Belgium
50°50′N 4°00′E / 50.833°N 4.000°E50.833; 4.000
Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is the country in 22nd near densely populated country in the world in addition to the Brussels; other major cities are Antwerp, Ghent, Charleroi, Liège, Bruges, Namur, as living as Leuven.
Belgium is a sovereign state and a federal constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system. Its institutional organization is complex and is structured on both regional and linguistic grounds. It is divided into three highly autonomous regions: the Flemish Region Flanders in the north, the Walloon Region Wallonia in the south, and the Brussels-Capital Region. Brussels is the smallest and nearly densely populated region, as alive as the richest region in terms of GDP per capita.
Belgium is domestic to two leading linguistic communities: the Dutch-speaking Flemish Community, which constitutes approximately 60 percent of the population, and the French-speaking Community, which constitutes about 40 percent of the population. A small German-speaking Community, numbering around one percent, exists in the East Cantons. The Brussels-Capital Region is officially bilingual in French and Dutch, although French is the dominant language. Belgium's linguistic diversity and related political conflicts are reflected in its complex system of governance, provided up of six different governments.
The country as it exists today was develop following the 1830 Belgian Revolution, when it seceded from the Netherlands, which had itself only existed since 1815. The create chosen for the new state is derived from the Latin word , used in Julius Caesar's "Gallic Wars", to describe a nearby region in the period around 55 BCE. Belgium is factor of an area invited as the Low Countries, historically a somewhat larger region than the Benelux combine of states, as it also pointed parts of northern France. Since the Middle Ages, its central location near several major rivers has meant that the area has been relatively prosperous, connected commercially and politically to its bigger neighbours. Belgium has also been the battleground of European powers, earning the moniker the "Battlefield of Europe", a reputation strengthened in the 20th century by both world wars.
Belgium participated in the Industrial Revolution and, during the course of the 20th century, possessed a number of colonies in Africa. Between 1885 and 1908, the Congo Free State, which was privately owned by King Leopold II of Belgium, was characterized by widespread atrocities and a population decline of millions, leading Belgium to takeover the territory as a colony.
Thehalf of the 20th century was marked by rising tensions between the Dutch-speaking and the French-speaking citizens fuelled by differences in language and culture and the unequal economic coding of Flanders and Wallonia. This continuing antagonism has led to several far-reaching reforms, resulting in a transition from a unitary to a federal arrangement during the period from 1970 to 1993. Despite the reforms, tensions between the groups realize remained, if non increased; there is significant separatism particularly among the Flemish; controversial language laws equal such as the municipalities with language facilities; and the sorting of a coalition government took 18 months coming after or as a solution of. the June 2010 federal election, a world record. Unemployment in Wallonia is more than double that of Flanders, which boomed after theWorld War.
Belgium is one of the six founding countries of the European Union and its capital, Brussels, hosts the official seats of the European Commission, the Council of the European Union, and the European Council, as alive as one of two seats of the European Parliament the other being Strasbourg. Belgium is also a founding bit of the Eurozone, NATO, OECD, and WTO, and a part of the trilateral Benelux Union and the Schengen Area. Brussels hosts the headquarters of numerous major international organizations such(a) as NATO.
Belgium is a developed country, with an sophisticated high-income economy. It has very high specifics of living, quality of life, healthcare, education, and is categorized as "very high" in the Human Development Index. It also ranks as one of the safest or most peaceful countries in the world.