Belgium

Belgium, or in full, the Kingdom of Belgiumis a West-European country located on the North Sea, adjacent to Germany, Netherlands, France, Luxembourg and on the transition from Germanic to Romance Europe. The country is 30,528 km² and has a population of just over 11 million inhabitants. The main city is Brussels, Belgium's capital city and administrative center of the European Union.

The country has three official languages: about sixty percent of the population speaks Dutch, especially in Flanders, 40% speaks French, especially in Wallonia, and less than one percent speaks German, in the East cantons. The cultural and linguistic diversity of the country by a succession of State reforms led to a complex political system, where basically the land-based powers – such as the economy, employment and public works – lie with the Regions (the Flemish, the Walloon and the Brussels), and the personal matters – such as education, culture and welfare – at the Communities (the Flemish, the French and the German-speaking)Federal Government, with an umbrella for the whole territory, responsible for, among other things, defense, justice and social security.

Belgium was left after the Belgian revolution in 1830 when it separated from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. After independence was the young nation – mainly due to the heavy industry in Wallonia – one of the forerunners in the industrial revolution. The development of Flanders was left to the economic center of gravity shifted to the North in the 1960s, also the period of the fixation of the language border, leading up to the classification of the country in several federal States, and of the independence of the colonies in Central Africa. Belgium grew into the world's economyste  21, became one of the wealthiest, most developed and most globalized countries in the world, and built on his free market economy with limited government interference a comprehensive welfare State.



Content
[hide] *1 History 
 * 1.1 Etymology
 * 2 Geography
 * 2.1 physical geography
 * 2.2 Statistics
 * 2.3 Nature
 * 2.4 Climate
 * 3 Population
 * 3.1 Languages
 * 3.1.1 sign languages
 * 3.1.2 Dialect and regional language
 * 3.2 Religion
 * 3.3 composition
 * 3.4 Growth
 * 4 Politics
 * 4.1 State structure
 * 4.2 Defense
 * 4.3 Police
 * 4.4 Federalisation
 * 4.5 Parliaments
 * Governments 4.6
 * 4.7 Provinces
 * 4.8 Political parties and movements
 * 4.9 Europe
 * 5 Economy
 * 5.1 Traffic
 * 5.2 Media
 * 5.3 tourism
 * 6 Culture
 * 6.1 Art
 * 6.2 education and science
 * 6.3 Sport
 * 6.4 food and drinks
 * 7 Environment
 * 7.1 Water quality
 * 7.2 air quality
 * 7.3 soil contamination
 * 7.4 noise
 * 8 see also
 * 9 external links

History
Belgium was populated in prehistoric times by various Celtic and Germanic tribes, including the Menapii, the Morini, the Nervii and the Eburones under Ambiorix. In Roman times were the Celtic tribes in the area between North Sea, Rhine, Seine and Marne (South-Netherlands, Belgium, Northern France and parts of West-Germany) together referred to with the word Belgae. Their living area Gallia Belgica was part of the Roman Empire and was divided into a number of feudal States during the middle ages. The Belgian revolution of 1830, with which Belgium became independent from NetherlandsThe great Frankish Empire after Charlemagne was divided between France and the German Empire. The Scheldt gold as border between the two Empires. An area in which the current Belgium lag, finally ended up in the hands of the Habsburgs in the 15th century (see low countries) and in 1795 was taken over by the French.Throughout history, it is often the place where the European powers their wars uitvochten. The area was therefore sometimes ' called the battlefield of Europe ". After the defeat of Napoleon in 1815 Waterloo went to the country in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, a larger buffer State against the troubled and revolutionary France.

With the Belgian revolution of 1830 Belgium separated themselves off and became a constitutional monarchy. Belgium is the motto unity makes strength. This unity struck in 1830 on the Association of the nine provinces. The nine province of weapons are therefore represented in the coat of arms of the country. On 18 October 1908 Belgium acquired the Belgian Congo as a colony. Before that it was the Congo free State personal property of King Leopold IIbeen.

Belgium in the first world war was almost completely occupied by Germany. Just a small area behind the Iron in West-Flanders, where King Albert I was, remained under Allied control. During the Second World War King Leopold III capitulated after the battle of Belgium and was occupied throughout the country. In september 1944 by the allies most of Belgium was released. After this war led by King Leopold III surrendered to the Royal question, with his brother Prince Charles acted as regent until Leopold III in 1951 transferred power to his son Baudouin, who was then was 21. On 9 August 1993 became King of the Belgians Albert II . On 21 July 2013 did Albert II voluntarily abdicated, which was unique in the history of the Belgian monarchy. Filip was the seventh King of the Belgians.

Etymologie
Gaul in 52 BC, just before the Roman annexation.The name Belgica was first mentioned by Julius Caesar. He indicated with an area to Belgica in North France, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg and South-Southwest-Germany to the Rhine. Belgium got it later after the fall of the Roman Empire a other demographics than in Caesar's time. The Belgaelived In Belgica, which are first described in Caesar's Commentarii de bello Gallico. There lived in that time also Belgae and related tribes (such as Catuvellauni and Trinovantes) in South EastBritannia.

The name "Belgae" is possible comes from the Celtic word for- belo, meaning "bright", "white", "shining" or "shining" means. [7]  In this case, "Belgae" akin to the English wordbale (as in "bale-fire"), the Anglo-Saxon bael, the Lithuanian baltas (as in "Baltic"), the Slavic belo/bilo/bjelo/..., (as in Belarus) and the town names Beograd, Biograd, Bjelovar.Also the Gallic gods names Belenos ("the clear") and Belisama (probably from the same deity; originally from belo-nos = "our seeming") come from the same source.

Another proposed etymology of the name Belga (e): bel is an Indo-European Word for "around" or "bloated object", as in the figurative sense of "bellows": circle, army, Alliance, and so on. The affix -ga is Gaulish for "man" or "warrior". Bel-gae would then mean "men of the Alliance". The origin of the word would then be Gaulish. This meaning would fit the description of Caesar. Another explanation of the same word stem should according to Pokorny are like in "infuriated" and "outraged", so a reference to the restlessness of the Belgians, in response to the slightest old war with each other. [8]  [9]

Physical geography
The Semois in the Ardennes, inBroth<p len="3482" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The area of Belgium is composed of two parts: low country, belonging to the coastal plain of the North Sea in the North; and the plateau of the Ardennes in the South. This dichotomy has a geological origin. In the Ardennes are hard rocks of high age (Paleozoic) at the surface, in which rivers have deeply incised. In Flanders, the shallow surface as in large parts of the Netherlands and Northern Germany from unconsolidated sedimentary rocks from the Tertiary and Quaternary. In Flanders was the soil in many places formerly marshy, but he is drained by man to wateringen . The signal de Botrange, Belgium's highest point, at 694 metres<p len="1773" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The rivers Maas, Schelde and Iron have a large part of their catchment area are in Belgium. In the far east of the country is located in the provinces of Liège and Luxembourg also an area that belongs to the basin of the Rhine (via the Moselle), in the South of the province of Hainaut a small field within the catchment area of the Seine belonging (via the Oise).

