Introduction
Belgium is one of the small capitalist countries of Europe; only Luxembourg and the microstates are smaller than it. The territory of Belgium occupies only 30.5 thousand square meters. km and its population is about 10 million inhabitants.
Belgium is a highly industrialized country, almost completely smoked with the smoke of factory chimneys, densely intertwined with steel rails and motorways, with big cities and ports of European and international importance, with extensive foreign economic relations.
With a relatively small number of inhabitants, Belgium is one of the most densely populated, highly urbanized states in the world, the population of which consists of two national groups - the Walloons and the Flemings; a state that has managed to preserve to this day the freshness of folk customs and traditions, rooted in the depths of centuries, a country of museums and architectural monuments antiquity.
Economic- geographical position
Belgium borders the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg and France, only a narrow strip North Sea separates it from Great Britain. Within a radius of 250 km from Brussels - the capital of the country - there are such big cities like Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Cologne, Dusseldorf, Lille, Reims. Thus, Belgium is located in the center of the most densely populated and industrialized Europe. Transport routes linking neighboring states with each other and with the North Sea have long passed through its territory. This geographic location has contributed to high level economic development and the establishment of extensive international relations and at the same time brought a lot of trouble to the country. There were few wars in Western Europe that bypassed Belgium.
Its location between major western European countries acquired a new aspect in connection with the abolition of certain customs restrictions on trade with neighboring countries, which, together with Belgium, united in 1957 in the European Economic Community. Belgium becomes, as it were, the geographical center of the community, where enterprises are located that work for other countries of the “common market”. It is from here that it is most convenient to export to the Ruhr and Saar regions of Germany, Luxembourg, northern and eastern France, the Netherlands and Great Britain, the Belgian port of Antwerp is turning into one of the largest ports in Europe in terms of cargo turnover, and Brussels is becoming the administrative and financial capital of the “common market”. Brussels is also the headquarters of NATO. Many Western European countries are represented in the capital by three ambassadors or representatives "under the Belgian King", under the NATO Council and under the "common market".
Geographic location of Belgium
A small state of foreign Europe, located on east coast North Sea. Not counting the sea area, the area of the kingdom is $30.5 thousand sq. km. Land borders in the north pass with the Netherlands, with Germany and Luxembourg - in the east, in the south and southwest the kingdom borders on France. The total length of the boundaries is $1,385$ km.
Traditionally, Belgium is divided into $3$ geographic regions. These include:
- The coastal plain located in the northwest;
- Low central plateau;
- Arden Hill.
coastal plain- this is low Belgium with a height of up to $ 100 $ m above sea level, represented by dunes and polders.
Heights rise up to $200$ m central plateau This is middle Belgium.
High Belgium represents Ardennes elevation. Its height reaches $500$ m.
Definition 1
polders- These are low-lying areas of land protected from floods by dams.
The country has Mount Botrange, whose height is $ 694 $ m - this is the highest place in Belgium. There are also rivers, the largest of which are the Scheldt and the Meuse, originating in France. Both rivers are connected by canals. On the geographical map Belgium looks like a small triangle, but is one of the most densely populated countries in Europe. The average density of the country is $328$ people per sq km. This small country impresses with the diversity of its landscapes. The Ardennes, of medium height, cut by abysses and gorges, flaunt in the southeast of the country. They are a continuation of the Rhine Slate Mountains. On the border with Germany are the most high peaks. The mountains in the north are skirted by the most famous river in Europe - the Meuse. The slopes of the mountains are covered with forest, and the serpentine road connects small villages.
The Belgian population is divided into 3 linguistic communities:
- French community;
- Flemish Community;
- German speaking community.
Therefore, there are also three official languages - French, Flemish, German.
Languages are distributed throughout the territory as follows:
- In the north of the country in Flanders, more than $5 million people use Flemish;
- In the south of the country - Wallonia - more than $ 3 million people communicate in French;
- Common in eastern Wallonia German, which is spoken by $67$ thousand people.
