Belgium's position in relation to the main land forces. Economic and geographical location. Natural conditions and resources____________________5

13.02.2021

Description.

Economic geographical position, economics, politics, population, climate, culture

Excerpt from the work.

Abstract on geography on the topic:

Country of foreign Europe:

Introduction______________ _ 3

Economic-geographical location_____________ 4

Natural conditions and resources_______ _5

Population_____ _ 7

Household ______________________ 10

Climate___________ _13

Culture______ _14

Introduction.

Economic and geographical location.

Belgium borders the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg and France, only narrow strip The North Sea separates it from Great Britain. Within a radius of 250 km from Brussels, the capital of the country, there are such large cities as Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Cologne, Dusseldorf, Lille, Reims. Thus, Belgium is located in the center of the most densely populated and industrialized Europe. Transport routes have long passed through its territory, connecting neighboring states with each other and with the North Sea. This geographical location contributed to a high level of economic development and the establishment of extensive international relations and at the same time brought many troubles to the country. There have been few wars in Western Europe that have bypassed Belgium.

Its location between the major Western European countries acquired a new aspect due to the abolition of some customs restrictions on trade with neighboring countries, which, together with Belgium, united in 1957 to form the European Economic Community. Belgium becomes, as it were, the geographical center of the community, where enterprises working for other countries of the “common market” are located. It is from here that it is most convenient to export to the Ruhr and Saar regions of Germany, Luxembourg, northern and eastern France, the Netherlands and the UK, the Belgian port of Antwerp is becoming one of the largest ports in Europe in terms of cargo turnover, and Brussels is becoming the administrative and financial capital of the “common market”. NATO headquarters is also located in Brussels. Many Western European countries are represented in the capital by three ambassadors or representatives "to the Belgian king", to the NATO council and to the "common market".

Location in Europe

Natural conditions and resources.

The nature of Belgium has been changed to such an extent by man that the natural landscapes on its territory have hardly been preserved. The exception is the Ardennes mountain region. The natural conditions of Belgium are favorable both for the population and for the economic development of the territory. The relief is generally flat and does not interfere with the development of agriculture, transport and urban growth. Approximately 3/4 of the country is occupied by lowlands; rising slightly from the coast inland to the south, it only in the southeast becomes low mountain range Ardennes. The Belgian lowland is part of the Central European plain between the lowlands of France and Germany.

The Belgian sea coast is small - it stretches only 65 km - and also inconvenient for navigation, as it lacks natural harbors. Only two small rivers flow into the sea here, and their mouths are closed by locks. The sea's gently sloping coastline is composed mainly of fine white sand and is a beautiful natural beach that attracts tourists from both Belgium and other countries.

To the southeast, the coastal lowland rises, giving way to a strip of hilly plains crossed by rivers with altitudes ranging from 100 to 200 m above sea level. This is average Belgium. The plains are composed of tertiary clays and sands, on which fertile loess soils have formed, occupying one of the first places in Europe in terms of their arable properties. This is the best agricultural land in the country.

To the south of the Sambre and Meuse rivers, high Belgium begins, noticeably different in natural conditions from the rest of the country. Most of this territory is occupied by the heavily destroyed Ardennes and its foothills. This is a mountain range with rounded peaks and flat plateaus composed of shales, sandstones and limestones.

The proximity of the North Sea and the warm North Atlantic Current determines the formation in Belgium of a marine humid climate with mild winters and cool summers, with precipitation and temperature regimes quite favorable for agriculture. Winds prevail, so cloudy weather with frequent foggy rains prevails in winter and summer.

The mild climate favors the growth of broad-leaved forests consisting of oak, beech, hornbeam and ash. However, the high degree of development of the territory has led to a reduction in forest areas.

The fauna of indigenous forests has been preserved mainly in the Ardennes, where katanas, fallow deer, roe deer, hares, squirrels, and wood mice are also found.

The natural conditions of Belgium are generally favorable for the development of agriculture. However, the country is relatively poor in mineral resources needed for industry. The only type of mineral resource that Belgium has in sufficient quantities is coal. Coal reserves amount to about 6 billion tons and are concentrated in two basins: the Northern, or Kampinsky, which is a continuation of the Luxembourg basin in the Netherlands and the Aachen basin in Germany, and the Southern, which stretches in a narrow strip along the Sambre valley and then the Meuse from the French border to the border with Germany. The quality of the coal is low, the thickness of the seams is small, and mining conditions are complicated by the large depth and complex geological location of the seams.

The reserves of building materials in the Sambre and Meuse valleys are of economic importance: granite, lime, clays and quartz sands, which served as the basis for the creation of a large glass industry. Small deposits of iron and lead-zinc ores in the Ardennes are almost completely depleted.

Population

More than 1/2 of the population of Belgium are Flemings and about 2/5 are Walloons. In addition, about 700 thousand people of other nationalities live in the country - Italians, Spaniards, Germans, Poles, etc.

Almost the entire religious population of the country are politicians. The religiosity of the Belgians is quite high, at least its external manifestations are very diverse. There are many Catholic churches in cities and villages.

Belgium has two Catholic languages: French and Flemish. Their use in public life is largely determined by the division of the country into two linguistic-territorial zones - the northern, Flemish (provinces of Antwerp, Limburg, Western and Eastern Brabant) and the southern, Walloon (provinces of Liepce, Epault, Namur, Luxembourg, and the district of Nivelles province Brabant). Some Walloon families still speak the Walloon dialect of French, but in Walloon schools standard French is taught as the mother tongue. Literary Flemish is similar to Dutch, but spoken Flemish, divided into Brabant-Fransian and Limburgish, is somewhat different from spoken Dutch.

The French language has long been dominant, the spread of which was supported by the socio-cultural influence of France.

Belgium is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. It ranks second in Europe after the Netherlands. The central part of the country is especially populated - the valley of the Sambre and Meuse and the strip along the Antwerp - Brussels - Charleroi axis, where the main industrial, trade and transport life of the country is concentrated and the largest cities are located.

In Belgium there are almost no uninhabited territories and unused lands; there are many cities and urban-type settlements. Belgium is one of the most “traditionally urban” countries in the world. About 70% of the total population lives in cities, which include settlements. However, the border between city and village is very arbitrary. Some villages have the outward appearance of a city, and a significant part of their residents work outside agriculture. Therefore, the urban population is actually larger. Officially, the country has 5 large (for Belgium) agglomerations: Brussels, Antwerp, Liepe, Ghent and Charleroi. More than a quarter of the country's total population lives in these agglomerations. At the same time, several highly urbanized territories, representing a cluster of small towns and industrial towns that have developed together, can also be considered relatively significant agglomerations, for example, Borinage-Monet, Center-Epo, Courtray, Aalst-Ninove, La Louviere-Seneff-Manage. Such clusters are distinguished by the absence of a clearly defined single center, as if absorbing other cities and towns. Urban agglomerations are so close to each other that their zones of influence and the boundaries of developments touch.

The wars sweeping over Belgium relatively little affected its cities, so they preserved many monuments of ancient architecture dating back to early Middle Ages. In each city, its old, usually central part, and the new, usually located on the outskirts, industrial and residential areas with modern-type houses are quite clearly distinguished.

Farming.

The basis of the Belgian economy is primarily industry, the importance of which is overshadowed by giant ports, museum cities filled with tourists, and Agriculture. Belgium's share of world industrial output is more than three times its share of the world's population. The country ranks second in the world in steel production per capita, second only to Luxembourg, and in terms of industrial production it ranks twelfth in the capitalist world.

Belgium plays an important role in world trade. Belgium is one of the first places in the world in the production and export of metal germanium and cobalt, as well as the export of diamond drilling tools, caprolactam and cars. The country's agriculture, although it does not reach the level that it has in the neighboring Netherlands, is still one of the most highly organized in the capitalist sense in Western Europe, providing some of its products for export.

Important transport routes pass through Belgium, providing a significant volume of international transit traffic. The transit position, the abundance of historical and architectural monuments, the famous beaches of seaside resorts attract many foreign tourists to the country, who leave a lot of currency in hotels, campsites, shops and restaurants.

Advantageous geographical location, extensive intermediary trade, existing coal deposits combined with once large reserves of iron and zinc ore, colonial exploitation of the wealth of the Belgian Congo - all this contributed to the fact that at the beginning of the twentieth century. Belgium entered as an industrial imperialist power, the owner of large accumulations of free capital. It occupied one of the leading places in Europe in the development of capitalism. However, in the years following the two world wars, Belgium gradually lost its former role as one of the leading industrial powers, falling increasingly under the influence of stronger imperialist states.

After the Second World War, Belgium's economic development progressed at a slow pace; the country found itself in one of the last places in Europe in terms of growth in industrial production; it lags behind in the development of scientific research, labor productivity, the development of new industries and some other indicators. The Belgian industry, unlike most other small states, specializes in the production of semi-finished products, which are turned into finished products in other countries.

Big role in economic development Belgium plays foreign capital. The increased interest of foreign monopolies in the economy of this small country is explained primarily by its favorable geographical location, the presence of a highly qualified workforce and a well-developed communications network of all types (primarily the large seaport of Antwerp), as well as an incentive tax system in relation to foreign enterprises and the opportunity obtaining a Belgian loan. As a rule, foreign firms invest their capital in the most dynamic and advanced industries, such as automobile assembly, radio electronics and petrochemicals, and take leading positions in these industries.

The United States ranks first in terms of direct investment in the Belgian economy. About 3/5 of the cars imported from Belgium are assembled at the General Motors and Ford plants.

In the industrial structure, the main sectors were ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, mechanical engineering (auto assembly, electrical engineering, electronics) and chemical. The glass, diamond-granite and weapons industries play a significant role.

The basis of energy is oil and natural gas, which make up more than 2/3 of Belgium's energy balance. The rest comes from coal and nuclear energy. Belgium has a developed oil refining industry. Since oil refineries operate on imported raw materials, almost all of them are located in the port area of Antwerp and in the Ghent-Terneuzen canal area. Antwerp has become a significant center of the oil refining industry in Western Europe. However, it is located 90 km from the sea. To improve the supply of oil to Antwerp factories, the Antwerven-Rotterdam oil pipeline was built and the Antwerp-Zeebrugge oil pipeline is being laid.

Coal mining, which was one of the main branches of Belgian industry in the 50s, now occupies one of the last places. Belgium's entry into the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) had a particularly painful impact on the coal mining industry, which was unable to withstand competition from other "common market" countries. The difficulty of operation, low level of mechanization and poor quality make Belgian coal more expensive than imported coal. In addition, Belgian mines have the most difficult working conditions in all of Europe: accidents often occur in them, and the level of occupational illness among miners here is higher than in the most hazardous industries. Since 1957, more than 100 unprofitable mines have been closed and coal production has fallen. Belgium imports almost half of the coal it needs, which seriously affects its balance sheet.

Almost all electricity is generated by thermal power plants burning coal, fuel oil and natural gas. Nuclear power plants are currently operating.

The main branch of Belgian industry remains ferrous metallurgy. It serves as a base for many industries either serving the metallurgical complex or consuming its products.

In addition, ferrous metallurgy is the country's main export industry. Belgium's steel mills run more than half on high-quality Swedish iron ore and only ¼ - on ores in Lorraine.