<p lang="en" len="324" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Belgium has a coastline of 66.6 km. If one takes into account the bulge of the port of Zeebrugge result is a length of 72.3 km.  ===Statistics=== <p len="1629" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Belgium is with 349 inhabitants per square kilometers one of the most densely populated countries in Europe. This goes even more for Flanders, which contains 60 percent of the population to 40 percent of the surface. The total land area amounts to 30,528 km², with which Belgium a quarter smaller than Netherlands and slightly larger than Lesothoand Armenia. According to the Royal Belgian Institute of natural sciences occupies the Belgian territory 33.990 km², but counting the Belgian territorial waters to 12 nautical miles in the North Sea with it.

<p lang="en" len="947" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Belgium borders France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and North Sea and possesses as a State border of 1445,5 kilometers.

<p lang="en" len="814" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The highest point is the signal de Botrange at 694 metres and the highest village is Rocherath (part of the municipality of Büllingen) on 655 metres.

<p len="265" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The geographical centre can be found in Nil-Saint-Vincent.

Nature
The High Fens<p len="1654" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">21.4% of the surface of the country is covered with forest, mainly in Wallonia. In Flanders are located outside the cities and industrial areas especially agricultural zones with forests especially in the Kempen (North-East of the city of Antwerp and Limburg). Important forests in Brabant are the Hallerbos, the Forêt de Soignes near Brussels and Heverlee wood and Meerdaal forest near Leuven. The total forest surface in Flanders amounts to 146.381 hectares and there is 22.135 hectare park managed by municipalities and cities.

<p len="464" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In the Ardennes, nature is vast, because the population density there lower than in Flanders. A third of the surface of Wallonia is forested and that surface is also growing.A large part of that forest is, however, from pine forests that have little natural significance.

<p len="500" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">One of the most pristine pieces are the high FENSnature of Belgium. By the severe climate, the many rainfall and the harsh, long winters come there also for rare plant species, which are typical of mountain areas or for Northern Europe. The special flora in the high fens, however, is threatened by global warming.

Climate
<p len="1279" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Belgium has a temperate climate. The average temperature in Belgium is 11.2 ° c, but there are differences on each region. That temperature comes, because the warmGulf stream in the Atlantic Ocean North Sea also heats. As a result, the average in the winter not colder than 5 ° c. The lowest temperature is reached late in the winter, because then the water is cooled. In addition, there is again a strong unstable character.

Languages
The Iron Tower as a symbol of theFlemish movement<p lang="en" len="31" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Official languages in Belgium are: <p len="1602" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The Dutch is the language of administration in the Flemish region and the Brussels-capital region on par with French. The capital Brussels is officially bilingual, but in reality multilingual. The great majority of the inhabitants of Brussels chose in his contacts with the Government for the French.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-11" len="169" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [11]  French is the official language of Wallonia and German is the language of Government in the German-speaking community, the eastern border with Germany municipalities in the province of Liège.
 * Dutch (ca. 60% of the population);
 * French (about 40% of the population);
 * German (ca. 0.7% of the population: 76,000 speakers in the extreme East of the country<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-10" len="169" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[10]  ).

<p len="1474" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The predominantly French-speaking province of Liège sandwiched between Netherlands and Carry municipality (in French: Fourons) is a Dutch-speaking enclave. It is a part of Flanders, with language facilities for the French-speaking minority. The town of Comines-Warneton (Dutch: Comines-Warneton), located between France and the Belgian province of West Flanderssince 1963, is officially part of Wallonia and so French-speaking, with language facilities for Dutch-speaking minority.

<p len="2040" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The language border in Belgium comes roughly match the Via Belgica, the Roman Roman road between Bavayand Cologne, which since the 4th century , and served as a cultural border runs roughly South of Brussels. The Frenchification of Brussels, that just north of this language border is, is mainly the result of great immigration after the industrialisation from the 19th century. In addition, the centuries-long role of Brussels as the administrative centre, with a French-speaking top layer. That resulted in the francization of the originally largely Dutch-speaking city.

<p len="1017" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In the 19th and the first half of the 20th century was the Board of Belgium (among other things because of the vital, for tax) almost entirely French-speaking, the Dutch knew little or no top layer . The first language laws, which guaranteed certain rights for Dutch-speakers, were adopted in 1873. This were the national languages not yet equivalent. So, the Education Act of 1876 there for that secondary education in Flanders was bilingual, but not in Wallonia.

<p len="1163" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">A first important turning point was the first world war, where the Flemish, French-speaking officers by exercising rights under the front soldiers with slogan ' our blood Here, when our right? ". Also the Iron Tower built after this war with the inscription AVV-VVK (all for Flanders-Flanders for Kristus) prints a Flemish awareness out. This only happened with equivalent set the language law of 1932, when secondary education: Dutch in Flanders, and French became monolingual in Wallonia.

<p len="911" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The fair application of the equal rights for language groups in Government, education and case law was however slow, sometimes grudgingly and often only after pressing and action. This is been the catalyst for a centrifugal movement in the unitary Belgium. That was in the Foundation of the Centre Harmel (named after politician Pierre Harmel) in 1948 for the first unofficial recognized.

<p len="310" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In 1963, the language border is laid down by law. This determined that French or Dutch was the language of administration of municipalities and provinces. Some municipalities along the language border province and were therefore changed sometimes also facilities for French-speaking, Dutch or German-speaking inhabitants.

<p len="1319" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">A quick twist Leuven Flemish came into being in 1968. Actions of-among others-students forced the Catholic Bishops to the Catholic University of Leuven to split. In 1970 a new French-speaking Université Catholique de Louvain founded, known as to Louvain-la-Neuve Ottignies, South of the language border. The prestigious University Library was divided.

<p len="1681" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Currently, the State still require that pupils in Flanders to learn French from the fifth year of study,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-12" len="169" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[12]  where that French-speaking students have a free choice in choosing a second language. They choose in majority learn English for the Dutch.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-13" len="169" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [13]  Flemish Minister of education Pascal Smet pleaded in 2011 at English the second language in Flanders,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-14" len="169" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[14]  but his proposal came across a lot of criticism, especially from French-speaking corner. In the language note of the Minister States that starting from the school year 2013-2014 French and English two equivalent languages as "second language" will be treated in Flanders.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-15" len="169" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [15]

Sign Languages
<p len="638" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Flemish Sign Language (BCE, about 6000 native users), Belgian-French sign language (LSFB, about 5000 native users).

Dialect and regional language
<p len="2986" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In addition, Belgium strongly from each other different dialects and regional languages spoken. In Flanders they speak different language forms that are considered varieties of the Dutch language, such as West Flemish, East Flemish, Brabantic, Limburgish and K, including typical city languages such as Ghent, Bruges , Antwerpor Leuven. Some of these dialects are also seen as separate language according to some authorities, such as the Limburg and West Flemish.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-16" len="169" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [16]  <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Languages_of_Netherlands_17-0" len="194" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[17]  however, in Flanders dialects have no official status.

