Belgium

Belgium, official the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU’s headquarters, as well as those of several other major international organizations such as NATO. Belgium covers an area of 30,528 square kilometers (11,787 square miles) and it has a population of about 11 million people. Straddling the cultural boundary between Germanic and Latin Europe, Belgium is home to two main linguistic groups, the Dutch-speakers, mostly Flemish, and the French-speakers, mostly Walloons, plus a small group of German-speakers. Belgium’s two larges regions are the Dutch-speaking region of Flanders in the north and the French-speaking southern region of Wallonia. The Brussels-Capital Region, officially bilingual, is mostly a French-speaking enclave within the Flemish Region. A small German-speaking community exists in eastern Wallonia. Belgium’s linguistic diversity and related political and cultural conflicts are reflected in the political history and a complex system of government.

Belgium shares borders with France, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Its total area, including surface water area, is 33,990 square kilometers; land area alone is 30,528 square kilometers.

The climate is maritime temperate with significant precipitation in all season. The average temperature is lowest in January at 3°C (37,4°F) and highest in July at 18°C (64,4°F).

Belgium has three official languages, which are in order of native speaker population in Belgium: Dutch, French and German. A number of non-official minority languages are spoken as well.