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According to localcollegeexplorer, Belgium has a long and storied history, dating back to the fifth century when it was part of the Roman Empire. Following its fall, the area was divided between various Germanic kingdoms before being annexed by the French in 1795. After Napoleon’s defeat in 1815, Belgium became part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands until 1830 when it declared independence. The country’s modern borders were established following a four-year war with the Netherlands. In 1831, Belgium adopted its first constitution and became an independent monarchy. Leopold I was named its first king and his descendants would rule until his grandson Albert I abdicated in 1951. During this time, Belgium experienced rapid industrialization under King Leopold II and established colonies in Africa, including the Congo Free State which became infamous for its brutal exploitation of resources and labor. The country also participated in both World War I and World War II and suffered greatly from both conflicts. In 1958, Belgium joined with Luxembourg to form Benelux Economic Union which led to greater economic prosperity for all three countries involved. In 1993, Belgium signed onto the Maastricht Treaty which established the European Union (EU). Today, Belgium is a prosperous member state of the EU with a strong economy based on services such as finance and tourism. In 2010, Belgium was a small country located in the Western Europe region of the world. It was bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, and France to the south. The total area of Belgium was approximately 30,528 square kilometers. The population of Belgium in 2010 was estimated to be 10.6 million people. The capital city was Brussels, which had a population of 1.2 million people and accounted for about 11 percent of the total population in 2010. The main language spoken in Belgium was Dutch (Flemish), however French and German were also spoken across different parts of the country as well as some regional dialects such as Brabantian and Limburgish. The currency used in Belgium at that time was called Euro (EUR). In terms of economy, it had largely been dependent on its strong services sector which accounted for over 80% of GDP and included activities such as finance, transport, tourism and IT services. In addition to this there had also been an increase focus on developing industry within Belgium itself such as pharmaceuticals and biotechnology during this period as well as increased foreign investments into these sectors too. In terms of culture, Belgians have always been proud of their rich cultural heritage which includes art, literature and music from both Flemish and French speaking regions within their country as well as traditional folk dances such as Walloon dances which are still popular today. Religion is an important part of life for many people with most practicing Roman Catholicism but there is also significant representation from other religions such as Protestantism, Judaism and Islam within the country’s population too. Check estatelearning for Belgium in 1999.

Belgium Civil Law
Belgium Civil Law and Procedure

Belgium Civil Law and Procedure

Civil law. – According to usprivateschoolsfinder, Belgium has kept the Napoleon Code, which has undergone less radical changes than in France itself. However, if the work of the Belgian legislator can be reproached for its lack of daring, it must be recognized that it has generally proved to be very solid. As regards nationality, the laws of May 15, 1922 and October 15, 1932 remain faithful to the principle of ius sanguinis, except for the children of unknown persons and save…

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Belgium Architecture and Music
Belgium Architecture and Music

Belgium Architecture and Music

ARCHITECTURE At the end of the 19th century, King Leopold II gave impetus to Belgian architecture and had grandiose public buildings built by the architects A. Balat, J. Poelaert and H. Beyaert. The art nouveau tendencies were originally expressed at the beginning of the 20th century. by V. Horta and P. Hankar, and by H. van de Velde who, in a more complex approach to architecture and design, was among the first proponents of functionalism. After the First World War,…

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Belgium
Belgium Guide

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%,…

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