Belgium

Table of Contents

Introduction & Quick Facts
Land
- Relief, drainage, and soils
- Climate
- Plant and animal life
People
- Ethnic groups and languages
- Religion
- Settlement patterns
- Demographic trends
Economy
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing
- Resources and power
- Manufacturing
- Finance
- Trade
- Services
- Labour and taxation
- Transportation and telecommunications
Government and society
- Constitutional framework
- Local government
- Justice
- Political process
- Security
- Health and welfare
- Housing
- Education
Cultural life
- Cultural milieu
- Daily life and social customs
- The arts
- Cultural institutions
- Sports and recreation
- Media and publishing
History
- The Spanish Netherlands
  - Administration
  - Economic developments
- The Austrian Netherlands
- French administration
- The Kingdom of the Netherlands
- Independent Belgium before World War I
  - Liberal dominance
  - Period of Catholic government
- Through two world wars
  - Belgium and World War I
  - The interwar period
  - Nazi occupation
- Belgium after World War II
- Federalized Belgium

References & Edit History Facts & Stats

Images, Videos & Interactives

Exploring Antwerp, Belgium

Belgium: National composition

ethnic and linguistic composition of Belgium

Belgium: Religious affiliation

For Students

Belgium summary

Read Next

Guild houses along the Lys River in Ghent, Belgium.

11 Buildings That Reveal Belgium’s History

Discover

Image of Antenna galaxy

The Fermi Paradox: Where Are All the Aliens?

illustration of the walking titanosaurus, Patagotitan mayorum

Titanosaurs: 8 of the World's Biggest Dinosaurs

Title: Senate Square, St. Petersburg, December 14, 1825: repression of the troop mutiny - watercolor by Carl Ivanovitch Kollman, 1825 depicts Decembrist uprising clashing with cavalry, with spectators watching. (new style December 26, 1825) Europe. Saint

8 of the Largest Empires in History

New York NY/ USA- November 23, 2018 Hordes of shoppers throng the Macy's Herald Square flagship store in New York looking for bargains on the day after Thanksgiving, Black Friday.

Why Is It Called Black Friday?

American bison (Bison bison) also known as buffalo or plains buffalo on the prairie, western U.S.

What’s the Difference Between Bison and Buffalo?

The tomb of Saint Nicholas in the crypt of the Basilica di San Nicola, Bari, Apulia, Italy

Do the Relics of Saint Nicholas Really Emit a Holy Substance?

Secret Service Agent Listens To Earpiece

Secret Service Code Names of 11 U.S. Presidents

Belgium: Facts & Stats

Written and fact-checked by The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Facts

Also Known As	Koninkrijk België • Königreich Belgien • Kingdom of Belgium • Royaume de Belgique
Head Of Government	Prime Minister: Alexander De Croo
Capital	Brussels
Population	(2024 est.) 11,870,000
Currency Exchange Rate	1 USD equals 0.937 euro
Head Of State	King Philippe
Form Of Government	federal constitutional monarchy with two legislative houses (Senate [60¹]; House of Representatives [150])
Official Languages	Dutch; French; German
Official Religion	none
Official Name	Koninkrijk België (Dutch); Royaume de Belgique (French); Königreich Belgien (German) (Kingdom of Belgium)
Total Area (Sq Km)	30,689
Total Area (Sq Mi)	11,849
Monetary Unit	euro (€)
Population Rank	(2023) 83
Population Projection 2030	11,905,000
Density: Persons Per Sq Mi	(2024) 1,001.8
Density: Persons Per Km	(2024) 386.8
Urban-Rural Population	Urban: (2024) 98.2% • Rural: (2024) 1.8%
Life Expectancy At Birth	Male: (2022) 79.5 years • Female: (2022) 83.8 years
Literacy: Percentage Of Population Age 15 And Over Literate	Male: 100% • Female: 100%
Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000)	(2023) 644,688
Gni Per Capita (U.S.$)	(2023) 54,530
¹In May 2014 membership decreased from 71 to 60; regional and community parliaments select 50 members; those members select the remaining 10.

