NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Belgian

The Kingdom of Belgium (Dutch: Koninkrijk België, French: Royaume de Belgique, German: Königreich Belgien) is a country in Western Europe that is bordered by the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, France, and the North Sea. Belgium has a population of over ten million people in only thirty thousand square kilometres, making it the 17th most densely populated country in the world. It ranked sixth on the 2004 UN Human Development Index. Image File history File links General info: Large flag of Belgium Dimensions: 348x302 pixels Source: Image originally derived from the public domain flags of the CIA World Factbook License: originally public domain, modifications under GFDL Most of the flags have had their colours improved and many have been resized to... Image File history File links Coat of arms for Belgium. ... State and war flag ratio: 13:15 Civil flag and ensign ratio: 2:3 The national flag of Belgium contains three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red; the vertical design was based on the flag of France, whereas the colours were taken from the colours of... Belgiums coat of arms The Coat of Arms of Belgium contains a pair of lions (called the Belgian Lion, or Leo Belgicus), that are the national symbols of the nation. ... Here is a list of state mottos for countries and their subdivisions around the world. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... File links The following pages link to this file: Belgium User:DanielZm/test Template:Belgium infobox ... An official language is something that is given a unique status in the countries, states, and other territories. ... In politics a capital (also called capital city or political capital â€” although the latter phrase has an alternative meaning based on an alternative meaning of capital) is the principal city or town associated with its government. ... Emblem of the Brussels-Capital Region Flag of The City of Brussels Brussels (Dutch: Brussel, French: Bruxelles, German: BrÃ¼ssel) is the capital of Belgium and is considered by many to be the headquarters of the European Union, as two of its four main institutions have their headquarters in the... Emblem of the Brussels-Capital Region Flag of The City of Brussels Brussels (Dutch: Brussel, French: Bruxelles, German: BrÃ¼ssel) is the capital of Belgium and is considered by many to be the headquarters of the European Union, as two of its four main institutions have their headquarters in the... The royal palace in Brussels Successive Belgian kings are Leopold I (1831-1865) Leopold II (1865-1909) Albert I (1909-1934) Leopold III (1934-1951) abdicated Prince Charles of Belgium (1944-1950) Prince Regent Baudouin I (1951-1993) Albert II (1993- ) None of these were King of Belgium: their title... Became King: August 9, 1993 Predecessor: Baudouin Date of Birth: June 6, 1934 Place of Birth: Brussels, Belgium Heir-Apparent: The Duke of Brabant His Majesty Albert II, King of the Belgians (Albert FÃ©lix Humbert ThÃ©odore ChrÃ©tien EugÃ¨ne Marie Wettin, born Laeken, Belgium, June 6, 1934... This is a list of Prime Ministers of Belgium, known regionally as: Premier Ministre in French, Eerste Minister in Dutch, and Premierminister in German. ... Guy Verhofstadt Guy Verhofstadt Pronunciation (born April 11, 1953) is the current Prime Minister of Belgium. ... This article explains the meaning of area as a physical quantity. ... This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by area. ... To help compare orders of magnitude of different geographical regions, we list here areas between 10,000 kmÂ² and 100,000 kmÂ². See also areas of other orders of magnitude. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar and is the current year. ... Population density can be used as a measurement of any tangible item. ... This is a list of sovereign states and other territories by population, estimated for the year 2005. ... 1830 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... You may be looking for: list of countries by GDP (nominal) - list based on current currency market exchange rates list of countries by GDP (PPP) - list based on purchasing power parity This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The euro (â‚¬; ISO 4217 code EUR) is the currency of twelve European Union member states: Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain. ... Time zones are areas of the Earth that have adopted the same standard time, usually referred to as the local time. ... European Summer Time is the daylight saving time practised in Europe, the period during which clocks are advanced by one hour in relation to the official time observed during the rest of the year. ... Central European Time (CET) is one of the names of UTC+1 time zone, 1 hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. ... Coordinated Universal Time or UTC, also sometimes referred to as Zulu time, is an atomic realization of Universal Time(UT) or Greenwich Mean Time, the astronomical basis for civil time. ... Central European Summer Time (CEST) is one of the names of UTC+2 time zone, 2 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. ... Coordinated Universal Time or UTC, also sometimes referred to as Zulu time, is an atomic realization of Universal Time(UT) or Greenwich Mean Time, the astronomical basis for civil time. ... A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that is formally recognized by a countrys government as their states official national song. ... The BrabanÃ§onne is the national anthem of Belgium. ... A top-level domain (TLD) is the last part of an Internet domain name. ... .be is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Belgium. ... // At a glance In depth Zone 1 â€“ North American Numbering Plan Area nanpa. ... 1999 is a common year starting on Friday Anno Domini (or the Current Era), and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... The franc is the name of several currency units, most notably for the former French francs. ... Western Europe is distinguished from Eastern Europe by differences of history and culture rather than by geography. ... The North Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean, located between the coasts of Norway and Denmark in the east, the coast of the British Isles in the west, and the German, Dutch, Belgian and French coasts in the south. ... List of countries/dependencies by population density in inhabitants/kmÂ². The figures in the following table are based on areas including inland water bodies (lakes, reservoirs, rivers). ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The UN Human Development Index (HDI) measures poverty, literacy, education, life expectancy, and other factors. ...

Belgium straddles the cultural boundary between Germanic and Romance Europe. As a result, the country is linguistically and culturally split. It has two main languages: Dutch in Flanders (often unofficially called Flemish) to the north and French in the Wallonia to the south. To the east is an officially recognised minority of German speakers; the capital of Belgium, the Brussels-Capital Region, is legally bilingual. This linguistic diversity, which often leads to political conflict, is reflected in Belgium's complex institutions and political history. Belgium is the host of three prominent international organisations: NATO, the European Union and EUROCONTROL. The Romance languages, also called Romanic languages, are a subfamily of the Italic languages, specifically the descendants of the Vulgar Latin dialects spoken by the common people evolving in different areas after the break-up of the Roman Empire. ... Flanders (Flemish, Fleming) (Dutch: Vlaanderen (Vlaams, Vlaming), French: Flandre(s), (flamand, flamand), German: Flandern, (flÃ¤misch, Flame) has two main designations: a constituent region of the federal Belgian state trough its social and political organisations, and trough the institutions of the Flemish Community (with its own Flemish government... Contrary to popular belief, a Flemish language as such does not exist: there are however variants of the Dutch language spoken in Belgium; and these are, mainly for political reasons, sometimes referred to as Flemish. The Flemish people themselves, however, often note the difference between Dutch, as spoken in the... National motto: Walon todi ! (Walloon forever!) Official languages French, German Capital Namur Minister-President Jean-Claude Van Cauwenberghe Area - Total 16,844 km² Population - Total (2002) - Density 3,358,560 inhabitants 199. ... The Brussels-Capital Region (French: R gion de Bruxelles-Capitale, Dutch: Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest, German: Region Br ssel-Hauptstadt) or Brussels Region (French: R gion Bruxelloise, Dutch: Brusselse Gewest) is one of the three regions of Belgium. ... Belgium is a federal state and is composed of three communities, three regions, and four linguistic regions. ... The History of Belgium before the last 175 years is entwined into that of other European countries, notably that of the Netherlands and of Luxembourg. ... The flag of NATO NATO 2002 Summit in Prague The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), sometimes called North Atlantic Alliance, Atlantic Alliance or the Western Alliance, is an international organisation for defence collaboration established in 1949, in support of the North Atlantic Treaty signed in Washington, D.C., on April... EUROCONTROL members EUROCONTROL is the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation, an international organisation whose primary objective is the development of a seamless, pan-European Air Traffic Management (ATM) system. ...

History

Belgium is at the crossroads of Europe, both geographically and culturally; for 2,000 years it has been a pathway for the vast cultural shifts that have moved across the continent. Consequently, Belgium is one of Europe's true melting pots. Politically, during its history, Belgium has been part of the Low Countries, which also comprises the Netherlands and Luxembourg. The History of Belgium before the last 175 years is entwined into that of other European countries, notably that of the Netherlands and of Luxembourg. ... Alternate meaning: crucible (science) The melting pot is a metaphor for the way in which heterogenous societies develop, in which the ingredients in the pot (iron, tin; people of different backgrounds and religions, etc. ... The Low Countries, the historical region of de Nederlanden, are the countries (see Country) on low-lying land around the delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse (Maas) rivers. ...

Image File history File links Map of the Roman province Gallia Belgica. ... Image File history File links Map of the Roman province Gallia Belgica. ... Map of the Roman Empire, with the provinces, after 120 AD. In Ancient Rome, a province (Latin, provincia, pl. ... Gallia Belgica was a Roman province located in what is now the southern part of the Netherlands, Belgium and northeastern France. ... For other uses, see number 120. ... Centuries: 2nd century BC - 1st century BC - 1st century Decades: 100s BC 90s BC 80s BC 70s BC 60s BC - 50s BC - 40s BC 30s BC 20s BC 10s BC 0s BC Years: 63 BC 62 BC 61 BC 60 BC 59 BC 58 BC 57 BC 56 BC 55... Map of Gaul circa 58 BC The Gallic Wars were a series of wars fought between the Romans and the people of Gaul during the mid-first century BC, culminating in the Battle of Alesia in 52 BC which resulted in the expansion of the Roman Republic across Gaul. ...

Before Independence

Though Belgium takes its name from the first named inhabitants of the Low Countries, the Belgae, a group of mostly Celtic tribes, and of the Gallia Belgica, the Roman province in northern Gaul created at their approximative territories, the history of Belgium began to be distinct of the history of the Low Countries (and of the Burgundian Netherlands) much later, during the 16th century.link title The Low Countries, the historical region of de Nederlanden, are the countries (see Country) on low-lying land around the delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse (Maas) rivers. ... The Belgae were a group of nations or tribes living in north-eastern Gaul, on the west bank of the Rhine, in the 1st century BC, and later also attested in Britain. ... The word Celtic can refer to: the European Celtic people, ancient or modern the Celtic languages, spoken by these people and their modern descendents the Celtic (Lusitania), Celts from the Alentejo. ... Gallia Belgica was a Roman province located in what is now the southern part of the Netherlands, Belgium and northeastern France. ... Map of the Roman Empire, with the provinces, after 120 AD. In Ancient Rome, a province (Latin, provincia, pl. ... Map of Gaul circa 58 BC Gaul (from Latin Gallia, c. ... In the history of the Low Countries, the Burgundian Netherlands refers to the period when the dukes of Burgundy ruled the area, as well as Luxembourg and northern France from 1384 to 1477. ... (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ...

