Facts About Belgium

(Where is Belgium located and what countries borders it)?

1- Facts About Belgium: Belgium is a country located in Western Europe and is bordered to the north by the Netherlands, to the south by France, to the east by Germany, and the southeast by the Duchy of Luxembourg.

 

Belgium has a maritime border of about 60 kilometers on the North Sea in the west.

 

2- Belgium became independent in 1830 from the Dutch government and was internationally recognized in the same year.

 

 

(What is the system of government in Belgium and who runs the country)?

1- The system of government in Belgium is a federal monarchy and has been headed by King Philippe since July 21, 2013.

 

Voting is obligatory for every adult in the country, while the prime minister Is Eerste minister van België.

It’s noteworthy that the seat of government is located in Brussels.

 

 

(What are the most important cities and provinces in Belgium)?

1- Belgium consists of 3 regions, which in turn are divided into 29 provinces.

The largest region in the country in terms of population density is Flanders, at the same time, the Ardennes Heights are the least populated region.

 

Belgium’s largest city in terms of area is the capital, Brussels, located in the north of the country.

Brussels is the country’s administrative, economic, historical, and cultural center.

 

2- Brussels includes many European and international institutions and facilities, the most important of which is:

The headquarters of the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Regional meetings are held in Belgium, which is why it is called the capital of Europe.

 

About 40,000 employees in the European Union and 4,000 others in NATO work in Brussels.

 

 

(What Languages Are Spoken In Belgium)?

According to housinganywhere.com, Belgium has 3 official languages: Dutch, French and German.

The language locals speak depend

s on the region where you are.

 

When moving to Belgium you don’t have to learn all the official languages, but it would certainly help to know the language of the Belgian city you’ll call home if you want to fit in or get jobs easily.

The most popular language spoken in Belgium is Dutch.

About 58% of Belgians speak Dutch while 40% speak French.

 

 

(What are the main religions and sects in Belgium)?

1- The majority of Belgians are Roman Catholic, but regular attendance at religious services is variable.

Although it is marked in the Flemish region and the Ardennes, regular attendance at church has decreased in the Walloon industrial region and in Brussels, and nearly one-third of Belgians are nonreligious.    Source: britannica.com.

 

 

(What organizations and memberships does Belgium belong to)?

1- In 1961 Belgium joined the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

The organization’s founding dates back to 1961, and its headquarters are located in Paris, the capital of France.

 

2- Belgium is one of the six founding countries of NATO.

 

Belgium is also a member of the Eurozone and the Schengen Treaty and owns buildings for many organizations on its territory, such as the European Council, UNESCO, the World Bank, and UNICEF.

 

 

(What is the most important information about the geography of Belgium)?

1- Belgium ranked 140 in the world and 33rd in Europe after Switzerland as the largest country in terms of area, reaching 30,528 square kilometers.

 

Belgium occupies 0.0% of world landmass, Belgium is also the 5th smallest country in the European Union.    Source: worldometers.info.

 

2- The highest point in Belgium is the Signal de Botrange, 694 meters above sea level.

 

3- There are no borders between Belgium and the Netherlands, as it is located on the wall, the strip that divides the two countries, In the middle of a paved courtyard of a restaurant, so that the customers eat each one of them in a different country.

 

The closing hours were other in the restaurant due to varying laws in Belgium and the Netherlands, still, the people sitting on the Dutch side were changing, their seating is on the Belgian side.

 

Facts About Belgium:

Does Belgium Have A Good Environment?

4- Belgium came in position 15th for having the best environmental performance in the world, which reached 66.8 according to a report by Yale University for the year 2024.

 

This report compares the data of 180 countries around the world that have the highest environmental performance index, which is abbreviated with EPI.    Source: epi.yale.edu.

 

 

(What is the origin of the name Belgium and its meaning)?

1- Belgium was formerly known among Europe’s countries as Latin Belgium because it was a territory of the Roman Empire.

