Western Europe · Europe

Belgium

Discover Belgium - a small European nation that's the de facto capital of the EU, birthplace of surrealism, and home to the world's best chocolate and beer.

Where Is Belgium?

Belgium is a country in Western Europe. Its capital is Brussels.

Where Belgium isWestern Europe · Capital Brussels

Capital Brussels
Population 11.9M
Area 30,528 km²

Belgium is the country that shouldn't work but somehow does. Three official languages, two main cultural communities that don't particularly like each other, a government that once went 589 days without being formed, and a capital that serves as the headquarters of both the EU and NATO. It's a small, flat, rainy place that the rest of Europe likes to make fun of - right until they taste the chocolate.

And that's really Belgium's superpower: taking things seriously that other countries treat as afterthoughts. Belgian chocolate isn't just good, it's an art form. Belgian beer has more varieties than most countries have wines. The waffles are legendary, the fries are a national institution (they're Belgian, not French), and the comic strip tradition produced Tintin, the Smurfs, and an entire museum district. Brussels is chaotic and multilingual, Bruges looks like a medieval painting, Ghent is the cool university town, and Antwerp is where fashion designers and diamond traders somehow coexist.

At a glance

Language

Dutch, French, German

Currency

Euro (EUR)

Calling Code

+32

Drives On

Right

Internet

.be

Timezone

CET (UTC+1)

Script

Latin

Government

Federal Parliamentary Constitutional Monarchy

Independence

1830

By population

Largest cities in Belgium

Brussels

The de facto capital of the European Union, a multilingual city mixing Art Nouveau, EU institutions, and the legendary Grand Place

1,222,000

Antwerp

Fashion capital and diamond trading hub, home to Europe's second-largest port and Rubens' masterpieces

530,000

Ghent

Vibrant university city with medieval architecture, a massive art scene, and the Ghent Altarpiece by the Van Eyck brothers

265,000

Charleroi

Post-industrial city in Wallonia reinventing itself as a cultural destination with street art and photography museums

202,000

Bruges

The Venice of the North - a perfectly preserved medieval city with canals, cobblestones, and the world's best chocolate shops

119,000

People

Famous people from Belgium

Rene Magritte
Art
Surrealist master known for The Son of Man and The Treachery of Images, challenging visual perception
Herge
Art
Creator of Tintin, one of the most influential comic series in history, selling over 200 million copies
Audrey Hepburn
Film
Born in Brussels, became one of Hollywood's most iconic actresses and a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador
Adolphe Sax
Music
Invented the saxophone in the 1840s in Dinant, changing the sound of jazz and popular music forever
Jean-Claude Van Damme
Film
Brussels-born martial arts action star known as the Muscles from Brussels
Eddy Merckx
Sport
Widely considered the greatest cyclist of all time, won the Tour de France five times
Peter Paul Rubens
Art
Baroque master painter who worked from Antwerp, one of the most prolific and influential artists in European history

Food

Traditional cuisine of Belgium

Moules-frites: Mussels steamed in white wine and celery, served with a mountain of crispy fries - Belgium's national dish
Belgian Waffles: Two varieties: Brussels (light, rectangular) and Liege (dense, sweet, caramelized) - both legendary
Stoofvlees (Carbonade Flamande): Beef stew braised in Belgian beer with a touch of mustard, often served with fries
Frites: Double-fried in beef fat and served in a paper cone with mayo - Belgians insist they invented them, not the French
Speculoos: Spiced cinnamon cookies traditionally baked for St. Nicholas Day, now also a spread rivaling Nutella
Waterzooi: Creamy stew from Ghent made with chicken or fish, vegetables, and egg-thickened broth
Belgian Chocolate: Pralines invented in Brussels in 1912, Belgium produces over 220,000 tonnes of chocolate annually

Nature

Nature and landmarks in Belgium

ArdennesForest: Rolling forested hills in southern Belgium, the setting for the Battle of the Bulge and now a hiking and kayaking paradise
High Fens (Hautes Fagnes)National Park: Belgium's highest point area with unique peat bog landscape, the country's only sub-alpine ecosystem
Meuse ValleyRiver: Scenic river valley cutting through the Ardennes with dramatic cliffs, castle ruins, and the towns of Dinant and Namur
Zwin Nature ParkCoast: Coastal salt marsh on the North Sea, an important wetland for migratory birds near the Dutch border
Caves of HanLandmark: Spectacular underground cave system carved by the Lesse River, one of Europe's most visited caves
HallerbosForest: The Blue Forest near Brussels, famous for its stunning carpet of bluebells every April

Sport

Sports in Belgium

Cycling: The heartland of professional cycling - home to five Tour de France winners and legendary one-day classics like Flanders and Roubaix
Football: Belgium's golden generation reached FIFA No. 1 ranking and the 2018 World Cup semi-finals
Tennis: Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin both reached world No. 1, dominating women's tennis in the 2000s
Cyclocross: Belgium dominates cyclocross globally, with legends like Wout van Aert and Sven Nys

Facts

Did you know?

Belgium holds the world record for the longest time without a government - 589 days in 2010-2011
The Brussels Manneken Pis statue has over 1,000 costumes and its own wardrobe managed by a nonprofit
Belgium has more varieties of beer than any other country, with over 1,500 distinct beers
The country has the densest railway network in the world
Belgium produces 220,000 tonnes of chocolate per year - Brussels Airport is the world's biggest chocolate selling point
French fries were invented in Belgium, not France - the name comes from the verb 'to french' (cut thin)
Belgium is one of about 20 countries where voting is compulsory, and the law provides for fines