At this time, the prosperous Seventeen Provinces, a confederation of cities and provinces unified by the Burgundians at the end of the Middle Ages and more or less independent of the Habsburgian dynasty, had claimed for their independence from their Spanish heirs. The subsequent civil war, called the Eighty Years' War (1568–1648), split the Low Countries along the current borderline between Belgium and the Netherlands. Many emigrated to the northern independent United Provinces of the Netherlands. During the war and after the Peace of Utrecht, the Belgian territories, excluding the Bishopric of Liège, were named Southern Netherlands and were ruled successively by the Spanish and the Austrian Habsburgs. Till independence, the Southern Netherlands were constantly the aim of the French conquests to the north and were the theatre of most Franco-Spanish and Franco-Austrian wars during the 17th and 18th centuries. The current Belgian southern border is due to these many wars. Interesting enough are the civil uprising in the Brabant and in Liège which lead in 1789 to the short-lived United States of Belgium reconquered by the Austrians some months later. Download high resolution version (591x657, 174 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (591x657, 174 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... The Seventeen Provinces were a personal union of states in the Low Countries in the 16th century, roughly covering the current Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, a good part of the North of France (Artois, Nord) and a small part of Germany. ... The Bishopric of LiÃ¨ge or Prince-Bishopric of LiÃ¨ge was a state of the Holy Roman Empire in present Belgium. ... The Seventeen Provinces were a personal union of states in the Low Countries in the 16th century, roughly covering the current Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, a good part of the North of France (Artois, Nord) and a small part of Germany. ... The Seventeen Provinces were a personal union of states in the Low Countries in the 16th century, roughly covering the current Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, a good part of the North of France (Artois, Nord) and a small part of Germany. ... Coat of arms of the 2nd duchy of JOSH GARLAND Burgundy and later of the French province of Burgundy Burgundy (French: Bourgogne) is a historic region of France, inhabited in turn by Pre-Indo-European people, Celts (Gauls), Romans (Gallo-Romans), and various Germanic tribes, most importantly the Burgundians and... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... Habsburg (sometimes spelled Hapsburg, but never so in official use) was one of the major ruling houses of Europe. ... The Eighty Years War, or Dutch Revolt from 1568 to 1648 was the secession war in which the proto-Netherlands first became an independent country and in which the region now known as Belgium became established. ... Events March 23 - Peace of Longjumeau ends the Second War of Religion in France. ... // Events Peace treaty signed at Westphalia ends the Thirty Years War. ... This article is about the Dutch United Provinces. ... The Treaties of Utrecht (April 11, 1713) were signed in Utrecht, a city of the United Provinces. ... The Bishopric of LiÃ¨ge or Prince-Bishopric of LiÃ¨ge was a state of the Holy Roman Empire in present Belgium. ... The Southern Netherlands were a part of the Low Countries controlled by Spain (Spanish Netherlands, 1579-1713), Austria (Austrian Netherlands, 1713-1794) and France (1794-1815). ... (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ... (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ... Brabant is a former duchy in the Low Countries, and a former province of Belgium. ... The Bishopric of LiÃ¨ge or Prince-Bishopric of LiÃ¨ge was a state of the Holy Roman Empire in present Belgium. ... 1789 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ...

Following the Campaigns of 1794 of the French Revolutionary Wars, the entire region (including territories that were never under Habsburg rule, like the Bishopric of Liège) was overrun by France, ending the existence of this territory as the Spanish/Austrian Netherlands. The civil uprising called the Flemish peasants war (boerenkrijg) against the French conquerors is seen by many as the birth of the Flemish movement. The reunification of the Low Countries, the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, was decided during the Congress of Vienna in 1815, after the defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo. However, after the Belgian Revolution of 1830, the southern provinces separated and became the independent state of Belgium. The French Revolutionary Wars continued from 1793 with few immediate changes in the diplomatic situation as France fought the First coalition. ... The Bishopric of LiÃ¨ge or Prince-Bishopric of LiÃ¨ge was a state of the Holy Roman Empire in present Belgium. ... The Flemish movement (Dutch: Vlaamse Beweging) is a popular term used to describe the political movement for greater autonomy of the Belgian region of Flanders, for protection of the Dutch language in Flanders, and for protection of the Flemish culture. ... United Kingdom of the Netherlands (1815 - 1830) (1839) (Dutch: Verenigd Koninkrijk der Nederlanden, French: Royaume-Uni des Pays-Bas). ... The Congress of Vienna was a conference between ambassadors from the major powers in Europe that was chaired by the Austrian statesman Klemens Wenzel von Metternich and held in Vienna, Austria, from October 1, 1814, to June 9, 1815. ... The Battle of New Orleans 1815 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... For other uses, see Napoleon (disambiguation). ... Map of the Waterloo campaign The Battle of Waterloo, fought on June 18, 1815, was Napoleon Bonapartes last battle. ... Episode of the Belgian Revolution of 1830, Egide Charles Gustave Wappers (1834), in the Musée dArt Ancien, Brussels The Belgian Revolution was a conflict in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands that began with a riot in Brussels in August 1830 and eventually led to the establishment of...

Episode of the Belgian Revolution of 1830, Egide Charles Gustave Wappers (1834), in the Musée dArt Ancien, Brussels File links The following pages link to this file: Belgian Revolution Egide Charles Gustave Wappers Categories: Public domain art ... Episode of the Belgian Revolution of 1830, Egide Charles Gustave Wappers (1834), in the Musée dArt Ancien, Brussels File links The following pages link to this file: Belgian Revolution Egide Charles Gustave Wappers Categories: Public domain art ... 1830 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Episode of the Belgian Revolution of 1830 (1834), Wappers most famous painting, now in the Musée dArt Ancien, Brussels Egide Charles Gustave, Baron Wappers (August 23, 1803 - December 6, 1874), Belgian painter, was born at Antwerp. ... 1834 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Emblem of the Brussels-Capital Region Flag of The City of Brussels Brussels (Dutch: Brussel, French: Bruxelles, German: BrÃ¼ssel) is the capital of Belgium and is considered by many to be the headquarters of the European Union, as two of its four main institutions have their headquarters in the...

From Independence to World War II

The Belgian Revolution was a conflict in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands that began with a riot in Brussels in August 1830 and eventually led to the establishment of an independent, Catholic and neutral Belgium. Episode of the Belgian Revolution of 1830, Egide Charles Gustave Wappers (1834), in the Musée dArt Ancien, Brussels The Belgian Revolution was a conflict in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands that began with a riot in Brussels in August 1830 and eventually led to the establishment of... United Kingdom of the Netherlands (1815 - 1830) (1839) (Dutch: Verenigd Koninkrijk der Nederlanden, French: Royaume-Uni des Pays-Bas). ... Emblem of the Brussels-Capital Region Flag of The City of Brussels Brussels (Dutch: Brussel, French: Bruxelles, German: BrÃ¼ssel) is the capital of Belgium and is considered by many to be the headquarters of the European Union, as two of its four main institutions have their headquarters in the... 1830 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...

Since 1831, Belgium has been a constitutional monarchy. From the revolution to World War II, the democratic system evolved from an oligarchy characterised by two main parties, the Catholics and the Liberals, to a universal parliamentary democracy which has included a further party, the Belgian Labour Party, and a strong role for the trade unions. 1831 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... A constitutional monarchy is a form of monarchical government established under a constitutional system which acknowledges a hereditary or elected monarch as head of state. ... World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrinations, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons like the atom bomb World War II, also known as the Second World War, was by far the bloodiest, most expensive, and most significant war in... Oligarchy is a Political regime where most political power effectively rests with a small segment of society (typically the most powerful, whether by wealth, military strength, ruthlessness, or political influence). ... A parliamentary system, or parliamentarism, is distinguished by the executive branch of government being dependent on the direct or indirect support of the parliament, often expressed through a vote of confidence. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

The country experienced a fast expanding industrialisation, particularly in the French-speaking regions of Liège and Charleroi, with the development of steel and mining industries. By the 1840s, however, the textile industry of Flanders was in severe crisis. Famine in Flanders (1846-1850) forced many Flemings to emigrate, mostly to Wallonia. Liege or LiÃ¨ge has several meanings: A liege is the person or entity to which one has pledged allegiance. ... Charleroi (Walloon: TchÃ¥lerwÃ¨) is a city and a municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. ... Events and Trends Technology First use of anaesthesia in an operation, by Crawford Long War, peace and politics First signing of the Treaty of Waitangi (Te Tiriti o Waitangi) on February 6, 1840 at Waitangi New Zealand. ... 1846 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1850 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... National motto: Walon todi ! (Walloon forever!) Official languages French, German Capital Namur Minister-President Jean-Claude Van Cauwenberghe Area - Total 16,844 kmÂ² Population - Total (2002) - Density 3,358,560 inhabitants 199. ...

Originally, Belgium had only one official language, French, which was the adopted language of the nobility and the bourgeoisie. The country has since evolved a bilingual system and Dutch now enjoys official status in addition to French. The Lords and Barons prove their Nobility by hanging their Banners and exposing their Coats-of-arms at the Windows of the Lodge of the Heralds. ... Bourgeois at the end of the thirteenth century Bourgeoisie (boorzhwÃ¤z-eeÂ´) in modern use refers to the wealthy or propertied classes in a capitalist society. ...

Belgium possessed one primary foreign colony, the Congo Free State, later called the Belgian Congo, which was given to King Léopold II in 1885. The local population was brutalised in the quest for rubber, which had a growing market with the development of rubber tyres. Leopold's ruthless exploitation represents one of the worst legacies of European colonialism [1]. The Congo Free State was a kingdom privately and controversially owned by King Leopold II of Belgium that included the entire area now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. ... On November 15, 1908, King Leopold II of Belgium formally relinquished personal control of the Congo Free State and the renamed Belgian Congo came under the administration of the Belgian parliament, a system which lasted until independence was granted in 1960. ... King LÃ©opold II His Majesty King LÃ©opold II of the Belgians (Louis Philippe Marie Victor) (April 9, 1835â€“December 17, 1909), succeeded his father, LÃ©opold I of Belgium, to the Belgian throne in 1865 and remained king until his death. ... 1885 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... Rubber is an elastic hydrocarbon polymer which occurs as a milky emulsion (known as latex) in the sap of a number of plants but can also be produced synthetically. ...

Belgium's neutrality was violated in 1914, when Germany invaded Belgium as part of the Schlieffen Plan. The former German colonies, Ruanda-Urundi (now Rwanda and Burundi), were occupied by the Belgian Congo in 1916. They were mandated in 1924 to Belgium by the League of Nations. Belgium tried to return to neutrality in the 1930s, but was once again invaded by Germany in 1940. Belgium did not put up much resistance to the German blitzkrieg offensive. 1914 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... This is a list of former German colonies, or Schutzgebiete (protectorates) as they were called in official German. ... Ruanda-Urundi was a Belgian League of Nations Mandate and then UN trust territory from 1924 to 1962 when it became the independent states of Rwanda and Burundi. ... On November 15, 1908, King Leopold II of Belgium formally relinquished personal control of the Congo Free State and the renamed Belgian Congo came under the administration of the Belgian parliament, a system which lasted until independence was granted in 1960. ... 1916 is a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar) // Events January-February January 1 -The first successful blood transfusion using blood that had been stored and cooled. ... 1924 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... The League of Nations was an international organization founded after the First World War at the Paris Peace Conference in 1919. ... // Events and trends The 1930s were spent struggling for a solution to the global depression. ... 1940 was a leap year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... Blitzkrieg relied on close co-operation between infantry and panzers (tanks). ...