Photos and Videos

ethnic and linguistic composition of Belgium

Belgium: royal family

Exploring Antwerp, Belgium

How to make Belgian chocolates

National anthem of Belgium

See All Videos, Images, Audio and Interactives →

Topics

World War II World War I casualties of World War II World War II: The horror of war in pictures Scramble for Africa aviation in World War I League of Nations Remembering World War I European Union North Atlantic Treaty Organization United States India United Kingdom China Canada Russia Germany Australia Japan France

Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic

Leopold II

Leopold II

king of Belgium

King Leopold III, 1950.

Leopold III

king of Belgium

Van Rompuy, Herman

Herman Van Rompuy

prime minister of Belgium

Willy Claes

Willy Claes

Belgian statesman

King Philippe of Belgium

Philippe, king of Belgium

king of Belgium

Leopold I, photograph by Nadar (Gaspard-Felix Tournachon).

Leopold I

king of Belgium

Albert II

Albert II

king of Belgium

Paul-Henri Spaak.

Paul-Henri Spaak

Belgian statesman

Charles Latour Rogier

Belgian statesman

Frère-Orban, detail of an oil painting by Louis Gallait, 1880; in the Banque Nationale, Brussels

Walthère Frère-Orban

prime minister of Belgium

Émile Vandervelde

Émile Vandervelde

Belgian statesman

Albert I

Albert I

king of Belgium

Henri van der Noot

Belgian political leader

Guy Verhofstadt

prime minister of Belgium

Camille Huysmans, oil painting by Isidore Opsomer, 1948

Camille Huysmans

Belgian writer and statesman

Jaspar, marble bust by Victor Rousseau; in the Chambre des Représentants, Brussels

Henri Jaspar

Belgian statesman

Gaston Eyskens

prime minister of Belgium

Léon Degrelle

Belgian politician

Henri-Alexis Brialmont

Belgian engineer

Jean-François Vonck

Belgian political leader

Map showing the countries of Europe with national capitals and surrounding bodies of water, including the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and Black Sea.

Europe

continent

Brussels: Grand' Place

Brussels

national capital, Belgium

Antwerp, Belgium

Antwerp

Belgium

guild houses

Ghent

Belgium

Liège

Liège

Belgium

Brugge, Belgium

Brugge

Belgium

Leuven, Belgium: library at the Catholic University

Leuven

Belgium

Charleroi

Charleroi

Belgium

Tournai: Cathedral of Notre Dame

Tournai

Belgium

Mons: Waux-Hall Park

Mons

Belgium

Eupen

Eupen-et-Malmédy

region, Belgium

Namur, Belgium

Namur

Belgium

Mechelen: cathedral of St. Rumoldus

Mechelen

Belgium

barkentine

Ostend

Belgium

Broelbrug (bridge) and towers, across the Leie River, Kortrijk, Belg.

Kortrijk

Belgium

Quiz

Brown globe on antique map. Brown world on vintage map. North America. Green globe. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery

Match the Country with Its Hemisphere Quiz

10:087 Ocean: The World of Water, two globes showing eastern and western hemispheres

You Name It!

7:023 Geography: Think of Something Big, globe showing Africa, Europe, and Eurasia

Which Country Is Larger By Area? Quiz

Flags of all countries of the world. Flags of the world. National flags. Country flags. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery

The Country Quiz

Actual continental drift of plates. Thematic map.

Geography Fun Facts

Brown globe on antique map. Brown world on vintage map. North America. Green globe. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery

Countries & Their Features

Flags of the world. National flags. Country flags. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery

Countries of the World

Flags of the world against blue sky. Countries, International. Globalization, global relations, Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, Poland, Palestine, Japan. Homepage 2010, arts and entertainment, history and society

Which Country Is Larger By Population? Quiz

Opened passport with visas, stamps, seals, world map. (travel, tourism)

Guess the Country by Its Neighbors Quiz

Flags of all nations of the world. Grouping of various country flags on a world map.

Which Country Is Larger? Quiz

List

Guild houses along the Lys River in Ghent, Belgium.

11 Buildings That Reveal Belgium’s History