Belgium

Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a small but highly developed country in Western Europe. It covers about 30,528 square kilometers and has a population of around 11.5 million. Its capital and largest city is Brussels, which also hosts many international institutions. The country is bordered by the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, France, and the North Sea.

Belgium is a federal constitutional monarchy. The head of state is King Philippe, and the government operates under a parliamentary system with a prime minister as head of government. The legal framework recognizes three communities—Dutch-speaking Flemish, French-speaking Walloon, and German-speaking communities—and three regions—Flanders, Wallonia, and the Brussels-Capital Region. Dutch is the majority language in Flanders, French in Wallonia and Brussels, and German is spoken by a small community in eastern Belgium. The country has a long tradition of consociational governance to manage linguistic and regional differences.

Historically, Belgium gained independence in 1830 from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. It was a founding member of the European Union, and Brussels hosts the European Commission and the Council of the European Union, with the European Parliament meeting in Strasbourg and holding additional sessions in Brussels. NATO headquarters are also located in Brussels. Belgium played significant roles in both World Wars and in postwar European integration. The country is divided into culturally distinct regions, with the Ardennes in the southeast as a notable geographic feature.

The economy is advanced and highly diversified, with important sectors including services, manufacturing, chemicals, plastics, and food processing. The Port of Antwerp is one of Europe’s largest and a global center for the diamond trade. Belgium is renowned for its chocolate, beer, and cuisine. Notable cultural contributions include artists such as René Magritte and Jacques Brel, and comic traditions like Tintin and The Smurfs.