During the war and the early Cold War, Belgium became an important partner of the United States on account of the huge reserves of uranium in Katanga, (a province of the Belgian Congo). These reserves were of huge importance to the Manhattan Project. For the generic term for a high-tension rivalry between countries, see cold war (war). ... General Name, Symbol, Number uranium, U, 92 Chemical series actinides Group, Period, Block ?, 7, f Appearance silvery gray metallic Atomic mass 238. ... Capital Lubumbashi Created June 1960 Dissolved January 1963 Demonym Katangan Katanga is the southern province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, regional capital Lubumbashi (formerly Elizabethville). ... On November 15, 1908, King Leopold II of Belgium formally relinquished personal control of the Congo Free State and the renamed Belgian Congo came under the administration of the Belgian parliament, a system which lasted until independence was granted in 1960. ... Control panels and operators for calutrons at the Y-12 Plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. ...

From World War II

After World War II, the policy of neutrality was abandoned, and Belgium joined NATO and Benelux. It was also one of the founding members of the European Economic Community. Belgium hosts the headquarters of NATO and a major part of the European Union's institutions and administrations, including the European Commission, the Council of the European Union and most of the sessions of the European Parliament. World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrinations, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons like the atom bomb World War II, also known as the Second World War, was by far the bloodiest, most expensive, and most significant war in... The flag of NATO NATO 2002 Summit in Prague The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), sometimes called North Atlantic Alliance, Atlantic Alliance or the Western Alliance, is an international organisation for defence collaboration established in 1949, in support of the North Atlantic Treaty signed in Washington, D.C., on April... Benelux Benelux Benelux is the region of Europe comprising Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. ... The European Community (EC), most important of three European Communities, was originally founded on March 25, 1957 by the signing of the Treaty of Rome under the name of European Economic Community. ... The European Commission (formally the Commission of the European Communities) is the executive of the European Union. ... The Council of the European Union forms, along with the European Parliament, the legislative arm of the European Union (EU). ... The European Parliament is the parliamentary body of the European Union (EU), directly elected by EU citizens once every five years. ...

After World War II, Belgium, and in particular Flanders, benefited massively from American support through the Marshall Plan and subsequent massive American investment. The Belgian Congo gained its independence in 1960 during the Congo Crisis, while Ruanda-Urundi became independent in 1962. Till the 1970s, the Belgian economy was prosperous. The Belgian steel industry has since undergone a prolonged and serious crisis. This has been responsible for limiting the economic development of Wallonia [2]. Flanders (Flemish, Fleming) (Dutch: Vlaanderen (Vlaams, Vlaming), French: Flandre(s), (flamand, flamand), German: Flandern, (flÃ¤misch, Flame) has two main designations: a constituent region of the federal Belgian state trough its social and political organisations, and trough the institutions of the Flemish Community (with its own Flemish government... U.S. postage stamp issued 1997 honoring the 50th anniversary of the Marshall Plan. ... On November 15, 1908, King Leopold II of Belgium formally relinquished personal control of the Congo Free State and the renamed Belgian Congo came under the administration of the Belgian parliament, a system which lasted until independence was granted in 1960. ... 1960 was a leap year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... (You may be looking for the First Congo War, 1996-7, or the Second Congo War, 1998-2002) The Congo Crisis (1960-1965) was a period of turmoil in the First Republic of the Congo that began with national independence from Belgium and ended with the seizing of power by... Ruanda-Urundi was a Belgian League of Nations Mandate and then UN trust territory from 1924 to 1962 when it became the independent states of Rwanda and Burundi. ... 1962 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... This article provides extensive lists of events and significant personalities of the 1970s. ... National motto: Walon todi ! (Walloon forever!) Official languages French, German Capital Namur Minister-President Jean-Claude Van Cauwenberghe Area - Total 16,844 kmÂ² Population - Total (2002) - Density 3,358,560 inhabitants 199. ...

During the 20th century, and in particular since World War II, the history of Belgium became more and more dominated by the increasing autonomy of its two main communities, the Dutch- and the French-speaking segments of the population. Since around 1970, there are no longer significant national Belgian political parties, but only Dutch- or French-speaking parties (and one German-speaking party). As such, the political landscape shows a near-perfect dual political system, reflecting the two underlying dominant communities. The period has also seen a rise in intercommunal tensions and the continual unity of the Belgian state has come under scrutiny as a result [3]. (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the...

Politics

Belgium is a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy which evolved after World War II from a unitary state to a federal state. The bicameral Parliament (see: Belgian federal parliament) is composed of the Senate (see: Belgian senate) and the Chamber of Representatives (see: Belgian Chamber of Representatives). The former corresponds to a mix of directly-elected senior politicians and representatives of the communities and regions, while the latter proportionally represents all Belgians older than 18. Voting is compulsory. The Kingdom of Belgium is a sovereign, independent state. ... Image File history File links Government portrait of Guy Verhofstadt File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Government portrait of Guy Verhofstadt File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Guy Verhofstadt Guy Verhofstadt Pronunciation (born April 11, 1953) is the current Prime Minister of Belgium. ... A constitutional monarchy is a form of monarchical government established under a constitutional system which acknowledges a hereditary or elected monarch as head of state. ... A parliamentary system, or parliamentarism, is distinguished by the executive branch of government being dependent on the direct or indirect support of the parliament, often expressed through a vote of confidence. ... World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrinations, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons like the atom bomb World War II, also known as the Second World War, was by far the bloodiest, most expensive, and most significant war in... A unitary state is a state or country that is governed constitutionally as one single unit, with one constitutionally created legislature. ... A federal state is one that brings together a number of different political communities with a common government for common purposes, and separate state or provincial or cantonal governments for the particular purposes of each community. ... In government, bicameralism is the practice of having two legislative or parliamentary chambers. ... The debating chamber or hemicycle of the European Parliament in Brussels. ... The Belgian Federal Parliament is a bicameral parliament, it consists of two chambers. ... A senate is a deliberative body, often the upper house or chamber of a legislature. ... The Belgian senate (Dutch: de Senaat, French: le SÃ©nat) is one of the two chambers of the Belgian Federal Parliament. ... There are at least four political assemblies known as the Chamber of Representatives. ... Proportional representation (PR) is any election system which ensures a proportionally representative result of a democratic election, x% of votes should be represented by x% in the democratic institutions, parliament or congress. ...

The federal government (see: Belgian federal government), formally nominated by the king (see: list of Belgian monarchs), must have the confidence of the Chamber of Representatives. It is chaired by the Prime Minister (see: list of Belgian Prime Ministers). The numbers of Dutch- and French-speaking ministers are equal. The judicial system is a civil law system, originally based on the Napoleonic Code. The Court of Appeals is one level under the Court of Cassation, based on the model of the French Court of Cassation which is similar to a supreme court. This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The executive branch of the Belgian federal government consists of ministers and secretaries of state (junior ministers or smaller departments) drawn from the political parties which form the government coalition. ... A monarch is a type of ruler or head of state, whose titles and ascent are often inherited, not earned, and who represents a larger monarchical system which has established rules and customs regarding succession, duties, and powers. ... The royal palace in Brussels Successive Belgian kings are 1831-1865: Leopold I 1865-1909: Leopold II 1909-1934: Albert I 1934-1951: Leopold III 1944-1950: Charles, reigned as Prince Regent 1951-1993: Baudouin I Since 1993: Albert II None of these were King of Belgium: their title is... In political science confidence refers to a governments support in the legislature. ... A prime minister may be either: the chief or leading member of the cabinet of the top-level government in a country having a parliamentary system of government; or the official, in countries with a semi-presidential system of government, appointed to manage the civil service and execute the directives... This is a list of Prime Ministers of Belgium, known regionally as: Premier Ministre in French, Eerste Minister in Dutch, and Premierminister in German. ... This article is about law in society. ... Civil law is a legal system derived from Roman law and commonly used in Europe. ... The original Napoleonic Code, or Code Napoléon (originally called the Code civil des francais, or civil code of the French), was the French civil code, established at the behest of Napoléon. ... Court of Appeals is the title of certain appellate courts in various jurisdictions. ... The Cour de cassation is the main court of last resort in France. ... The supreme court in some countries, provinces, and states, is the highest court in that jurisdiction and functions as a court of last resort whose rulings cannot be appealed. ...

Belgium's political institutions are complex, but the majority of political power is organised with the two main communities: the Flemings and their political parties; and the French speakers and their parties. Nearly all political parties in Belgium belong to one of these two communities. The political landscape within each community is basically shared among three political families: the Liberals (right wing), the Christian Democrats (centrists) and the Social Democrats (left wing). Other important younger parties are the Green parties and, especially in Flanders, the nationalist and far right parties. Politics is strongly influenced by many powerful lobbies, like the trade unions, the Federation of Enterprises in Belgium, and numerous other associations. Flemings (Dutch: Vlamingen) are inhabitants of Flanders, the northern half of Belgium. ... Liberal may refer to: Politics: Liberalism, an adherent of the ideology espousing individual liberty and private property, meaning varies country to country American liberalism, a political trend in the USA Modern liberalism, in the USA, describes a political ideology that favors government intervention to promote equality Political progressivism, a political... In politics, right-wing, the political right, or simply the right, are terms which refer, with no particular precision, to the segment of the political spectrum in opposition to left-wing politics. ... Christian Democracy is a political ideology, born at the end of the 19th century, largely as a result of the papal encyclical Rerum Novarum of Pope Leo XIII, in which the Vatican recognizes workers misery and agrees that something should be done about it, in reaction to the rise of... In politics, centrism usually refers to the political ideal of promoting moderate policies which land in the middle ground between different political extremes. ... Social democracy is a political ideology emerging in the late 19th and early 20th centuries from supporters of Marxism who believed that the transition to a socialist society could be achieved through democratic evolutionary rather than revolutionary means. ... In politics, left-wing, political left, leftism, or simply the left, are terms that refer (with no particular precision) to the segment of the political spectrum typically associated with any of several strains of socialism, social democracy, or liberalism (especially but not exclusively in the American sense of the word... This article is about the green parties around the world. ... Nationalism is an ideology that creates and sustains a nation as a concept of a common identity for groups of humans. ... The term far-right refers to the relative position a group or person occupies within a political spectrum. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