Belgium (Kingdom of Belgium) is a state in Northwestern Europe, a member of the EU, UN and NATO. Area - 30,528 km², population - 10.8 million people. The country is named after the ethnonym of the Celtic tribe - Belgians. The capital is Brussels.
It borders on the north with the Netherlands, on the east with Germany, on the southeast with Luxembourg and on France in the south and west. It is washed by the North Sea in the northwest.
The form of government is a constitutional parliamentary monarchy, the form of administrative-territorial structure is a federation.
Political structure
Belgium is a constitutional monarchy (since its formation) and a federal state (since 1980). The head of state is the king, currently Albert II (since 1993). The actual head of state is the Prime Minister, until April 2010 - Yves Leterme; The process of forming a new government is currently underway. As a rule, the prime minister becomes a representative of the party with the most larger number votes in parliamentary elections. The government is formally appointed by the king. Also, the composition of the government must be approved by parliament. The constitution requires language parity in government: half of the ministers must be representatives of the Dutch-speaking community, half - representatives of the French-speaking community.
The federal parliament is bicameral. The upper house of parliament is the Senate (Dutch Senaat, French Sénat), the lower house is the House of Representatives (Dutch Kamer van volksvertegenwoordigers, French Chambre des Représentants). Both houses are elected by direct universal suffrage every four years. All citizens of the state who have reached the age of 18 have the right to vote. There are 71 deputies in the Senate, and 150 deputies in the House of Representatives.
Belgium is a federal state, sometimes called a double federation, since Belgium is divided simultaneously into three regions and three linguistic communities (see Administrative divisions). The region's area of responsibility includes the management of the local economy, public works (for example, road construction), environmental issues, etc.), the area of responsibility of linguistic communities - primarily issues related to culture, including education, scientific activity and sports.
Each region and each linguistic community has its own parliament and its own government, but by mutual agreement the parliament and government of the Flemish Region and the Dutch-speaking Community were united. Thus, Belgium has six governments and six parliaments. The federal government is responsible for coordinating the actions of the other five governments, as well as for issues of national importance, such as defense, foreign affairs, national economic and monetary policy, pensions, and health care.
The judiciary is organized in the form of a pyramid, the base of which is the magistrate's court, located in each canton, and the top is the Supreme Court. Belgium is divided into judicial cantons and districts. Each district has a trial court, a labor court, and a commercial court. There are also five courts of appeal (in Brussels, Liege, Mons, Gand and Antwerp) and a jury in each province.
In addition to the Chamber of Control and the Council of State, Belgium has an Arbitration Court, created in 1983 to resolve conflicts if they arise between the various institutions of the Belgian federal government.
Belgium enters 70 international organizations. Belgium joined the European Economic Community (EEC) on 25 March 1957. It is also a member of NATO.
Administrative division
In Belgium, there is a parallel dual system of administrative division:
* Belgium is divided into three regions, two of which are divided into provinces.
Belgian Armed Forces
The Belgian Armed Forces were formed in 1830. Now the total number of active military personnel is about 41,000 people. The commander-in-chief is King Albert II. The conscription age is 18 years (2005). The budget of the Armed Forces is € 3.4 billion (2008). The share of aircraft is 1.3% of Belgium's GDP.
The armed forces are organized into one unified structure, which consists of four main components: 1. Ground forces, or Army 2. Air Forces, or Air Force 3. Navy 4. Medical Component of the Force
Military component operational commands report to the Department of Defense Personnel Agency for Operations and Training, which is headed by the Assistant Chiefs of Staff Committee for Operations and Training and the Secretary of Defense.
Foreign relations of Belgium
July 25, 1921 creation of the Belgian-Luxembourg Economic Union. The Treaty establishing the Benelux Customs Union was signed on September 5, 1944 by the deported governments of the three countries in London and came into force in 1948. The Union lasted until 1 November 1960, when it was replaced by the Benelux Economic Union as a result of the signing of the Hague Treaty on 3 February 1958
On April 4, 1949, Belgium joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), headquartered in Brussels, as a founding member. On April 18, 1951, Belgium, together with five European countries, signed the Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC).
In 1957, six states, including Belgium, established the European Economic Community (EEC, Common Market), officially renamed the European Community in 1993, and the European Atomic Energy Community.
In 1964, Belgium joined the Group of Ten.
The Schengen Agreement was originally signed on June 14, 1985 by five European states(Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, Germany), which entered into force on March 26, 1995.
The headquarters of the EFTA Supervisory Body and the headquarters of the European Commission are located in Brussels. The European Parliament holds plenary sessions in Strasbourg and Brussels. The Economic and Social Committee, an EU advisory body, meets once a month in Brussels. Plenary sessions of the EU Committee of the Regions are held in Brussels 5 times a year.
Belgium joined the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism in June 2007.

Geographical position

The Kingdom of Belgium is located in Western Europe, on the east coast of the North Sea. It borders on the Netherlands in the north, Germany and Luxembourg in the east, and France in the south and southwest. In the northwest it is washed by the North Sea. The territory of the kingdom (30 thousand km 2) is small - it is one and a half times smaller than the area of the Moscow region.

In the geography of the country, experts distinguish three geographical regions:

Coastal plain (the main cities here are Bruges, Ostend)

Central Plateau (Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent)

Ardennes Heights (relatively sparsely urbanized area)

It borders on the north with the Netherlands, on the east with Germany, on the southeast with Luxembourg and on France in the south and west. It is washed by the North Sea in the northwest.

The main rivers of Belgium are the Scheldt and the Meuse, which originate in France. Both rivers are now connected by canals to improve navigation efficiency.

The territory of Belgium is divided into three geographical regions: the coastal plain, the central plateau (middle Belgium, 100-200 meters above sea level) and the Ardennes uplands in the southeast (high Belgium, 200-500 meters above sea level).

Low Belgium is mostly sand dunes and polders. Polders are low-lying areas of land (not necessarily below sea level) that are at risk of flooding and protected from flooding by dams, or, further inland, fields with drainage canals. Polders are distinguished by their soil fertility. Between the western polders, Lys and Scheldt lies the Flemish Lowlands, a hilly area with sandy soil in places. Beyond the Flemish Lowlands is the geographical region of Kempen. The Kempen landscape mainly consists of coniferous forests, meadows and corn fields.

Central Belgium - the area between Kempen and the Sambre and Meuse valleys. This is an area of clay plains that gradually rise as you move towards the Sambre and Meuse. The most fertile soils in Belgium are located here. Due to the extensive urbanization of the area, natural landscapes are rare, but five thousand hectares of beech forest still remain south of Brussels. Central Belgium includes the territory of the province of Hainaut and the geographical region of the Netherlands. Haspengouw, fr. La Hesbaye (south of the province of Limburg and north of the province of Liege). These fertile lands are mainly occupied by arable land and meadows, between which lie large rural estates (hamlets).

High Belgium is primarily characterized by its low population density and abundance of forests. Due to the mountainous terrain, agriculture is not developed here, but this region attracts many tourists. High Belgium begins south of the valleys of the Sambre and Meuse rivers. Immediately beyond the valleys of these rivers, the geographical region of Condroz begins - low hills 200-300 meters high. This area includes parts of the provinces of Hainaut, Liege and Namur. Next are the Ardennes - high hills (or even low mountains). The Ardennes are mostly covered with forest, and winding serpentine roads connect small villages, whose residents still speak the Walloon dialect. The highest point of the Ardennes (and all of Belgium) is Mount Botrange, 694 meters above sea level.

The determining influence on the climate of Belgium is the Atlantic Ocean, the air masses from which form the Belgian weather throughout the year. Thanks to this, throughout the country, winters are mild and summers are relatively cool. Average winter temperatures in the western lowland part of the country range from 0 to +3, and in the Ardennes, due to their higher altitude above sea level and distance from the coast, from 0 to -1 degrees. Sustainable snow cover is practically not established anywhere in the country. The weather on the coast in winter is quite windy and chilly.

In summer, on the contrary, the weather is very comfortable here - daytime air temperatures fluctuate around twenty degrees, and only in rare years reach +30 C. Air humidity, as in winter, is quite high due to the proximity of the Atlantic Ocean. Precipitation falls mainly during the cold season (about 800 mm per year on the plains and about 1300 in the Ardennes).

Minerals

In the northern part of Belgium, under a thick Meso-Cenozoic sedimentary cover, there is a Precambrian crystalline basement. When moving south, the foundation is exposed in places along river valleys, and in the south of the country it emerges in the form of Hercynian folded structures that have undergone severe denudation. In the north of Belgium, as a result of repeated exposure to glacial meltwater, loess is widespread.

Of the mineral resources, Belgium is rich in coal (in Campina and along the valleys of the Meuse and Sambre rivers), but there is little coking coal here. In the Ardennes there are small deposits of iron and polymetallic ores (lead, zinc, copper), antimony and other metals. In addition, the country has significant reserves of building stone (granite, sandstone, marble).

Vegetable and animal world

Forests are common in the Ardennes, mostly coniferous - they cover about half the area of this region. However, in terms of fertility, local soils are noticeably inferior to the soils of the Central Plateaus and the thick alluvial soils covering the coastal lowlands of Flanders, which are used for agriculture. There are also natural pine forests here - they cover approximately one seventh of the area of Flanders.

The country's fauna cannot be called exotic. The most typical species for it are fox, badger, squirrel, marten, deer, roe deer, wild boar, and hare. The most common birds are pheasants, partridges and woodcock.

Ecology of Belgium

Belgium has introduced an environmental alert due to excessive air pollution. According to media reports, the level of smog in the air was twice the maximum permissible norm.

A speed limit on highways has been introduced throughout the country - in Brussels the maximum speed has been reduced from 70 to 50 km. per hour, on highways - up to ninety. If the concentration of smog in the air continues to increase, Belgian legislation provides for the possibility of introducing a partial ban on the use of cars.

Each Belgian “produces” 492 kg annually. garbage; Over the past 40 years, mountains of garbage have doubled in the European Union, and are growing by 1-2% every year, reports the newspaper Le Soir. Data on the amount of waste produced was published ahead of European Waste Reduction Week.

According to the European Environment Agency for 2006, as the publication writes, 2.7 billion tons of garbage were thrown out in the European Union. On average, every European produces 522 kilograms of waste. In Belgium, this figure is slightly lower than the European average, however, according to experts from the Environment Agency, the increase in the amount of garbage in Belgium from 1995 to 2005 has increased. amounted to 15%. Over the past 40 years, mountains of garbage have doubled in the European Union, and are growing by 1-2% every year.

Belgium has a waste sorting system, which makes recycling easier. Every Belgian family must sort plastic packaging into blue bags, paper and cardboard into yellow, branches and leaves from the garden into green and everything else into white. According to experts, it is necessary not only to continue promoting the need to sort household waste among the population, but also to try to convince manufacturers of various goods to reduce the amount of packaging.

A strict system of fines for environmental pollution has begun to operate in the French-speaking region of Belgium - Wallonia, local media reported. So, for throwing a cigarette butt, a tin can, chewing gum and a piece of paper on the ground, the fine will be 50 euros. If a plastic bottle is thrown in a public place, a bag of garbage is thrown, the fine will increase to 150 euros.

The “Lutjen Decree,” named after the Walloon Minister for the Environment and introducing the “polluter pays” principle, also provides for criminal penalties for environmental crimes that pose a threat to human health.

1.3 thousand agents specially hired by regional and municipal authorities will monitor compliance with the frequency in public places and collect fines on the spot, for which they allocate more than 2 million euros.

In parallel, the Walloon authorities will carry out campaigns to explain to residents of the region their policy on preventing environmental pollution. Every year, up to 6 thousand tons are removed from the streets of Walloon cities. garbage. Their removal and cleanup cost the regional and municipal authorities of Wallonia a total of 100 million euros.

Political structure

Belgium is a constitutional monarchy (since its formation) and a federal state (since 1980). The head of state is the king, currently Albert II (since 1993). The actual head of state is the Prime Minister, currently Yves Leterme. As a rule, the representative of the party that received the most votes in parliamentary elections becomes prime minister. The government is formally appointed by the king. Also, the composition of the government must be approved by parliament. The constitution requires language parity in government: half of the ministers must be representatives of the Dutch-speaking community, half - representatives of the French-speaking community.

The federal parliament is bicameral. The upper house of parliament is the Senate, the lower house is the House of Representatives. Both houses are elected by direct universal suffrage every four years. All citizens of the state who have reached the age of 18 have the right to vote. There are 71 deputies in the Senate, and 150 deputies in the House of Representatives.

