Belgium lies on the North Sea and is bordered by France, Luxembourg, Germany and the Netherlands, of which it was a part until 1830. It is a country of two official languages, with French spoken in the southern provinces and Flemish, similar to Dutch, spoken in the northern provinces. Many other languages are spoken as well, since the both the seat of the European Parliament and the headquarters of NATO are in Brussels.
With an area of 30,528 square KM, Belgium is about the size of Maryland. It enjoys mild winters and cool summers. It has broad, North Sea beaches on the north, rolling hills in the center, and the mountainous Ardennes Forest in the south.
Click on a city in the navigation bar at left to read about some of Belgium's attractions.
Copyright 2008 Harry B. Rowe