ] and finished twice as runner-up in the Formula One World Championship. Belgium also has a strong reputation in ].<ref>{{cite book|title=Motocross History: From Local Scrambling to World Championship MX to Freestyle|author=Woods, Bob |publisher=Crabtree Publishing Company| year=2008| isbn=978-0-7787-3987-6| page=19}}</ref> Sporting events annually held in Belgium include the ] athletics competition, the ] Formula One, and a number of ] such as the ] and ]. The ] were held in Antwerp. The ] was held in ] and ].

{{clear}}

== See also ==
{{Portal|Belgium|European Union}}
{{Misplaced Pages books|Belgium}}
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]

== Notes ==
{{reflist|group="nb"|30em}}

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

;Online sources
{{refbegin|30em}}
* {{cite web
|title=Belgium
|work=]
|publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica, Chicago, Illinois, USA
|url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/59268/Belgium
|accessdate=7 June 2007}}
* {{cite web
|title=Boordtabel
|year=2007
|language=Dutch
|publisher=Centre for Information, Documentation and Research on Brussels (<span style="font-size:87%;">BRIO</span>)
|url=http://www.briobrussel.be/ned/webpage4.asp?WebpageId=39
|accessdate=2 June 2007| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070529224015/http://www.briobrussel.be/ned/webpage4.asp?WebpageId=39| archivedate= 29 May 2007 | deadurl= yes}} (mentioning other original sources)
* {{CIA World Factbook link|be|Belgium}} Retrieved on {{Nowrap|7 June}} 2007.
* {{cite web
|title=The Constitution
|date=21 January 1997
|publisher=Federal Parliament Belgium
|url=http://www.fed-parl.be/constitution_uk.html
|accessdate=7 June 2007| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070607094156/http://www.fed-parl.be/constitution_uk.html| archivedate= 7 June 2007 | deadurl= yes}}
* {{cite web
|title=Country Portal – Europe—Belgium
|publisher=Belgian Federal Government Service (ministry) of Economy—Directorate-general Statistics Belgium
|url=http://statbel.fgov.be/port/cou_eu_en.asp#BE
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070701233100/http://www.statbel.fgov.be/port/cou_eu_en.asp
|archivedate=1 July 2007
|accessdate=7 June 2007}}
* {{cite web
|title=Die Stellung und Rolle der deutschsprachigen Minderheit in Ostbelgien innerhalb des belgischen Nationalstaats
|author=Fischer, Kathrin
|work=Kleiner Geländekurs in die <span style="font-size:87%;">EUREGIO</span> Maas-Rhein
|language=German
|date=21 July 1999
|publisher=Geographical Institute of the ] (Department Culture and Social Geography), Göttingen, Germany
|url=http://www.geogr.uni-goettingen.de/kus/personen/euregio/emr99-21.htm
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070720161347/http://www.geogr.uni-goettingen.de/kus/personen/euregio/emr99-21.htm
|archivedate=20 July 2007
|accessdate=13 June 2007}}
* {{cite web
|title=History of Belgium
|date=30 May 2007
|work=World History at KMLA
|publisher=Korean Minjok Leadership Academy (<span style="font-size:87%;">KMLA</span>)
|url=http://www.zum.de/whkmla/region/lowcountries/xbelgium.html
|accessdate=2 June 2007| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070706215841/http://www.zum.de/whkmla/region/lowcountries/xbelgium.html| archivedate= 6 July 2007 | deadurl= no}}
* {{cite web
|title=Brusselse Thema's in Brussel—Taalverhoudingen, taalverschuivingen en taalindentiteit in een meertalige stad – summary ''The Use of Languages in Brussels'' pp. 227–250 in English|pages=227–250
|language=Dutch
|date=1 June 2001
|author=Janssens, Rudi, ]
|publisher=Vrije Universiteit Brussel Press, Brussels|isbn=90-5487-293-4
|url=http://www.briobrussel.be/assets/bt8download.pdf
|accessdate=2 June 2007| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070605012657/http://www.briobrussel.be/assets/bt8download.pdf| archivedate= 5 June 2007 | deadurl= no}}
* {{cite web
|title=Belgique • België • Belgien
|work=L'aménagement linguistique dans le monde
|language=French
|year= 2006
|author=Leclerc, Jacques, membre associé du TLFQ
|publisher=Host: Trésor de la langue française au Québec (TLFQ), ], Quebec
|url=http://www.tlfq.ulaval.ca/axl/europe/belgiqueacc.htm
|accessdate=2 June 2007| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070608172452/http://www.tlfq.ulaval.ca/axl/europe/belgiqueacc.htm| archivedate= 8 June 2007 | deadurl= no}}
* {{cite web
|title=Bye bye Belgium?
|date=20 December 2006
|author=Mnookin, Robert, Professor at ]
|author2=Verbeke, Alain
|publisher=International Herald Tribune, republished by ]
|url=http://www.law.harvard.edu/news/2006/12/20_mnookin.php
|accessdate=1 June 2007 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20070321151959/http://www.law.harvard.edu/news/2006/12/20_mnookin.php |archivedate = 21 March 2007}}—Reflections on nations and nation-state developments regarding Belgium
{{refend}}