Belgium is a federal state, sometimes called a double federation, since Belgium is divided simultaneously into three districts and three linguistic communities. The area of responsibility of the districts includes the management of the local economy, public works (for example, road construction, environmental issues, etc.), the area of \u200b\u200bthe responsibility of linguistic communities - primarily issues related to culture, including education, scientific activities and sports.

Each district and each linguistic community has its own parliament and its own government, but by mutual agreement the parliament and government of the Flemish district and the Dutch-speaking community were united. Thus, Belgium has six governments and six parliaments. The federal government is responsible for coordinating the actions of the other five governments, as well as for issues of national importance, such as defense, foreign affairs, national economic and monetary policy, pensions, and health care.

The judiciary is organized in the form of a pyramid, the base of which is the magistrate's court, located in each canton, and the top is the Supreme Court. Belgium is divided into judicial cantons and districts. Each district has a trial court, a labor court, and a commercial court. There are also five courts of appeal (in Brussels, Liege, Mons, Gand and Antwerp) and a jury in each province.

In addition to the Chamber of Control and the Council of State, Belgium has an Arbitration Court, created in 1983 to resolve conflicts if they arise between the various institutions of the Belgian federal government.

Belgium is a member of 70 international organizations. Belgium joined the European Economic Community (EEC) on 25 March 1957. It is also a member of NATO.

Political crisis 2007

After the last federal elections on June 10, 2007, the Liberal and Christian Socialist parties tried in vain to form a national government (federal government).

The French-speaking parties operating in the poorer south of Belgium (Wallonia) opposed the expansion of regional autonomy, which was precisely what the Flemish parties representing the richer northern part of the country were seeking.

For six months the country was ruled by a technical government headed by Guy Verhofstadt.

On March 20, 2008, after 3 months of negotiations, Yves Leterme became prime minister of a new coalition government, which included five parties: two Flemish and three from French-speaking Wallonia.

History of the Kingdom of Belgium

The name of the state comes from the name of the Belgian tribe of Celtic origin, which inhabited this territory at the beginning of our era. In 54 BC e. the region in the north of Gaul, corresponding to modern Belgium, was conquered by the troops of Julius Caesar (from the consul's notes on the Gallic War: “half of the Belgae were killed, the rest became slaves...”). After the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century, the Roman province of Gaul was conquered by the Germanic tribes of the Franks, who created their own kingdom here.

In the Middle Ages, Belgium was part of the Duchy of Burgundy.

1477 - 1556 - the dynastic marriage of Mary of Burgundy introduced the Burgundian possession into the Holy Roman Empire.

1556 - 1713 - part of Spain. The Eighty Years' War marked the beginning of the separation of Belgian territories from the Protestant Netherlands.

1713 - 1792 - part of the Holy Roman Empire as the Austrian Netherlands.

1792 - 1815 - part of France.

1815 - 1830 - part of the Netherlands according to the decision of the Congress of Vienna. However, many in Belgium were unhappy with the forced unification with the Netherlands (primarily the French-speaking population and the Catholic clergy, who feared the strengthening of the role of the Dutch language and the Protestant denomination, respectively).

1830 - Belgian revolution and in the same year Belgium seceded from the Kingdom of the Netherlands and gained independence. Belgium becomes a neutral kingdom led by Leopold I.

In the 19th century, the country's economy developed very intensively. Belgium became the first country in continental Europe to build a railway (Mechelen-Brussels, 1835). It is interesting that Belgium is still the only country in continental Europe where left-hand traffic on railways is accepted, which is due to the fact that the first railways were built here by the British.

At the end of the 19th century, Belgium became a colonial power. From 1885 to 1908, the Congo (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) was a possession of the Belgian King Leopold II (under the name "Independent State of the Congo"). The exploitation of the colony was one of the significant sources of capital accumulation and industrial development in Belgium. Since 1908, the colony received the name Belgian Congo.

Belgium suffered greatly during the First World War, which is still called the “Great War” in this country. Although most of the country was occupied, throughout the war Belgian and British troops held a small part of the country, sandwiched between the North Sea and the Iser River.

The history of the city of Ypres is tragic - during the war it was almost completely destroyed, and poison gas (chlorine) was used here for the first time in the history of wars. The mustard gas used two months later was named after this city.

On April 3, 1925, an agreement was concluded between Belgium and the Netherlands to revise the 1839 treaty. Abolition of Belgium's long-standing neutrality and demilitarization of the port of Antwerp.

1940-1944 During World War II, the Germans occupied Belgium. The government flees to England, King Leopold III is deported to Germany, since he signed the act of surrender on May 28, 1940. Introduction of German military control in Belgium under the command of General von Falkenhausen. On September 3, 1944, liberation begins with the entry of British troops into Brussels. On February 11, 1945, a government was formed headed by the right-wing socialist Van Acker.

1957 - Belgium joins the European Economic Community (EEC).

2001 - the birth of the first child to Crown Prince Philip and his wife Matilda, continuation of the dynasty.

2003 - as a result of parliamentary elections, Guy Verhofstadt again becomes prime minister.

January 12, 2006 - Belgium chairs the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

On December 19, 2008, Prime Minister of Belgium Yves Leterme resigned due to a scandal related to the sale of the largest Belgian financial company Fortis. The post of Prime Minister of the country was taken by Herman van Rompuy, leader of the Flemish Christian Democratic Party. The new government of Herman van Rompuy includes representatives of the same five political parties that his predecessor led.

Economy of Belgium

The basis of the Belgian economy is the service sector (primarily transport and trade) and industry.

Advantages: one of the most significant manufacturers of metal products and textiles. Flanders is a leading region in the high-tech industry, Antwerp is the world center for the diamond trade. Successful chemical industry. A well-educated and highly motivated multilingual workforce with high productivity. An attractive location for American multinationals. Good water transport network across the North Sea, access to the Rhine from Antwerp to Ghent.

Weaknesses: public debt of about 87.7% of GNP far exceeds the EU maximum level of 60% (2006 data). In some regions big number chronic and unskilled unemployed. Frequent retirement of workers, due to which high level state pension payments. More bureaucracy than the EU average.

May 1, 1998 Belgium became one of the founding states of the Economic and Monetary Union. January 1, 1999 The final exchange rate between the euro and the Belgian franc (BEF) was set at BEF 40.3399. Belgium then gradually switched from using the Belgian franc to the European currency by 1 January 2002. The old currency was exchanged for the new currency within 2 months to avoid confusion. After this, the Belgian franc was completely withdrawn from circulation, and now you can only exchange it for the euro at the regional offices of the National Bank of Belgium.

Belgium is a member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the European Union (EU), and became the first member of the European Monetary Union in 1999.

The basis of the Belgian economy is primarily industry, the importance of which is overshadowed by giant ports, museum cities filled with tourists, and agriculture. Belgium's share of world industrial output is more than three times its share of the world's population. The country ranks second in the world in steel production per capita, second only to Luxembourg, and in terms of industrial production it ranks twelfth in the capitalist world.

About 80% of Belgium's trade is with member countries of the European Union. With such a high percentage, the country is moving towards diversification and expansion of trade relations with countries outside the EU. Belgium ranks 10th as the largest export market for US goods and services. Assuming that export goods in transit are not allowed into the country, Belgium is still the 12th largest market for US goods.

There are few economic and trade differences in the bilateral relationship between the United States and Belgium. The Belgian authorities, as a rule, take a non-protest position and try to maintain a hospitable and open trade and investment environment. The US government is focusing its market-based, open trade efforts on the European Commission and large countries EU. In addition, it can be said that the European Commission negotiates trade for all EU member states, which reduces the scope of the bilateral negotiation process with Belgium.

Belgium is one of the oldest industrial countries, having embarked on the path of capitalist industrialization back in early XIX V. following England and reaching industrial maturity earlier than other continental European countries. Advantageous geographical location, extensive intermediary trade, existing coal deposits combined with once large reserves of iron and zinc ore, colonial exploitation of the wealth of the Belgian Congo - all this contributed to the fact that at the beginning of the twentieth century. Belgium entered as an industrial imperialist power, the owner of large accumulations of free capital. It occupied one of the leading places in Europe in the development of capitalism. However, in the years following the two world wars, Belgium gradually lost its former role as one of the leading industrial powers, falling increasingly under the influence of stronger imperialist states.

Foreign capital plays a major role in the economic development of Belgium. The increased interest of foreign monopolies in the economy of this small country is explained primarily by its favorable geographical position, the presence of a highly qualified workforce and a well-developed network of communications of all types (primarily the large seaport of Antwerp), as well as an incentive tax system in relation to foreign enterprises and the opportunity obtaining a Belgian loan. As a rule, foreign firms invest their capital in the most dynamic and advanced industries, such as automobile assembly, radio electronics and petrochemicals, and take leading positions in these industries.

The United States ranks first in terms of direct investment in the Belgian economy. About 3/5 of the cars imported from Belgium are assembled at the General Motors and Ford plants.

The basis of energy is oil and natural gas, which make up more than 2/3 of Belgium's energy balance. The rest comes from coal and nuclear energy. Belgium has a developed oil refining industry. Since oil refineries operate on imported raw materials, almost all of them are located in the port area of Antwerp and in the Ghent Terneuzen canal area. Antwerp has become a significant center of the oil refining industry in Western Europe. However, it is located 90 km from the sea. To improve the supply of oil to Antwerp factories, the Antwerven-Rotterdam oil pipeline was built and the Antwerp-Zeebrugge oil pipeline is being laid.

Almost all electricity is generated by thermal power plants burning coal, fuel oil and natural gas. Nuclear power plants are currently operating.

The main branch of Belgian industry remains ferrous metallurgy. It serves as a base for many industries either serving the metallurgical complex or consuming its products.

In addition, ferrous metallurgy is the country's main export industry. Belgium's steel mills run more than half on high-quality Swedish iron ore. Ferrous metallurgy enterprises are concentrated in the Southern Coal Basin and mainly in two centers - around Liege and Charleroi. In addition, there are metallurgical enterprises in Brabant (Clabeck) and in the extreme southeast, on the border with Luxembourg (Athus). Large metallurgical plants are located in Salzate on the Ghent-Terneusen sea canal.

Belgium occupies one of the leading places in the capitalist world in the development of non-ferrous metallurgy, despite the almost complete absence of deposits of non-ferrous metal ores. It is among the top five to seven global producers and exporters of heavy metals (copper, zinc, lead), cobalt, germanium and radium. In addition, Belgium is one of the exporters of rare metals such as tantalum, niobium and selenium.

Almost all branches of non-ferrous metallurgy are developed in Belgium. The largest copper smelter not only in Belgium, but also in capitalist Europe is located in Olen, and an equally large zinc smelter is in Balen. In general, the main centers of the non-ferrous metallurgy in Belgium are located in the Antwerp region, where all imported raw materials arrive, in the Lieppes region, connected by the Antwerp port of Alberg - the canal and along the canals in Campina. Since most of the smelted metal is exported in ingots, smelting predominates over processing.

The creation of significant metallurgy and metalworking in the area of Liepsa, Charleroi and Mensa marked the beginning of mechanical engineering. The main area of metalworking and mechanical engineering, working on the local metallurgical base, is a narrow strip along the valleys of the Sambre and Meuse rivers. Belgian mechanical engineering specializes in the production of metal-intensive capital equipment, which is closely related to the development of railway transport, tram services, and the construction of power plants in many European countries.