<p len="864" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Some speakers of "Dutch" dialects at the language border, for example in Brussels and in the border region, consider themselves as "French-speaking" because they besides their dialect use French as the language culture (most important). See below: Dutch dialects, regional differences in the Dutch.

<p len="2246" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In Wallonia is also a language by a part of the population speaking that language is recognized as a separate region. The Walloon is the most important, for this language is tried to form a normalized spelling. Also the Walloon anthem was originally in the Walloon. There are some other outside the Walloon local and recognized regional languages, namely the Picard language in the West of Wallonia, Lorraine Gaumais or in the South of Belgian Luxembourg, Luxembourg the Champenois and around Arlonthe Luxembourg capital. The Walloon is also referred to as Patois (Flat) called. The St. Rumbold's Cathedral toMechelen, where André Léonard has a seat===Religion=== <p len="5142" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Belgium is traditionally a Catholic country. The many churches and cathedrals often striking witness to this. The Christianity spread already early in what is now Belgium. In the 4th century was the h. Servatius to Tongerenworked. Flourishing monasteries such as Saint Peter's Abbey and St Bavo's Abbey in Ghent, the abbeys of Lobbes, St-Hubert, Stavelot and many other emerged and contributed to the economic and cultural development of the country. The reform movement in the 16th century who was a large success in the Southern Netherlands and accompanied by political resistance against the absolutist tendency of the Habsburg House, was encountered mainly byPhilip II . Under the Archdukes Albert and Isabella disappeared almost completely the influence of Protestantism and Catholicism was renewed by the decisions of theCouncil of Trent (1545-1563), the Catholic reform and the work of the Jesuits. During the French Revolution the religious opposition was very strong. The Constitution of 1830 guarantees the freedom of religion. Serious tensions between Church and State arose during the school struggle from 1878-1884 and that of 1954-1958.

<p len="1731" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The-weekly-church attendance has fallen dramatically since the 1960s is in Belgium and in 2008 amounted to less than 7%,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-18" len="169" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[18]  where in 1950 about 50% of the population the Sunday duty fulfilled. In Flanders is the church attendance higher than in the other region: according to figures of the Catholic Church itself, the church attendance 12.7% in 1998 against 11.2% for Belgium<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-19" len="169" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[19]  and according to a study by the Catholic University of Leuven went 8% of Flemish people every week to the Church in 2006.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-20" len="169" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[20]

<p len="1082" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">These numbers are for the Church practice in Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels is lower than in Flanders, so the numbers are lower for the whole of Belgium. In 1976 went 36 percent of Flemish people between 5 and 69 years still to the weekly Sunday mass. That was 13 percent In 1998. In 2009, that proportion dropped to 5.4 percent, which amounts to about 247,000 people between 5 and 69 years<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-21" len="169" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[21] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-22" len="169" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[22]  in recent decades, As we recap the data, we see a very even decrease in the Sunday mass, says researcher Hooghe. You can almost perfectly predict that there will be about 0.8 percent less church-goers annually.

<p len="1189" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Funerals (61%) <sup class="noprint nopopups" len="312" style="line-height:1;">[source? ] and baptismal ceremonies (57%) <sup class="noprint nopopups" len="312" style="line-height:1;">[source? ] happen often in the Church. The number of church weddings will decrease and amounted to 27% in 2006 <sup class="noprint nopopups" len="312" style="line-height:1;">[source? ].

<p len="3781" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The rest of the Belgians or no longer a practicing atheist, agnostic, or liberal (ca. 28%), Muslim (ca. 4%)),<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-23" len="169" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[23]  Protestant (ca. 1.8%))).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-24" len="169" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [24]  or Jewish (ca. 2.6%).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-25" len="169" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[25]  Belgium maintains diplomatic relations with theVatican. It is divided into eight dioceses States and a military ordinariate and forms one Church province of which the Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels, André Léonard is the Metropolitan . The St. Joseph is thePatron Saint of Belgium.

<p len="1413" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The PAINTING is the umbrella organization of the Governing Board that by the Belgian bishops in charge of coordination and representation of the Catholic education in Flanders. Since the School pact law of 29 may1959, the Catholic schools also largely subsidised by the State.

<p len="1737" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Famous Belgian missionaries, such as Peter of Ghent in Mexico, Father Damien at the lepers in Molokai, Joos De Rijcke in Ecuador, Ferdinand Verbiest in China and now India Jeanne De Vos in yet. Priest Adolf Daens and Cardinal Joseph Cardijn were Catholic clergy who have worked for the workers ' emancipation.

Composition
<p len="679" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The productivity of the Belgian workers<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-26" len="169" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[26]  is one of the highest in the world. The Belgians are also known to have significant amounts to invest in a private-preferably home-built residence, but since the building plots ever scarcer (the population density amounts to 363,6/km² (2013)), the renovation sector Golden times.

<p lang="en" len="50" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Of the total population stood at January 1st 2010: <p len="555" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The family size in Belgium is the last time increased slightly. The fertility rate is 1.79 children per woman which facing an aging population Belgium less than other countries in Europe.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-27" len="169" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [27] : 15 percent is over 65. The life expectancy is 75 years for men and 81 years for women.
 * 21,66% in the age group 0-18 years
 * 21.45% in the age group 19-35 years
 * 23,42% aged 36-50 years
 * 17.55% in the age group 51-65 years
 * 11.88% aged 66-80 years
 * 4.27% aged 81-100 years
 * 0.01% in the age category + 100 years

<p len="293" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The quality of the Belgian healthcare system is among the best in the world.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-28" len="169" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [28]

<p len="716" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">What the standard of living is concerned there are inequalities between the inhabitants of the various regions; the Flemish region is financially richer than Wallonia.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-29" len="169" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [29]

<p len="1607" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Almost a million from the Belgian population are immigrants.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-30" len="169" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [30]  A first large wave immigrants were Italians who came to work in the mines in Wallonia and Limburg. The politician Elio Di Rupo originates them. After themining disaster of Marcinelle in 1956 Italy supplied no more guest workers and followed a new wave Moroccans and Turks from the 1960s to fill in the gaps on the labour market. In addition, there is also a community lives from the former colony Belgian Congo especially in the Matongewijk in Brussels.

Growth
<p len="1181" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Belgium counted 10.984.468 inhabitants on 1 January 2011.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-31" len="169" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [31]  The Flemish region France there a share of 6.1 million inhabitants, the Walloon region of 3.4 million and the Brussels-capital region of more than 1 million.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-32" len="169" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [32]

<p len="522" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Compared to other European countries the Belgian population is slow grown: 4.5 million in 1850, almost 7 million in 1900, 10.2 million in 2000.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-33" len="169" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [33]  in comparison, the Dutch population grew by a third less (3 million in 1850) to over half more (16 million in 2000).

<p len="594" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Since 1989, the growth is primarily due to the social population growth. The positive migration balance is good for 2/3 of the total population, over 1/3 due to natural population growth.

