Belgium

Belgium

Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO. Belgium covers an area of 30,528 square kilometres , and it has a population of about 11 million people. Straddling the cultural boundary between Germanic and Latin Europe, Belgium is home to two main linguistic groups, the Dutch-speakers, mostly Flemish , and the French-speakers, mostly Walloons , plus a small group of German-speakers. Belgium's two...
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quick facts
Founded:October 4, 1830
Capital:City of Brussels
Population:10,547,958
Official language:Dutch Language, German Language, French Language
Currency:Euro
Area:11,786.9 sq. mi.
GDP:$23,710,735,894.7
Form of government:Parliamentary system, Constitutional monarchy, Monarchy
Also known as:België, Belgique, Belgiium

Capital city of Belgium

City of Brussels
City of Brussels

The City of Brussels is the largest municipality of the Brussels-Capital Region, and the official capital of Belgium. Somewhat in the way that the City of London is different from London, the City of Brussels is different from Brussels. However, the expansion of the City was frozen at a later stage than the City of London, so that in addition to the old centre of Brussels, the towns of Haren, Laeken and Neder-Over-Heembeek to the north, and...
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National landmarks of Belgium

Atomium
Atomium

The Atomium is a monument in Brussels, originally built for Expo '58, the 1958 Brussels World's Fair. Designed by André Waterkeyn and Les...
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Major cities in Belgium

CityPopulation
Brussels 145,917
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Population history of Belgium

YearEstimated Population
2011 11,007,020
2010 10,879,159
2009 10,796,493
2008 10,709,973
2007 10,625,700
2006 10,547,958
2005 10,478,617
2004 10,421,137
2003 10,376,133
2002 10,333,000
2001 10,287,000
2000 10,252,000
1999 10,226,000
1998 10,203,000
1997 10,181,000
1996 10,157,000
1995 10,136,800
1994 10,115,600
1993 10,084,500
1992 10,045,000
1991 10,004,500
1990 9,967,400
1989 9,938,000
1988 9,902,000
1987 9,870,000
1986 9,862,000
1985 9,858,000
1984 9,853,000
1983 9,856,000
1982 9,856,000
1981 9,852,000
1980 9,847,000
1979 9,837,000
1978 9,830,000
1977 9,822,000
1976 9,811,000
1975 9,795,000
1974 9,768,000
1973 9,738,000
1972 9,709,000
1971 9,673,000
1970 9,638,000
1969 9,613,000
1968 9,590,000
1967 9,557,000
1966 9,508,000
1965 9,448,000
1964 9,367,000
1963 9,283,000
1962 9,218,000
1961 9,166,000
1960 9,119,000
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Government officials of Belgium

OfficialOfficeStart of Term
Albert II of Belgium King of the Belgians 1993
Elio Di Rupo Prime Minister of Belgium 2011
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National anthem of Belgium

The Brabançonne
The Brabançonne
Established:1860
Composer:François Van Campenhout
Lyricist:Alexandre Dechet

The Brabançonne is the national anthem of Belgium. In the originally French language, the term normally refers to Brabant, literally Brabantian in English. The untranslated initial name is maintained for the Dutch and the German lyrics, that at a later stage ensured reflecting all three...
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Olympic medals won by Belgium