The main branches of mechanical engineering are the automobile assembly industry, which is mainly limited to the assembly of finished imported parts and assemblies; and electrical engineering, specializing mainly in the production of power equipment. Factories producing equipment are located along the valleys of the Sambre and Meuse rivers. Car assembly plants are located in Genk, Antwerp and Brussels; electrical engineering - in Charleroi, Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent and Liepse. Shipbuilding and ship repair are concentrated in Antwerp and Saintes. The most important area of mechanical engineering in the north of the country is Antwerp and its surroundings, followed by the Brussels industrial center, and in third place are the areas of Liege and Charleroi-Mons-Nivelles.

The chemical industry of Belgium was historically associated with the coal and metallurgical complex of the Southern Coal Basin. Widely using products from coking and blast furnace processes, it has reached a fairly high level in the production of the main products of mineral chemistry.

The oldest branches of the Belgian industry are textiles. All major sectors and cycles of textile production have been developed. The cotton, flax and jute industries are located almost throughout Flanders, where they originated. The wool industry is concentrated in Verviers, near Liege; its development here is due to the good quality of local waters, which give the wool special softness and elasticity. The largest centers for the production of artificial fiber fabrics and lace are Brussels, Alet, Ninove.

The products of the Belgian glass industry are very famous: sheet and plate glass, special glasses and crystal. This industry is one of the few that has its own raw material base.

Diamond processing has a centuries-old tradition; it originated in Belgium on the basis of Congulesian raw materials. Belgium is one of the world's largest producers of diamond tools, especially drill bits. The diamond and granite industry is centered in Antwerp, where all diamond processing operations are carried out and both polished and industrial diamonds are manufactured. Antwerp is a world center not only for diamond cutting, but also for the diamond trade.

Although Belgium is considered a rich country, it spends more than its annual income and has not fully collected taxes for many years. The Belgian government responded with weak macroeconomic policies to the oil price increases in 1973 and 1979: it hired excess labor into the public sector and subsidized ailing industries such as coal, steel, textiles, glass and shipbuilding to prop up the economy. Ultimately, total government debt reached 121% by the end of the 1980s (versus total US government debt of 31.2% in 1990). However, we must thank the high Belgian personal savings rates, with which the Belgian government financed the deficit, thereby minimizing the impact of harmful consequences on the entire country's economy.

Two of the five conditions for the first membership in the Economic and Monetary Union within the European Union (EU) under the Maastricht Treaty (1992) were: achieving a government budget deficit of 3% and an accumulated debt of 60% of GDP. In 1992, Belgium had a government budget deficit of 7.1%, which resulted in accumulated debt of 137.9% of GDP in 1993, the highest the country has ever seen. It soon became clear that Belgium would not be able to achieve the 60% debt target. However, Belgium was admitted to membership on the condition that it made significant progress in solving its debt problems. This became the main goal of the Belgian government in its economic policy, and Belgium was able to reduce the annual budget deficit (federal, regional and social security) to 1.2% of GDP, consistent with the terms of the Maastricht Treaty, by 1999.

After Belgium gained membership in the organization, the country continued its economic policies, bringing its debt to 87.7% of GDP by 2006.

The structure of the Belgian economy is typical of the most advanced post-industrial countries in the world. 73.0% of GDP is created in the service sector, 25.7% in industry and construction, and 1.3% in agriculture (data based on the results of 2004). The most important feature of the Belgian economy is the predominance of bank capital in the assets of leading corporations. The share of the public sector in the economy is significant, especially in transport, utilities and the fuel and energy sector. Government spending accounts for over 50% of GDP ($174.8 billion in 2004).

The modern private enterprise economy has developed in Belgium due to the country's central geographical location, highly developed transport network and diversified industrial and trading base. The industry is concentrated mainly in the densely populated Flemish zone in the north (Flemish diamond), around Brussels and in the two most big cities Wallonia: Liege and Charleroi (Sillon industriel). With few mineral resources, Belgium must import significant quantities of raw materials and export large quantities of manufactured goods, thereby making the economy dependent on world markets. About 3/4 of Belgium's trade is with EU countries. Belgium's public debt has fallen from 127% of GDP in 1996 to 122% of GDP in 1998 to 87.7% of GDP in 2006 as the Belgian government tries to control its spending to bring figures more in line with other industrialized countries. . Belgium became a member of the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) in January 1999. The dioxin crisis, which began in June 1999 with the discovery of cancer-causing substances in livestock food, caused serious concern for the Belgian food industry both domestically and internationally. international level. This crisis reduced GDP growth, with the situation expected to improve in 2000.

Science and technology

Belgium's contribution to the development of science and technology can be traced throughout the country's history. In the sixteenth century, Belgium became famous for its scientists, such as the cartographer Gerard Mercator, the anatomist Andreas Vesalius, the herbalist Rembert Dodoens and the mathematician and engineer Simon Stevin, who were among the most influential in the scientific community.

In the first half of the seventeenth century, the Walloon method of making bar iron spread to Sweden, and was used there for 260 years. The dynamic and dense Belgian railway network prompted major companies such as La Brugeoise et Nivelles (now the BN division of Bombardier Transportation) to develop special new technologies. Economically important underground coal mining during the Great Industrial Revolution required highly skilled specialized mining research. The end of the nineteenth century and the twentieth century were marked by significant advances in Belgium in applied science and in theoretical fundamental research. Chemist-technologist Ernest Gaston Solvay and engineer Zenob Theophilus Gramm gave their names scientific concepts: the Solvay process and the Gram dynamo in the 1860s. Georges Lemaître is credited with being the author of the theory of the expanding Universe (along with other scientists).

Three Nobel Prizes in physiology and medicine were awarded to the Belgians: Jules Bordet in 1919 “for discoveries related to immunity”, Korney Heymans in 1938 “for the discovery of the role of the sinus and aortic mechanisms in the regulation of respiration”, Albert Claude, Christian de Duve, George Palade 1974 "For their discoveries concerning the structural and functional organization of the cell."

Belgian physical chemist Ilya Prigogine was nominated for a Nobel Prize in 1977 “for his work on the thermodynamics of irreversible processes, especially for the theory of dissipative structures.”

Population

Urbanization

The vast majority of Belgium's population is urban - 97%.

Belgium has a high population density (342 people per km²), second in this parameter in Europe only to the Netherlands and some small states, such as Monaco. The highest population density in the country is observed in the area bounded by the cities of Brussels-Antwerp-Ghent-Leuven (the so-called “Flemish diamond”). The lowest population density is in the Ardennes Mountains (Luxembourg province).

In 2006, the population of the Flemish region was approximately 6,078,600, including the most populous cities of Antwerp (457,749), Ghent (230,951) and Bruges (117,251).

The population of Wallonia was 3,413,978, including the most populous cities of Charleroi (201,373), Liege (185,574) and Namur (107,178).

Brussels has a population of 1,018,804 people in 19 metropolitan district municipalities, two of which have more than 100,000 inhabitants.

Brussels is the capital of Belgium, a cosmopolitan and vibrant city, and this is reflected in its architectural appearance. Here, ancient Gothic cathedrals and churches juxtapose with graceful facades in classical style, such as in the Place Royale, or beautiful buildings decorated in neo-classical, art nouveau or art deco styles. The city center is surrounded by a ring road that runs where the fortifications used to be. In addition, there is a clear division of Brussels into two districts - the Upper Town and the Lower Town. In the first district you will find stylish boutiques and immerse yourself in the country's culture in one of the museums; the second offers a walk through the medieval streets of Brussels. The heart of the city is the Grand "Place (Grote Markt) in the Lower Town. This ancient market square is surrounded by impressive buildings of the 17th century, each of which once belonged to one of the city guilds and had its own name. There is also a magnificent example of Gothic architecture - the building City Hall with a tall and elegant watchtower.

Not far from the Grand "Place there is probably the most famous monument of the city - the Manneken Pis. The statue of a child is small, but every day tourists flock to it to see the famous sculpture with their own eyes. The upper city is the center of cultural life. The most interesting things are concentrated here The city's museums and galleries. Take the time to visit the Royal Belgian Museum of Art (Musees Royaux des Beaux Arts), where works of old masters and modern painters are collected. Only here you will find the most comprehensive collection of paintings, including works by Pieter Bregel, Rubens, Magritte and others Here, in the Upper Town, you will find the magnificent Brussels Cathedral and the Notre Dame du Sablon church, the Royal Palace (Palais Royal) and the Museum of Musical Instruments (Musee des Instruments de Musique), and pay attention to the Cathedral of St. Michel and St. Gudula: in The building is dominated by Gothic style with Romanesque and Renaissance influences mixed in. The cathedral was erected in the first half of the 13th century and, like many cathedrals of that time, is decorated with amazing stained glass windows.

Age and sex structure of the population.

0-14 years: 16.9%

15-64 years old: 65.7%

65 years and older: 17.4%

Average age of the population:

Overall: 50.0 years

Men: 39.6 years

Women: 42.1 years (2006 figures)

Population growth:

The population grew by 0.13% from 2005 to 2006.

Fertility rate: 10.38.

Death rate: 10.27.

Net migration in Belgium is 1.22 migrants per 1,000 inhabitants (based on 2006 data)

Gender composition of the population:

At birth: 1.04 male wives

Up to 15 years: 1.04 male. wives

15-64 years old: 1.02 male. wives

65 years or more: 0.7 male. wives

Ratio of total number: 0.96 male/female. (as of 2006)

Average life expectancy:

Overall: 78.77 years

Men: 75.59 years

Women: 82.09 years (as of 2006)

Ethnic composition

The two main groups that make up the country's population are the Flemings (about 60% of the population) and the Walloons (about 40% of the population). The Flemings live in the five northern provinces of Belgium (see Flanders) and speak the Dutch language and its many dialects (see Flemish). The Walloons live in the five southern provinces that make up Wallonia and speak French, Walloon and several other languages.

After independence, Belgium was a French-oriented state, and the only official language at first was French, although the Flemings always formed the majority of the population. Even in Flanders, French remained for a long time the only language of secondary and higher education.

After the end of the First World War, a movement for the emancipation of the Dutch-speaking population began in Belgium. As a result, the so-called “language struggle” arose. The struggle began to bear fruit by the sixties of the 20th century. In 1963, a package of laws was adopted regulating the use of languages in official situations. In 1967, an official translation of the Belgian constitution into Dutch was published for the first time. By 1980, both main languages of the country were actually equal in rights. In 1993, Belgium was divided into federal districts. The only official language in the Flemish District is Dutch.

Despite achievements achieved, language problems still lead to an escalation of tensions between the two main groups of the country's population. Thus, in 2005, the problem of dividing the bilingual electoral district of Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde almost led to the resignation of the government and a political crisis

The vast majority of the population is represented by Flemings (51%) and Walloons (41), Italians and Germans are much smaller - 3% and 1%, respectively. In addition, the country is home to the French, Spanish, Dutch, Moroccans, Poles, Jews and Greeks.

Population migration

The largest groups of migrants are Italians, immigrants from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Belgian Congo), immigrants from Turkey, Morocco and other Arab countries.

Currently, more than 50,000 people from the former Soviet Union live in Belgium.

According to various sources, between 150 and 200 thousand migrants from Turkey live in Belgium, including both ethnic Turks and members of the Kurdish minority. Clashes and conflicts arise from time to time between representatives of the two ethnic communities. Thus, in April 2006, an anti-Turkish demonstration took place in the center of Brussels on the initiative of the Kurds. On the night of April 2, 2007, in the capital of Belgium, near the headquarters of NATO and the EU, clashes occurred between ethnic Turks and representatives of the Kurdish immigrant community. As a result, seven people were arrested and several more were injured. “It all started with an attack by Turkish teenagers on a small group of Kurdish youth,” said Brussels police spokesman Johan Verleyen. Aggression was also directed against the police who were trying to restore order. According to law enforcement agencies, about 250 people, mostly young people, took part in the street clashes. During the pogroms, unknown persons set fire to a cafe, considered the center of the Kurdish community, after which spontaneous rallies were organized. Conflict situations in Belgium, related to interethnic confrontation is an acute political problem, a solution to which has not yet been found.