<p len="2067" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">This growth is by region and province have been very different. While the population of Belgium as a whole over the period 1846-2008 rose by a factor of 2.2, this was for the Flemish region and the Walloon region, for 1.96 2.61 for the Brussels-Capital Region 5,22. In the Walloon region is the growth from 1930 to 2008 limited (15%) and this is largely due to the immigration from abroad. In the Flemish region has continued also after the growth (47% for the same period). The strong growth in the Brussels-capital region was up to the Second World War largely due to domestic migration, after which the city flight that occurred in the second half of the 20th century by immigration from abroad was only taken care of and the population about remained stable. Only since 1996 the population grows there again and now even faster than the national average. This is due to foreign immigration and a higher birth rate in the immigrant population,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-34" len="169" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[34]  because the domestic migration still shows a negative balance. Except in the Brussels-capital region also know the provinces Walloon Brabant and Luxembourg recently a stronger than average growth mainly due to economic migration by the appeal of Brussels and Luxembourg.

Politics
The slopping lock of Ronquières, result ofwafelijzer politics<p len="112" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The post-war politics in Belgium is governed by so called. fault lines. Historically formed fault lines are: <p len="400" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">These fault lines are translated in part to political parties but also run often by parties back.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-polhistbel_35-0" len="180" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [35]  the modified state structure follows that fault lines.
 * the community: this is the new name for what used to be called as the Flemish-Walloon opposites or also the Flemish ontvoogdings fight was described;
 * the social: also called the class warfare or the contrast between the capital and the work people;
 * the philosophical: at first glance the contrast between clerical-anticlerical, but widens to the plane of ethical problems (such as abortion, euthanasia) and the separation of Church and State.

<p len="1548" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Some see in the difference in language also a difference in culture and tradition: Germanic Roman in the North, in the South. This would also express themselves in political differences: the Christian Democrats are relatively stronger in (rural) Flanders than in Wallonia (the formerly industrialised), the reverse is true for the Social Democrats . Formerly was the economic center of gravity of the country in the region Wallonia with its mines and heavy industry, but since the 1960s is outdated and the Walloon industry in crisis. The economic importance of the region Flanders grew by ports, are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the constant growth of theservices sector.

<p len="1588" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Brussels, the capital federal, the capital of the Flemish and Brussels-capital region and the Flemish community, seat of the European Council, European Parliament and European Commission, and a host of other international organization, is without a doubt the most important city of the country, and the most controversial City: it is the commitment of many contentions. Brussels is a Flemish-speaking part of Brabant historical city and the Brussels-capital region lies completely enclosed by the Flemish region. Brussels is the capital of Flanders, but also of the French community. In theory, Brussels is bilingual, but in practice multilingual with French as main language. Like any great city deint Brussels further forward to the Vlaamse Rand, which belongs to the Flemish region. That provides political, community tensions, which can run on high.

<p len="1199" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Characteristic of Belgium was the wafelijzer politics as a means to buy offtensions, whether or not in community issues. Wafelijzer politics came to the effect, that for every public investment in one place a corresponding investment had to be at the competitor or vice versa. Example is the slopping lock of Ronquières Grand-looking to compensate for the expansion of the port of Bruges-Zeebrugge.

<p len="1100" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Was a hot potato between circa 2002 and 2012 the issue of Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde (B-H-V). According to the Constitutional Court was maintaining these select description, while everywhere else by province voted, was unconstitutional. B-H-V was split into the bilingual Brussels-capital region and the Dutch Halle-Vilvoorde, which was integrated in the constituency of Flemish Brabant. This additional funding for Brussels and although in Exchange for language facilities in Halle-Vilvoorde.

<p len="639" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">As a result of the federalization at the end of last century, the political parties have undergone a transformation. The large unitary (national) parties were split into a French-speaking and Dutch-speaking wing (BSP-PSB was SP.a and PS; CVP-PSC was CD & V and cdH); Since then networks the politicians from the various regions (or communities) really mostly within their language group and expired contacts on the language border less smooth, more politicians don't know each other so well (on a personal level), so there is a kind of public communication about the language boundary where the press as "proxy" acts.

State Structure
The Royal Palace in Brussels<p len="4529" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Belgium has a revolutionary uprising after 4 October 1830 Netherlandswas removed from. An attempt to re join France failed, (see rattachisme). Belgium chose independence with a King at the head. Belgium is the only hereditary constitutional people's monarchy in the world headed by the King of the Belgians. This was, under English pressure, a German Prince related to the British Royal family, Leopold of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. His son Leopold II who donated the colony Belgian Congo to Belgium, Albert King-Knight in the Royal question, the controversial Leopold III, the population at the beloved<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-36" len="169" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[36]  Baudouin and then his brother, King Albert II. Filip In 2013 was the seventh King of the Belgians. Belgium is a Federal country since the end of the 20th century and a constitutional monarchy with a King at the head that possesses little formal political power, but in practice can build up enough experience to informal political influence.

<p len="563" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Belgium as a federal state exists from different communities and regions that have their own Government in addition to the Federal Government. TheConstitutiondescribes Belgium<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-37" len="169" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[37]  in the following manner: <p len="1206" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">On 7 February 1831 was the Constitution<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-38" len="169" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[38]  the liberaalste in the world.<sup class="noprint nopopups" len="312" style="line-height:1;"> [source? ] In the second half of the 20th century was in many respects Belgium become a pillarized and divided country, where political leaders themselves could divide and formal and informal power where a breeding ground for scandals and scandals arose.
 * Title 1
 * in Art. 1 says that Belgium is a federal State, made up of the communities and the regions.
 * in Art. 2 that includes Belgium three communities: the Flemish Community, the French Community and the German-speaking community,
 * in Art. 3 that includes Belgium three regions: the Flemish region (Dutch-speakers live, in which above all in certain municipalities with facilities for French-speakers), the Walloon region (in which above all French-speaking and the German-speaking community living, in some boroughs, facilities for Dutch-speakers) and the bilingual Brussels-capital region (in which the Dutch and French legal equivalent),
 * in Art. 4 Belgium four language areas that includes: the Dutch-speaking region, the French-speaking region, the bilingual region of Brussels-capital and the German-speaking area.

<p len="1586" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The Belgian politics became saddled with a conclusive answer various scandals which could not immediately be formulated: the Agustazaak, the gang of Nivelles, the kidnapping of Paul Vanden Boeynants, former Prime Minister the murder on André Cools and the suicide of Alain Van der Biest. The systematic failure of the order-and law enforcement was very clear after the arrest of Marc Dutroux and aroused indignation throughout the country. Reorganization of Court and police insisted on. (see below: police.)

Defence
<p len="3226" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The Belgian army is a professional army: conscription has been abolished. The army consists of the Land component, air component, Belgian Navy and the medical component. The Navy concentrates on minehunting. The air force has F-16 combat aircraft, transport aircraft (C-130, Airbus) and Agusta A109 helicopters. The Land Force has Leopard tanks. The medical department specializes in burn treatment, especially in the military hospital of Neder-Over-Heembeek. The elite unit are the para commando's, who were active in Congoseveral times. The Belgian army is integrated into the NATO and has participated in operations in Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistanand Lebanon . Belgian paratroopers were disarmed and killed during their commitment as blue helmet in Rwanda.