The current king, Albert II, succeeded King Baudouin in 1993. Guy Verhofstadt (VLD) has been Prime Minister since 1999. From the 1999 election to the 2003 election, Verhofstadt chaired a Liberal-Social Democrat-Greens six-party coalition called the rainbow government. This has been the first government without the Christian Democrats since 1958 [4]. Since 2003, he has been leading a Liberal-Social Democrat coalition of four parties. [5] In the last years, concern has been raised by the rise of the Flemish far right nationalist separatist party Vlaams Belang, heir of the Vlaams Blok. The Vlaams Blok has been qualified as racists in 2004 by the Ghent court of appeal [6] [7], which was partly uphold by the Court of Cassation, though some saw it as a political-inspired trial. Though in the opposition, the Vlaams Belang has a strong influence on the Belgian politics. Became King: August 9, 1993 Predecessor: Baudouin Date of Birth: June 6, 1934 Place of Birth: Brussels, Belgium Heir-Apparent: The Duke of Brabant His Majesty Albert II, King of the Belgians (Albert FÃ©lix Humbert ThÃ©odore ChrÃ©tien EugÃ¨ne Marie Wettin, born Laeken, Belgium, June 6, 1934... Baudouin of Belgium King Baudouin, (also spelled Boudewijn, Balduin or Baldwin) born Albert Charles Leopold Axel Marie Gustave, (7 September 1930 - 31 July 1993), reigned as King of the Belgians from 1951 to 1993. ... 1993 is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... Guy Verhofstadt Guy Verhofstadt Pronunciation (born April 11, 1953) is the current Prime Minister of Belgium. ... The Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten or VLD (Flemish Liberals and Democrats) is a Flemish liberal party, created in 1992 from the former PVV and a few other politicians from other parties. ... 1999 is a common year starting on Friday Anno Domini (or the Current Era), and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... The May 18, 2003 Belgian general elections were the first Belgian elections to be held under a new electoral code. ... A coalition is an alliance between entities, during which they cooperate in joint action, each in their own self-interest. ... 1958 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Political separatism is a movement to obtain sovereignty and split a territory or group of people (usually a people with a distinctive national consciousness) from one another (or one nation from another; a colony from the metropolis). ... Vlaams Belang (English: Flemish Interest) is a right-wing Belgian political party. ... Note that Flemish Block turned themselves into Flemish Interest (Vlaams Belang) since their condamnation in 2004 The Flemish Block (Dutch: Vlaams Blok) was a Flemish far-right nationalist political party which rejects the state of Belgium, calling for political independence for the Flemish half of the country. ... An African-American drinks out of a water fountain marked for colored in 1939 at a street car terminal in Oklahoma City. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This page is about the Belgian city. ... Court of Appeals is the title of certain appellate courts in various jurisdictions. ... The Cour de cassation is the main court of last resort in France. ...

Maybe the most representative achievement of the two successive Verhofstadt governments is the maintaining of a balanced budget, which policy has been enabled by the successive goverments during the 1990s under the pressure of the European Council. The fall of the preceeding government was mainly due to the dioxin crisis,[8] a major intoxication food scandal in 1999 which lead to the establishment of he Belgian Food Agency [9]. This event lead to a unusual high representation of the Greens at the parliament and to a particular emphasis of environmental politics during the first Verhofstadt legislature (see for example the nuclear phase-out legislation - which is currently under revision). On the other hand, the Verhofstadt governments made huge efforts to improve the confidence of the populace in the police and the justice which had been inefficient in catching the serial killer and sociopath Marc Dutroux. The absence of Christian Democrats within the goverment enabled Verhofstadt to tackle ethic problems from a more liberal point of view and to develop new legislations on the use of soft drugs, same-sex marriages and euthanasia. During both last legislatures, the government has promoted an active diplomacy in Africa [10] and during the Iraq disarmament crisis and a new legislation with respect to war crimes. Both legislatures are also marked by disputes between both Belgian communities. The major ones are the disagreements concerning nocturnal air traffic routes at the Brussels Airport and the status of the contentious electoral district of Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde. // Events and trends The 1990s are generally classified as having moved slightly away from the more conservative 1980s, but otherwise retaining the same mindset. ... The European Council, sometimes informally called the European Summit, is a meeting of the heads of state or government of the European Union, and the President of the European Commission (not to be confused with the Council of the European Union, or the Council of Europe). ... Dioxins form a family of toxic chlorinated organic compounds that bioaccumulate in humans and wildlife due to their fat solubility. ... 1999 is a common year starting on Friday Anno Domini (or the Current Era), and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... A nuclear power plant at Grafenrheinfeld, Germany. ... Serial killers are individuals who have a history of multiple slayings of victims who were usually unknown to them beforehand. ... Antisocial personality disorder (APD) is a personality disorder which is often characterised by antisocial and impulsive behaviour. ... Marc Dutroux (born 6 November 1956 in Brussels) is one of the most notorious criminals in Belgian history. ... Ethics is a general term for what is often described as the science (study) of morality. In philosophy, ethical behavior is that which is good or right. ... Liberal may refer to: Politics: Liberalism, an adherent of the ideology espousing individual liberty and private property, meaning varies country to country American liberalism, a political trend in the USA Modern liberalism, in the USA, describes a political ideology that favors government intervention to promote equality Political progressivism, a political... The term soft drug is given sometimes to a range of drugs that are supposed to be less harmful than other drugs, called hard drugs. ... On January 30, 2003, Belgium became the second country in the world to legally recognize same-sex marriage. ... Euthanasia (Greek, good death) is the practice of killing a person or animal, in a painless or minimally painful way, for merciful reasons, usually to end their suffering. ... The issue of Iraqs disarmament reached a crisis in 2002-2003, when George W. Bush demanded a complete end to alleged Iraqi production and use of weapons of mass destruction and that Iraq comply with UN Resolutions requiring UN inspectors unfettered access to areas those inspectors thought might have... Belgiums War Crimes Law, extended the concept of universal jurisdiction to allow anyone to bring war crime charges in Belgian courts, regardless of where the alleged crimes have taken place. ... Brussels Airport (French: lAÃ©roport de Bruxelles, Dutch: Luchthaven Brussel), also called Brussels National Airport or Zaventem Airport, is an international airport located in Zaventem, near Brussels, Belgium. ... Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde (often abbreviated as BHV) is a contentious Belgian electoral district in the center of the country that encompasses both the officially bilingual Brussels-Capital region as well as an officially unilingual Dutch-speaking area, Halle-Vilvoorde, around it. ...

Communities, Regions and provinces of Belgium

The constitution was revised on 14 July 1993 to create a federal state and several governmental entities have been created. Apart from the Belgian federal government, there are subdivisions into Communities according to language: Belgium is a federal state and is composed of three communities, three regions, and four linguistic regions. ... July 14 is the 195th day (196th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 170 days remaining. ... 1993 is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The executive branch of the Belgian federal government consists of ministers and secretaries of state (junior ministers or smaller departments) drawn from the political parties which form the government coalition. ...

Another subdivisions, based on regions, are: The French Community of Belgium (French: Communauté française de Belgique, Dutch: Franse Gemeenschap van België) is one of the three official communities in Belgium along with the Flemish Community and the German speaking Community. ... This article is in need of attention. ... The German-Speaking Community of Belgium (Deutschsprachige Gemeinschaft Belgien in German, short DGB) is one of the three federal communities in Belgium. ...

The Flemish Community absorbed in the Flemish Region in 1980 to form one government (see Flanders, [11]). Furthermore, two peculiarties are to be noted: the territory of the Brussels-Capital Region is included in both Flemish and French Communities and the territory of the German-speaking Community is utterly included in the Walloon Region. National motto: Walon todi ! (Walloon forever!) Official languages French, German Capital Namur Minister-President Jean-Claude Van Cauwenberghe Area - Total 16,844 km² Population - Total (2002) - Density 3,358,560 inhabitants 199. ... This article or section should be merged with Flemish region The Flemish region is one of the three official regions of the Kingdom of Belgium (alongside the Walloon Region and the Brussels-Capital Region). ... The Brussels-Capital Region (French: R gion de Bruxelles-Capitale, Dutch: Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest, German: Region Br ssel-Hauptstadt) or Brussels Region (French: R gion Bruxelloise, Dutch: Brusselse Gewest) is one of the three regions of Belgium. ... 1980 is a leap year starting on Tuesday. ... Flanders (Flemish, Fleming) (Dutch: Vlaanderen (Vlaams, Vlaming), French: Flandre(s), (flamand, flamand), German: Flandern, (flÃ¤misch, Flame) has two main designations: a constituent region of the federal Belgian state trough its social and political organisations, and trough the institutions of the Flemish Community (with its own Flemish government...

The different governments share their competences according to the following scheme (conflicts between the different bodies are solved by the Court of Arbitration): The Court of Arbitration of Belgium plays a central role within the federal Belgian state. ...

A school building in Brussels belonging to the public school system, for example, would be regulated by the regional government of Brussels. But the school as an institution would fall under the regulations of either the Flemish government, if the primary language of teaching is Dutch, or the French Community government, if the primary language is French. It is a complex, somewhat unstable and expensive, but peaceful compromise that allows distinctly different cultures to live together. Foreign Affairs is the foremost American journal of international relations. ... OECD Statistics on Public Foreign Aid by country Development aid (also development assistance, international aid, overseas aid or foreign aid) is aid given by developed countries to support economic development in developing countries. ... The words defense or defence can refer to any of the following: For defense of a doctoral dissertation see thesis committee For the military term see defense (military) Civil defense measures and emergency preparedness In politics, defense may be a euphemism for war For legal defense see defense (legal) For... Social welfare can be taken to mean the welfare or well-being of a society. ... For specific national programs, see Social Security (United States), National insurance (UK), Social Security (Sweden) Social security mainly refers to a field of social welfare concerned with social protection, or protection against socially recognized needs, including poverty, old age, disability, unemployment, families with children and others. ...

Furthermore, the regions, Flanders and Wallonia, are each divided into 5 provinces: Map of Belgian regions and provinces. ... Map of Belgian regions and provinces. ... Flanders (Flemish, Fleming) (Dutch: Vlaanderen (Vlaams, Vlaming), French: Flandre(s), (flamand, flamand), German: Flandern, (flÃ¤misch, Flame) has two main designations: a constituent region of the federal Belgian state trough its social and political organisations, and trough the institutions of the Flemish Community (with its own Flemish government... National motto: Walon todi ! (Walloon forever!) Official languages French, German Capital Namur Minister-President Jean-Claude Van Cauwenberghe Area - Total 16,844 kmÂ² Population - Total (2002) - Density 3,358,560 inhabitants 199. ... The Brussels-Capital Region (French: R gion de Bruxelles-Capitale, Dutch: Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest, German: Region Br ssel-Hauptstadt) or Brussels Region (French: R gion Bruxelloise, Dutch: Brusselse Gewest) is one of the three regions of Belgium. ... Flanders (Flemish, Fleming) (Dutch: Vlaanderen (Vlaams, Vlaming), French: Flandre(s), (flamand, flamand), German: Flandern, (flÃ¤misch, Flame) has two main designations: a constituent region of the federal Belgian state trough its social and political organisations, and trough the institutions of the Flemish Community (with its own Flemish government... National motto: Walon todi ! (Walloon forever!) Official languages French, German Capital Namur Minister-President Jean-Claude Van Cauwenberghe Area - Total 16,844 kmÂ² Population - Total (2002) - Density 3,358,560 inhabitants 199. ...