Spaniards, Greeks, Poles and people of other nationalities also live in Brussels.

Terrorism and crime

Brussels, according to various sources such as Interpol and local newspapers, is considered one of the centers of radicalization of the population and recruitment of people into terrorist organizations such as Al Qaeda. Recruitment usually takes place in mosques, followed by basic training in Afghanistan. Recently, a suicide bomber in Iraq, Muriel Degauque, became known as the first Western terrorist in the history of modern terrorism. She trained not in Brussels, but in Charleroi, a Belgian city with one of the highest crime rates.

Belgium has also seen racially motivated crimes against minorities, including the Hans Van Themsche case and other racially motivated violence, highlighting the urgency of the issue and Belgians' preoccupation with race.

Culture

Painting

A small country that in the past gave the world a number of the greatest artists - just to name the van Eyck brothers, Bruegel and Rubens - Belgium by the beginning of the 19th century. experienced a long stagnation of art. A certain role in this was played by the politically and economically subordinate position of Belgium, which until 1830 did not have national independence. Only when, from the beginning of the new century, the national liberation movement developed more and more, did art come to life, which soon occupied a very important place in the cultural life of the country. It is at least significant that, in comparison with other European countries, the number of artists in small Belgium relative to the population was very large.

In the formation of the Belgian artistic culture XIX century The great traditions of national painting played a major role. The connection with traditions was expressed not only in the direct imitation of many artists by their outstanding predecessors, although this was characteristic of Belgian painting, especially in the middle of the century. The influence of traditions affected the specifics of the Belgian art school of modern times. One of these specific features is the commitment of Belgian artists to the objective world, to the real flesh of things. Hence the success of realistic art in Belgium, but hence some limitations in the interpretation of realism.

A characteristic feature of the country's artistic life was the close interaction throughout the century of Belgian culture with the culture of France. Young artists and architects go there to improve their knowledge. In turn, many French masters not only visit Belgium, but also live in it for many years, participating in the artistic life of their little neighbor.

Even during the Renaissance, Flanders became famous for its painting (Flemish primitives). Later, Rubens lived and worked in Flanders (In Belgium, Antwerp is still often called the city of Rubens). However, by the second half of the 17th century, Flemish art gradually declined. Later in Belgium painting developed in the styles of romanticism, expressionism and surrealism. Famous Belgian artists - James Ensor (expressionism and surrealism), Constant Permeke (expressionism), Leon Spilliaert (symbolism) however the most famous artist Belgium - undoubtedly Rene Magritte, considered one of the most important representatives of surrealism.

Literature

Widely known in Belgium is Georges Simenon, who became known throughout the world thanks to his character - Commissioner Maigret. Naturally, Georges Simenon is an unsurpassed master of the detective genre.

The qualifications of Belgian writers are extremely high, and how could they not be high when there is one continuous source of inspiration around them. And since Belgian literature supports several linguistic trends, you can find books in both French and Dutch. There are many skilled French writers in Belgium, such as Baudelaire.

Writers are also famous among the Flemings; a striking example of this is Charles de Coster (The Legend of Till Eulenspiegel and Lamm Gudzak). Thanks to the high qualifications of the Belgian master, this book was translated into many languages and became famous throughout the world.

Architecture

Belgium has preserved many outstanding examples of architecture, ranging from the Romanesque style (11th century) to Art Nouveau (early 20th century). The most famous Belgian architect is Victor Horta (1861-1947), one of the most important Art Nouveau architects.

The most architecturally interesting cities are: Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp, Brussels, Mechelen. In Wallonia there are many interesting examples of non-urban architecture - castles, rural estates.

Belgium has a wonderful ancient city Bruges. It was once rich and famous, but later fell into disrepair. But the Belfort Tower, rising in the center of the shopping area, is a reminder of its former glory.

The Cathedral of Our Lady of Tournai is one of the most striking examples of Romanesque architecture in Europe. This cathedral is distinguished by an interior of extraordinary dimensions, a wealth of sculpture and turrets that anticipate Gothic architecture.

There are famous clock towers in every self-respecting country. You can remember Prague, London, Chicago. So in the Belgian Lira there are some amazing watches.

Spiritual realm

The Belgian Constitution guarantees freedom of religion.

The predominant denomination in Belgium is the Roman Catholic Church. Among other religions and denominations, the largest are Anglicanism, Protestantism, Islam, and Judaism. Therefore, the majority of believers in the country are Catholics (70%), about 2% of the population profess Islam, and there are also many Protestants and Jews.

Roman Catholic Church

About 76% of the Belgian population considers themselves Catholic, although only 8% of the population is an active parishioner. There are 3,946 parishes of the Roman Catholic Church in Belgium.

Protestantism

The largest Protestant organization in Belgium is the "Administrative Council of the Protestant and Evangelical Religion". This organization was created in 2002 by the two largest associations of Protestant churches in Belgium:

· United Protestant Church of Belgium

Federal Synod of Protestant and Evangelical Churches

Judaism

More than 40 thousand Jews live in Belgium and there are 45 synagogues.

Education

Belgium is famous for its highly developed production and exceptional quality of goods; moreover, Belgium is also a crossroads of trade routes between France, England and Germany; the transport network is well developed here. For centuries, Flanders (northern Belgium) has been committed to international business. All this provides great opportunities for graduates of Belgian universities. Students are also attracted by the quality of education and the opportunity to undergo an internship in one of the international organizations whose headquarters are located in Brussels.

Education in Belgium is conducted in three languages - English, French and Flemish (Dutch) and is based primarily on clarity. The first stage of schooling is six-year primary school (from age 6). Secondary education, especially for children who have completed a specialized program (art, crafts, music, dance, any technical training), takes place in colleges.

Belgian universities have always fluctuated between the Dutch and French education systems. As a result, in French-speaking areas priority was given to the French system, in Flemish - to the Dutch one. Higher education institutions and universities in Belgium introduced the Bachelor-Master system from the 2004-2005 academic year. Higher education institutions are divided into two main sectors: university (17 universities) and non-university (higher schools). The minimum duration of training is 4 years, although for some specialties the duration of training is 10-12 years. Higher scientific degree is a "border of higher education", it can be awarded two years after receiving the doctorate degree. The academic year from September to June is divided into two semesters: September/January, February/June. In higher education institutions there are no restrictions on admission, you just need to submit the appropriate documents. However, the most prestigious of universities organize competitive exams. The Flemish and French communities of Belgium offer several scholarship programs for international graduate students wishing to pursue bachelor's or master's degrees.

As a rule, those who are fluent in French or English languages. It is more difficult to get into English- and French-language programs. Those who speak Dutch have a much better chance.

Since 1970, the country's Constitution has enshrined the existence of four linguistic regions: French-speaking Wallonia, Dutch-speaking Flanders, bilingual Brussels and the German-speaking region in East Wallonia on the border with Germany. Since that time, the Federal Ministry of Education has exercised control only over compulsory secondary education and determines the conditions for issuing diplomas and certificates of education at all levels. All other educational issues fall under the competence of the French, Flemish and German language communities. Higher education matters are the responsibility of the Ministry of Education and Public Service of the Flemish Community, the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, International Relations and Sports of the French Community and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Scientific Research and Monuments and Sites of the German-Speaking Community.

For the Belgian higher education system, it is traditional to connect the learning process with fundamental and applied research in the most important areas of development modern science. Up to 40% of all allocations are allocated to science in the university budget. Funding for scientific research consists of ministerial and state appropriations through the Institute for the Promotion of Scientific Research in Industry and Agriculture, the National Foundation for Scientific Research, as well as private sources through various companies, foundations and associations.

The first stage of schooling is six-year primary school. Secondary education, the first four years of which are compulsory, is divided in most cases into three stages of two years each. About half of the students in the first and second stages receive general pedagogical training, art education or are undergoing trade or technical training; others undergo general training. Of the latter group, about half of the students continue to attend higher secondary school, the completion of which gives the right to enter the university.

There are 8 universities in Belgium. In the oldest state universities - in Liege and Mons - teaching is conducted in French, in Ghent and Antwerp - in Dutch. Catholic University of Louvain, the oldest and most prestigious in Belgium, and privately supported. The Free University of Brussels was bilingual until 1970, but due to increasing conflicts between Flemish and Walloon students, each of them was divided into independent Dutch- and French-speaking departments. The French department of the University of Louvain has moved to a new campus near Ottigny, located on the "linguistic frontier". About 120 thousand students studied at colleges and universities in the country in the 1990s. students.

Higher education:

Higher education in Belgium has a long tradition. The first higher education institution in the country, the Catholic University of Louvain, was created in 1425. In 1517, Erasmus of Rotterdam also founded the School of Three Languages (Hebrew, Latin, Greek) in Louvain, on the model of which the French College in Paris was created. Currently, there are almost 180 universities in Belgium, where 280 thousand people study.

Higher education in Belgium is presented in the form of two subsystems. These subsystems are subordinated, respectively, to the ministries of education of the French-speaking and Flemish communities.

In terms of the degree of centralization, the Belgian higher education system is closest to the French and German ones, since the principle of unity in management is observed, but, compared to the French education system, there is no tradition of managing higher education by professional communities.

French-language educational institutions are close to the French education model, while Flemish ones are close to the German and Dutch ones.

In general, the differences in the organization of higher education in the French and Flemish communities are insignificant and are manifested mainly in the existence of certain types of educational institutions, which do not exist in the other (this mainly concerns educational institutions of a religious orientation).

There are two main sectors in higher education systems:

· University (17 universities)

· Non-university.

In accordance with the law of July 7, 1970, universities are divided into university-type educational institutions and higher schools. There are 7 actual Belgian universities: Liege State University, Mons-Hainaut University, Ghent State University, Free Brussels (French-speaking and separately Flemish), Louvain Catholic (French-speaking and separately Flemish). Along with them, there are branches of several foreign universities (in Brussels and Antwerp), as well as a number of Belgian universities equated to universities (usually they are called university faculties, centers, associations or foundations). The Royal Military School is also a university institution.

There are no restrictions on admission to higher education institutions in Belgium; you just need to submit the appropriate documents. However, the most prestigious universities have competitive entrance exams.

According to their status, higher education institutions in the university sector are divided into state and non-state. Some of the country’s universities are state, or “official” educational institutions, the financing of which is included in the budgets of the governments of the above-mentioned communities. The rest were founded by individuals and organizations and were called “independent” or “free”. Many of them were created under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Church, which traditionally plays a large role in organizing and financing education at all levels, including higher education, in Belgium. Some independent educational institutions, particularly Catholic universities, receive financial support from community governments.

State universities provide traditional humanities and natural sciences higher education. Non-state universities also have a specific (professional) or religious orientation (Catholic universities).

Having a university diploma in accordance with current legislation is necessary to occupy certain government positions and obtain permission to work in professions of public importance (lawyer, doctor, etc.).

Studying at universities is multi-stage: each period or cycle of university studies for both university and scientific degrees ends with degrees.

The academic year at universities is divided into two semesters: September/January, February/June.

The actual amount spent by a university per academic year per student, depending on the specialty and level of study, ranges from 150 to 200 thousand Belg. fr. (approximately 4-5.5 thousand dollars). Universities receive these funds as subsidies from the governments of linguistic communities, churches, individuals and organizations. When registering to study at a university, the applicant does not pay the full cost of his studies; he only has to pay the so-called “registration fee”, which for universities, for example, is 15,600 - 26,300 Belg. fr. ($420 - $720) for one academic year. Registration is carried out separately for each academic year. Students of some specialties also pay laboratory works. Each student spends at least 14 thousand Belg annually on the purchase of textbooks. fr. ($400).