Police
To the local police van Antwerp <p len="1346" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Since the police reform that was carried out in Belgium (law of 7 december 1998) there is only one police office, namely a "integrated police structured on two levels".Those two levels consist of a Federal Police and a local police -that are mutually communicate through specific channels. The former police forces (municipal police, judicial police, gendarmerie ...) were all abolished. This was a result of theMarc Dutroux case of abducted and murdered girls, in which the then fragmented police forces little effective bleaching.

Federalisation
<p len="2106" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The Belgian federalism is for uninitiated complicated and cluttered, because the unitary characteristics (regions are-still-largely financially dependent on the federal tax authorities) and has at the same time draw Confederal (politicians should be-more and more-to an exclusively Flemish or French-speaking voters focus). Gradually grew the opinion that the dual social structure of Belgium no unitary political structure more endures. Belgium was therefore still further decentralized in five State reforms (1970, 1980, 1988-89, 1993 and 2001-2003), to officially in 1993 to be a real Federal State, with the so-called bipolar federalism as a form of Government. Three regions: the Flemish , Walloon(yellow) (red) and Brussels-capital (blue)Three communities: the Flemish, theFrench (yellow) (red) and the German-speaking (blue)<p lang="en" len="1162" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">This federalism, with Wilfried Martensas architect , plumber Jean-Luc Dehaene, Hugo Schiltz, federalist regionalist Guy Sajan controversele and politician Jean Gol is characterized by various Government layers, each with its own elected Parliament and Government:
 * Federal
 * The Federal Government is responsible for defence, Foreign Affairs, economic and Monetary Union, pensions, health insurance ... has the Federal Parliament as legislators and the Federal Government Executive.


 * Three Regions
 * Flemish Region (olive green), Walloon region , Brussels-capital region (red) (blue). The regions are responsible for matters related to the territory: regional planning, environment, agriculture, housing, energy, employment, public works and transport, economy and foreign trade, supervision of municipalities and provinces and development cooperation. Each region has a Government and a Parliament, as the legislative power and executive power.


 * Three communities
 * Dutch-Speaking (olive green), French-speaking (red), German language (blue). The communities are about personal matters: Cultural Affairs, sport, education, research, health, wellbeing and language use. Each community has a Community Council as a Community Government and legislature and Executive.

<p len="405" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The Flemish community and the Flemish region have a common Parliament and Government, both with registered office in Brussels. The Brussels members of the Flemish Parliament should not vote on Flemish region matters.

<p len="925" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In French-speaking Belgium is the more complicated. The French-speaking people decided to their separate governing bodies, namely the Walloon region (seat toNames) and the French Community (corporate office in Brussels) keep apart.

<p len="458" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The German-speaking community has its own Parliament and Government (seat Eupen).

<p len="1485" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The most complicated: in the Brussels-capital region, the Brussels regional Parliament and Government ( BrusselsOffice) competent for region matters, and are the Flemish and French communities each responsible for the own community matters, through the Flemish, French-speaking Community Commission respectively and their executive bodies (colleges). For matters that affect both communities, is the Joint Community Commission in Brussels (and college) have jurisdiction.

<p len="1062" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Regions and communities can decrees or (in the Brussels-capital region) promulgating Ordinances that have the force of law in the own region or the own community. A Special Court, the Constitutional Court, shall ensure that the laws of the Federal Government, the communities and regions shall respect the Division of powers between these different entities. The Constitutional Court can destroy this Division of powers violate legal provisions.

<p len="340" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The pain point are the finances. Now happens along the federal level by social security, investments, railways etc. a net transfer of money from North to South. At transfer of more powers to the communities/regions and also their funding would be the solidarity between the North and the South will be in jeopardy.

<p len="1013" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The capital city of Flanders is Brussels, the capital of Wallonia is Names. Brussels is also the capital of the French-speaking community. The capital of the German-speaking community is Eupen.

Parliaments
The Federal Parliament of Belgium in therue de la Loi in Brussels<p lang="en" len="112" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The six parliaments exist in a total of seven legislative meetings and counting together 537 several members:
 * 1) Federal Parliament of Belgium ( Senate Room 150 members and 74 members)
 * 2) Flemish Parliament (124 members, fusion of 2 legislative meetings namely: Flemish region and Flemish Community)
 * 3) Walloon Parliament (75 members)
 * 4) Parliament Of The Brussels-Capital Region (89 members)
 * 5) Parliament of the French Community (Parlement de la Communauté française de Belgique) (94 members, namely the 75 members of the Walloon Parliament and 19 of the 72 French-speaking members of the Brussels Parliament)
 * 6) Parliament of the German-speaking community (25 members)

Governments
<p lang="en" len="70" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The six Governments count together 48 ministers and 10 secretaries of State: <p len="732" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Some ministers of the Walloon Government are also Minister in the Government of the French community. An example is Rudy Demotte: he has been Minister-president of the Walloon Government and the Government of the French community. In addition, Evelyne Huytebroeck Minister in the Brussels Government and the Government of the French community. There are therefore no 48 different persons Minister.
 * 1) Federal Government (13 ministers and 6 Secretaries of State)
 * 2) Flemish Government (9 ministers)
 * 3) Walloon Government (8 ministers)
 * 4) Government Of The Brussels-Capital Region (5 3 ministers and Secretaries of State)
 * 5) Government of the French Community (7 ministers)
 * 6) Government of the German-speaking community (4 ministers)

Provinces
The five Flemish provinces with at the bottom right of the voerstreek<p lang="en" len="230" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The Flemish region (Flanders) is divided into 5 provinces: The five Walloon provinces with links at the top of Comines-Warneton<p lang="en" len="219" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Also the Walloon region (Wallonia) has 5 provinces: <p lang="en" len="273" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The Brussels-capital region belongs to no single province.
 * 1) Antwerp (capital Antwerp)
 * 2) Limburg (capital Hasselt)
 * 3) East Flanders (capital Ghent)
 * 4) Flemish Brabant (capital Leuven)
 * 5) West-Flanders (capital Bruges)
 * 1) Walloon Brabant (capital Wavre)
 * 2) Hainaut (with its capital at Mountains)
 * 3) Liège (capital Liège)
 * 4) Luxembourg (capital Arlon)
 * 5) Names (capital Names)

<p len="819" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The provinces again from various districts. At the head of each province is a Governor. However, the provincial authorities have little weight. Their existence is sometimes questioned. One of the tasks of the provincial Governor is coordinating the disaster relief of large size (for example, chemical accidents in the ports). Also driving important environmental issues such as nuclear power belongs with its tasks.

<p len="720" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Each Belgian municipality has a Municipal Council as a legislative power and a college of burgomaster and aldermen as Executive power, with the Mayor as head.

Political parties and movements
<p len="2118" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">As a result of the increasing antagonism between Flemings and Francophones are the unitary parties in the sixties and seventies, so still for Belgium a federal State was, one by one fallen apart into separate Flemish and French-speaking parties: Christian Democrats (CD & V; cdH), Socialists (Socialist Party; PS), Liberals (Open Vld; MR) and Greens (Green; Ecolo). Belgium is a federal country without federal political parties, a unique phenomenon in the world and according to a growing number of people are also a risk to the survival of the country.

