Feb. 24, 2007
Belgium
is a small country. Its surface is only 11,730 square miles (30,518 square kilometres) with a population of 10.2 million. Belgium has been a constitutional monarchy since 1830. English is widely spoken but there are three languages Dutch, French and German.
There are three regions (Flanders, Brussels and Wallonia) which have self-government in many areas. Many people will have heard of Wallonia but few of them know where exactly it is. Just like the regions of Transylvania or Bohemia, Wallonia is often believed to have been lost in the past. Wallonia is the southern French-speaking half part of Belgium, in contrast to Flanders in the north where they speak Flemish. Belgium has 4 distinct linguistic areas - Flanders, Wallonia, the two German speaking cantons between Wallonia and Germany, and the officially bilingual area including the capital city of Brussels.
There's something about Belgium. Maybe it's the friendly natives, or it's the incredible architecture. Its old-world fascination remains in the preservation of its ancient buildings and historical heritage. And last but not least it's the cuisine found in the local restaurants where each meal seems better than the last. Carefree and energetic, the overall mood in Belgium is infectious, after we have seen the country all of us want to live as Belgians and enjoy life.
Nestling between France, Luxembourg, Germany and Holland, the kingdom of Belgium has all the best that Europe can offer in an area no bigger than Maryland. We recommend you to visit the festival in Binche, the castle in Namur, or you can discover antiques at an outdoor market in Liege. The museum in Brussels is waiting for the most curious of you. A dense train network makes the navigation comfortable and simple for travelers in Belgium.
Stretching from the picturesque Ardennes region in the south to the cold North Sea coastline in the North, it is crisscrossed extensively by a network of canals. In one day you can take a cruise down a canal in Bruges, or hunt for diamonds in Antwerp, even enjoy waffles on the beach in Oostende.
Brussels
is capital of Belgium and capital of Europe too. Brussels has been given its character by the mixture of Flemish and French culture, and it is nowadays home to nationalities around the world that gives Brussels the cosmopolitan flavour to its image. The vibrant atmosphere of Brussels is strengthening by medieval streets, beautiful boulevard, lively squares, cosy cafés, impressive monuments, spacious parks, interesting restaurants and an active cultural life.The name Brussels is derived from the word Bruocsella that means 'of the marsh'. Long time ago Brussels was surrounded by an extensive marshland.
Belgium History
The area of present-day Belgium has seen significant demographic, political and cultural upheavals over the course of two millenia. In the first century BCE, the Romans, after defeating the local tribes, created the province of Gallia Belgica. A gradual immigration by Germanic Frankish tribes during the fifth century, brought the area under the rule of the Merovingian kingdom, which evolved into the Carolingian Empire in the eighth century. During the Middle Ages small feudal states emerged, many of which rejoined as the Burgundian Netherlands in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Emperor Charles V completed the union of the Seventeen Provinces in the 1540s, and unofficially also controlled the Prince-Bishopric of Liège.
The Eighty Years' War (1568–1648) divided the area into the northern United Provinces ('federate' Belgica Foederata in Latin) and the Southern Netherlands ('royal' Belgica Regia). The latter were ruled successively by the Spanish and the Austrian Habsburgs and comprised most of modern Belgium. Until independence the area was sought after by numerous French conquerors and was the theatre of most Franco-Spanish and Franco-Austrian wars during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Following the campaigns of 1794 in the French Revolutionary Wars, the Low Countries – including territories that were never nominally under Habsburg rule, such as the Prince-Bishopric of Liège – were annexed by the French First Republic, ending Spanish-Austrian rule in the region. The reunification of the Low Countries as the United Kingdom of the Netherlands occurred at the dissolution of the First French Empire in 1815.
The 1830 Belgian Revolution led to the establishment of an independent, Catholic, and neutral Belgium under a provisional government and a national congress. Since the installation of Leopold I as king in 1831, Belgium has been a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy. Initially an oligarchy ruled mainly by the Catholic Party and the Liberals, the country had evolved towards universal suffrage by World War II with the rise of the Labour Party and trade unions playing a strong role. French, once the single official language and adopted by the nobility and the bourgeoisie, had by then lost its overall importance as Dutch had become recognized as well. However, it was not until 1967 that an official Dutch version of the Constitution was accepted
about Belgium
Economy and Statistics
Belgium as a trading partner: lots of info on economy, markets, products, etc.
Belgian Corporate information: companies, law, stock exchange, etc.
Invest in Belgium: advantages, formalities, useful addresses
Country Commercial Guide: Belgium, prepared by the U.S. Embassy Brussels: very detailed information about business, economy, laws, attitudes, etc.
Belgium in the CIA World Fact Book: geography, economy, politics, statistics, etc.
Belgium at a Glance: statistics from the World Bank
Typically Belgian Things
the Belgian Character: an essay
WEBORGERS: Belgian Culture... from Art to Pop and from Magritte to the Smurfs
Did you know that all these things are Belgian?
an A to Z of Belgium: a foreigner's irreverent, humorous impressions of some typically Belgian things
a list of Famous Belgians
Food and Drink
Belgium produces not probably, but most certainly, the best beer in the world. Check the Benelux Beer Guide: extensive lists of all beers and breweries in Belgium, Netherlands and Luxemburg, and Belgium: Beer paradise
different Belgian recipes and food
the real Belgian Fries and how to make them
Ethnic Cuisine: Belgium, with an introduction and some recipes
Diana's links to Belgian recipes
many of the most common European vegetables, such as peas, potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, etc. were developed or first cultivated in Belgium, but the ones that have kept their association with Belgium are Belgian Endives ("witloof" or "chicory") and Brussels Sprouts
the world famous Belgian chocolate
Belgian Lace
Art
Belgian comic strips, including the world famous characters Tintin and the Smurfs
Jacques Brel, who was chosen by the French public as best singer-songwriter of the 20th century
The "Art Nouveau" architect Victor Horta
Painters, including the surrealist René Magritte with an extensive gallery of his works, and the Old Flemish Masters Rubens, Van Dyck, Van Eyck and Bruegel
Flemish tapestries
the world's best-selling author: Georges Simenon, creator of Inspector Maigret, and other Belgian writers
the best cyclist, and according to some, best sportman, ever, Eddy Merckx