Belgium has a system of providing benefits and loans for education. For example, Belgian secondary school graduates over 17 years of age who are entering university for the first time can receive benefits for higher education at universities in the French Community. The benefit is non-refundable and is provided to families if the income of the head of the family, who has at least three dependents, is about 890 thousand Belg. fr. per year ($24 thousand, data 1996-97). Officially, the maximum benefit amount ranges from 63 to 131 thousand Belg. fr. per year ($1.7-3.5), however, the actual average benefit is 34 thousand Belg. fr. ($920).

Administrative division

In Belgium, there is a parallel dual system of administrative division.

Belgium is divided into three regions, two of which are divided into provinces:

1. Flemish region:

· Province of Antwerp

· Province of Limburg

· Province of East Flanders

· Province of West Flanders

· Province of Flemish Brabant

2. Walloon region

Hainaut Province

Province of Liege

Province of Luxembourg

Province of Namur

Province of Walloon Brabant

3. Brussels-Capital District

In parallel, Belgium is divided into three linguistic communities:

1. Flemish Community (Flemish District and Brussels-Capital District)

2. Francophone Community (Walloon and Brussels-Capital)

3. German-speaking community (part of the province of Liege)

Transport

Belgium is a small country. The backbone network is one of the densest in the world (comparable to Los Angeles).

In Belgium, the use of trains is encouraged since the railway network is extensive and efficient. Although the country is small, the use of bicycles for transportation in some places is not encouraged, as it leads to a huge number of this vehicle on the streets, which interferes with traffic.

There is a fairly extensive railway network. The total length of the lines is 3,374 km (almost 0.1 km per 1 sq. km of area), including 3,022 km of double-track lines and 3,002 km of electrified lines. The track width is 1,435 mm. The voltage used on ordinary lines is 3 kV, and on high-speed lines - 25 kV.

Total length: 149.018 km (approximately 4.38 km per 1 sq. km area, 2002), highways: 1.729 km regional roads: 12.610 km others: 134.679 km

Waterways:

The waterways are 2,043 km long (1,532 km are regularly used for commercial purposes).

Pipelines:

Crude oil pipes are 161 km long; petroleum products 1,167 km; natural gas 3,300 km.

Sea ports:

Antwerp is one of the largest ports in the world

Bruges (Zeebrugge "Sea Bruges") is one of the largest ports in Europe.

Ghent, Ostend

International relationships

Belgium is a traditional and major trade and economic partner of Russia. Russian-Belgian trade and economic relations have deep historical roots and every year they increasingly acquire the character of an in-depth partnership. The saturation of Russian-Belgian relations with practical affairs and agreements fully demonstrates the mutual desire of the two countries to develop multifaceted, mutually beneficial cooperation.

July 25, 1921 creation of the Belgian-Luxembourg Economic Union. The Treaty establishing the Benelux Customs Union was signed on September 5, 1944 by the deported governments of the three countries in London and came into force in 1948. The Union lasted until 1 November 1960, when it was replaced by the Benelux Economic Union as a result of the signing of the Hague Treaty on 3 February 1958

On April 4, 1949, Belgium joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), headquartered in Brussels, as a founding member. On April 18, 1951, Belgium, together with five European countries, signed the Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC).

In 1957, six states, including Belgium, established the European Economic Community (EEC, Common Market), officially renamed the European Community in 1993, and the European Atomic Energy Community.

In 1964, Belgium joined the Group of Ten.

The Schengen Agreement was originally signed on June 14, 1985 by five European states (Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, Germany), and entered into force on March 26, 1995.

The headquarters of the EFTA Supervisory Body and the headquarters of the European Commission are located in Brussels. The European Parliament holds plenary sessions in Strasbourg and Brussels. The Economic and Social Committee, an EU advisory body, meets once a month in Brussels. Plenary sessions of the EU Committee of the Regions are held in Brussels 5 times a year.

Belgium joined the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism in June 2007.

Tourism

Beach holiday:

Despite the fact that Belgium can hardly be considered one of the most popular resort countries in Western Europe, there are opportunities for a beach holiday here too. Along the entire Belgian coast of the North Sea there are sandy beaches with a total length of about 70 km with the resorts of Knokke, De Haan, Westende, Oostende. The swimming season here is short - it depends on the capricious Atlantic, and therefore lasts only from mid-June to mid-September.

The most famous resort here is Oostende, its beaches and dunes are the ideal place to spend a hot day and a romantic evening. In addition, recreation here is possible almost all year round - one of the water parks of the Sun Parks International system was built in the town of De Haan, located 20 kilometers from Ostend. It provides almost a full range of beach amenities in a gated complex - right down to surfing - the pools simulate ocean waves that roll over swimmers every 15 minutes. Solariums help you get a completely southern tan in strictly prescribed doses, and for guests to live here, a real hotel complex consisting of cozy villas has been built.

Wellness holiday:

The most famous resort in Belgium is Spa, located in the east of the kingdom, near Liege. In the city, famous for its mineral water springs, in addition to balneological health centers, there is the “Museum of the City of Waters” and a gallery with works of artists depicting local landscapes.

Excursions:

Like any part of Western Europe, Belgium has enormous potential for cultural tourism - almost every village has its own history, and the number of surviving medieval castles is simply amazing. It is precisely such impressions in the heart of Europe that tourists from all over the world are drawn to, and in this area they are not in danger of disappointment - the caring attitude of the Belgians to their historical monuments and traditions is known to all Europeans.

Sports in Belgium

Football and cycling are the most popular sports among Belgians. Belgian goalkeeper Jean-Marie Pfaff is recognized as one of the greatest goalkeepers in the history of football. Belgian Eddy Merckx is considered one of the world's greatest cyclists. He has 5 Tour de France victories and countless other cycling accolades. His hourly speed record was set in 1972 and stood in first place for 12 years. Belgium has given the sport two tennis players who quickly rose to number one in the world, Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin, and a host of other award-winning athletes.

In Belgium, the Grand Prix of auto racing in the Formula 1 class is taking place in the town of Spa. The Belgian track is one of the most famous in the world and is loved by both pilots and fans.

In 1920, the Summer Olympics were held in Antwerp, Belgium.

Belgium hosts many famous international cycling competitions, such as:

Ronde van Vlaanderen

Liège-Bastogne-Liège

La Fleche Wallonne

A small European country located on the eastern coast of the North Sea. Without the sea area, the area of the state is 30.5 thousand m2. In the north, Belgium borders on the Kingdom of the Netherlands, there is an eastern border with Germany and the Duchy of Luxembourg, and the Kingdom of Belgium has a southern and southwestern border with the French Republic. A total of 1385 km of border.

Traditionally, Belgium has three geographical regions:

1. Northwestern coastal lowland, consisting of polders and sand dunes (up to 100 m above sea level). A polder is a flat area protected by a dam from flooding.

2. A low plateau in the central part of the country, on which there are fertile plains.

3. Forested southern Ardennes upland. The Ardennes Mountains continue the ridge of the Rhine Slate Mountains. The highest peaks are located in the areas bordering Germany (up to 500 m above sea level).

The highest point in Belgium is Mount Botrange (694 m). The main rivers of the country are the Meuse and Scheldt, connected by a network of canals. Their origins are in France. The total length of the canals is hundreds of kilometers. Numerous locks and dams prevent flooding.

The coastal regions of Belgium are characterized by a mild and humid climate. The southeastern regions of the country are characterized by hot summers and cold winters. In some areas of the country, most year goes by rain.

Despite its small size, Belgium is one of the most densely populated European countries. The population density here is 328 people per km2.

The population consists of several language groups:

French;
Flemish;
German speaking.

Accordingly, the following languages are officially used in the state:

1. French. Language widely spoken in southern regions countries - in Wallonia. It is spoken by more than three million people.

2. Flemish. Used in Flanders, northern Belgium. More than five million people in the country speak this language.

3. German. It is used by 67 thousand people living in the east of Wallonia (Liege region).

In the state, freedom of religion is guaranteed by the constitution. More than 70% of the country's residents are parishioners of the Roman Catholic Church. There are also a large number of Jews and Protestants. There are Greek Catholics and Anglicans. Muslims make up 2% of the total population.

The largest cities in the kingdom are Antwerp, Brussels, Ghent, Liege, Charleroi. The nine provinces are governed by governors appointed by the king.

To enter Belgium you must have a Schengen visa.

Economy of Belgium, priority sectors

Agricultural production and industry are actively developing in the country. All industries employ highly qualified workers. Half of the kingdom's output is exported.

Leading industries:

Mechanical engineering (automotive industry);
Chemical industry;
Microelectronics;
Pharmaceutical;
Metallurgical;
Diamond and diamond.

Belgium occupies a leading position in the world in the export of metals (non-ferrous, ferrous), and is a leader in the field of chemical production. There are no mineral reserves in the depths of the country. At the end of the twentieth century, the Belgians stopped mining coal. Therefore, hydrocarbons are supplied to the Netherlands, Algeria, and Middle Eastern countries. Coal is imported from the Republic of South Africa and the USA.

For the wood processing industry, raw materials are supplied by Germany, Finland, and China.

In the energy sector, the main share falls on the nuclear component - two nuclear power plants. Uranium concentrators are imported from France, Canada, the United States of America, and South Africa.

In the engineering industry, Belgium is known for its efficient food, electronics and electrical industries. The automobile assembly industry is developing well.

The largest number of industrial enterprises are located in:

Liege;
Namur;
Monse;
Charleroi.

There are more than two hundred companies operating in the biotechnology sector. In this industry, there are reliable connections between research organizations, university potential, and major economic players. The share of Belgian business in this industry in the total turnover in the European Union is 16%.

The kingdom does not produce its own cars. Low taxation on imports of automobile parts and the presence of highly qualified personnel contribute to the location of automobile assembly production in the country. Millions of cars are assembled annually at factories representing famous automobile brands.

The shipbuilding (ship repair) industry, concentrated in Antwerp, is well developed. This city, historically, is also a world center for trade and diamond cutting. Products from the Belgian glass and textile industries are popular.

Belgium has an excellent infrastructure and the country is an ideal logistics base. The capital, Brussels, is a strategic location. Leading European, Asian and North American international corporations have their headquarters in the city. The main institutions of the European Union in Brussels. This is also where NATO headquarters is located. The capital's population exceeds one million people.

Sights of a small country

The cultural and political life of the state is characterized by tolerance. The country has many unique attractions:

1. The ancient town of Tournai attracts tourists with the magnificent architecture of the ancient Notre Dame Cathedral. Its simple, elegant Gothic design amazes all visitors. Inside the cathedral there are rare works of medieval artists.

2. From the observation platform of the Brussels Atomium you can enjoy the view of the wonderful park complex “Europe in Miniature”. The exhibitions and museums here present the life of ordinary Belgians. The Atomium houses a unique model - an iron molecule, which has been enlarged 165 million times.

Thousands of tourists every day come to the intersection of Oak and Bath streets in Brussels to see the miniature sculpture little boy peeing in the pool. Manneken Pis is famous all over the world. For several centuries this statue has been a landmark of the capital. By the way, his name is Julien. He is very fashionable and has more than two thousand suits in his wardrobe.

The capital's Royal Museum displays thousands of paintings by famous artists.

The small town of Waterloo is famous for the fact that the French Emperor Napoleon lost a battle here that decided the outcome of the war. A visit to this place is interesting for all history buffs.

Here you can imagine how in 1815 the Anglo-Dutch troops, led by the Duke of Wellington, and the Prussian army, commanded by Marshal Blucher, clashed in battle with the Napoleonic army.

While in the museum complex, you can feel the spirit of that time and look at the personal belongings of the English commander. The museum is located in the building where this great Englishman once lived. The wax figure exhibition here features the great emperor himself, Napoleon.

This is not an exhaustive list; there are many different attractions in the country. There are numerous monuments from the Roman era and the Middle Ages. The inhabitants of this small kingdom are very proud of their cultural heritage and take care of all cultural values.