<p len="1673" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">By the specific way in which Belgium was federalized (based on language groups), there were parties who turn to only one language group. From the Flemish nationalism, after the Egmont Pact in 1977 and the collapse of the volksunie in 2001, the Vlaams Blokparties, N-VA and Spirit originated.

<p len="997" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">When NPOs that the organisation and managed the finances of the Vlaams Blok was condemned for racism, the party renamed the far right Vlaams Belang, which is true. Vlaams Belang and N-VA after theindependence of Flanders and are therefore called secessionist .

<p len="618" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The main French language party is the FDF, which stands up for the interests of the French-speaking inhabitants of Brussel. The party made the liberal MR 2011.

<p len="1750" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">After the introduction of the electoral threshold in 2003 came to counter the trend towards fragmentation by formation of cartels. Thus was born SP.a-Spirit (Spirit was later SLP and broke the cartel in 2008), VLD-Vivant (Vivant is now part of the Open Vld), CD & V-N-VA (the Flemish cartel, now disintegrated). Green! (now Green) refused in 2004 to join the cartel with SP.a to step in. List Davis did not want to talk more with the Vlaams Belang and others about the formation of a legal front, a Forza Flandria.

<p len="535" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">An additional complication is the asymmetry between Flanders and Wallonia. Wallonia has a longer industrial history, making the Socialist PS there traditionally is strong, stronger than the Flemish Socialists of the SP.a. Flanders has a tradition of agriculture and Catholicism, whereby the CD & V is much stronger than its Francophone sister party cdH.

Europe
<p len="3532" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Grow the contradictions within Belgium along the language border. Belgian politicians have previously however substantially contributed to the European integration. In 1921 Belgium cooperate with Luxembourg went in the Belgium-Luxembourg Economic Union and from 1944 with Netherlands and the Grand Duchy of in the Benelux. Paul Henri Spaak in particular has contributed to the ECSC, the EEC and later the EU was.Brussels is home to the European Parliament and the European Commission in the Berlaymont building. Similarly to Evere Belgium houses the headquarters of the NATO to Casteau and the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe.

<p len="2231" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Several Belgians play an important function within the European institutions. Herman Van Rompuy is the very first Permanent President of the European Council or President of the European Council (of Heads of State or Government) and Karel de Gucht EU Trade Commissioner (since 2010) Wilfried Martens, President of the European people's Party, Annemie Neyts, President of the European Liberals Guy Verhofstadt , DEMOCRAT andleader of the Liberals in the European Parliament and Isabelle Durant Vice-President of the European Parliament.

Economy
Steel industry at Liège <p len="4030" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Belgium's economy is based on services, transport and trade. More and more the importance of the industry is taking off. The mining industry is since the last my closed in1991, discontinued. The production of steel, chemical products and cement were traditionally concentrated in the valleys of the Sambre and Meuse, in the Borinagearound Mountains, Charleroi, Namur and Liege and in the Campine coal field. Liège and Charleroi are still steel centers, but the newer metal companies are especially implanted around the port cities Antwerp, Ghent and Bruges. The chemicals include fertilizers, dyes, medicines and plastics; the petrochemical industry is concentrated close to the oil refineries of Antwerp.

<p len="3279" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The textile production, which began in the middle ages, includes linen, cotton, wool and man-made fibres; carpets and rugs are important manufactured products. Ghent,Kortrijk, Tournai and Verviers are all textile centres; Mechelen, Bruges and Brussels are famous for their side. Other industries include Diamond factory (Antwerp is an important diamond Center), cement and glass production, and the processing of leather and wood. More than 55 percent of Belgium's electricity is generated from nuclear energy.

<p len="1483" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The Belgian industry depends on imports for its raw materials. Most iron came from the basin of Lorraine in France, while the non-ferrous metal products of the colonies be made from imported raw materials, including copper, zinc, lead and tin.

<p len="2838" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The output (trade) includes iron and steel, transport equipment, tractors, diamonds and petroleum products. The industrial centres with each other and with the main ports, Antwerp, Ghentand Bruges-Zeebrugge, linked by the rivers Scheldt and Meuse and their tributaries, by a network of channels (in particular, the Albert Canal Ghent-Terneuzen Canal and the Boudewijn Canal), and by an extensive rail system.

<p len="3014" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Belgium has a lot of fertile and well-watered land, although agriculture represents an ever smaller percentage of the workforce. The main crops are corn, wheat, oats, barley, rye, sugar beets, potatoes and flax. Thepigs as well as Cattle and dairy production (especially in Flanders) are also important. The processed foods include sugar to Tienen, especially cheese and other dairy products; beer to Leuven and other drinks, among others, are also manufactured.

<p len="2343" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">More important than agriculture may be intensive horticulture and fruit-growing, also for export, both in greenhouses, once started in the glass village in full ground, Hoeilaartas: chicory, Brussels sprouts, asparagus,tomato, lettuce, strawberries and much more. So is spoken in English of "Brussels sprouts" and of the "Belgian endives" and is known in the German "Brüsseler". The auctions of Sint-Katelijne-Waver and Hoogstraten's are internationally known. Also the road network plays an important role here for the auction were quick to transport to the consumers.

<p len="747" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The unit of currency is the single European currency since 1 January 2002, euro (EUR) is the only legal tender. Before this was the Belgian franc (BEF). Since 1 January 1999, this was already linked to the common European currency. (1 euro = 40.3399 BEF) From 1926 to 1946, there is also a value as currency, which had been the Belga of five BEF. this denomination was not popular and was abolished in 1946.

Traffic
The port of Antwerp <p len="2217" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Belgium is an international node for the carriage of goods or passengers, with an extensive route network of motorways and expressways. The railway network is operated by the National Railway Company of Belgium (SNCB). The first train on the European mainland drove in 1835 of Mechelen to Brussels. The main other public transportcompanies for the lineare the Flemish, the Walloon and the Brussels STIB TEC. Those three networks are hardly on each other, so that fragmentation also does not benefit the efficiency here.

<p len="2515" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The port of Antwerp is on Rotterdam after the largest in Europe. There is, among other things, the second largest petrochemical complex in the world, after that inHouston. Also the port of Bruges-Zeebrugge and the port of Ghent are important goods ports. Zeebrugge is regarded as the nation's largest passenger port, Europe's leading roro-and natural gas port and the world's most important car port. In addition, the port of Ostend also has a significant meaning as rorohaven. Zeebrugge is the most important Belgian fishing port, followed by Oostende and Nieuwpoort. Brussels and Liege have important inland ports.

<p len="1307" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">There are civil airports at Brussels (Zaventem), Charleroi (Gosselies), Antwerp (Deurne), Liège (Bierset) and Oostende.