Each provincial entity (including the Brussels-Capital Region) is further divided into smaller municipalities, called gemeenten in Dutch and communes in French (see List of Belgian municipalities and List of Belgian municipalities by population). Flanders (Flemish, Fleming) (Dutch: Vlaanderen (Vlaams, Vlaming), French: Flandre(s), (flamand, flamand), German: Flandern, (flÃ¤misch, Flame) has two main designations: a constituent region of the federal Belgian state trough its social and political organisations, and trough the institutions of the Flemish Community (with its own Flemish government... Emblem of the Brussels-Capital Region Flag of The City of Brussels Brussels (Dutch: Brussel, French: Bruxelles, German: BrÃ¼ssel) is the capital of Belgium and is considered by many to be the headquarters of the European Union, as two of its four main institutions have their headquarters in the... Antwerp is the northernmost province of Flanders and of Belgium. ... The Cathedral of our Lady (Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal, Antwerp) in the Handschoenmarkt, in the old quarter of Antwerp is the largest cathedral in the Low Countries and home to a number of triptychs by Renaissance Belgian painter Rubens. ... Limburg is the easternmost province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium, and is located west of the Meuse river. ... Hasselt is a city in Belgium, capital of the province of Belgian Limburg. ... East Flanders is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. ... This page is about the Belgian city. ... West Flanders (Dutch: West-Vlaanderen) is the westernmost province of Flanders and of Belgium. ... Sometimes referred to as the Venice of the North, Bruges has many waterways that run through the city. ... Flemish Brabant is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. ... Leuven in 2004 Leuven (Louvain in French, LÃ¶wen in German) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant, of which it is the capital. ... National motto: Walon todi ! (Walloon forever!) Official languages French, German Capital Namur Minister-President Jean-Claude Van Cauwenberghe Area - Total 16,844 kmÂ² Population - Total (2002) - Density 3,358,560 inhabitants 199. ... Namur, the Meuse, the Walloon parliament and the citadel. ... Walloon Brabant is a province of Wallonia and of Belgium. ... Wavre is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Walloon Brabant, of which it is the capital. ... Namur (Dutch: Namen) is a province of Wallonia and of Belgium. ... Namur, the Meuse, the Walloon parliament and the citadel. ... Liège is the easternmost province of Wallonia and of Belgium. ... LiÃ¨ge (Dutch: Luik, German: LÃ¼ttich) is a major city located in the Belgian province of LiÃ¨ge, of which it is the capital. ... Hainaut (Dutch: Henegouwen; Ger. ... The central square and town hall of Mons This article is about the city in Belgium. ... St Martin church, Arlon Arlon (Dutch: Aarlen, German: Arel) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Luxembourg, of which it is the capital. ... A municipality or general-purpose district (compare with: special-purpose district) is an administrative local area generally composed of a clearly defined territory and commonly referring to a city, town, or village government. ... Belgium is divided into 589 municipalities (Dutch: gemeenten, French: communes, German: Gemeinde) grouped into three regions and 10 provinces, except the 19 municipalities of the Brussels-Capital region which do not belong to any of the 10 provinces. ... This is a list of Belgian municipalities by population: Brussels (999,899) (counting the capital region as one municipality) Antwerp (455,000) Ghent (229,000) Charleroi (201,000) Liège (185,000) Bruges (117,000) Namur (106,000) Mons (91,000) Leuven (90,000) Mechelen (77,000) Aalst (77,000...

Geography

Belgium, with an area of 30,528 km², has three main physical regions: This article is about the geography of Belgium. ... Image File history File links A map of Belgium from the CIA World Factbook, update of Jul 28, 2005. ... Emblem of the Brussels-Capital Region Flag of The City of Brussels Brussels (Dutch: Brussel, French: Bruxelles, German: BrÃ¼ssel) is the capital of Belgium and is considered by many to be the headquarters of the European Union, as two of its four main institutions have their headquarters in the... The Cathedral of our Lady (Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal, Antwerp) in the Handschoenmarkt, in the old quarter of Antwerp is the largest cathedral in the Low Countries and home to a number of triptychs by Renaissance Belgian painter Rubens. ... This page is about the Belgian city. ... Charleroi (Walloon: TchÃ¥lerwÃ¨) is a city and a municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. ... LiÃ¨ge (Dutch: Luik, German: LÃ¼ttich) is a major city located in the Belgian province of LiÃ¨ge, of which it is the capital. ... Sometimes referred to as the Venice of the North, Bruges has many waterways that run through the city. ... Namur, the Meuse, the Walloon parliament and the citadel. ... Square kilometre (US spelling: Square kilometer), symbol km², is an SI unit of surface area. ...

The coastal plain consists mainly of sand dunes and polders. Polders are areas of land, close to or below sea level, that have been reclaimed from the sea from which they are protected by dikes or, further inland, fields that have been drained by canals. A coastal image featured on a United States postal stamp. ... In geography, a plain is a large area of land with relatively low relief. ... In geology and earth science, a plateau (alternatively spelt in a false French spelling plÃ¢teau, the real spelling in French being plateau) is an area of highland, usually consisting of relatively flat open country if the uplift was recent in geologic history. ... The Ardennes is a region of extensive forests and rolling hill country, primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, but stretching into France (lending its name to the Ardennes département and the Champagne-Ardenne région). ... This article is about the sand formations, for other meanings see Dune (disambiguation) Mesquite Flat Dunes in Death Valley National Park In physical geography, a dune is a hill of sand built by eolian (wind-related) processes. ... A polder is a low-lying tract of land that forms an artificial hydrological entity, enclosed by embankments known as dikes. ... For considerations of sea level change, in particular rise associated with possible global warming, see sea level rise. ... A dike (or dyke) is a stone or earthen wall constructed as a defence or as a boundary. ... The Canal du Midi in Toulouse, France Canals are man-made waterways, usually connecting existing lakes, rivers, or oceans. ...

The second physical region, the central plateau, lays further inland. This is a smooth, slowly rising area which has many fertile valleys and is irrigated by many waterways. Here one can also find rougher land, including caves and small gorges. Fertility is the ability of people or animals to produce healthy offspring in abundance. ... Fljótsdalur in East-Iceland A valley is a landform, which can range from a few square miles (square kilometers) to hundreds or even thousands of square miles (square kilometers) in area. ... Irrigation in the Heart of the Sahara Irrigation (in agriculture) is the replacement or supplementation of rainfall with water from another source in order to grow crops. ... Alternate meanings: Cave (disambiguation) The outside world viewed from a cave A cave is a natural underground void large enough for an adult human to enter. ... Grand Canyon, Arizona A canyon, or gorge, is a valley walled by cliffs. ...

The third physical region, called the Ardennes, is somewhat more rugged than the first two. It is a thickly forested plateau, very rocky and not very good for farming, which extends into northern France. This is where much of Belgium's wildlife can be found. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2272x1704, 1979 KB) Self-made picture, end of December 2004. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2272x1704, 1979 KB) Self-made picture, end of December 2004. ... The Hautes Fagnes (-French, in German: Hohes Venn, English translation: high fens) is a highland in Belgium and Germany, between the Ardennes and the Eifel highlands. ... The Ardennes is a region of extensive forests and rolling hill country, primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, but stretching into France (lending its name to the Ardennes département and the Champagne-Ardenne région). ... The Ardennes is a region of extensive forests and rolling hill country, primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, but stretching into France (lending its name to the Ardennes département and the Champagne-Ardenne région). ... A dense growth of softwoods (a forest) in the Sierra Nevada Range of Northern California A forest (a. ... A farmer in Germany working the land in the traditional way, with a horse and plough Agriculture is the process of producing food, feed, fiber and other desired products by the cultivation of certain plants and the raising of domesticated animals (livestock). ... [[image:White-tailed deer. ...

The two main rivers in Belgium are the Scheldt (on which Antwerp lies) and the Meuse. Although generally flat, the terrain becomes increasingly hilly and forested in the south-east (Ardennes) region, where one can find Belgium's highest point, the Signal de Botrange at only 694 metres. The Murray River in Australia. ... The Scheldt in Antwerp Length 350 km Elevation of the source 95 m Average discharge 120 mÂ³/s Area watershed 21860 kmÂ² Origin France Mouth Westerschelde Basin countries France, Belgium, Netherlands The Scheldt (Dutch: Schelde, French Escaut) is a 350 km[1] long river that finds its origin in the... Meuse is a dÃ©partement in northeast France, named after the Meuse River. ... The Ardennes is a region of extensive forests and rolling hill country, primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, but stretching into France (lending its name to the Ardennes département and the Champagne-Ardenne région). ... The Signal de Botrange is the highest point in Belgium, located in the Hautes Fagnes, at 694 meters above ground. ...

The climate is maritime temperate, with significant precipitation in all seasons (Köppen climate classification: Cfb; average temperature in January: 3°C, in July: 18°C; average; precipitations in January: 65mm, in July: 78mm [12]). In geography, temperate latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. ... The KÃ¶ppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. ...

Economy

Densely populated, Belgium is located at the heart of one of the world's most highly industrialised regions. Belgium, a highly developed market economy, belongs to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), a group of leading industrialized democracies. ...

Belgium was the first continental European country to undergo an industrial revolution in the early 1800s. Liège and Charleroi developed a rapidly growing mining and steel-making industry which flourished till the mid-20th century. After WW II, Ghent and Antwerp exhibited a fast expansion of the chemical and petroleum industry. In the 1980s and 1990s, the economic centre of the country continued to shift northwards to Flanders. Now industry is concentrated mainly in the populous Flemish area in the north. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 731 KB)The author, FranÃ§ois Schreuer, made this picture available from [1] within the creative commons [2] File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 731 KB)The author, FranÃ§ois Schreuer, made this picture available from [1] within the creative commons [2] File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... // Steel is a metal alloy whose major component is iron, with carbon being the primary alloying material. ... Meuse is a dÃ©partement in northeast France, named after the Meuse River. ... LiÃ¨ge (Dutch: Luik, German: LÃ¼ttich) is a major city located in the Belgian province of LiÃ¨ge, of which it is the capital. ... The Industrial Revolution was the major technological, socioeconomic and cultural change in the late 18th and early 19th century resulting from the replacement of an economy based on manual labor to one dominated by industry and machine manufacture. ... Events and Trends Beginning of the Napoleonic Wars (1803 - 1815). ... Liege or LiÃ¨ge has several meanings: A liege is the person or entity to which one has pledged allegiance. ... Charleroi (Walloon: TchÃ¥lerwÃ¨) is a city and a municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the... German soldiers at the Battle of Stalingrad World War II was the most extensive and costly armed conflict in the history of the world, involving the great majority of the worlds nations, being fought simultaneously in several major theatres, and costing tens of millions of lives. ... This page is about the Belgian city. ... The Cathedral of our Lady (Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal, Antwerp) in the Handschoenmarkt, in the old quarter of Antwerp is the largest cathedral in the Low Countries and home to a number of triptychs by Renaissance Belgian painter Rubens. ... A chemical substance is any material substance used in or obtained by a process in chemistry: A chemical compound is a substance consisting of two or more chemical elements that are chemically combined in fixed proportions. ... Nodding donkey pumping an oil well near Sarnia, Ontario, 2001 Petroleum (from Latin petra â€“ rock and oleum â€“ oil), crude oil, sometimes colloquially called black gold, is a thick, dark brown or greenish flammable liquid, which exists in the upper strata of some areas of the Earths crust. ... // Events and trends The 1980s marked an abrupt shift towards more conservative lifestyles after the momentous cultural revolutions which took place in the 60s and 70s and the definition of the AIDS virus in 1981. ... // Events and trends The 1990s are generally classified as having moved slightly away from the more conservative 1980s, but otherwise retaining the same mindset. ...