Geographical position

Belgium located in western Europe, on the eastern coast of the North Sea. She borders on the north With the Netherlands,in the east- With Germany And Luxembourg, on South And southwest borders with France.Total border length amounts to 1,385 km.In North-west The country's territory is washed by waters North Sea.total area Belgium's territory is 30.5 thousand sq. km.

On the territory of the country it is traditional to distinguish three main geographical regions: coastal plain, central plateau And Arden Heights. Coastal Plain located in northwestern Belgium. It is represented by dunes and polders. Polders They are low-lying areas of land that are protected from flooding by dams. Average altitude this region is about 10 meters. Central Plateau is a low section of the country's territory, which is formed by fertile plains. Arden Heights is a plateau covered with forests. His average height is about 460 meters. This site is located in southeast Belgium.

Highest point on the territory of the country is Mount Botrange height 694 meters. Largest rivers Belgium - Scheldt And Maas, which start in France. They are connected to each other using channels.

Capital is a city Brussels.

Climate in Belgium temperate marine. Warm weather lasts from May to September. in winter Snow falls quite often.

On the coast average temperature in January is +3 C, in the Ardennes - 1 C. average temperature July on the coast is +19 C, in the Ardennes- +14 C.

On the plains falls annually 700-900 mm precipitation, in mountainous areas - 1200-1500 mm. Relative humidity is quite high all year.

Summer Belgium has enough cool and cloudy. Winter cloudy and humid.

The rainiest months are April And november. Constantly blowing westerly and southwesterly winds.

In summer, the weather can deteriorate due to cool, damp winds from the Atlantic.

Visas, entry rules, customs rules

Belgium is member of the Schengen agreement.Citizens of Russia to enter the country necessary design Schengen visa. Also need to have active international passport, health insurance policy, amount of money sufficient to stay in the country.

Import and export currency Can no limits. Amounts exceeding 10 thousand euros must be declared.

Duty free You can import into the country small quantities of tobacco and tobacco products, as well as alcohol, coffee, tea, perfumes and personal goods, and gold items and jewelry weighing no more than 500 grams.

To the territory of the European Union countries it is forbidden import any products that contain meat or milk. This ban even applies to chocolate. Exception consists only of baby food and special medications for chronic patients.

Special permission required for the import of medications, drugs and drug-containing drugs, weapons and pornographic materials, as well as animals and birds into the country, various types plants and products from them. Plants, animals and plant products necessary present to quarantine officials. On pets required all necessary information. It is forbidden export from the country things and objects that have historical or artistic value.

Population, political status

Population Belgium is about 10.26 million people. In my own way ethnic composition The country's population is quite diverse. Most of it make up Flemings(58%) and Walloons(32.5%). There are also large communities of immigrants from Asia and South-Eastern Europe.

Politically, Belgium is federal constitutional monarchy. Head of State is king. Legislature concentrated in hands bicameral parliament, which consists of House of Representatives And Senate.

Administratively, the entire territory of the country is divided into 3 regions(Flemish, Walloon and metropolitan region Brussels) And 9 provinces: Antwerp, Brabant, East Flanders, West Flanders, Liege, Limburg, Luxembourg, Namur And Hainault.

The capital has about 1 million inhabitants. Population largest cities : Brussels(1,122,000 people), Antwerp(470,000 people), Ghent(231,000 people), Charleroi(207,000 people) and Liege(195,000 people).

Regions have a large number of autonomous rights. They are under control local executive bodies authorities - assemblies.

In Belgium there is three official languages -Flemish, German And French. Dutch the language is common in Flanders, French - in Wallonia.

Flemish similar to Dutch and has several dialects. Belgian French It is distinguished by its characteristic local pronunciation and the use of a large number of dialect words. In tourist areas widely spread English language.

Actual head of state is Prime Minister.Government composition approved by the king and parliament. According to the requirements of the country's constitution, one half of the ministers must consist from representatives of the Dutch-speaking community, A second half - representatives of the French-speaking community.

Belgium is divided into judicial cantons and districts. Headed by judicial system Supreme Court.

Belgium is a member of 70 international organizations. Included V UES And NATO.

What to see

Belgium attracts numerous tourists with an abundance of its attractions, historical and cultural monuments. In all cities of this country you can see something interesting.

Capital Brussels is cultural and political center of Belgium and the European Community. Local residents are used to calling old part of the city "Pentagon". This is due to the fact that it is surrounded by circular boulevards. These boulevards were built on the site where the old defensive structures were located.

Grand Place(Grotemarkt or Big square) is the city's largest and most famous square. There is an old building on it Town Hall "Hotel de Ville". This building is interesting for its 15th century weather vane, which depicts St. Michael slaying the dragon. The square also contains Broadhus with city museum. Here you can also see the ancient quarter, in which each building has its own name.

On Etuve Street, near the Grand Place, you can see the most famous fountain in Brussels -Mannequin Piece ("Pissing boy"), which refers to XVII century. Here it is also worth Palais des Nations, in which Parliament is sitting.

In addition to the "Manneken Pis" in Brussels there is "Pissing Girl" and even "Pissing Dog".

West of Grand Place located Exchange And Opera by Monet, which is one of the most prestigious European stages. You can also visit here Rogier Square And Church of St. Catherine. The church building stands on the square of the same name, which is surrounded by ancient houses of the 17th-18th centuries. and lively Central boulevards.

On the site of the old canal today there is popular pedestrian area with two small ponds and a picturesque Church of John the Baptist, built in the 17th century.

Very popular tourists use Royal Galleries of St. Hubert that can be found between Marche aux Herbes and Ecuyer streets. They were built in 1847 and became the first European architectural complex with covered galleries. Today there are many shops, cafes and theaters.

Famous landmark is and Cathedral of St. Michael(XIII-XVI centuries). In the territory " Classic Quarter" located Palace Square With Royal Palace And Palace of Academies. Here tourists have the opportunity to visit Royal Square, Cathedral of the Virgin Mary, Coquelberg Sacré-Coeur Basilica, St. James Church And Palace of Justice.

Museum Square so named because it is surrounded by museums. stands on it Palace of Charles of Lorraine. Many people come here to see the famous " Failure". It is an illuminated well in which some exhibits are displayed Museum of Modern Art.

South of Royal Square stretched out blocks of the Bolshoi And Petit Sablon. Worthy of attention here Egmont Palace, Minim Church and picturesque Church of Notre-Dame de Victoire du Sablon 16th century, built in Gothic style.

"Brussels Park"appeared before royal hunting park. Today it is a beautiful French-style park. It contains such architectural monuments, How: Royal Palace, Palace of Justice, headquarters of the Brussels Lambert bank, Parliament complex And Park Theater.

South-eastern part of the city is business. Famous Cambrai Abbey was built in the XIII-XVIII centuries. Currently located here National Geographic Institute And Cambrai Higher School of Fine Arts.

In the north-eastern part of the capital worth to visit Botanical Garden. There is also Church of Sainte-Marie. On the site of the old one Malebek indoor market today there is a city concert hall.

In the western part of the city Deserves attention Church of Notre-Dame de Laiquen. Palace of Leopold II(XVIII century) is known for its unique Royal greenhouses related to 19th century.Mini-Europe Park also very popular with tourists. It has Atomium, which is a model of an iron molecule, enlarged several million times. In this park you can see all the famous European cathedrals. Not far from here you can visit tropical pool "Oceadium".

In Anderlecht worth to visit Erasmus Museum of Rotterdam, located on Chapitre street. Also interesting Birsel Castle(XIV century), Royal Castle Gaasbeek And Constant Vanden Stock Stadium.

The most interesting museums in the city can be called: Royal Museum of Fine Arts, with a large collection of masterpieces of world art, Aeronautics Museum, Porcelain Museumon the territory of the Royal Greenhouses, Municipal Museum in the Royal Palace building, richest Museum musical instruments , Royal Army Museum and military history , private car museum V " Fiftieth Anniversary Park".

Antwerp is the main city of the province of the same name. This second largest port in Europe. Antwerp is also known as the world's largest diamond cutting center. There are also many interesting monuments of architecture, culture and history.

Worth to visit Royal Art Museum. Museum Mayer van den Bergh("Museum of Costume Jewelry") is one of the most interesting and rich museums in the city.

The city also houses such museums as: Rubens House Museum And Plantin-Moretus Museum, Diamond Museum,Folklore Museum,Museum "Dwelling of Virgins" And Museums of folk art and ethnography.

The most beautiful churches can be called Cathedral of Our Lady, Church of St. James And St. Charles Borromean.

Worthy of attention Royal Castle Gaasbeek, Opera And Flanders Ballet, and Antwerp Zoo.

Fortress of the Walls is the oldest building in the city. Currently it operates Maritime Museum. Tourists take great pleasure in strolling along the pedestrian street, the central Grote Markt square, embankment And Southern terrace of the Scheldt and Linkerover. Left bank of the Scheldt River was built up based on Corbusier's design.

In the Meir area worth visiting the ancient Royal Palace, which refers to XVIII century, picturesque Rotunda of the Burla Theater And Church of St. James.

Borenbond Tower represents the country's first skyscraper. Quite interesting and old shoe market Schoonmarkt.

In the Southern Quarter picturesque Leopold-Waalplats Square And Marniksplats, and Museum esplanade visual arts . Flemish And Walloon embankments are very busy places in the city. Art galleries are nearby.

Antwerp has a lot of entertainment venues of various types: restaurants, bars, cafes, night clubs etc. Most entertainment can be found near Central Square And railway station.

In the suburbs of Antwerp There are also a number of attractions: Singel cultural complex, Guyet house. On Morkensplein there is a town hall Borgerhout, which has 47 bells.

In Middelheim Park you can see the real one open-air museum. Landscape compositions with modern sculptures are exhibited here.

In Derna There are two castles worth visiting. One of them, Sterkhof, is interesting because it opens Museum of Arts and Crafts. There is also a magnificent park here, which is considered one of the most picturesque parks in the country.

Antique" Fort VII", built in 1860, today is a natural park-reserve. It is home to a huge number of animals and birds.

City of Lir worth a visit to see the famous astronomical clock, ancient Zimmer tower And ring of fortifications dating back to the 16th century.

Not far from the city is located natural Kalmthout Nature Reserve with sand dunes, moorland and pine forests.

City of Ghent is capital of East Flanders. It surpasses all other Belgian cities in the number of remarkable buildings of ancient architecture. There are especially many of them in the historical center.

One of the main symbols of the city can be called St. Michael's Bridge through Lis channel And watchtower. Indoor Cloth Market Lakenhalle dates back to the 15th century.

Beautiful embankments of Grasley And Korenley built up with medieval guild buildings. Very well preserved the oldest quarter of Ghent Patershall. The local buildings were built during the period of the XVI-XVMI centuries. Now they house shops, restaurants, cafes, etc.

To the main tourist attractions Ghent includes the church of St. Nicholas, the church of St. Michael, the old fortified gateway of Rabot, the street of ancient houses of Grasley, the castles of Count Philip and Gerard the Devil, which were built in the 12th century, Van der Mers Palace(XVIII century). Cathedral of St. Bavo The 12th century is interesting for Van Eyck's paintings. University Library has a tower whose height is 64 meters. On the slopes of "mountain" Blandeinberg located St. Peter's Abbey, which dates back to the 17th century. The main square of the city is Vrijdagmarkt ("Friday Market"). On Breidelstraat tourists can see Royal Palace. Town Hall on Hoogpoort surrounded by the magnificent houses of representatives of the aristocracy.

Old " beguinage" represents Convent of the Order of the Beguines of St. Elizabeth, it is located around the church of the same name. At Beilock Abbey working today Archaeological Museum.

At the Museum of Modern Art presents a rich collection of works by artists belonging to the school " old Flemings". These works date back to the 15th-16th centuries.

Most popular museums cities can be called: Museum of Modern Art, Museum of Fine Arts, Folklore Museum, which currently operates in the old building Hospice Kinderen Alein.