Belgium is called the battlefield of Europe because its land witnessed many European wars and battles between European empires in addition to the two world wars.

 

 

(What is the quality of roads and transport condition in Belgium)?

1- lufthansa group was ranked 18th in the world as the safest airline for the year 2024 according to afar.com.

Lufthansa Electronic folder usually named Lufthansa and pronounced Lufthansa.

 

Lufthansa is the largest German airline, which combined with its subsidiaries makes it the second largest airline in Europe in terms of the number of thousands of aircraft.

 

Most importantly that Lufthansa is one of the local landmarks of Star Alliance, the world’s largest airline alliance founded in 1997.

Lufthansa owns subsidiary airlines in Switzerland, Germany and Austria.    Source: Wikipedia.org.

 

2- Belgium is ranked 53rd in the world regarding road quality, with a rating of 4.4 according to a report released by theglobaleconomy.com, Studied road condition In Belgium between 2006 – 2019.

 

Facts About Belgium:

What Is The Most Congested City In Belgium?

3- The capital Brussels, came in third place, after Paris and London, first as the most congested city in the world for the year 2021, according to the American company INRIX.

 

Drivers spend 134 hours wasted in traffic congestion in Brussels, due to it being one of the most famous tourist destinations in Europe.

 

Facts About Belgium:

What Is The Smartest City In Belgium?

4- Brussels ranked 40th in having the highest smart city index in the world for the year 2024, with Index reached 0.953, according to a report by imd.org.

 

 

(What are the most famous tourist attractions in Belgium)?

1- The Automation Building is one of the country’s most famous landmarks, it was built in 1958 and is the same as the international exhibition known as Expo.

 

2- The Grand Palace, located in Brussels, was built on the site of Saint Michael’s Church and the Brussels City Hall.

 

3- The flower carpet, which is about 96 meters long, was made in 1971, and there are copies of it in several countries worldwide; it’s located in Brussels.

 

4- The Margaret Museum was built in 1009 AD and includes a model designed for Europe from the inside, as it consists of 350 architectural models, including the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, the Acropolis, and the Venice Canal.

 

Facts About Belgium:

Where Does Chocolate Museum Located In Belgium?

5- The Chocolate Museum is located in the center of Bruges and includes many cartoon characters made of chocolate.

 

Belgium is one of the largest chocolate producers in the world, with a quantity of 220,000 tons annually.

 

6- Brussels’ City Hall is one of the country’s famous landmarks, it is built in the Gothic style and is a large hall in the Grand Square.

 

7- The city of Ghent is distinguished by its clean air and Gothic-style buildings, it was previously one of the most expensive and beautiful cities in Europe.

 

The capital’s government has banned all types of transportation in the city since 1996.

 

Facts About Belgium:

How Many Castles Are Located In Belgium?

8- Belgium has the largest number of castles, at 3,000, and Belgium is the first European country to manufacture smart electronic cards with a metal chip.

 

9- Bruges is called Venice because of its many rivers; you can move around the city by boat.

 

Bruges’ inhabitants are originally descended from the Viking tribes who inhabited lands currently known as the Scandinavian countries: Norway, Denmark, and Sweden.

 

Bruges is famous for the Chocolate Museum and the presence of many stores that sell it.

 

10- Belgium has the longest tram line in the world, it is called the Coast Tram or Shore Tram, it is located in the Fleming region and runs on clean energy.

 

The Coast Tram or Shore Tram is 68 kilometers long and extends along the Belgian North Sea coast, it is reported that the country uses railways to move between provinces.

 

Facts About Belgium:

What Is The Most Famous Statue In Belgium?

11- The Manneken Pis Statue, built in 1965, is one of the most famous landmarks in Europe and the capital Brussels, it is a figure of a black child urinating.

 

The statue’s clothing constantly changes according to the season or holidays, and Mr. Bean takes a picture of it with it.

 

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(How big is the Belgian economy, and what are the most important exports)?

