Belgium
|
| Basic Facts |
| Country name |
conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium
conventional short form: Belgium local long form: Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie local short form: Belgique/Belgie |
| Gevernment type | federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy |
| Capital |
name: Brussels
geographic coordinates: 50 50 N, 4 20 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October |
| Flag description | three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red; the design was based on the flag of France |
| Currency | euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries |
| Internet country code | .be |
| Ports and terminals | Antwerp, Brussels, Gent, Liege, Oostende, Zeebrugge |
| Agriculture products | sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk |
| Industries | engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, transportation equipment, scientific instruments, processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum |
| Geography |
| Location | Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands |
| Coordinates | 50 50 N, 4 00 E |
| Continent | Europe |
| Area |
total: 30,528 sq km
land: 30,278 sq km water: 250 sq km |
| Boundaries |
total: 1,385 km
border countries: France 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km, Netherlands 450 km |
| Coastline | 66.5 km |
| Climate | temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy |
| Terrain | flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast |
| Natural resources | construction materials, silica sand, carbonates |
| Natural hazards | flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes |
| People |
| Population | 10,379,067 (July 2006 est.) |
| Ethnic groups | Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11% |
| Religions | Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25% |
| Languages | Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French) |