Media
The joint radio mast of VRT and RTBF in Brussels<p len="2780" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The Dutch-speaking and French-speaking public broadcasters are located in Brussels in the same complex on the Boulevard Reyers. For the Dutch speakers is that theVRT: Flemish Radio and television. For the French-speakers is that the Radio-Télévision belge de la Communauté française (RTBF). (Note the reference to French-speaking Belgium in the denomination and its absence in the Flemish name.) In addition, there are commercial tv stations as VTM, 2BE , VT4 RTL to Flemish side and on the French-speaking side. The public service broadcasters send each different radio programs and are receiving more and more competition from private channels. In addition there are recognized free radios. The law relating to its application is done by language community, which around Brussels is causing problems because some FM programs from one language group of the other language group with a greater capacity crowd. There are dozens of newspapers and magazines in the three languages.There are ten Flemish newspapers from which those with the largest circulation of the the latest news is. There appear 18 French-speaking newspapers, of which the best known is the Brussels Le Soir . For the German-speaking community is there Grenz-Echo. The belfry of Bruges===Tourism=== <p len="6467" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The art cities of Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp, Mechelen and Brussels attract travelers for their historic buildings, beguinages, architecture and museums include the Plantin-Moretus Museum as World Heritage. Especially the Art nouveau of Horta is unique. Typical attractions for tourists are the atomium in Brussels left over from Expo 58 and Manneken Pis. Japanese tourists often visit Bruges, Antwerp and.. Hoboken, in Japan because of the popular book a dog of Flanders. The coast attracts bathers for the beach, the sea and cycling. In Limburg was in 2006 the first Flemish National Park open, discovered by more and more tourists if walking and cycling area. The cycle route network is a concept that has emerged here after the mine closures. The Ardennes lure tourists for hiking, rock climbing and descents of torrents with kayaks and in winter cross-country skiing. Also the ship lifts at La Louvière are world heritage, just like the Citadel of Namur and the Neolithic flint mines ofSpiennes. Famous Belgian folklore, such as the Gilles of Binche, the Ros Beiaard of Dendermonde, the procession of the Holy Blood of Bruges or the Ommegang of giants in Antwerp, also attracts many tourists. Spa is in English synonym for health resort.

Art
The cross by Rubens hangs in theCathedral of our Lady (Antwerp).<p len="2456" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Belgium has a rich tradition of painting. This began with the Flemish primitives such as Jan van Eyck and Hans Memling. This came to fruition with Quinten Matsijs, Pieter Bruegel the elder, Peter Paul Rubens, Jacob Jordaens and Anthony van Dyck. This was followed by Constant Permeke, Paul Delvaux , René Magritteand James Ensor.

<p len="4341" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In the field of literature, Belgium one Nobel Laureate: Maurice Maeterlinck. Along side his French-speaking authors like Georges Simenon Maigret and CommissionerAmélie Nothomb 's most well-known. Hendrik Conscience, Ernest Claes and Felix Timmermans started to write in Dutch. Gerard Walschap, Willem Elsschot, Louis Paul Boon brought this to further development. Johan D Souza and Hubert Lampo launched it magic realism. Hugo Claus and Jef Geeraerts brought literature with more speed.Contemporary writers are Pieter Aspe, Herman brusselmans, Kristien Hemmerechts and Anne Provoost. Were famous poets Guido Gezelle, Albrecht Rodenbach, Paul Pike and Herman de Coninck.

<p len="3221" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">A mixture of the pictorial and text are comics, with world famous comic artists as of Tintin Hergé , Edgar p. Jacobs of Blake and Mortimer, Willy vandersteen , Suske en Wiskes Marc Sleen , Neros Pom by Carol page and Haitham Baghdadi, Jef Nys of Peyo , Kobyof the Smurfs and Franquin of Gaston Lagaffe .

<p len="1855" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Adolphe Sax invented the saxophone out. Well-known music artists are Toots Thielemans, Jacques Brel, Axelle Red, Arno Hintjensand Dani Klein . Sandra Kim won theEurovision Song Contest in 1986.

<p len="2012" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The best known opera is La Monnaie in Brussels, where the Belgian revolution began after a performance of la Muette de Portici. Famous ballet-choreographers are Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker and Jeanne Brabants. Actor Jean-Claude Van Damme and Jan Decleir are internationally known, just like the fashion designers Dries Van Notenand Dirk Bikkembergs , Walter Van Beirendonck.

Education and science
The Catholic University of Leuven dates from 1425 and is the oldest of the Netherlands <p len="579" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Since 1980 the education belongs to the competence of the communities. With few exceptions, there are no more "Belgian" schools, but Dutch, French, or German-speaking. The education is divided into education networks: <p len="2291" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The largest University is the Catholic University of Leuven. They founded in 1425 and is the oldest of the Netherlands. In addition, there are Dutch-speaking universities of Ghent, Brussels, Antwerp, Kortrijk and Maastricht to Hasselt, where with a transnational University are in progress. The French-speaking universities are located in Louvain-la-Neuve, Liège, Brussels, Mons and Namur. The universities of Leuven and Louvain-la-Neuve are Catholic and also in Brussels, there is a Catholic University of Brussels in addition to two liberal universities: the Dutch-speaking Free University of Brussels and the French-speaking Université Libre de Bruxelles. The education landscape is by Division into language, philosophy of life and organization so more fragmented than in other countries. In Antwerp in 2003 were a Catholic, urban and national institution into a single institution: University of Antwerp.
 * formal education, organized by the civil government (communities, provinces and municipalities) and
 * free education, organized by private organisations, but recognized and subsidized by the State. The Catholic net is the largest.

<p len="4044" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Well-known scientists are Nobel Laureate Ilya Prigogine in 1977 with his contributions to the thermodynamics, Georges Lemaître who described the Big Bang and Nobel Laureate 2013 François Englert known from the Brout-Englert-Higgs particle. In the field of medicine delivered in Belgium the following Nobel Prize winners: 1974 Albert Claude and Christian De Duve, Corneille Heymans in 1938 and in 1919 Jules Bordet. The tradition runs back to Andreas Vesaliusand Rembert Dodoens , Jan Palfijn. The pharmacologist Paul Jackson and Peter Piot aids fight, also at close to that tradition. Dirk Frimout, the Belgian Frank De Winne and astronauts.

Sports
World cyclo-cross champion Erwin Vervecken<p len="3349" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Football is the most widely practiced sport among young people. As early as the beginning of the 20th century football and cycling grew out to become the most popular sports with extensive presscoverage. Exponent is Eddy Merckx, one of the best cyclists of all time. Before there were champions like Rik Van steenbergen and Rik Van Looy. Contemporaries were Patrick Sercu, Herman Van Springel, Walter Godefroot, Roger De Vlaeminck, Lucien Van Impe and Freddy Maertens. Cycling championsJohan Museeuwcame afterwards, Peter Van Petegem, Tom Boonen and Philippe Gilbert.

<p len="3262" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Popular multiple world champions cyclo-cross as Eric De Vlaeminck, Roland Liboton, Sven Nys, Bart Wellens, Erwin Vervecken, Mario De Clercq and Niels Albert. So too is traditionally strong in Belgium Motocross with world champions as Joël Robert, Roger De Coster, André Malherbe, Gaston Rahier, Eric Geboers, Joël Smets , Harry Evertsand Stefan Everts.

