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For such a small country, Belgium has been a major European battleground over the centuries. Occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II, it has experienced an economic boom in the last 50 years to become a model Western European liberal democracy. However, there has also been a growing divide between the mainly Dutch-speaking north and the mainly French-speaking south, with some even speculating that the country could break up.
Overview
Brussels is the headquarters of the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato). Thus, it is the polyglot home of an army of international diplomats and civil servants. The country stretches from the dunes of the northern coastline through the Flemish lowlands and on to the forests of the rolling Ardennes hills in the south.
The baroque facades of the Grand Place, Brussels
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Belgium reconciles regional and cultural identities in a single federal structure. The structure includes three communities - Flemish, French and German-speaking - and three regions: Flanders in the north where the official language is Dutch; Wallonia in the south where French is the official tongue and Brussels, the capital, where French and Dutch share official language status. Wallonia has a 70,000-strong German-speaking minority. Tensions between the two main language communities sometimes run high, and the right-wing Flemish nationalist party, Vlaams Belang, wants independence for the Flanders region. But opinion polls show that most Belgians want to maintain the federation. Belgium also has a small colonial legacy in Africa: in Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo - once Zaire. It attracted international attention following the US-led war on Iraq in 2003 because of a controversial law allowing Belgian courts to try foreigners for war and human rights crimes, regardless of where the crimes were committed. The law led to suits against numerous high-profile international figures before undergoing radical revision. Belgium is noted for its strong culinary traditions and is particularly famous for its fine chocolate and array of beers.
Facts
- Full name: Kingdom of Belgium
- Population: 10.6 million (UN, 2009)
- Capital: Brussels
- Area: 30,528 sq km (11,787 sq miles)
- Major languages: Dutch (local variant called Flemish), French, German
- Major religion: Christianity
- Life expectancy: 77 years (men), 83 years (women) (UN)
- Monetary unit: 1 euro = 100 cents
- Main exports: Machinery and electrical equipment, chemicals, vehicles, metals, diamonds
- GNI per capita: US $44,330 (World Bank, 2008)
- Internet domain: .be
- International dialling code: +32
Leaders
King: Albert II Prime minister: Yves Leterme Mr Leterme first served as prime minister of Belgium for nine months in 2008. He eventually succeeded in forming a government after the long period of deadlock that followed the July 2007 election. Though his Flemish Christian Democrats emerged as the clear winners in that election, he struggled for nine months to form a coalition government, which then lurched from one crisis to another for most of 2008.
Mr Leterme's first term in office was marked by controversy
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Mr Leterme made very little headway in his efforts to grapple with the burning issue of devolving more powers to Belgium's regions, and fears that the country could disintegrate refused to go away. Only four months after assuming office, Mr Leterme offered to resign after failing to reach agreement on a power-sharing deal between the Dutch- and French-speaking regions, but King Albert II refused to accept his resignation. He finally stepped down in December 2008 amid a scandal over the rescue of Belgium's embattled financial group Fortis, a high-profile casualty of the global financial crisis. He was later cleared of any wrongdoing. He was succeeded by his Flemish Christian Democrat colleague Herman Van Rompuy, who took over the reins of a fragile coalition whose makeup remained largely unchanged. Mr Van Rompuy was widely seen as a safe pair of hands with good negotiation skills - qualities vital for survival in Belgium's increasingly polarised politics - and it was precisely these attributes that secured him the post of President of the European Council in November 2009. Mr Leterme was nominated to succeed Mr Van Rompuy for a second term in office after the latter resigned from the premiership in order to take up his new EU post. On re-assuming office, Mr Leterme identified economic recovery and the threat of rising unemployment as his government's priorities. Analysts say he will also have to get to grips with the question of devolution again and to find a consensus on the divisive issue of redrawing the political boundaries around Brussels.
Media
Belgian broadcasting mirrors the unique political and linguistic nature of the country. The cultural communities, rather than the federal authorities, are responsible for regulating radio and TV. So, unlike most other European countries, Belgium does not have a single public broadcasting organisation, but two separate bodies, with their own regulations, running their own radio, TV and external broadcasting. Some 95% of Belgians are hooked-up to cable TV; one of the highest take-up rates in the world. Cable services offer dozens of domestic and foreign channels, including Dutch and French stations. Belgium aims to complete the conversion to digital TV by 2011, when it plans to switch off the analogue signal. The Belgian press is self-regulated by the Federation of Editors - to which all editors of major newspapers belong. A small number of media groups owns the main newspaper titles. The press
Television
- RTBF - French-language public broadcaster; operates RTBF 1, RTBF 2 and international satellite channel
- VRT - Dutch-language public broadcaster; services include Een (one)
- VTM - Dutch-language commercial broadcaster
- VT4 - Dutch-language commercial broadcaster
- RTL - French-language commercial broadcaster
Radio
News agency/internet
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