Belgium
The Country of the Week
Quick Facts
- Capital
- Brussels
- Population
- 11,960,170 (2025 est.)
- Area
- 30,528 sq km
- Government
- federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy
- Religions
- Roman Catholic 57.1%, Protestant 2.3%, other Christian, 2.8%, Muslim 6.8%, other 1.7%, atheist 9.1%, nonbeliever/agnostic 20.2% (2018 est.)
- Ethnic Groups
- Belgian 75.2%, Italian 4.1%, Moroccan 3.7%, French 2.4%, Turkish 2%, Dutch 2%, other 10.6% (2012 est.)
- Currency
- euros (EUR)
- Life Expectancy
- 82.3 years (2024 est.)
- Internet Domain
- .be
- 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
- Natural Resources
- construction materials, silica sand, carbonates, arable land
- Major Exports
- refined petroleum, natural gas, vaccines, cars, packaged medicine (2023)
Source: CIA World Factbook (public domain)
Overview
Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830; it was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. The country prospered as a modern, technologically advanced European state and member of NATO and the EU.