OlympicsEventAthleteMedal
2008 Summer Olympics Women's Beach Volleyball Liesbet Van Breedam
2008 Summer Olympics Women's High jump Tia Hellebaut Gold medal
2004 Summer Olympics Men's Road cycling, individual road race Axel Merckx Bronze medal
2004 Summer Olympics Women's Judo, 48 - 52kg (half-lightweight) Ilse Heylen Bronze medal
2004 Summer Olympics Women's Tennis, singles Justine Henin Gold medal
2004 Summer Olympics Men's Road cycling, individual road race Peter van Petegem
2004 Summer Olympics Men's Road cycling, individual road race Philippe Gilbert
2000 Summer Olympics Men's Road cycling, individual road race Axel Merckx
2000 Summer Olympics Men's Mountain Biking, Cross-Country Filip Meirhaeghe Silver medal
2000 Summer Olympics Men's Track cycling, Madison Matthew Gilmore Silver medal
2000 Summer Olympics Women's Judo, - 48kg (extra-lightweight) Ann Simons Bronze medal
2000 Summer Olympics Women's Judo, 57 - 63kg (Half-Middleweight) Gella Vandecaveye Bronze medal
2000 Summer Olympics Men's Mountain Biking, Cross-Country Roel Paulissen
1998 Winter Olympics Speed skating - Men's 5000m Bart Veldkamp Bronze medal
1996 Summer Olympics Finn Class Sébastien Godefroid Silver medal
1996 Summer Olympics Women's Judo, 66-72 kg (Half Heavyweight) Ulla Werbrouck Gold medal
1996 Summer Olympics Women's Judo, Lightweight (56kg) Marisabel Lomba Bronze medal
1996 Summer Olympics Men's Judo, +95 (Heavyweight) Harry Van Barneveld Bronze medal
1996 Summer Olympics Men's 100m breaststroke Frederik Deburghgraeve Gold medal
1992 Summer Olympics Men's Track cycling, Points Race Cédric Mathy Bronze medal
1992 Summer Olympics Women's Judo, 61-66 kg (Middleweight) Heidi Rakels Bronze medal
1992 Summer Olympics Women's Single Sculls Annelies Bredael Silver medal
1988 Summer Olympics Olympic trap Francine Peeters Bronze medal
1988 Summer Olympics Men's Judo, 86-95kg (half heavyweighgt) Robert Van De Walle Bronze medal
1984 Summer Olympics Men's Track cycling, Points Race Roger Ilegems Gold medal
1984 Summer Olympics Women's Single Sculls Ann Haesebrouck Bronze medal
1984 Summer Olympics Women's 200m breaststroke Ingrid Lempereur Bronze medal
1980 Summer Olympics Men's Judo, 86-95kg (half heavyweighgt) Robert Van De Walle Gold medal
1976 Summer Olympics Men's Athletics, 800m Ivo Van Damme Silver medal
1976 Summer Olympics Men's Athletics, 1500m Ivo Van Damme Silver medal
1976 Summer Olympics Men's Marathon Karel Lismont Bronze medal
1976 Summer Olympics Track Cycling, Men's 1000m Time Trial Michel Vaarten Silver medal
1976 Summer Olympics Jumping, individual Francois Mathy Bronze medal
1972 Summer Olympics Men's Marathon Karel Lismont Silver medal
1972 Summer Olympics Men's Athletics, 10000m Emiel Puttemans Silver medal
1968 Summer Olympics Men's Weightlifting, Heavyweight +90 Serge Reding Silver medal
1964 Summer Olympics Men's 3000m steeplechase Gaston Roelants Gold medal
1964 Summer Olympics Track Cycling, Men's 1000m Time Trial Patrick Sercu Gold medal
1964 Summer Olympics Men's Road cycling, individual road race Walter Godefroot Bronze medal
1960 Summer Olympics Men's Athletics, 800m Roger Moens Silver medal
1960 Summer Olympics Men's Track cycling, Sprint individual Leo Sterckx Silver medal
1960 Summer Olympics Men's Road cycling, individual road race Willy van den Berghen Bronze medal
1960 Summer Olympics Finn Class Andre Nelis Bronze medal
1956 Summer Olympics Men's Freestyle Wrestling, Featherweight 57-62kg Joseph Mewis Silver medal
1956 Summer Olympics Finn Class Andre Nelis Silver medal
1952 Summer Olympics Men's Road cycling, individual road race André Noyelle Gold medal
1952 Summer Olympics Men's Road cycling, individual road race Robert Grondelaers Silver medal
1952 Summer Olympics Men's Road cycling, individual road race Lucien Victor
1952 Summer Olympics Men's Track cycling, Sprint individual Stéphan Martens
1948 Winter Olympics Four-Man Bobsleigh Max Houben Silver medal