The 1973 and 1979 oil crises sent the economy into a period of prolonged recession. In the 1980s, the successive governments reacted with poor macroeconomic policies. As a result, cumulative government debt reached 121% of GDP by the end of the 1980s [13]. Now public debt is nearly 100% of GDP. On the positive side, the government has succeeded in balancing its budget. In 2004, the GDP-real growth rate was estimated at 2.7% [14] but is expected to fall to 1.4% in 2005 [15]. At the height of the crisis in the United States, drivers of vehicles with odd numbered license plates were allowed to purchase gasoline only on odd-numbered days of the month, while drivers with even-numbers were limited to even-numbered days. ... (Redirected from 1979 oil crisis) The 1979 (or second) energy crisis occurred in the wake of the Iranian Revolution. ... // Events and trends The 1980s marked an abrupt shift towards more conservative lifestyles after the momentous cultural revolutions which took place in the 60s and 70s and the definition of the AIDS virus in 1981. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar and is the current year. ...

Belgium developed an excellent transportation infrastructure of ports, canals, railways, and highways to integrate its industry with that of its neighbours. Antwerp is the second largest European port. This article is about transportation in Belgium. ... The Cathedral of our Lady (Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal, Antwerp) in the Handschoenmarkt, in the old quarter of Antwerp is the largest cathedral in the Low Countries and home to a number of triptychs by Renaissance Belgian painter Rubens. ... A harbor (AmE), harbour (CwE) or haven is a place where ships may shelter from the weather or are stored. ...

One of the founding members of the European Union, Belgium strongly supports deepening the powers of the EU to integrate European economies. Belgium adopted the euro, the single European currency, in January 1999, and the Belgian franc was completely replaced by euro coins and banknotes in early 2002. The euro (â‚¬; ISO 4217 code EUR) is the currency of twelve European Union member states: Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain. ... 1999 is a common year starting on Friday Anno Domini (or the Current Era), and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... The euro (EUR or â‚¬) is the currency of 12 European Union (EU) member states: (Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain); four European micro-states: (Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and the Holy See - Vatican City), Montenegro and Kosovo, as well as EU institutions. ... The euro symbol The euro (EUR or â‚¬) is the single currency for many countries within the European Union. ... 2002 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The economy in Belgium greatly depends on its imports and exports. Its main imports are food products, machinery, rough diamonds, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, clothing and accessories, and textiles. Its main exports are automobiles, food and food products, iron and steel, diamonds, textiles, plastics, petroleum products, and nonferrous metals. Trade is made together with Luxembourg, because these two countries created a customs and currency union in 1922. Its main trading partners are Germany, The Netherlands, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, the United States and Spain. A scattering of round-brilliant cut diamonds shows off the many reflecting facets. ... Nodding donkey pumping an oil well near Sarnia, Ontario, 2001 Petroleum (from Latin petra â€“ rock and oleum â€“ oil), crude oil, sometimes colloquially called black gold, is a thick, dark brown or greenish flammable liquid, which exists in the upper strata of some areas of the Earths crust. ... A textile is any type of material made from fibers or other extended linear materials such as thread or yarn (1). ... An automobile is a wheeled vehicle that carries its own motor. ... General Name, Symbol, Number iron, Fe, 26 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 8, 4, d Appearance lustrous metallic with a grayish tinge Atomic mass 55. ... // Steel is a metal alloy whose major component is iron, with carbon being the primary alloying material. ... The term plastics covers a range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic condensation or polymerization products that can be molded or extruded into objects or films or fibers. ... 1922 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... The Netherlands (Dutch: Nederland) is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Dutch: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden). ...

Demographics, language, literacy and religion

The population density (342 per km²) is one of the highest in Europe, after the Netherlands and some smaller countries such as Monaco. The areas with the highest population density are around the Brussels-Antwerp-Ghent-Leuven agglomerations, as well as other important urban centres as Liège, Charleroi, Kortrijk, Bruges, Hasselt and Namur. The Ardennes have the lowest density. In 2005, the Flemish Region has a population of about 6,043,161, Wallonia 3,395,942 and Brussels 1,006,749.[16] Almost all the population is considered as urban (97.3% in 1999 [17]). The main cities and their population are Brussels (1,006,749), Antwerp (457,749), Ghent (230,951), Charleroi (201,373), and Liège (185,574) [18]. Demographics of Belgium, Data of FAO, year 2005 ; Number of inhabitants in thousands. ... Emblem of the Brussels-Capital Region Flag of The City of Brussels Brussels (Dutch: Brussel, French: Bruxelles, German: BrÃ¼ssel) is the capital of Belgium and is considered by many to be the headquarters of the European Union, as two of its four main institutions have their headquarters in the... The Cathedral of our Lady (Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal, Antwerp) in the Handschoenmarkt, in the old quarter of Antwerp is the largest cathedral in the Low Countries and home to a number of triptychs by Renaissance Belgian painter Rubens. ... This page is about the Belgian city. ... Leuven in 2004 Leuven (Louvain in French, LÃ¶wen in German) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant, of which it is the capital. ... LiÃ¨ge (Dutch: Luik, German: LÃ¼ttich) is a major city located in the Belgian province of LiÃ¨ge, of which it is the capital. ... Charleroi (Walloon: TchÃ¥lerwÃ¨) is a city and a municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. ... Kortrijk (French: Courtrai) is a city and municipality located in West Flanders, Belgium. ... Sometimes referred to as the Venice of the North, Bruges has many waterways that run through the city. ... Hasselt is a city in Belgium, capital of the province of Belgian Limburg. ... Namur, the Meuse, the Walloon parliament and the citadel. ... The Ardennes is a region of extensive forests and rolling hill country, primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, but stretching into France (lending its name to the Ardennes département and the Champagne-Ardenne région). ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar and is the current year. ... This article or section should be merged with Flemish region The Flemish region is one of the three official regions of the Kingdom of Belgium (alongside the Walloon Region and the Brussels-Capital Region). ... National motto: Walon todi ! (Walloon forever!) Official languages French, German Capital Namur Minister-President Jean-Claude Van Cauwenberghe Area - Total 16,844 kmÂ² Population - Total (2002) - Density 3,358,560 inhabitants 199. ... The Brussels-Capital Region (French: R gion de Bruxelles-Capitale, Dutch: Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest, German: Region Br ssel-Hauptstadt) or Brussels Region (French: R gion Bruxelloise, Dutch: Brusselse Gewest) is one of the three regions of Belgium. ... 1999 is a common year starting on Friday Anno Domini (or the Current Era), and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ...

Belgium has three official languages, one for each community: Dutch, French and German. About 60 per cent of the country is Dutch-speaking. French is the second most spoken language (by about 40%) and German is spoken by less than 1 per cent of the population. But these figures must be taken with care because the most recent linguistic census was before 1960, and the mother tongue is not always the same as the language used in public or in official life. This applies especially to the many minority groups who more or less kept their cultural identity, the oldest being the Jews (20,000), established in Antwerp since the Middle Ages,[19] and various, more recent migrant communities such as the Italians (280,000) and other smaller ethnic groups [20]. Brussels, the capital, is officially French-Dutch bilingual, but mostly French speaking. It evolved from a Dutch-speaking place, when the Belgian state became independent in 1830, to its current dominantly French character. A census is the process of obtaining information about every member of a population (not necessarily a human population). ... 1960 was a leap year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... In sociology and in voting theory, a minority is a sub-group that is outnumbered by persons who do not belong to it. ... Cultural identity is the (feeling of) identity of a group or culture, or of an individual as far as she/he is influenced by her/his belonging to a group or culture. ... Emblem of the Brussels-Capital Region Flag of The City of Brussels Brussels (Dutch: Brussel, French: Bruxelles, German: BrÃ¼ssel) is the capital of Belgium and is considered by many to be the headquarters of the European Union, as two of its four main institutions have their headquarters in the...

Both the Dutch spoken in Belgium and the Belgian French have small vocabulary and semantic nuances from the varieties spoken in France and the Netherlands. Many can still speak Flemish or Walloon dialects, which are often difficult to understand for people from other areas. The regional languages officially recognised in Wallonia are Walloon, Champenois, Gaumais, and Picard. Some authorities, such as the SIL International, consider that a proportion of the people along the border with Luxembourg, speak Luxembourgish and that the provinces of West Flanders and Limburg also have their own Flemish and Limburgish languages [21]. In contrast to the Netherlands, where Limburgish is an official regional language, Limburgish is not recognised by the Flemish government; it neither has been codified, nor is it being used in public life. Belgian French is the variety of French spoken by the french speakers of Belgium, alongside related minority regional languages like the Walloon language, the Picard language, Champenois and Gaumais. ... A vocabulary is a set of words known to a person or other entity, or that are part of a specific language. ... In general, semantics (from the Greek semantikos, or significant meaning, derived from sema, sign) is the study of meaning, in some sense of that term. ... Flemish (in Dutch, Vlaams) can either refer to Anything belonging to Flanders (the Flemish nation) or to its inhabitants, the Flemings. ... Walloon (Walon) is a regional Romance language spoken in Belgium. ... A regional language is a language spoken in a part of a country - it may be a small area, a federal state or province, or a wider area. ... Walloon (Walon) is a regional Romance language spoken in Belgium. ... Champenois is a language spoken by a minority of people in France and in Belgium. ... Lorrain is a language spoken by a minority of people in Lorraine in France and in Gaume in Belgium. ... Picard is a language closely related to French, and as such is one of the larger group of Romance languages. ... SIL International is a non-profit, Christian, scientific organization with the main purpose to study, develop and document lesser-known languages for the purpose of expanding linguistic knowledge, promoting world literacy and aiding minority language development. ... Luxembourgish or Luxembourgian (French: Luxembourgeois, German: Luxemburgisch, Luxembourgish: LÃ«tzebuergesch) is a West Germanic language spoken in Luxembourg. ... West Flanders (Dutch: West-Vlaanderen) is the westernmost province of Flanders and of Belgium. ... Limburg is the name of two different adjoining provinces: Limburg (Netherlands) in the south of the Netherlands, its capital is Maastricht. ... The term Flemish language can designate: the official language of Flanders, which is Dutch with only very small variations; any of the regional dialects of Dutch spoken in Belgium; these are more different from Dutch than the official language of Flanders; one of these dialects, the West Flemish. ... Limburgian (Dutch: Limburgs, German: Limburgisch, French: Limbourgeois) is a group of Franconian varieties, spoken in the Limburg and Selfkant regions, near the common Dutch/Flemish(Belgium)/German border. ... A regional language is a language spoken in a part of a country - it may be a small area, a federal state or province, or a wider area. ...

