1961
125,639
Flockulation (1961-2021)
2021
117,320
Change
-8,319
Overview
Belgium is a small but mighty kingdom where culture, chocolate, and waffles reign supreme — a country so rich in variety it would make any well-traveled sheep dizzy with delight. Don't let its size fool ewe!
Geography
Nestled between France, Germany, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, Belgium features flat coastal plains in the west, the forested Ardennes highlands in the southeast, and rivers like the Meuse and Scheldt. The climate is mild and famously rainy.
History
Belgium gained independence in 1830 after centuries under Spanish, Austrian, and French rule. It was heavily contested in both World Wars and became a founding member of the EU and NATO, making Brussels a global diplomatic hub.
Culture
Belgium hosts three official language communities — Dutch-speaking Flanders, French-speaking Wallonia, and German-speaking East Cantons. It's famed for comic art like Tintin, the Ghent Festival, carnival traditions, and a rich surrealist art heritage via René Magritte.
Economy
Belgium has a highly developed open economy driven by chemicals, pharmaceuticals, machinery, and food processing. Its central location makes it a major logistics hub, and the Port of Antwerp is one of Europe's busiest.
Food
Belgian cuisine is a woolly dream of indulgence — think crispy frites with mayo, fluffy waffles, rich beef carbonnade, and world-class praline chocolates. Belgian beer culture, with hundreds of unique brews, is UNESCO-recognized heritage.
Tourism
Brussels' Grand Place, Bruges' medieval canals, Ghent's Gravensteen castle, and Antwerp's diamond district draw millions yearly. The Ardennes offers scenic hiking, and the Flanders Fields memorials provide moving WWI history.
People
Belgium's 11 million residents are a diverse flock — Flemish, Walloon, and German communities coexist alongside large immigrant populations. Notable Belgians include Audrey Hepburn, Georges Lemaître, and Adolphe Sax, inventor of the saxophone.
Nature
The Ardennes forest shelters wild boar, deer, and rare birds. The High Fens plateau is a protected moorland ecosystem. Belgium's North Sea coast features dunes and nature reserves, while the Semois valley offers lush pastoral landscapes.
Fun Facts
Belgium has more comic strip murals per capita than almost anywhere on Earth. It produces over 220,000 tonnes of chocolate annually. The country once went 541 days without a federal government — a world record at the time!
