Belgium:Fact

Know nothing about Belgium?
Well now you know.
"Belgium, a population dense country, encompasses 11,784 square miles [30,527 square kilometers] and is about the size of the American state of Maryland, but its coastline stretches only forty miles.  It is bordered by the North Sea [the Channel] to the north, the Netherlands to the north east, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast and France to the west. 

• The capital of Belgium is Brussels [Bruxelles].  The capital's population is just under a million, divided between Flemish and Wallon; the country as a whole has a population of just over 10 million.  The Flemish population is in the range of six million, while the Wallon population is just over 3 million.

• Many beers are brewed in Belgium and are enjoyed in the outdoor cafés where Belgians go to relax.  Mussels, oysters, endive and frites, the deep-fried potatoes [French fries] are favorite dishes. 

 

•  Three primary languages have contributed to a rich cultural history.  Painters and weavers come from the Flemings in the north and west.  The French Walloons brought a French heritage.  The 15th century had a flowering of painting, music, architecture and literature.  Another surge in the arts followed Belgian independence in 1830.  There are many village fairs and festivals where the traditional arts, including Belgium Lace Curtains, are displayed.  Van Eyck, Breughel, Rubens, Magritte, Dufay, Ockeghem, Deprés, de Lassus, Lully are all Belgian artists and composers.
• The level of education in Belgium today is one of the highest in Europe.
• Flanders field is in Belgium.

• The Flemings speak a language similar to Dutch.  Belgian French differs little from the French spoken in France, and German is spoken by large numbers of the population.  The population is primarily Roman Catholic [81%], with the Walloons following a more liberal interpretation than the Flemish.