1- The official currency in Belgium has been the euro since 2002, instead of the Belgian franc.

 

2- The industrial sector is considered the largest in the country.

 

Industry’s most important exports are metals, in addition to miscellaneous textiles, cars, medicines, electronics, chemicals, refining, mineral fuel, electrical appliances, drinks, foodstuffs, and frozen potatoes.

 

Belgium is famous for manufacturing billiard balls, considered the best in the world in terms of quality, as about 85 people use them.

Aramith is the original company that manufactures these balls, founded in 1923 and was initially produced as tanning products.

 

Facts About Belgium:

What Are The Important Agricltural Exports Of Belgium?

3- In the agricultural sector, the most important exports are vegetables, fruits, wine, livestock heads, and their derivatives, such as dairy, cheese, meat, hides, eggs, and meat.

 

There is also the services sector, which includes work in government jobs, public utilities, and delivery services, mainly active in Brussels.

 

Facts About Belgium:

Who Is The richest Person In Belgium?

4- One of the wealthiest persons in Belgium is Eric Whittock, with a more than $10 billion fortune.

Eric Whittock resides in Monaco, France.

Eric Whittock is the heir to the Whittock family.

Also, Eric is a successful investor in several sectors inside and outside Europe, as he owns the Blue Buffalo Pet company, an Arta subsidiary.

 

The food company was sold in 2017 with a gain of 1.8%. One billion euros.

 

5- Belgium was the first country to undergo the industrial revolution on the European continent in the 19th century.

The industrial revolution was helped by the diverse and comprehensive transportation network throughout the country’s geography.

 

6- The country’s economic momentum is concentrated in the north, especially in the cities of Charleroi and Liège in the province of Wallonia.

 

Facts About Belgium:

When was the most important economic development in Belgium?

7- Brussels, has witnessed a boom in the economic sector after Britain’s exit from the European Union, as many companies have moved their headquarters there.

 

The capital, Brussels, is expected to achieve its largest economic growth in Europe, and its location helps it do so in central Europe.

 

Facts About Belgium:

What Is The Largest Diamond Center In The World?

8- Belgium owns most of the diamonds in the world, and it is located in Antwerp, the diamond capital, because it is the center of diamond discovery, manufacturing, and distribution across the globe.

 

Facts About Belgium:

What Is The Largest Company In Belgium?

9- KBC is the largest company in Belgium and the 30th in the world, with a market value of 4.2 billion dollars.

 

KBC bank works primarily in corporate banking, treasury activities, project finance, capital markets and private equity.    Source: thestreet.com.

 

Facts About Belgium:

What Is The Most Expensive House In Belgium?

10- One of the most expensive houses in the world belongs to King Leopold II of Belgium.

It is located in the country’s south and is called Villa Les Cedars. It was offered for sale at $410 million in 2017.

 

The house includes a bedroom and an Olympic-sized swimming pool and was the summer residence of Prince Leopold II.

 

11- Belgium is ranked 23rd in terms of GDP in the world in 2023, which reached 644,783.    Source: data.worldbank.org.

 

 

(Is the education system developed in Belgium)?

1 – Belgium ranked 19th for having the best educational system in the world for the year 2023.    Source: usnews.com.

 

2- Belgium ranked 11th with the highest global knowledge index for the year 2023, which reached 64.7, according to knowledge4all.com.

 

 

(Is the health system in Belgium good)?

1- According to the Legatum Institute report, Belgium comes in the position 18th of having the best health systems in the world by 2023, which includes:

The extent to which people enjoy good health, and their ability to access the services necessary to maintain good health, including health outcomes, disease, and risk factors, mortality rates.

 

2- According to WorldAtlas Report In 2023: Adults with obesity 2035 In Belgium reaches 33% which Is very high.
The annual Increase In adult obesity 2022-2035 reaches 1.8% which Is medium.

The annual Increase In child obesity 2020-2035 reaches 1.2% which Is medium.

