38. Expatica uses technology such as cookies and scripts to personalize content and ads, provide social media features, and analyze our traffic. Over time, in the region of what's now called Belgium, the border has migrated from south to north due to French linguistic imperialism (Francization), from the idea that French would be superior to Dutch. All Rights Reserved. Justine Henin, a former world number one tennis player, is a Belgian. It was also voted as the world’s best festival by DJ Magazine and its youtube channel has more than five million subscribers. Belgium may be small but it's packed full of sights. Belgium’s official name today is the Kingdom of Belgium, known in the country’s three official languages as Koninkrijk België (Dutch), Royaume deBelgique (French) and Königreich Belgien (German). His statue can be seen near Antwerp’s diamond district. With the diamond trade happening in Antwerp since 1447, the city is also known as the world’s diamond capital. The Belgians are also accredited with the suggestion of the € symbol. The country is also the world’s leading exporter of billiard balls. Belgium is also known worldwide for their inventions which include – plastic, the saxophone – invented by Adolphe Sax in 1840, the Body Mass Index (BMI) – invented by mathematician Lambert Adolphe Quetelet, and also have made significant contributions towards the World Wide Web, contraceptive pills, Imodium and inline skates. Known as the Torengebouw in 1928 in Antwerp. Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a small and densely populated country located in Western Europe. Brussels is its capital and largest city. Tax rates are high in Belgium. Liege is a very small town in the south of Belgium, a major French-speaking city of Wallonia that has fantastic arts museums, ancient 12th century architecture and French-style cafes on the foot paths and boulevards. It is one of the six founding countries of the European Union. Famous Belgian tour winners include Eddy Merckx and Philippe Thys. The northern part of Belgium is less hilly than the southern part. Belgium is also one of the most cabled countries in the world, where some 97 percent of Belgian households receive cable TV. After being expelled from France, Karl Marx wrote The Communist Manifesto in Brussels in 1848 with Friedrich Engles, and French author Victor Hugo also worked on Les Miserables while living in Brussels in exile in 1851. 25. Where 98 percent of the population live in urban areas and cities, also among the highest rate in the world. The newspaper was called Relation. 13) The longest tramway line in the world at 68 kilometres is the Belgian coast tram which operates from the French border to the Dutch border. According to some estimate, the percentage of non-nationals in Brussels is 28% while that in the country is 15%. Belgium took the record from Iraq for the longest government formation in history when parties took 541 days to form coalitions, plus 48 days to finalize government positions. Along with the above facts, a Belgian – Adolphe Sax invented saxophone, the first printed newspaper was published in 1605 in Belgium, oil painting was invented here in the 15th century. After being expelled from France, Karl Marx wrote The Communist Manifesto in Brussels in 1848 with Friedrich Engles, and French author Victor Hugo also worked on Les Miserables while living in Brussels in exile in 1851. 6. Dutch, French, and German are all accepted as Belgium’s official languages. In addition, Belgium has a Flemish Community, a French Community and a German-speaking Community (in the Walloon Region) that deals with culture and education, all with their own governments. Belgium is publically well-known as the Kingdom Of Belgium. 26. Belgium is among the top 10 countries for the highest road and railroad density, although TomTom ranks Brussels as the seventh most congested city in Europe. Belgium has a population of 10.5 million people (10,444,268) as of July 2013. 13. 2. Academics believe immigrants from north Belgium could have imported the game to Britain, based on a poem thought to have been written in 1533 that calls Flemish weavers ‘king of crekettes’ and also mentions ‘wickettes’, predating English references dating to the 1600s. With a construction area of some 26,000sqm, it is bigger than St Peter’s Basilica in Rome by 5,000sqm. Belgium is located on the language border between the Germanic languages Dutch and German and the Latin language French. Also, French fries are called Belgian fries in the country, why not, they have invented them. Alongside some 15 stages and 400+ performers, the festival is known for impressive stage design and tickets sell out months in advance and is aptly located near a Belgian town called Boom. Today four of his town houses in Belgium are designated UNESCO world heritage sites; one is a now museum and the others were hotels. After the defeat of Napoleon, the Congress of Vienna established the kingdom of the Netherlands, including present-day Belgium. 41. 1. Dutch-versus-French language divide was established in the Middle Ages when Roman Emperor Charlemagne was forced to divide his kingdom between his three grandsons. As for education, Flemish schools often require children to learn French, Walloon schools require either Dutch or English at some point, and German community schools require French lessons. The origin of French fries can be traced back to Belgium, not France. The largest urbanized population in the world is in Belgium. 24. Visitors can see Napoleon’s and other war artifacts at the site today. 35. 33. Dutch, French, and German are all accepted as Belgium’s official languages. Merckx is the only cyclist to have won the general, points and king of the mountains classifications in the same tour, and is among a small group of cyclists who won a tour on their first attempt. France is the one of the world's biggest exporter of films. 