98 per cent of the adult population is literate [22]. Education is compulsory from the age of 6 until the age of 18, but many keep on studying until the age of about 23. Among the OECD countries, Belgium, in 1999, had the third highest proportion of 18- to 21-year-olds enrolled in postsecondary education at 42 percent [23]. Nevertheless, in recent years, concern is rising over certain forms of illiteracy, such as functional illiteracy (people lacking functional literacy skills: 18.4% 1994-98 [24]). Literacy is the ability to use text to communicate across space and time. ... The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an international organization of those developed countries that accept the principles of representative democracy and a free market economy. ... 1999 is a common year starting on Friday Anno Domini (or the Current Era), and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... Post-secondary education is a form of secondary education that is taken after first attending a secondary school, such as a high school. ... Literacy is the ability to use text to communicate across space and time. ... Literacy is the ability to use text to communicate across space and time. ... 1994 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ... 1998 is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ...

The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respects this right in practice. The population is predominantly Roman Catholic. According to the 2001 Survey and Study of Religion [25], approximately 47 percent of the population identify themselves as belonging to the Catholic Church. According to these figures, the Muslim population numbers approximately 3.5%, and there are an estimated 380 mosques in the country. Protestants number between 1.2 and 1.3%. Other religions, taken together, do not account for more than 2%. Since 1830, Catholicism has had also an important role in Belgium's politics, in particular via the Chritian trade union (CSC/ACV) and the Christian Democrat parties (CD&V, CDH). Examples include the two so-called "school wars" ("Schoolstrijd" in Dutch, "guerres scolaires" in French) between the Liberals and the Catholics which took place between 1879 and 1884, and between 1954 and 1958, respectively (for details see Religion of Belgium). Download high resolution version (683x640, 50 KB)Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Koekelberg, Brussels, Belgium (taken from French wikipedia [1]). File links The following pages link to this file: Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Belgium Categories: GFDL images ... Download high resolution version (683x640, 50 KB)Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Koekelberg, Brussels, Belgium (taken from French wikipedia [1]). File links The following pages link to this file: Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Belgium Categories: GFDL images ... Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Brussels The Basilica of the Sacred Heart or Koekelberg Basilica (French: Basilique du Sacré-Coeur or Basilique de Koekelberg, Dutch: Basiliek van het Heilig Hart or Basiliek van Koekelberg) is the fifth largest church in the world, and is located in Brussels, Belgium. ... Emblem of the Brussels-Capital Region Flag of The City of Brussels Brussels (Dutch: Brussel, French: Bruxelles, German: BrÃ¼ssel) is the capital of Belgium and is considered by many to be the headquarters of the European Union, as two of its four main institutions have their headquarters in the... The royal palace in Brussels Successive Belgian kings are 1831-1865: Leopold I 1865-1909: Leopold II 1909-1934: Albert I 1934-1951: Leopold III 1944-1950: Charles, reigned as Prince Regent 1951-1993: Baudouin I Since 1993: Albert II None of these were King of Belgium: their title is... The Roman Catholic Church believes its founding was based on Jesus appointment of Saint Peter as the primary church leader, later Bishop of Rome. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... A Muslim (Arabic: Ù…Ø³Ù„Ù…) is an adherent of Islam. ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams (CD&V) (Christian Democratic and Flemish) is a political party in Belgium, formerly called Christelijke Volkspartij (CVP) (Christian Peoples Party). ... The Humanist Democratic Centre (French: Centre D mocrate Humaniste or CDH) is a centrist, christian-democrat, Belgian French-speaking political party. ... 1879 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1884 is a leap year starting on Tuesday (click on link to calendar). ... 1954 was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1958 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... In Belgium, Roman Catholicism is the majority religion, accounting for between 60% and 75% of the population, although as of 2004 only about 9% to 12% of the population regularly goes to church. ...

Culture

A discussion of Belgian culture may lead to a discussion of both those aspects of cultural life shared by 'all' or most Belgians, regardless of their language, and also the differences between the cultural communities. Each community has its own administrative and political representation: the Flemish community, the German-speaking community of Belgium and the French Community in Belgium. A discussion of Belgian culture requires discussing both those aspects of cultural life shared by all or most of the Belgians, regardless of what language they speak, and also, the differences between the main cultural communities, the Flemings and the French-speakers from Brussels and Wallonia. ... The term Flemish Community has two distinctive, but closely related meanings: sociologically, politically and culturally, it refers to the Flemish people and all their organisations, media, social and cultural life; one might also speak of the Flemish nation (in a very similar sense as the Scottish nation, the Basque, Catalan... The German-Speaking Community of Belgium (Deutschsprachige Gemeinschaft Belgien in German, short DGB) is one of the three federal communities in Belgium. ... The French Community of Belgium (French: Communauté française de Belgique, Dutch: Franse Gemeenschap van België) is one of the three official communities in Belgium along with the Flemish Community and the German speaking Community. ...

Since the beginning of the 20th century, cultural life has tended to concentrate within each community. The shared element is clearly much less important as there are no universities that are both Dutch and French speaking (except the royal military academy), no common media, and no single, common large cultural or scientific organisation where both main communities are represented. (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the...

As for cultural generalities shared by all Belgians, the country is well-known for its fine art, its comics, its architecture, its beer, its food, and its chocolate. Did you know? The term fine art was first attested in 1767, as a translation from the French term beaux arts. ... Comics (sometimes spelled comix) are combinations of words and images into a medium for telling stories. ... Architecture (in Greek Î±ÏÏ‡Î® = first and Ï„ÎÏ‡Î½Î· = craftsmanship) is the art and science of designing buildings and structures. ... Belgian beer comprises the most varied and numerous collection of beers in the world. ... Chocolate comes in dark, light, and white varieties with cocoa solids contributing to the brown coloration. ...

Cesar Franck is a major 19th century romantic composer. Adolphe Sax is famous for inventing the saxophone in 1846. The music scene is nevertheless still very active in Belgium. See also: music of Belgium. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (882x513, 121 KB)James Ensor: The Entry of Christ into Brussels, 1888 [Malibu] - entry_in. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (882x513, 121 KB)James Ensor: The Entry of Christ into Brussels, 1888 [Malibu] - entry_in. ... James Sidney Ensor, Baron Ensor (April 13, 1860â€“November 19, 1949), was a Belgian painter whose unique portrayals of grotesque humanity made him a principal precursor of 20th-century expressionism and surrealism. ... 1888 is a leap year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar). ... Perhaps you mean: The Chevrolet Malibu, a type of automobile, or Malibu, a beachfront city in Los Angeles County, California Malibu Comics, a comic book publisher Malibu Rum, a coconut based rum from Barbados Malibu Surfboard, a classic california shape board getting its name from the secret spot in... C sar-Auguste-Jean-Guillaume-Hubert Franck (December 10, 1822–November 8, 1890) was a composer and organist. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... Romance or romantic can refer to: Romance (genre) - a style of Medieval narrative fiction. ... Adolphe Sax was born in Abercromie and Fitch in Hamilton Place, mars. ... Saxophones of different sizes play in different registers. ... 1846 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Belgium is a cultural crossroads where Flemish Dutch-speaking and Walloon French-speaking inhabitants mix with German minorities and immigrant communities from Republic of the Congo and other distant countries. ...

In architecture, Victor Horta was one of the originators of Art Nouveau, a style of architecture which had a major impact upon 20th century buildings. Many major building of Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque architectures, dating from before independence, can be found. In particular, the well-known Grand Place of Brussels or the city hall of Leuven are milestones in the history of art. Victor Horta (1861 - 1947) was an architect famous for working in the Art Nouveau style. ... Alfons Mucha, lithographed poster Dancel (1898). ... Romanesque St. ... Notre-Dame Cathedral seen from the River Seine. ... Baroque architecture, starting in the early 17th century in Italy, took the humanist Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical, theatrical, sculptural fashion, expressing the triumph of absolutist church and state. ... Emblem of the Brussels-Capital Region Flag of The City of Brussels Brussels (Dutch: Brussel, French: Bruxelles, German: BrÃ¼ssel) is the capital of Belgium and is considered by many to be the headquarters of the European Union, as two of its four main institutions have their headquarters in the... Leuven in 2004 Leuven (Louvain in French, LÃ¶wen in German) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant, of which it is the capital. ...

Belgium has had a variety of famous painters. These include Constant Permeke, René Magritte, James Ensor, Paul Delvaux. Magritte, together with Paul Delvaux, were two major artists of the surrealistic style. The Belgian museums (in particular in Brussels and Antwerp) exhibit many first rank Early Netherlandish and Flemish Baroque painting. Constant Permeke (1886 â€” 1952) is a Belgian painter who is considered the leading figure of Flemish expressionism. ... The Treachery Of Images (La trahison des images) (1928-1929) RenÃ© FranÃ§ois Ghislain Magritte (November 21, 1898 â€“ August 15, 1967) was a surrealist artist, born in Lessines, Belgium. ... James Sidney Ensor, Baron Ensor (April 13, 1860â€“November 19, 1949), was a Belgian painter whose unique portrayals of grotesque humanity made him a principal precursor of 20th-century expressionism and surrealism. ... Paul Delvaux was a Belgian painter, famous for his surrealist paintings with female nudes staring at the horizon. ... Surrealism is a philosophy, a cultural and artistic movement, and a term used to describe unexpected juxtapositions. ... Emblem of the Brussels-Capital Region Flag of The City of Brussels Brussels (Dutch: Brussel, French: Bruxelles, German: BrÃ¼ssel) is the capital of Belgium and is considered by many to be the headquarters of the European Union, as two of its four main institutions have their headquarters in the... The Cathedral of our Lady (Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal, Antwerp) in the Handschoenmarkt, in the old quarter of Antwerp is the largest cathedral in the Low Countries and home to a number of triptychs by Renaissance Belgian painter Rubens. ... Early Netherlandish painting is a term art historians use to designate a group of painters who were active primarily in the Southern Netherlands in the 15th and early 16th centuries. ... Baroque art is the painting and sculpture associated with the Baroque cultural movement, a movement often identified with Absolutism and the Counter Reformation; the existence of important Baroque art and architecture in non-absolutist and Protestant states, however, undercuts this linking. ...