Also overweight Impact on national GDP 2035 reaches 2.0% which Is very high.

Finally global preparedness ranking In Belgium reaches 10/183 which Is good.

 

Facts About Belgium:

What Is Smoking Rate In Belgium?

3- One of The largest health problem in Belgium is smoking, as the country ranks 58th in the world as the largest country in terms of the rate of smokers in 2024, which amounts to 25.0% of the Belgian people according to datapandas.org.

 

Facts About Belgium:

How Much Alcohol Do Belgians Consume?

4- Belgium has been ranked 34th in the world as the nation that consumes the most alcohol, which has reached 9.15 liters per capita since 2019.    Source: cia.gov.

Facts About Belgium:

How Much Coffee Does Belgians Consume?

5- Belgium ranks 8th globally in coffee consumption after Switzerland, with 1.5 cups of coffee per capita annually.    Source: cornercoffeestore.com.

 

6- The government of Belgium has prevented anyone who has not received the third dose of the Corona vaccine from entering restaurants and cafes as of March 1, 2022, especially in the capital Brussels, The Belgian advisory body issued this decision.

 

7- In Belgium, killing a patient with no treatment or terminal condition is permissible, it is known as euthanasia.

Several other European countries legislate this law, such as Luxembourg and France.

 

8- For more information and medical news, visit healthline.com.

 

 

(What are the most famous sports and the most important athletes from Belgium)?

1- Football is the most popular sport in Belgium, and the Belgian football team ranked 8th in the world after Netherlands, as the strongest team for the first of 2025, according to the FIFA classification, with a total of 1740.62 points.

 

Other famous sports in the European country, such as swimming and table tennis.

 

2- Many famous players from Belgium, such as Romelu Lukaku, Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne, Axel Witsel, Toby Alderfield, Vincent Kompany, and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

 

 

(What are the national symbols of Belgium)?

1- The national animal of Belgium is the lion, while the national flower is the azalea.

 

2- The Belgian flag consists of three colors, the horizontal colors began to be used in the flag in 1795.

The horizontal colors in Belgian flag symbolized the liberation of Belgium from French colonialism during the rule of Napoleon Bonaparte, who was defeated in central Belgium in 1815.

 

The yellow color indicates the yellow lion of the country.

The flag was changed after independence from the Netherlands in 1830.

The colors became vertical after they were horizontal.

The color became black on the side while the flag was raised and officially adopted in 1831.

 

3- The name of Belgian national anthem is La Brabançonne which was adopted in 1860, you can listen to it and watch it with translation in the next video.

 

 

(What are the national holidays in Belgium)?

1 January (Sunday): New Year’s Day.

10 April (Monday): Easter Monday.

1 May (Monday): Labor Day.

18 May (Thursday): Ascension Day (40 days after Easter).

29 May (Monday): Whit Monday – the seventh Monday after Easter, also known as Pentecost Monday.

21 July (Friday): Belgium National Day (Belgian Independence Day) – commemorates the day Leopold I took the constitutional oath as the first King of Belgium in 1831.

15 August (Tuesday): Assumption Day (Assumption of Mary).

1 November (Wednesday): All Saints’ Day – the following day is not a public holiday.

11 November (Saturday): Armistice Day.

25 December (Monday): Christmas Day.
Source: expatica.com.

 

 

(Who are the celebrities who hail from Belgium)?

1- Many famous people hail from Belgium, such as the anthropologist Claude Lévi-Strauss, the singer Lara Fabien, the painter Rene Magritte, the sculptor, painter, and diplomat Peter Paul Rubens, the cartographer Gerardus Mercator, the actor Jean-Claude Van Damme.

 

Also there are the American actress Audrey Hepburn, who was ranked as the 3rd most outstanding actress in the history of the American screen by American Film Institute and won an Academy Award.

 

At the same time, Audrey Hepburn was nominated for several other awards and is one of the beauty icons in the history of world cinema.

 

 

 

(What inventions originated in Belgium)?