27. As a concern of population, it lies in the 22nd number compare to other states. In the north the Flemings, who constitute more than half of Belgium’s population, speak Flemish, which is equivalent to Dutch (sometimes called Netherlandic). It is France. See the map below. Belgium is also one of the most heavily industrialized and urbanized country in Europe. He was also involved in the development of the Art Deco movement. Belgium is a developed country and has an advanced high-income economy. Belgium is famous for its mouthwatering cuisine which features everything from moules frites and stoemp to chocolate and of course, waffles. CTRL + SPACE for auto-complete. But what does Belgae stand for and where did these tribes come from? More than 60 percent of the people who live in the north of Flanders area speak Dutch. Belgium has the highest number of castles per square kilometer than any other country in the world. The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday, 18 June 1815. The minority people speak German. Other top chocolate producing countries include: the Netherlands, Italy, U.S., Poland, Canada, France, United Kingdom, and Switzerland. Around two-thirds of all marriages in Belgium are between first-time couples, while in the remaining third at least one person has been divorced. Belgium has a high population of noncitizens which is the reason why the country is culturally diverse. Facts about France for kids: Learn all about France, with facts about French history, people, politics, culture and geography, including a map of France. The Belgian-French Diet. This site uses functional cookies and external scripts to improve your experience. Anheuser-Busch InBev from Belgium is the largest beer brewery in the world. The average Dutchman is now 183cm tall and Belgians have an average height of 182cm. Euthanasia was also legalized in 2002. First French Speaker to Lead New Government. 32. Belgium occupies the same area as the state of Maryland. Brussels is its capital and largest city. Belgian Luc Luycx’s design was the chosen winner of a European Union design competition. Its … The world’s first printed newspaper was produced in Belgium in 1605 in Antwerp. We may earn a commission from affiliate links (). 10. Interesting Facts About France ... Italy, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Belgium. Because Belgium was controlled by different foreign powers for centuries, the country is With around 120 international governmental organisations, 1,400 non-governmental organisations and 181 embassies employing 3,000 diplomats. 5. The country produced more than 1100 varieties of Beer. 39. Those are German, French and Dutch. There are over 800 kinds of beers made in Belgium. It is said to be the cultural centre of Belgium and the shopping city of Belgium. 8. The Belgian Franc was replaced by the Euro in 2002. King Philippe of Belgium is the current monarch. Belgian fries, not French Don’t be fooled by the name ‘French’ fries; the origins of this ubiquitous dish can be traced back to Belgium. The practice of intentionally ending a life (Euthanasia) to relieve pain and suffering is also legal in the country. Initially, Belgium had a … With a height of 181.7cm, only Dutchmen are taller at 182.5cm. According to some historians, potatoes were being fried by 1680 in the Meuse Valley of Belgium. Education in the country is compulsory until the age of 18. Have a cookie The Kusttram travels the full 68km of Belgian coast between the French and Dutch borders, making some 68 stops from Knokke-Heist to De Panne and running every 10 minutes during summer peak hours. 12. 30. With these 74 facts about Belgium, let us learn more about its people, culture, economy, history, geography and more. It has an area of 30,528 square km. 29. Your choices will not impact your visit. The almost 100 percent-lit highway network is one of the few man-made structures seen that far at night. Belgium, country of northwestern Europe. Brussels – the capital of Belgium – has a majority of French-speaking (85%) population. Belgium’s tax revenue is among the highest in Europe representing around 48 percent of the country’s GDP. Including: actors Audrey Hepburn (born Edda van Heemstra Hepburn-Ruston in Brussels) and Jean-Claude van Damme; artists Jan Van Eyck, Peter Paul Rubens and René Magritte; fashion designers Liz Claiborne and Dries Van Noten; composer and singer Jacques Brel; and writer Georges Simenon with his protagionist Inspector Maigret. In French-Belgium culture, there is a greater sense of freedom regarding emotional expression. It is reputed to be the largest building constructed in the 19th century. Belgium has an average elevation of 181 m above sea level. Twelve are cultural and one is Natural. Expatica helps make your expat journey the experience you've always wanted. 21. Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a small and densely populated country located in Western Europe. It has 11.5 million population considers as the most populated state around the world. Almost 98% of the country’s population lives in cities and urban areas. The official languages of Belgium are French, Dutch and German. 28. Locals often ate small fried fish, when the river was frozen they used potatoes as a substitute. The metric system is the legal standard of weights and measures in Belgium. Thus, with the help of canals, storage basins, and pipelines, water is transferred to meet the demand in the north. 15) 15 percent of Belgium's population or 1.6 million people are immigrants. Is the birthplace of the famous comic book series The Smurfs (Pierre Culliford) and The Adventures of Tintin (Hergé), the latter which has been translated into more than 100 languages. Test your Belgian knowledge with these top 30 Belgian facts – did you know the Big Bang theory and the game of cricket originated in Belgium? Origins of the name: It is believed that Belgium derives its name from the Belgae tribes which lived in the northern part of what was then Gaul around the third century BC. 19. Read about all the inventions you didn’t know were Belgian. About one-tenth of the population of Belgium is completely bilingual (speaking two languages fluently.). Belgium’s highest point (the Signal de Botrange on the High Fens plateau in far-east Belgium at 694m) is lower than the tallest building (the Burj Khalifa at 828m) in the world. Learn more about billiard balls. 