Literature: Belgium has produced several well-known authors such as poets: Emile Verhaeren, Paul van Ostaijen, Guido Gezelle, Jacques Brel and writers: Hendrik Conscience, Hugo Claus, Louis Paul Boon, Willem Elsschot, Georges Simenon. The poet and playwright Maurice Maeterlinck won the Nobel Prize in literature in 1911. The best known Franco-Belgian comics are The Adventures of Tintin by Hergé but many other major authors are coming from this country, e.g. Edgar P. Jacobs, Jijé, and André Franquin. File links The following pages link to this file: The Adventures of Tintin The Adventures of Tintin (TV series) ... Emile Verhaeren (May 21, 1855- November 27, 1916) was a Belgian poet writing in the French language, and one of the chief founders of the school of Symbolism. ... Guido Gezelle (1830-1899) is one of the most important poets in the Dutch language area. ... Jacques Brel (April 8, 1929 â€“ October 9, 1978) was a Belgian French-speaking author-composer, considered by many a poet as well, for the strong power of expression in his lyrics. ... Hendrik Conscience (born December 3, 1812 in Antwerp, died September 10, 1883 in Antwerp) was a Flemish writer. ... Hugo Maurice Julien Claus (born April 5, 1929 in Bruges, Belgium) is a prolific Flemish novelist, poet, playwright, painter and film director. ... Louis Paul Boon (15 March 1912 - 10 May 1979) was a Flemish journalist and novelist who is considered one of the major 20th century writers in the Dutch language. ... Belgian stamp honoring the writer Willem Elsschot (7 May 1882 - 31 May 1960), was a Flemish writer and poet (pseudonym of Alfons-Jozef De Ridder). ... Georges Joseph Christian Simenon (February 13, 1903 - September 4, 1989) was a Belgian writer, who wrote in French. ... Maurice Polydore Marie Bernard Maeterlinck, Belgian author Count Maurice Polydore Marie Bernard Maeterlinck (August 29, 1862 - May 6, 1949) was a Belgian poet, playwright, and essayist. ... The Nobel Prize in literature is awarded annually to an author from any country who has produced the most outstanding work of an idealistic tendency. The work in this case generally refers to an authors work as a whole, not to any individual work, though individual works are sometimes... 1911 was a common year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar). ... Franco-Belgian comics - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... The Adventures of Tintin (originally Les Aventures de Tintin), drawn and written by the Belgian writer-artist Georges Remi a. ... Georges Remi HergÃ© Georges Remi (May 23, 1907 - March 3, 1983), better known by the pen name HergÃ©, was a Belgian comics writer and artist. ... Edgard Félix Pierre Jacobs, (b. ... JijÃ© (January 13, 1914 - June 19, 1980) was a Belgian comics artist. ... AndrÃ© Franquin (January 3, 1924 â€“ January 5, 1997) was a Belgian cartoonist, perhaps best known for his humorous comic strip creation Gaston and the Marsupilami. ...

More recently, some representative cinema directors have emerged. Most of them are strongly influenced by French cinema. The absence of a major Belgian cinema company has forced them to emigrate to or participate in low-budget productions. Some representative directors: Chantal Akerman, Stijn Coninx, Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne; actors: Jan Decleir, Marie Gillain; and films: Toto le héros, Man bites dog. France has been influential in the development of film as a mass medium and as an art form. ... Chantal Akerman (born June 6, 1950) is a Belgian filmmaker and director based in Paris, who is known for her deconstructive style and pessimistic humor. ... Luc Dardenne is a belgian filmmaker. ... Jean-Pierre Dardenne (born April 21, 1951 in Engis, LiÃ¨ge, Belgium) is a filmmaker. ... Jan Decleir (February 14, 1946), born in Niel is Belgiums most famous actor. ... Marie Gillain, actress (born 18 June 1975 Liège, Belgium) Trivia Is the heroine of the John Malkovitchs play on scene Hysteria. Is a model for cosmetics company Lancôme Brief filmography Tout le plaisir est pour moi (2004) - Louise aka The Pleasure Is All Mine Ni pour, ni contre (bien... Man Bites Dog is also a daily news report serie in Belgium. ...

In the 1980s, Antwerp's Royal Academy of Fine Arts has produced important fashion trendsetters: (Walter Van Beirendonck, Ann Demeulemeester, Dries Van Noten, Dirk Van Saene, Dirk Bikkembergs, Marina Yee, Martin Margiela. // Events and trends The 1980s marked an abrupt shift towards more conservative lifestyles after the momentous cultural revolutions which took place in the 60s and 70s and the definition of the AIDS virus in 1981. ... The Cathedral of our Lady (Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal, Antwerp) in the Handschoenmarkt, in the old quarter of Antwerp is the largest cathedral in the Low Countries and home to a number of triptychs by Renaissance Belgian painter Rubens. ... Ann Demeulemeester (born in 1959 in Belgium) is a fashion designer whose label (Ann Demeulemeester) clothing is usually displayed during Paris Fashion Week. ... Dirk Bikkembergs (born January 2, 1959 in Cologne, Germany) is a Belgian fashion designer. ...

One could not understand Begian cultural life without the folk festivals. They play a major role in Belgium's cultural life. Examples are the Carnival of Binche, the Ducasse of Ath, the procession of the Holy Blood in Bruges, the 15th-of-August festival in Liège, and the Walloon festival in Namur. A major non-official holiday is the Saint Nicholas Day which is the festival of the children (Saint Nicholas is the ancestor of Santa Claus) and, in Liège, of the students. Swabian-Alemannic carnival clowns in Wolfach, Germany A carnival parade is a public celebration, combining some elements of a circus and public street party, generally during the Carnival Season. ... Binche is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. ... This article is about the Belgian municipality. ... Sometimes referred to as the Venice of the North, Bruges has many waterways that run through the city. ... Liege or LiÃ¨ge has several meanings: A liege is the person or entity to which one has pledged allegiance. ... Namur, the Meuse, the Walloon parliament and the citadel. ... Saint Nicholas, also known as Nikolaus in Germany and Sinterklaas (a contracted form of Sint Nicolaas) in the Netherlands and Flanders, is the common name for the historical Saint Nicholas of Myra, who lived in 4th century Byzantine Anatolia, (now in modern Turkey) and had a reputation for secret gift... Saint Nicholas, also known as Nikolaus in Germany and Sinterklaas (a contracted form of Sint Nicolaas) in the Netherlands and Flanders, is the common name for the historical Saint Nicholas of Myra, who lived in 4th century Byzantine Anatolia, (now in modern Turkey) and had a reputation for secret gift... A common portrayal of Santa Claus. ...

Belgium is well-represented in the world of sport, football (soccer) and cycling being very popular. The national football team is the Red Devils, and it is ranked 45th by FIFA. One of the greatest cyclists ever, Eddy Merckx, who won five Tours de France, was a Belgian. Belgium also has two female tennis champions, Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin-Hardenne. The country also produced world and Olympic champions in tennis, athletics, motocross, judo, table tennis, swimming and cyclo-cross. Football is a ball game played between two teams of eleven players, each attempting to win by scoring more goals than their opponent. ... Cycling is a recreation, a sport, and a means of transport across land. ... First International Belgium 3 - 3 France (Brussels, Belgium; 1 May 1902) Largest win Belgium 9 - 0 Zambia (Brussels, Belgium; 4 June 1994) Belgium 10 - 1 San Marino (Brussels, Belgium; 28 February 2001) Worst defeat England amateur 11 - 2 Belgium (London, England; 17 April 1909) World Cup Appearances 11 (First in... Red Devils may be: The Red Devils are the Parachute Regiments parachute display team. ... FIFA logo (usage restricted): For the Good of the Game FÃ©dÃ©ration Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) is the international governing body of the sport of association football (called simply football or soccer). ... Baron Eddy Merckx /merks/ (born Edouard Louis Joseph Merckx on June 17, 1945 in Meensel-Kiezegem, Belgium) is considered by many to be the greatest cyclist of the 19th and 20th centuries. ... The Tour de France (French for Tour of France), often referred to as La Grande Boucle, Le Tour or The Tour, is an epic long distance road bicycle racing competition for professionals held over three weeks in July in and around France. ... Tennis balls This article is about the sport, tennis. ... Country: Belgium Residence: Bree, BEL Height: 58 1/2 (174 cm) Weight: 150 lbs. ... Country: Belgium Residence: Monte Carlo, MON Height: 55 3/4 (167 cm) Weight: 126 lbs. ... Tennis balls This article is about the sport, tennis. ... Athletics, also known as track and field or track and field athletics, is a collection of sport events. ... Motocross is form of motorcycle or ATV racing held on off road on enclosed circuits. ... Judo (Japanese: æŸ”é“ JÅ«dÅ; literally gentle way) is a martial art, a sport and a philosophy which originated in Japan. ... Regional competition level table tennis, showing table, net, and player getting ready to return the ball with a winning backhand topspin stroke. ... Swimming is the method by which humans (or other animals) move themselves through water in a method not involving simply walking on the bottom. ... Cyclo-cross is a form of bicycle racing. ...

Many "gourmets" claim that Belgium has the best food in Europe. Many highly ranked restaurants can be found within famous gastronomic guides (e.g. the Michelin Guide). Brands of Belgian chocolate, like Neuhaus, Côte d'Or, Leonidas, Godiva, are world renowned and widely distributed. In Belgium there are over 500 different kinds of beer (ales, pils), those of the Trappist monks being among the most prestigious (see Belgian beer). Belgians have a reputation for loving waffles and french fries (originally from Belgium), and their national food is mussels with french fries or rabbit with prumes. The Michelin Guide or Michelin Red Guide is a guide book about restaurants and hotels, published by the Michelin company. ... Neuhaus refers to: Albert Neuhaus Gert Neuhaus Gustav Neuhaus Heinrich Neuhaus Max Neuhaus Richard John Neuhaus Stanislav Neuhaus Amt Neuhaus Neuhaus Tower This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... CÃ´te-dOr is a dÃ©partement in the eastern part of France. ... Leonidas can refer to: Leonidas I, king of Sparta, ruled c. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Ale is an ancient word for a fermented alcoholic beverage obtained chiefly from malted barley. ... Pilsener or pilsner is a type of lager beer. ... Trappist can refer to: a religious order - see Trappists some of the products, made by the order - see Trappist beer This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Belgian beer comprises the most varied and numerous collection of beers in the world. ... Belgian waffles are a type of waffle identified by their larger size, lighter batter and higher grid pattern which forms deep pockets. ... French fries (or french-fried potatoes, or simply fries or chips) are pieces of potato that have been deep-fried. ... Orders A mussel is a bivalve mollusc that can be found in lakes, rivers, creeks, intertidal areas, and throughout the ocean. ...

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