On the Veldstraat pedestrian street located old mansion buildings XVIII century and expensive stores.Shores of the Scheldt turned into picturesque gardens.

Not far from the city are Laarne, Ooidonk and Vondelgem castles which served for defensive purposes.

City of Bruges is main city of West Flanders. In the Middle Ages it was considered a popular center of trade. Special attention deserves a part of the city that is located between the station, the main square and the market.

Worth to visit City Museum of Fine Arts.In the building of the Sint-Jans hospital open today Hans Memling Museum. On the territory of the old market square there are interesting buildings dating back to the 13th century.

Watchtower was built during the XIII-XV centuries. Its height is 83 meters.

In the Cathedral of St. Salvator(XII-XIII centuries) there is a rich Cathedral Museum. Gothic Church of Our Lady, built in the XIV-XV centuries, has a height of 122 meters.

To the most beautiful churches relate: St. James, St. Walpurgis, St. Anne, St. Gilles and Jerusalem. On Daver Street located Gruthuse Palace. The ancients are also interesting Jeselpoort city gate,Gentpoort and Smedenpoort, Palace of Justice(Palace of the Bruges Union),Basilica of the Blood of Christ(XV century). At Burg Square costs Basilica of Saint-Saens.

Very popular Tourists also enjoy such historical monuments as Lace center, current St. Janus Mill, which was built in 1770, as well as 80 bridges stretching over picturesque canals.

City Liege counts the largest and one of the most ancient cities in Wallonia. Most tourists definitely visit here St. Lambert's Square, Town Hall And Church of St. James, Palace of Prince-Bishops.

Quite interesting exhibitions are presented in Museum of Walloon Life And Museum of Walloon Art.

Ancient symbol of independence of Liege is Platform, which features a fountain and a column with four lions. It is located on the Marchais market square.

In the old days Monastery of Frere-Miner many interesting museums. Baptismal fonts With biblical stories often call " Liege miracle".

On St. Leonard's Bridge located Curtius' house white-red color. Cathedral of St. Paul can see on Vinav d'Ile square. Here is the famous statue"Delcourt Virgin". Passage Lemonnier was built in 1839 and is considered the oldest passage in the country.

On Place Isère the building is located theater de la place, in En Roture Lane- famous Circus Diver.

On St. Martin's Hill costs Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament with 12 medallions by Jean Delcourt. Local Glass Museum More than 9,000 exhibits are presented to visitors.

Other interesting museums include: Museum of Religious Art and Mozan Art,Weapons museum, Ansembourg Museum, Zoo museum And Chanchey Puppet Museum.

City of Mechelen (Malines) well known for his famous bells. It is from the name of this city that the expression “ raspberry ringing”, which refers to the beautiful chime of a bell. This city has been capital of the Spanish Netherlands. Moreover, here the great Beethoven was born.

Mechelen is also quite interesting for its architectural monuments. Schepenhuis is one of the oldest buildings in the city, it was built in 1374. Also worth the attention of tourists Town Hall(XV-XVI centuries), Royal Lyceum, Cathedral of St. Rombout, Baroque Church of St. Peter. In the palace of Margaret of Austria, dating back to the 16th century, is located Palace of Justice.

Palace of Margaret of York is currently an urban theater. St. John's Church is notable for the fact that it houses the famous triptych by Rubens "Adoration of the Magi".

Worth to visit Church of Our Lady of Hanswijk(1663), bishopric And Abbey of Saint-Tron. Grand Beguinage attracts with its magnificent church built in the 17th century.

From the main museums of the city can be distinguished: City Museum (Büsleiden family museum), Museum of Toys and Folklore, and Museum of Traditional Crafts and etc.

Small town of Waterloo is one of the main tourist areas of the country. It is known throughout the world due to what happened in this place the legendary battle between Napoleon's army and Wellington's troops. All the main attractions of the town are associated with this battle. Here you can see Napoleon's headquarters,Wellington Museum, Lion Hill with Visitor Center, Panorama. Interesting to visit The Wax Museum And St. Joseph's Church.

You can go to city of churches» Tour or ancient Mons. In medieval Binche the famous Carnival.

City of Charleroi represents home of the Carolingian dynasty. Tongeren- This the oldest city in the country. Yui is " the country's tin capital". City of Leuven- This first capital of the Duchy of Brabant.

On the border of Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany famous Great Ardennes Forest. It is very popular not only among tourists, but also among local residents. 30 minutes drive south of Charleroi located Neptune's grotto, near La Roche - grotto"Thousand and One Nights". It is also very picturesque Dinant citadel rock.

The name of the country is happening from the Belgians who inhabited the territory of Belgium in ancient times. In the 1st century BC uh. the territory of the country was seized Romans.

During the Middle Ages territory of modern Belgian duchies: Brabant, Luxembourg, Flanders etc., was part of the Netherlands. But in the 16th century this is the state was conquered by the Spaniards.

The War of the Spanish Succession led to in 1714 Belgian territories took possessionAustrian Habsburgs.

During from 1815 to 1830 Belgium was part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In 1830 occurred Belgian Revolution, as a result of which The Belgian state gained independence.

In 1908 year Congo became a colony of Belgium. The capture of this country began in the 70s of the 19th century. Before 1908 Congo had a year left" private ownership"Monarch of Belgium.

In the 19th century started in the country opposition to the Catholic And Liberal Party. In 1945 year on the basis of the Catholic Party was formed Social Christian Party. A Liberal Party since 1961 became the year Party of Freedom and Progress.

In the 90s in Belgium the national question has worsened associated with the Flemish movement.

In 1885 appeared Belgian Workers' Party, which in 1941 year was transformed into Belgian Socialist Party.

Most of Belgium's territory during the First World War was occupied by German invaders. After World War II at the head of governments, especially coalition ones, were alternately socialists And demo-Christians.

Wallonia until the beginning of the 20th century was the main region of the country. It dominated in terms of economics, culture and politics. Then the more developed region became Flanders.

During the world wars German troops attacked Belgium. Currently a country's foreign policy is determined by its membership in NATO And EU.

Belgium is part of some political and economic unions, including Belgian-Luxembourg Economic Union. It is also included in Benelux countries.

International trade

Main import items are rough diamonds, textile And cloth, oil And petroleum products,Food, cars, as well as products chemical industry.

Main export products Belgium can be called Food, non-ferrous metals, cars, textile, plastics, processed diamonds, iron, steel And petroleum products.

The shops

The shops countries open at weekdays from 8.00 to 18.00/19.30. On Saturdays they work from 8.00 to 12.30. IN every first Saturday of the month shops are open until 17.00. Large supermarkets open all day. Sunday is on days off.

In summer and winter seasons are taking place in Belgium sales.

Most often tourists bring from Belgium as souvenirs Brussels lace, chocolate, waffles And fruit beer, and tapestries of the highest quality, which are produced in Bruges.

Demography

Most of the population countries lives in cities. Population density is quite high and amounts to about 342 people per km². Urban population - 97% , rural- 3% .

average life expectancy is 78.77 years. Average life expectancy for men - 75.59, women- 82.09 years.

The bulk of the country's population(65.7%) are aged people from 15 to 64 years old.

Average age is 50.0 years. Average age of men - 39.6, women- 42.1 years.

Fertility rate - 10,38, mortality- 10,27.

Overall infant mortality rate is 4.62 deaths per 1,000 births.

Total Fertility Rate: There are 1.64 children per woman.

On the territory of the country permanently reside about 900 thousand foreigners. Their most make up Italians, Moroccans, French, Turks, Dutch And Spaniards.

Industry

Belgian industry has high level of development. In the river valley Sambra And Maas concentrated production of cement, steel And chemical products. The largest industrial centers countries are the following cities: Liege, Mons, Charleroi And Namur. Liege is also center of the steel industry.

Chemical industry produces fertilizers, various plastics, dyes And pharmaceutical substances.

Petrochemical industry especially well developed in Antwerp. In Brussels the headquarters of a large chemical and pharmaceutical company is located Solvay.

Textile industry presented processing of flax, cotton, synthetic fabrics And wool.Main products textile industry are carpets And blankets. Its largest centers can be called Verviers, Ghent, Kortrijk And Tournai.

In Brussels, Bruges And Mechelen have been producing for a long time lace.

Among other industries developed diamond processing(Antwerp) and also cement production And glass, food industry And woodworking. There is a several automobile production facilities.

The main energy sector is atomic. The country has two nuclear power plants.

Flora and fauna

Common in Belgium beech And hornbeam forests, oak And birch groves. In the Ardennes widespread forests, which consist mainly of coniferous trees. But local soils are not at all as fertile as the soils Central Plateau. The alluvial soils that cover the coastal lowlands of Flanders. They are used for agricultural purposes..Belgium Metro
Transport schemes in Belgium

Belgium is a small country, domestic airlines quite short. Backbone network Belgium is one of the densest in the world.

Belgium has a fairly extensive railway network.

Main seaports are: Antwerp, Bruges, Ghent And Ostend.

Internal ports:Brussels And Liege.

Belgian roads are of the highest quality and illuminated at night. Driving through them is free.

On the highway maximum permitted speed movement is 120 km/h., on national roads - 90 km/h., V populated areas -50 km/h.

Local drivers don't like to follow traffic rules, that's why it's happening in the country a large number of serious accidents.

To park a car cities are best in paid parking lots. Of course, you can leave your car on the side of the road or sidewalk, but can evacuate, and getting the car back will not be easy.

Tourists in Belgium can rent a car, but this expensive costs. To rent a car with you necessary have an international or national driver's license, passport and credit card.

Much cheaper take bike. Bicycles for rent available in all cities.

Urban transport presented by bus And by trams. In the capital there is also metro. Between cities convenient to move around by train or on the bus.

Parking lots Taxi located in almost all tourist places. You can also simply catch on the street or call by phone.

AND barley. In each region, agriculture has its own distinctive features. The most fertile area country is Condroz. Around big cities grow fruits And vegetables.

For agricultural needs About 1/4 of the country's total area is used. About half of agricultural land falls on pastures for grazing livestock. Livestock provides 70% of all agricultural products.

Livestock presented mainly cattle breeding And pigs.

Cost of service in restaurants already included in the bill and amounts to 15%. In a bar and cafe for waiter services - 10-15% from the account. In a taxi tip also included in the fare.

Accepted also leave a tip caretaker in the toilet, cinema ticket taker And theater, and hairdressers.

National characteristics

The country has enough low crime rate. However, tourists should be feared pickpocketing, which is not uncommon.

For tourists you should be on your guard in public places and around the neighborhood" Rondpoint Schuman", in which are located institutions European Union . It is best to store valuables in the hotel safe.

Locals will be perceived negatively, if tourists begin to criticize the royal family and the institution of the kingdom. Not worth it touch on the topic of interethnic relations. It is forbidden compare Belgium with France and copy the local accent.

In Belgium there is an unusual for us tradition greet the same person repeatedly. In this way they show respect for each other. According to etiquette requirements of this country necessary express gratitude for even the smallest phone call.

It should be noted that local residents not accepted have more intimate conversations. The conversation mainly consists of formal, polite questions and answers. Not worth it discuss politics, money, health and personal life with local residents.

The Belgians can be called pedants in relation to education and work. Bragging about one's wealth or position considered a sign of bad taste.

The Belgians simply love horses, horse riding and everything connected with it.

According to local laws necessary Always carry an official document confirming your identity and present it at the first request of the police. For tourists you need international health insurance. Medical services in Belgium are different high quality and stand expensive. Rendering emergency care is free, All other medical services - paid.

Pharmacies during weekdays work from 9.00 to 19.00,on Saturday -from 9.00 to 13.00. IN major cities available 24-hour pharmacies. Addresses of on-duty pharmacies can be found on signs, in national daily newspapers and on special posters posted in the windows of all pharmacies.

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