1- The saxophone was made by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1840.

 

2- Patinage first appeared in Belgium, where John Joseph Merlin made it.

 

3- Belgium ranked 24th after Ireland as the most innovative country in the world for the year 2024, with a total of 47.7.    Source: visualcapitalist.com.

 

Facts About Belgium:

Did you know that the Smurfs are of Belgian origin?

4- Belgian cartoonist Pierre Culliford invented the character of the Smurfs in Belgium, they are imaginary creatures who live in a small village and are famous for doing good.

 

Among them are angry and robust Smurfs, but the most famous is Papa Smurf, distinguished by a red hat and a white beard, he is 542 years old and is an expert in magical alchemy.

 

There is also a Smurfette, which is the only female among them; it was created by Gargamel, who is considered the arch-enemy of the Smurfs and is famous for his famous saying, “I will kill you even if this is the last job in my life,”.

 

Gargamel aims to turn them into gold or to eat them.

Gargamel has a stupid cat to help him with his tasks.

Belgium celebrated 2018, the sixtieth anniversary of the appearance of the Smurfs.

 

 

(What are the most famous dishes of Belgian cuisine)?

1- Waffles were invented in Belgium, along with filled chocolate in 1912.
Belgian chocolate is distinguished by its delicious taste due to its 100% cocoa content, as no vegetable oils or other additives are added.

 

2- The famous chocolate shop Dominique Person is located in Bruges.

The shop owner created chocolate for colds and chocolate with onions, although this idea was strange, he obtained a Michelin star.

 

Spegelaere Chocolaterie in Bruges is one of the most famous chocolate shops compared to its European competitors.

 

3- Belgian cuisine is characterized by its diversity due to the different cultures of the empires that passed through the country’s history.

 

 

The most famous dish is French fries, which come from Belgian heritage, even though its name is French Fries.

Therefore, Belgium protested its connection with France and demanded it be called Belgian Friten.

 

It is mentioned that fries is also the most popular in the Netherlands.

 

Facts About Belgium:

What Are The Best Restaurants In Belgium?

4- The Jane In Antwerp ranked 39th as the best restaurants in the world for the year 2023th according to a report by theworlds50best.com in which it compared the 100 best restaurants around the world for the year.

 

Hof Van Cleve restaurant In Kruishoutem took ranked 52nd in this list.

 

 

(What Are Customs And Traditions In Belgium)?

1- Cracking fingers in front of someone, putting one hand in a pocket, yawning, crossing one leg over the other, or whistling in public places are signs of lack of respect.

 

2- The Belgian people do not discuss individual income or politics, so avoid engaging in such topics.

 

3- The country’s population is characterized by conservative dress despite the liberalization in the rest of Europe.

 

4- When someone invites you to his house for lunch In Belgium, be sure to take chocolate and a bouquet of roses in an odd number, provided that it is not 13, as this number indicates lousy luck.

 

In addition to that, the roses are not of the white chrysanthemum type, as this shows death.

 

5- When you receive a gift, open it immediately, as putting it aside indicates that you do not like it. In addition, Belgians want simple skills that are significant in meaning and are not expensive.

 

 

(What is the most important and diverse information from Belgium)?

1- In 2022, the Royal Museums of Belgium returned a painting looted by the Nazis to the descendants of its owners.

 

The museum opened two new halls, one for pictures that Nazi forces may have stolen during the war and the other for themes of colonialism and diversity.

 

Facts About Belgium:

What Is The Most Important Belgian Painting?

2- Beauty And The Brush is one of the most famous paintings in the world, it was created using oil paints that were rarely used by painters previously until Jan Van Eyck became famous for it in the 15th century.

Since then, Beauty And The Brush has become the most famous art form in the world.

 

3- The Farmers Tower is the second oldest skyscraper in Belgium, it was built between 1929 and 1932, has a height of 95.8 meters, and is currently used as an office.

