Belgium

Map of Belgium

Country name	Kingdom of Belgium
Capital	Brussels
Independence	4 October 1830 (a provisional government declared independence from the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King LEOPOLD I ascended to the throne)
National holiday	21 July (1831) ascension to the Throne of King LEOPOLD I
Population	10,438,353 (July 2012 est.)
Sex ratio	1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2011 est.)
Nationality	Belgian(s)
Religions	Roman Catholic 75%, other (includes Protestant) 25%
Languages	Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French)
Literacy	Age 15 and over can read and write Total population: 99% Male: 99% Female: 99% (2003 est.)
Location	Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands
Geographic coordinates	50 50 N, 4 00 E
Map references	Europe
Area	Total: 30,528 sq km Land: 30,278 sq km Water: 250 sq km
Area - comparative	about the size of Maryland
Land boundaries	Total: 1,385 km Border countries: France 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km, Netherlands 450 km
Coastline	66.5 km
Maritime claims	Territorial sea: 12 nm Contiguous zone: 24 nm Exclusive economic zone: geographic coordinates define outer limit Continental shelf: median line with neighbors
Climate	Temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy
Terrain	flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast
Elevation extremes	lowest point: North Sea 0 m highest point: Botrange 694 m
Natural resources	construction materials, silica sand, carbonates
Exports - commodities	Machinery and equipment, Chemicals, Finished Diamonds, Metals and metal products,Foodstuffs
Imports - commodities	Raw Materials, Machinery and Equipment, Chemicals, Raw Diamonds, Pharmaceuticals, Foodstuffs, Transportation equipment, Oil products
Land use	Arable land: 27.42% Permanent crops: 0.69% Other: 71.89% Note: includes Luxembourg (2005)
Irrigated land	230 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources	20.8 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)	total: 7.44 cu km/yr (13%/85%/1%) per capita: 714 cu m/yr (1998)
Natural hazards	flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes
Environment - current issues	the environment is exposed to intense pressures from human activities: urbanization, dense transportation network, industry, extensive animal breeding and crop cultivation; air and water pollution also have repercussions for neighboring countries; uncertainties regarding federal and regional responsibilities (now resolved) had slowed progress in tackling environmental challenges
Environment - international agreements	party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note	crossroads of Western Europe; most West European capitals within 1,000 km of Brussels, the seat of both the European Union and NATO