1948 Summer Olympics Men's Athletics, 5000m Gaston Reiff Gold medal
1948 Summer Olympics Men's Marathon Etienne Gailly Bronze medal
1948 Summer Olympics Men's Boxing, Lightweight 58-62kg Joseph Vissers Silver medal
1948 Summer Olympics Track Cycling, Men's 1000m Time Trial Pierre Nihant Silver medal
1948 Summer Olympics Men's Road cycling, individual road race Lode Wouters Bronze medal
1936 Winter Olympics Women's Singles Liselotte Landbeck
1928 Winter Olympics Figure skating - Men's singles Robert von Zeebroeck Bronze medal
1928 Summer Olympics Men's Boxing, Middleweight 66.7-72.6kg Léonard Steyaert Bronze medal
1928 Summer Olympics Men's Freestyle Wrestling, Bantamweight -58 kg Edmond Spapen Silver medal
1924 Summer Olympics Men's Boxing, Welterweight 61.2-66.7kg Jean DeLarge Gold medal
1924 Summer Olympics Men's Boxing, Middleweight 66.7-72.6kg Joseph Jules Beecken Bronze medal
1924 Summer Olympics Men's Foil individual Maurice E. van Damme Bronze medal
1924 Summer Olympics Men's Épée individual Charles Delporte Gold medal
1924 Summer Olympics Men's 200m breaststroke Joseph De Combe Silver medal
1924 Summer Olympics Men's Freestyle Wrestling, Middleweight 72-79 kg Pierre Ollivier Silver medal
1924 Summer Olympics Olympic Monotype Léon Huybrechts Gold medal
1924 Summer Olympics Men's Road Cycling, Individual Time Trial Henri Hoevenaers Silver medal
1920 Summer Olympics Individual Fixed Large Bird Edmond Cloetens Gold medal
1920 Summer Olympics Individual fixed small bird Joseph Hermans Bronze medal
1920 Summer Olympics Individual Moving Bird, 28 metres Hubert Van Innis Gold medal
1920 Summer Olympics Individual moving bird, 33 metres Hubert Van Innis Gold medal
1920 Summer Olympics Individual moving bird, 50 metres Hubert Van Innis Silver medal
1920 Summer Olympics Men's Track Cycling, 50km Henry George Gold medal
1920 Summer Olympics Individual vaulting Daniel Bouckaert Gold medal
1920 Summer Olympics Men's 100m backstroke Gérard Blitz Bronze medal
1920 Summer Olympics Men's Weightlifting, featherweight -60 Frans De Haes Gold medal
1920 Summer Olympics Men's Weightlifting, Lightweight 60-67.5kg Louis Williquet Silver medal
1920 Summer Olympics Men's Weightlifting, Lightweight 60-67.5kg Florimond Rooms Bronze medal
1920 Summer Olympics Individual Fixed Large Bird Louis Van de Perck Silver medal
1920 Summer Olympics Individual Fixed Large Bird Firmin Flamand Bronze medal
1920 Summer Olympics Individual fixed small bird Edmond Van Moer Gold medal
1920 Summer Olympics Individual fixed small bird Louis Van de Perck Silver medal
1920 Summer Olympics Individual vaulting Louis Finet Bronze medal
1912 Summer Olympics Jumping, individual Emmanuel de Blommaert Bronze medal
1912 Summer Olympics Men's Épée individual Paul Anspach Gold medal
1912 Summer Olympics Men's Épée individual Philippe le Hardy de Beaulieu Bronze medal
1912 Summer Olympics Men's Single sculls Polydore Veirman Silver medal
1912 Summer Olympics Men's Road Cycling, Individual Time Trial Jean Patou
1908 Summer Olympics Men's Track Cycling, 20km Joseph Werbrouck Bronze medal
1908 Summer Olympics Men's 50 Yard Free Pistol Paul van Asbroeck Gold medal
1908 Summer Olympics Men's 50 Yard Free Pistol Reginald Storms Silver medal
1900 Summer Olympics Men's Sur la perche á la herse Emmanuel Foulon Gold medal
1900 Summer Olympics Men's Sur la perche á la herse Emile Druart Silver medal
1900 Summer Olympics Men's Sur la perche á la pyramide Louis Glineux Bronze medal
1900 Summer Olympics Men's Au cordon doré 33m Hubert Van Innis Gold medal
1900 Summer Olympics Men's Au cordon doré 50m Hubert Van Innis Silver medal
1900 Summer Olympics Men's Au chapelet 33m Hubert Van Innis Gold medal
1900 Summer Olympics Jumping, individual Aimé Haegeman Gold medal
1900 Summer Olympics Jumping, individual Georges van de Poele Silver medal
1900 Summer Olympics Equestrian, High Jump Georges van de Poele Bronze medal
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Major importers from Belgium

