The Kingdom of Belgium (Dutch: Koninkrijk België; French: Royaume de Belgique; German: Königreich Belgien) is a country in northwest Europe bordered by the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg and France and is one of the founding and core members of the European Union. Belgium has a population of over ten million people, in an area of around 30,000 square kilometres (11,700 square miles), mostly Flemish (over 6 million), a large minority of French-speakers (4 million, 3/4 of them Walloon) and a tiny German-speaking group. Straddling the cultural boundary between Germanic and Romance Europe, it is linguistically divided. Two major languages are spoken in Belgium: Dutch is mainly spoken in Flanders to the north, while French in Wallonia in the south. The capital, Brussels, is officially bilingual, while the majority of its residents speak French and an officially-recognized German-speaking minority is present, in the east of the country. This linguistic diversity often leads to political and cultural conflict and is reflected in Belgium's complex system of government and political history.

Belgium derives its name from the Belgae, a group of mostly Celtic tribes, and from the Roman province in northern Gaul, known as Gallia Belgica. Historically, Belgium has been a part of the Low Countries, which also include the Netherlands and Luxembourg and were covering a somewhat larger region than the current Benelux group of states. From the end of the Middle Ages until the seventeenth century, it was a prosperous centre of commerce and culture. From the sixteenth century until independence in 1830, Belgium, called at that time the Southern Netherlands, was the site of many battles between the European powers, and has been dubbed "the cockpit of Europe."Nuttall encyclopedia More recently, Belgium was a founding member of the European Union, hosting its headquarters, as well as those of other major international organizations, such as NATO.

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@J_aeryn I wish you could came to Belgium again..
Dizzyke31 (SaRa Van Elven) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:39:54 -0000
@J_aeryn I wish you could came to Belgium again..
http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/BRINGJUSTINTOBELGIUM Sign this ! Even you don't live in Belgium :)
charreeeee (charlotte) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:37:29 -0000
http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/BRINGJUSTINTOBELGIUM Sign this ! Even you don't live in Belgium :)
HAHA! So apparently Danielle & Kevin are getting married November 14th? How convenient that they chose Belgium, the country where I live xD
sangora (Sabrina) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:35:31 -0000
HAHA! So apparently Danielle & Kevin are getting married November 14th? How convenient that they chose Belgium, the country where I live xD
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gastricbands (Gastric Band) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:35:31 -0000
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Writing a #postcrossing postcard to Belgium
BamBam_Rockwell (BamBam_Rockwell) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:34:53 -0000
Writing a #postcrossing postcard to Belgium
Tennis News WTA Bali result: Group C: 3-Yanina Wickmayer (Belgium) beat 12-Kimiko Date Krumm (Japan).. http://bit.ly/2t52m3
busterhuster (Berengue) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:34:51 -0000
Tennis News WTA Bali result: Group C: 3-Yanina Wickmayer (Belgium) beat 12-Kimiko Date Krumm (Japan).. http://bit.ly/2t52m3

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