Facts and Figures about Belgium

Random facts

• Belgium declared its independence in 1830 but was only officially recognized in 1839, with the signature of the Treaty of London.
• Belgium is a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy, based on a proportional representation of the votes.
• The first king of Belgium, Leopold I, is the founder of the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and was the uncle of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom.
• In the past, the most important industrial activity was heavy industry (coal mines in Wallonia), but now industry is centered around the ports in Flanders and services in Brussels, and a high technology pole  is growing in Wallonia.
• During the Second World War, Belgium was almost entirely occupied by the German Army: only a small part of the country, behind river “De Ijzer”, was kept under allied control.
• The word “Belgium” was first mentioned by Julius Ceasar in the famous sentence: horum omnium fortissimi sunt Belgae(“Of all the Gauls, the Belgians are the bravest”).
• The country is divided in three regions: Dutch-speaking Flanders in the north, francophone Wallonia in the south, and Brussels, the bilingual capital, where French and Dutch share official status.
• Belgium’s total area covers 30 528 km². With a total population of Belgium is roughly 10.7 million, Belgium has a population density of 349 inhabitants per kilometre square, this makes the country one of the densest populated of Europe.
• The landscape of Belgium varies a lot: from 67 kilometers of seacoast and flat coastal plains along the North Sea to a central plateau and the rolling hills and forests of the Ardennes region in the southeast.
• There are three official languages in Belgium: Dutch (+/- 6.000.000 people ), French (+/- 4.000.000 people) and German (+/- 71.000 people)
• The Belgian anthem is the ‘Brabançonne’ and exists in the three official languages.

Belgium as...

 

one of the  founding members of the European Union

 

Belgium took part in the “European Coal and Steel Community”  founded by the Treaty of Paris (1951) together with France, West-Germany, Italy, Luxemburg and the Netherlands. In the post-Second World War context, this treaty led these countries to share production of coal and steel, the key-resources to rebuild the continent. As the ECSC was a success, the six participating countries agreed on further integration and formed the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1957. Denmark, the UK and Ireland then became member of the ECC in 1973, Greece in 1981, and Spain and Portugal joined in 1983. The European Union was finally founded in 1992, after the singing of the Treaty of Maastricht.

 

 

...country of festivals

Belgium counts numerous music festivals of all types of music, gathering an international crowd and where a lot of international artists perform every year. The most important Belgian festivals are:

• Rock Wechter: pop/rock festival, Werchter
• Pukkelpop: pop/rock festival, Kiewit
• Couleur Café: world music, Brussels
• Dour Festival: rock, world, alternative, Dour
• Graspop: metal festival, Dessel
• I love Techno: techno festival, Ghent
• Gentse Feesten: music and theatre festival (10 days), Ghent
• Laundry Day: techno and dance festival, Antwerp
• Les Ardentes: rock, Liege
• Les Francofolies: French music, Spa
• Queen Elisabeth: Competition à classical music, Brussels

To see even more festivals visit:
Visit Belgium – calendar of events (English)
Uit in Vlaanderen – list of over 400 festivals (Nederlands)
Festivals.be – list of festivals in Belgium (French/Nederlands)

 

...country of fashion designers

 

Belgium is increasingly recognized for its famous fashion designers, in particular thanks to its two famous fashion schools: La Cambre, in Brussels, and the Antwerp’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts. Antwerp became one of the international hubs of Fashion – the later produced the “Antwerp Six” who are six designers graduated in 1980 and 1981 representing an influential avant-garde in fashion design. This group includes:

• Walter van Beirendonck
• Dries Van Noten
• Dries Van Saene
• Dirk Bikkembergs
• Marine Yee
• Ann Demeulemeester

Brussels is also a fashion darling with rue Dansaert/Dansaertstraat filled with some of Belgium's best young designers and  MODO BRUXELLAE celebrating the best and brightest.

Arguably however,  Belgium's most famous fashion designer is Diane von Furstenberg. Her exclusive designs  - which include her signature jersey wrap dress -  can be seen on catwalks and red carpets around the world. She has become the doyenne of New York's fashion scene and is a celebrated philanthropist.