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World > Europe > Belgium
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Belgium |
Introduction:
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Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830; it was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. The country prospered in the past half century as a modern, technologically advanced European state and member of NATO and the EU. Tensions between the Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the French-speaking Walloons of the south have led in recent years to constitutional amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy.
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| Official name: |
Kingdom of Belgium |
| Capital: |
name: Brussels
geographic coordinates: 50 50 N, 4 20 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October |
| Government type: |
federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy |
| Population: |
10,392,226 (July 2007 est.) |
| Languages: |
Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French) |
| Official Currency: |
Euro (EUR)
Current Euro Exchange Rates
Historical Euro Exchange Rates
Chart Euro Exchange Rates |
| Currency code: |
EUR |
| Area: |
total: 30,528 sq km
land: 30,278 sq km
water: 250 sq km |
| Climate: |
temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy |
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Map of Belgium
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