;Bibliography
{{refbegin|30em}}
* {{cite book
|title=A History of the Low Countries
|author=Arblaster, Paul
|edition=Hardcover 312pp
|date=23 December 2005
|series=Palgrave Essential Histories
|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan, New York
|isbn=1-4039-4827-5}}
* {{cite book
|title=History of the Low Countries
|author=Blom, J. C. H., Dutch State Institute for War Documentation, ed.; Lamberts, Emiel, Professor in Modern History ], ed.; Kennedy, James C., translator
|edition=Hardcover 503pp
|date=May 1999
|publisher=Berghahn Books, Oxford/New York
|isbn=1-57181-084-6}}
* {{cite book
|title=A History of Belgium from the Roman Invasion to the Present Day
|author=Cammaerts, Émile L.<!--NO WIKILINK to poor stub-->
|origyear=1913
|edition=357pp
|year=1921
|publisher=D. Appleton and Co, New York
|oclc=1525559
|asin=B00085PM0A}}<br /><!--
-->, London, {{OCLC|29072911}}; (1921) D. Unwin and Co., New York {{OCLC|9625246}} also published (1921) as ''Belgium from the Roman invasion to the present day'', The Story of the nations, 67, T. Fisher Unwin, London, {{OCLC|2986704}}]
* {{cite book
|title=The History of Belgium: Part 1. Cæsar to Waterloo
|url=http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/1402167148/
|author=de Kavanagh Boulger, Demetrius C.
|edition=Paperback 493pp
|origyear=1902
|date= 28 June 2001
|series=Elibron Classics
|publisher=Adamant Media (]), Boston, Massachusetts, United States
|isbn=1-4021-6714-8}} Facsimile reprint of a 1902 edition by the author, London<br /><!--
-->{{cite book
|title=Ib. Part 2. 1815–1865. Waterloo to the Death of Leopold&nbsp;I
|author=Ib.
|edition=Paperback 462pp
|origyear=1909
|date= June 2001
|series=Ib.
|publisher=Ib
|isbn=1-4021-6713-X}} Facsimile reprint of a 1909 edition by the author, London
* {{cite book |ref=Fitzmaurice
|title=The Politics of Belgium: A Unique Federalism
|author=Fitzmaurice, John
|authorlink=John Fitzmaurice
|edition=Paperback 284pp
|year=1996
|series=Nations of the modern world
|publisher=Westview Press, Boulder, Colorado, USA
|isbn=0-8133-2386-X
|oclc=30112536}}
* {{cite book
|title=The Low Countries: History of the Northern and Southern Netherlands
|author=Kossmann-Putto, Johanna A.; ]; Deleu Jozef H. M., ed.; Fenoulhet Jane, translator (from: (1987)). ''De Lage Landen: geschiedenis van de Noordelijke en Zuidelijke Nederlanden''. Vlaams-Nederlandse Stichting ], ]
|edition=3rd Rev. edition Paperback 64pp
|origyear=1987<!--verified, though @libris (alibris.com) mentions 1987-->
|date=January 1993
|publisher=Flemish-Netherlands Foundation "Stichting Ons Erfdeel", Rekkem, Belgium
|isbn=90-70831-20-1}} (Several editions in English, incl. (1997) 7th ed.)
{{refend}}

== External links ==
{{Sister project links|voy=Belgium}}
; Government
*
*

;General
* {{CIA World Factbook link|be|Belgium}}
* at ''UCB Libraries GovPubs''
* information from the ]
* {{dmoz|Regional/Europe/Belgium}}
* from the United States ]
* from the ]
*
*
* {{wikiatlas|Belgium}}
* from ]
*

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Revision as of 18:10, 5 July 2015

A non-country.