 

4- NEMO 33 is a swimming facility in Brussels, it is an indoor pool that has held the record as the deepest swimming pool in the world since its opening in 2014.

Its maximum depth is 34.5 meters, and can hold 2.5 million liters of fresh water,Wicker expert John Bernat designed it.

 

5- In Belgium, possessing a maximum amount of tobacco of 3 grams is legal.

 

6- Belgium’s King Philip accepted the invitation of a Syrian family to break their fast at the lunch table in Ramadan for 2022.

The family, which consists of five members, stated their happiness in the presence of the King and their sharing of food with him.

Facts About Belgium:

What Is The Dark History Of Belgium?

7- During the reign of Leopold II, the former Belgian queen killed more than 15,000 Africans in what is now known as the country of Congo.

 

 

(What Ranks Does Belgium Occupy In Various Fields Worldwide)?

1- Belgium ranked 16th as the happiest country in the world for the year 2024, With Index reached 6.894, according to worldhappiness.report.

 

2- Belgium was ranked 16th after Iceland, as the most competitive country in the world for the year 2023.   Source: knowledge.insead.edu.

 

3- Belgium came in position 129th as having the highest crime rates in the world for the year 2024, which reached 4.43.    Source: Organized Crime Index.

 

4- According to the Global Fire Power website classification, the Belgian army ranked 61th as the most powerful army in the world for the year 2025, with power Index reaches 1.2564.

 

5- Belgium ranked 40th in the world and 17th In Europe by having the fastest Internet network in 2025, which reaches 97.86 kilobytes per second.    Source: speedtest.net.

 

Facts About Belgium:

Does Belgium Have A Powerful Passport?

6- Belgium is ranked 4th as having the most powerful passport of 2025 in the world.

Through Belgian passport you can travel to a 188 destination without a visa, according to the Henley Passport Ranking Index.    Source: henleyglobal.com.

 

7- Belgium is listed 22nd as the most transparent country for 2024 in the world with a Corruption Perceptions Index 69 score.    Source: transparency.org.

 

8- Belgium is ranked the 16th safest country for 2024 with a peace index score of 1.51.   Source: vision of humanity.org.

 

9- Belgium occupies 12th globally as the best country to live in for 2022 by obtaining a human development index of 0.942 degrees according to the development program issued by the United Nations.    Source: hdr.undp.org.

 

 

 

(How many people live in Belgium and what is their average age)?

1- Belgium is ranked 83rd in the world after Haiti, as the largest country in terms of population, which amounts to about 11,738,800 Inhabitant as of late 2024, with density reaches 387 per square kilometer.    Source: worldpopulationreview.com.

 

2- The median age is the age that divides a population into two numerically equal groups; that is, half the people are younger than this age and half are older, it is a single index that summarizes the age distribution of a population.

In 2025, the median age of the Belgian population was 41.9 years.    Source: Statista.com.

 

3- Belgium has one of the highest divorce rates in Western Europe at around 70%, with two-thirds of marriages reportedly failing.

 

 

(What is the climate like in Belgium)?

1- Belgium has a temperate maritime climate with moderately warm summers and mild winters.

Average summer temperatures range from 17°C to 24°C, while winter temperatures range from 1°C to 6°C.

 

The country is significantly influenced by the North Sea, which leads to a relatively stable but humid weather, it is relatively humid throughout the year, with regular rainfall evenly distributed throughout the seasons.    Source: worlddata.info.

 

 

(Who are the Nobel Prize winners from Belgium)?

1- There are 11 Nobel Prize winners from Belgium.

The first to win Nobel Prize was the Institute of International Law in the field of peace in 1904.

You can find out the who won the Nobel prizes through the official Nobel website.

 

 

(What are the most famous UNESCO sites in Belgium)?

1- Belgium has 16th sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List, One Is natural and the other are cultural.

 

You can learn about UNESCO sites through the official UNESCO website.

 

 

You can see Belgium with its different landmarks and geography through this video.

 

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