Countries that import goods from Belgium
CountryValue of Imported GoodsYear
United States of America $9,500,000,000 2008
Scotland £955,000,000 2004
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Wars and battles involving Belgium

Operation Unified Protector
Operation Unified Protector
(March 23, 2011 - October 31, 2011)

Operation Unified Protector was an NATO operation enforcing United Nations Security Council resolutions 1970 and 1973 concerning the Libyan civil war...
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Operation Allied Force
Operation Allied Force
(March 24, 1999 - June 10, 1999)

The NATO bombing of Yugoslavia was NATO's military operation against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. The strikes lasted...
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Shaba II
Shaba II
(March 17, 1978 - June 1978)

Shaba II was an invasion of the Shaba separatist movement FNLC into the Zairian province of Shaba on 11 May 1978. The FNLC had its bases in eastern...
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Korean War
Korean War
(1950 - 1953)

The Korean War was a war between the Republic of Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea . The Korean War was primarily the result of...
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World War II
World War II
(1939 - 1945)

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global war that was under way by 1939 and ended in 1945. It involved a vast majority of the...
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International Memberships

European Union
European Union

The European Union /ˌjʊərəˈpiːənˈjuːnjən/ is an economic and political union or confederation of...
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Western European Union
Western European Union

The Western European Union was an international organisation tasked with implementing the Modified Treaty of Brussels , an amended version of the...
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African Development Bank
African Development Bank

The African Development Bank Group is a development bank established in 1964 with the intention of promoting economic and social development in...
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Asian Development Bank
Asian Development Bank

The Asian Development Bank is a regional development bank established on 22 August 1966 to facilitate economic development of countries in Asia. The...
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Zangger Committee
Zangger Committee

The Zangger Committee, also known as the Nuclear Exporters Committee, sprang from Article III.2 of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear...
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Colleges and universities in Belgium

Louvain School of Management
Louvain School of Management

The Louvain School of Management is a business school accredited by the European Quality Improvement System , which is part of the Université...
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Books about Belgium

The Secret in the Old Lace
The Secret in the Old Lace
Genre:Detective fiction, Fiction, Children's literature, Mystery

Famous residents of Belgium

Justine Henin
Justine Henin
TV Actor

Justine Henin , known as Justine Henin-Hardenne between 2002 and 2007, is a retired professional Belgian tennis player and former World No. 1. Henin...
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Wim Opbrouck
Wim Opbrouck
Film Actor, Musical Artist

Wim Opbrouck is a Flemish actor and singer. He is especially known for his work on stage. Opbrouck comes from Bavikhove, part of Harelbeke and...
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Kim Clijsters
Kim Clijsters
TV Actor

Kim Antonie Lode Clijsters ; born 8 June 1983 is a Belgian professional tennis player. As of 7 May 2012, Clijsters is ranked no. 40 in singles....
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Jean-Baptiste Loeillet of London
Jean-Baptiste Loeillet of London
Musical Artist

Jean-Baptiste Loeillet of London , was a Flemish baroque composer as well as a performer on the recorder, flute, oboe, and harpsichord. He is called...
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René Jacobs
René Jacobs
Musical Artist

René Jacobs is a Belgian musician. He came to fame as a countertenor but in recent years has become renowned as a conductor of Baroque and...
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Countries adjoining Belgium

France
France

France , officially the French Republic , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands...
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Luxembourg
Luxembourg

Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has...
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Germany
Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the...
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Netherlands
Netherlands

The Netherlands lɑnt] or [ˈneɪ̯dəlɑnt] ; West Frisian: Nederlân; Papiamento: Hulanda is a constituent country...
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Frequently Asked Questions

  • Q:
    What famous people were born in Belgium?
  • A:
    Famous people born in Belgium include:
    - Kurt Hovelijnck
    - Isidore of Saint Joseph
    - Elias M. Stein
    - Ronald Guttman
    - Elisabeth Elliot
    - Raphaël Slinckx
    - Wim De Vocht
  • Q:
    Under which form of government does Belgium operate?
  • A:
    The government regime is a Parliamentary system.
  • Q:
    What type of money is officially accepted in Belgium?
  • A:
    The currencies accepted in this country include the Euro and Belgian franc.
  • Q:
    What are the official languages in Belgium?
  • A:
    People living in this country generally speak French or Picard.
  • Q:
    What did Belgium use as their form of money in the past?
  • A:
    The country's former currency includes the Belgian franc and Luxembourgish franc.
  • Q:
    Which city is the capital of Belgium?
  • A:
    Brussels is the capital.
Belgium Photo Gallery

Lists

Map of Belgium

BE
Belgium
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