Belgium Guide
Belgium – country information
| Country name | Belgium |
| Official name | Kingdom of Belgium |
| Capital | Brussels |
| Continent | Europe |
| Area | 32,545 km2 |
| Population | 11,132,269 (2014) |
| Foundation of a state | 4/10/1830 |
| The highest mountains | Botrange 694 m |
| Longest rivers | Meuse 930 km (in the country 170 km), Šelda 435 km |
| State system | a pluralistic federal constitutional monarchy with a bicameral parliament |
| The biggest cities | Bruxelles (capital) 970,000, Antwerpen 500,000, Ghent 240,000, Charleroi 215,000 |
| Official language | Flemish, French, German |
| Ethnicity/National Composition | Belgians 91.0%, Italians 2.4%, Moroccans 1.4%, French 0.9%, Turkish 0.8%, Dutch 0.6%, other 2.9% |
| Religious affiliation | Roman Catholic 88.0%, Muslim 2.5%, Protestant 0.4%, no religion 7.5%, other 1.6% |
| Currency | 1 euro = 100 cents |
| gross domestic product (GDP) | US$37,459 (2012) |
| Average life expectancy of the population | 78.77 years (2006) |
| Structure of GDP | agriculture, forestry and fishing 1.8%, mining 0.2%, industry 24.2%, construction 6.0%, services 67.8% |
Belgium – neighboring states
| State | Capital | Area | Population |
| France | Paris | 551,500 km2 | 65,844,000 |
| Luxembourg | Luxembourg | 2,586 km2 | 537,000 |
| Germany | Berlin | 357,022 km2 | 80,619,000 |
| Netherlands | Amsterdam | 41,528 km2 | 16,842,200 |
Country overview
According to Abbreviationfinder, Belgium is located in Western Europe on the coast of the North Sea. It borders the Netherlands to the northeast, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, and France to the south and southwest.
Country data
Location: Europe
Time zone: CET
Total area: 30,528 km²
Land area: 30,278 km²
Water area: 250 km²
Length of the state border: 1,297 km
Bordering countries:
Germany: 133 km
France: 556 km
Luxembourg: 130 km
Netherlands: 478 km
Coastline: 66 km
Capital: Brussels
Electric current: 220 V / 50 Hz
Telephone code: 00 32 (Source: Allcitycodes)
Highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m
Population
Population: approx. 10.4 million residents (Countryaah, 2021)
Population growth: 0% per year
Population density (residents per km²): 341
Life expectancy: 77 (male), 83 (female)
Official language: Dutch, French, German
Religions:
- 75% Roman Catholic
- 25% other
Climate
The Western European climate that dominates Belgium is maritime and cool. The rains are evenly distributed throughout the year.
The average temperatures are 15 to 24 ° C in summer and -2 to + 5 ° C in winter.
Currency / finance
Currency unit: € / Euro (EUR)
Division: 1 € = 100 cents
ATMs: Numerous available (EC card / credit card and PIN number)
International credit cards: These are accepted by many hotels and shops.
Regulations: Foreign and national currencies can be imported and exported in unlimited amounts.
Travel advice
Since the attack on Zaventem international airport in Brussels, security checks have been increasing at train stations and airports.
The police and military presence has increased across the country.
You should avoid staying in large crowds.
Economy
Belgium has a heavily industrialized economy in which there is almost no room for large-scale agriculture.
The mining of coal has decreased sharply in recent years as the reserves are almost exhausted.
The city of Antwerp is known for the diamond trade. This is where most of the world’s industrial diamonds are made.
Industries: vehicle construction, fishing, coal, food production, steel processing, textiles
Natural resources: natural gas, coal
Land use:
- Usable land: 24%
- Grain cultivation: 1%
- Pasture area: 20%
- Forests: 21%
- other: 34%
Plants
The beech, oak, pine and elm forests are being protected and rebuilt by government programs.
Various types of flowers and grass grow particularly in the edge zones of the forests.
Animals
There are only a few large wild animals left in Belgium (deer and wild boar). Badgers, squirrels, foxes, hedgehogs and martens, on the other hand, are still quite common in the forests.