18. The Eiffel Tower in the centre of Paris is often referred to as the "Iron Lady" and is 324 m high/ 1,063 ft. Jean Neuhaus invented the pralines chocolate in Brussels in 1912. Today, the country has more than 2,000 chocolate shops, and it produces over 173,000 tons of chocolate every year. After the Dutchmen, men from Belgium are the second tallest in the world. 46. The population of Belgium is divided into three linguistic communities. Written by Jess Lee Nov 17, 2020. It is one of the smallest and most densely populated European countries, and it has been, since its independence in 1830, a representative democracy headed by a hereditary constitutional monarch. 37. After a record 541 days in the hands of a caretaker administration, Belgium was prompted by Europe's debt crisis to finally form a new government. 5. Covering an area of just 30,528 km² (11,787 mi²), Belgium is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. 44. There are a few consistent phonological differences between the French in France and Belgium but usually no more than the differences between regional dialects within France (or the ones that exist between in the English of Toronto and Vancouver (Canada) for instance), which might even be nonexistent. 15. United Kingdom; ... Its lengthy borders touch Germany and Belgium in the north, the Atlantic Ocean in the … Belgium has more castles per kilometer than any other country in the world. You have surely heard of, read or watched animated or film adaptations of the Smurfs, Spirou and Fantasio, Tintin, Asterix, Blake and Mortimer, Thorgal, Gaston… the list is endless. 20. See how many of these top 30 Belgian facts you know. Perhaps more than half of your childhood came from Belgium! The Belgian-French Diet . However, both French and Dutch are its official languages. The same can’t be said for Belgian women, however, who rank 21 at 165.5cm tall. © 2021 TheFactFile.Org. Belgium’s water reserves are concentrated in the southern region while the majority of the country’s population lives in the north. Chocolate production in the country dates back to 1635. It was a Belgian, the priest and physicist (apparently not a contradiction in terms) Georges Lemaitre, who first came up with what is now called the Big Bang theory of the origin of the universe in 1927. Belgium is also attributed to having Europe’s oldest shopping arcades, The Galeries St Hubert, which opened in Brussels in 1847. The word “spa” originated from the town of spa in Belgium. 4. However, the orientation of the colors is different. A diamond district is an area where the cutting, polishing, and trade of diamonds and other gems takes place. English is widely spoken throughout Belgium as a foreign language. You can of course change your mind and withdraw your consent at any time, by returning to this site after clearing the cookies on your computer or device. The theory is often attributed to Edwin Hubble, although records show Lemaitre published a similar theory two years before Hubble. Saluc AC, established in 1923, has its own chemical plant to make the phenolic resin, which give Aramith balls their characteristic high-gloss, rock-hard finish. It is Canada. The Dutch and French-speaking linguistic groups are the two main groups in Belgium. 34. The French Community of Belgium includes 4.5 million people, of whom: 42. Belgium is known all over the world for making unbeatable chocolates. 16. It was made legal in 2002 and the next year in 2003, the country also legalized gay marriage. Today visitors can walk Brussels’ comic strip trail. The main Dutch dialects spoken in Belgium are Brabantian, West Flemish, East Flemish, Antwerp and Limburgish. Antwerp World Diamond Centre is situated in Antwerp and is also among the world’s largest diamond districts. Belgium is actually officially trilingual, with approximately 59% Dutch speakers, 40% French speakers 31. Belgium is also home to the world’s biggest chocolate selling point – Brussels National Airport. Belgium is a low-lying country which is mostly flat. Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Sweden, and the United Kingdom are the EU members that do not use the euro. Belgium is also known as the “Battlefield of Europe” because the country served as a battlefield between many European powers and during the two World Wars as well. The national flag of Belgium was adopted in 1931. 23. Belgium holds a world record for castles. Belgium has the highest level of taxes in all OECD countries; the Royal Palace of Brussels is bigger than Buckingham Palace; a native of Belgium founded the Holy Roman Empire; Belgium (Francophone) creates the most comics per capita in the world; it is a Belgian who founded the city of New York; the first printed newspaper in the world was published in Antwerp Are there other things you do not know about Belgium? Add the Belgian Federal Government and there are a total of six governments to administer a … Other Western European countries include France, Ireland, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands and United Kingdom. 9. NOTE: These settings will only apply to the browser and device you are currently using. Both of these rivers originate in France, cross Belgium and flow towards the Netherlands. Nope, not Belgian. Here is a mix of informative, interesting facts to prepare you for visiting or living in Belgium. We delve into the history behind Belgium’s world-famous Belgian fries, which believe it or not, have nothing to do with France. Click below to consent to the use of this technology on our website – and don’t worry, we respect your privacy. 17. Under the Habsburg rulers, the use of Flemish progressively declined, but the position of French was reinforced during the French administration (1794–1814).