|
|
|
|
 |
TRAVEL BELGIUM |
|
 |
|
 |
ABOUT - BELGIUM PACKAGES |
|
|
|
| |
Belgium packages include complete information about this european country which is useful during Belgium tours. Belgium occupies part of the Roman province of Belgica, named after the Belgae, a people of ancient Gaul. The area was conquered by Julius Caesar in 57-50 B.C., then was overrun by the Franks in the 5th century A.D. It was part of Charlemagne's empire in the 8th century, then in the next century was absorbed into Lotharingia and later into the duchy of Lower Lorraine. In the 12th century it was partitioned into the duchies of Brabant and Luxembourg, the bishopric of Liège, and the domain of the count of Hainaut, which included Flanders. In the 15th century, most of the Low Countries (currently the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg) passed to the duchy of Burgundy and were subsequently inherited by Emperor Charles V. |
|
|
|
| |
| Geography of Belgium |
|
Located in western Europe, Belgium has about 40 mi of seacoast on the North Sea, at the Strait of Dover, and is approximately the size of Maryland. The Meuse and the Schelde, Belgium's principal rivers, are important commercial arteries. |
|
|
|
| |
| Land area |
|
11,672 sq mi (30,230 sq km); total area: 11,787 sq mi (30,528 sq km) |
|
|
|
| |
| Population (2007 est.) |
|
10,392,226 (growth rate: 0.1%); birth rate: 10.3/1000; infant mortality rate: 4.6/1000; life expectancy: 78.9; density per sq mi: 890 |
|
|
|
| |
| Capital and largest city (2003 est.) |
|
Brussels, 1,750,600 (metro area), 981,200 (city proper) |
|
|
|
| |
| Other large cities |
|
Antwerp, 952,600 (metro area), 450,000 (city proper); Ghent, 226,900; Charleroi, 201,200; Liège, 185,700; Bruges, 117,200 |
|
|
|
| |
| Monetary unit |
|
Euro (formerly Belgian franc) |
|
|
|
| |
| Language |
|
Dutch (Flemish) 60%, French 40%, German less than 1% (all official) |
|
|
|
| |
| Ethnicity/race |
|
Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11% |
|
|
|
| |
| Religions |
|
Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25% |
|
|
|
| |
| Literacy rate |
|
98% (2003 est.) |
|
|
|
| |
| Agriculture |
|
Sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk. |
|
|
|
| |
| Natural resources |
|
Construction materials, silica sand, carbonates. |
|
|
|
|
| |
| Visas: Required by all except the following for stays of up to 3 months: |
|
(a) nationals referred to in the chart above;
(b) nationals of Andorra, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong (SAR), Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Korea (Rep. of), Latvia, Liechtenstein, Macau (SAR), Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Romania, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Switzerland, Uruguay, Vatican City and Venezuela for a stay of up to 3 months. |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