<p len="1876" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Belgium also has a tradition of athletics, especially distance runners as Gaston Roelants, Olympic champion Karel Lismont, Miel Puttemans and Ivo Van Damme. This continues in Triathlon, including Marc herremans, who after a heavy accident now as a wheelchair athlete Triathlon practises, Rutger Beke and Luc Van Lierde, who twice won the Iron Man .

<p len="2722" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Billiards is widely practiced. Belgium dominated the sport with three band pioneer René Vingerhoedt, Raymond Ceulemans who was 35 times world champion and Ludo Dielis that 9 times world champion was and more recently as world champion Eddy Merckx the namesake of the cyclist. Belgium knew success in judo with Robert Van de Walle, Ingrid berghmans, Ulla Werbrouck won Olympic gold and Gella Vandecaveyethat. In women's tennis dominated the Flemish Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin the Walloon.

<p len="993" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">High jumper Tia Hellebaut won the gold medal at the Olympics in Beijing. The Belgian sports physician Jacques Rogge is President of the International Olympic Committee. Belgium has organized the 7th 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp.

Food and drinks
Country wedding by Bruegel<p len="2378" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The Belgian food culture developed in the Burgundian attitude to life. The painting The Peasant wedding by Pieter Bruegel the elder depicts this out. Abroad are the friesespecially misunderstood as a Belgian invention (it is often french fries). Regional dishes that have kicked it to the international cuisine are game dishes such as wild boar, deer or terrines, Mechelen Malines cuckoo or capons, rabbit with plums, mussels, Waterzooi and Ghent but also are Ostendaise visvariant contribute to the reputation of Belgian cuisine.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-39" len="169" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [39]  other typical Belgian dishes are stew, paling in 't groen, stew and Black pudding with Apple sauce, as well as the huge variety of charcuterie, cold meats.

<p len="507" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Belgian cuisine is a civilian variant on the French cuisine. In 2007, there were two restaurants with three Michelin stars, ten with two stars and 89 with one star.

<p len="507" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Belgium has more than 365 different beers. With InBev is the largest brewery group in the world<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-40" len="169" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[40]  Belgian.

<p len="2895" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Belgium is known for its chocolate, particularly pralines ("Belgian chocolates"). The first manufactured in 1912 Jean Neuhaus praline, and his trademark Neuhaus still exists, in addition to including Leonidas and Godiva. In the early 20th century there was from the Belgian Congo and the supply of high-quality cocoa processing industry could refine technical. The majority (more than 90%<sup class="noprint nopopups" len="312" style="line-height:1;">[citation needed] ) of the chocolate produced in Belgium consists of quality chocolate with cocoa butter without the addition of other (plant or animal) fats. In addition to the previously mentioned chocolatiers, there are also a lot of artisan chocolatiers that are very high quality products<sup class="noprint nopopups" len="312" style="line-height:1;">[source?], some manufacturing only chocolate products (dolls and pralines), others have a more limited production that they incorporate into the rest of their offerings, as a Baker-patissier, as restaurant owner and so on.

Environment
<p len="794" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The environment in Belgium is under pressure due to the high population density. The country is with its motorways a turntable (transport along the water, on the roads and a compressed-air traffic). Ribbon development is a legacy of the habit in the past in order to build stone houses along all roads in Flanders instead of to expand the village centres. There is suburbanisation and through the construction of superhighways were natural areas more and more fragmented.

Water Quality
<p len="3641" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Especially in Antwerp and Brussels let the<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-41" len="169" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[41]  water quality in the rivers to be desired. Still, there is progress. The quality of the Zenne water<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-42" len="169" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[42]  South of Brussels is significantly improved since 2000 (source:Natuurpunt)<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-43" len="169" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[43]  since two wastewater treatment plants,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-44" len="169" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[44]  Brussels and Brussels-South, were activated in default by Europe after Belgium was posed. Because the water quality of the Zenne already in the 19th century was so bad that the river meant a danger to public health, it was decided to the Senne to arch itduring his walk through Brussels. Until the commissioning of the new water treatment stations in the early 21st century flowed untreated waste water of the city of Brussels in the Senne and afterwards by the Flemish region via the Rupel and the Scheldt. The Senne is the only river that flows through three regions and part of the problem finds there its cause. Although the River Lys in the 1990s was still strongly polluted and barely contained fish, there is now a positive turning point to observe. In 2007 could at all places along the Lys again fish be caught. The water in Limburg is after the approach of the water purification often of good quality but in Wallonia is the water quality of the river Meuse still a thorny issue. Industrial pollution for comes sporadically, making the drinking water supply for Antwerp along the Albert Canal is compromised.

Air Quality
<p len="1830" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The air around Kortrijk-Roeselare, Antwerp, Brussels, Bruges-Zeebrugge, Liège, Charleroi and Ghent Canal area is as contaminated as in the Ruhr area in Germany. The massive car traffic and Agriculture provide a high concentrations of particulate matter and ozone in the air, especially in hot weather in the summer and at inversion in winter. Around Antwerp is one of the largest concentrations of petrochemical industry in the world. North of Ghent, especially by the steel industry, the air contains a large amount of carcinogens and fine dust. In the rest of Belgium, especially in Wallonia (except the areas around Liège and Charleroi, where steel industry and cement kilns are implanted), it is better posed with the air largely because forests and agricultural fields. The household waste of the Brussels-capital region for years was burned in the waste incineration plant of Neder-Over-Heembeek according to less stringent standards than valid in Flanders (VLAREM), although the flue gases at the prevailing wind drove to the Flemish region. Also this is only after intervention of Europe improved.

Soil Pollution
<p len="5257" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In several places the soil contaminated by the industry (black points). But despite this pollution is this one of the better points in Belgium in the field of the environment. It is less well in other European countries such as Netherlands (because of industry and fertilization)<sup class="noprint nopopups" len="312" style="line-height:1;">[citation needed]. Especially in West Flanders lies the high nitrate content of groundwater by intensive pig farming for export. The various manure action plansremained a dead letter in practice partly. There is a historical ground around Overpelt pollution with heavy metals like cadmium due to the former activities of non-ferrous Metallurgyindustry. Similarly to the South of Antwerp in Hoboken : pollution with lead. To Kapelle-op-den-Bos is also historical pollution<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-45" len="169" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[45]  with Eternit's asbestos . Around Genk is there pollution including ArcelorMittal's nickel .Mol exists to radioactive pollution of air-cooled experimental nuclear reactors and at Dessel<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-46" len="169" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[46]  is pollution of storing radioactive waste leaking vessels. Around there is pollution by discharges of Tessenderlo Tessenderlo Chemie in the Nete.

Noise Pollution
<p len="807" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">With the busy human activity is also noise a pain point. A typical example is to Brussels Airport Zaventem. The Flemish, Brussels and Walloon authorities shall order the nuisance of different sound standards, especially night flights from DHL to the other regions especially to move.