To enter Belgium, you need to apply for a Schengen visa. The Belgians are mostly - $70% - Catholics, many Protestants and Jews, $2$% Muslims.
Economy of Belgium, priority sectors
Remark 1
The Kingdom of Belgium is a small, highly developed industrial country in Europe, where industry and agriculture are intensively developing. Developed transport infrastructure, large cities and ports of not only European but also international importance, large industrial enterprises. Half of the manufactured products of industry and Agriculture the kingdom exports.
The country is a world exporter of ferrous and non-ferrous metals and is one of the world leaders in the chemical industry. The leading branches of mechanical engineering are car assembly, electrical and radio-electronic industries. In the field of energy, the leading industry is the nuclear industry. $2$ nuclear power plants operate on the territory of the country. The bowels of the country do not have large reserves of mineral resources, so the extractive sector is not functioning. Back in the $80s of the last century, coal mining was completely stopped. Belgium imports hydrocarbons from the Middle East, from the Netherlands, from Algeria. France, USA, Canada, South Africa supply uranium concentrates, coal - USA and South Africa. The woodworking industry is also developing on imported raw materials; its supplies come from China, Germany, and Finland.
The economy of the Belgian regions varies greatly, for example, the Flemish and Walloon economies differ in many aspects. Own distinctive features Belgian cities also have an economy. Cities such as Liege, Mons, Charleroi, Namur are among the largest industrial centers.
In the country's economy, a large place is given to food industry. Belgium hosts such global groups as Danone, InBev, Coca-Cola, Unilever Belgium, Kraft Foods Belgium, Nestlé, Materne, Ferrero and others.
highly developed biotechnological a sector in which more than $200$ of biotech companies are involved. In order for this industry to develop successfully, strong ties have been established between the main economic players, universities, and research centers. In the European Union, Belgian companies account for $16% of the industry's turnover. Approximately $10$% of expenses are spent on research and development activities.
Own automotive there is no industry in the country. The absence of the industry is compensated by the placement of large car assembly plants. This is facilitated by low duties on imports of car parts and, secondly, is the availability of highly qualified personnel. $1 million cars roll off the conveyors of assembly plants every year. Strong positions in the automotive industry, the country is provided by such factories as Ford Genk, Audi Forest-Brussels, Volvo Europa, Van Hool (buses) and Truco.
Belgium is perfect for logistics base. A full-fledged environment for attacking the European market is provided by infrastructure, skills, and IT tools. Brussels - the capital of Belgium - is a strategic location, an attractive real estate market for the main offices of the largest European corporations. Brussels is home to the main organs of the European Union, where all the most important decisions. The headquarters of numerous American and Japanese multinational corporations are also located in the Belgian capital.
Definition 2
In general, for Belgium, the leading sectors of the economy are such as mechanical engineering, in particular the automotive industry, the chemical industry, microelectronics, pharmaceuticals, metallurgy, and the diamond complex.
Landmarks of a small country
A small speck on the geographical map is Belgium, but, nevertheless, the country deserves to be paid attention to. cultural and political life the kingdom is characterized by the word "tolerance".
On its territory there is a lot of things that you can and should see:
Cathedral Notre Dame. The cathedral is located in the city of Tournai and it is impossible to pass by this majestic architecture. The simplicity and elegance of the Gothic design are striking immediately. The cathedral has preserved unique examples of medieval painting;
architectural structure Atomium located in the capital of Belgium - Brussels. From the observation deck of the Atomium you can admire the beautiful park "Europe in Miniature". There are also exhibitions and museums where you can see the life of the Belgians in the $50$ years. You can visit the Atomium only in order to see with your own eyes a model of an iron molecule, enlarged $165 million times;
waterloo. Everyone who is fond of history remembers well that in $1815 the allied Anglo-Dutch army under the command of the Duke of Wellington and the Prussian troops under the command of Marshal Blucher defeated Napoleon's army in this place. The complex accurately conveys the spirit of the Napoleonic era. There is also a wax museum in the complex, where you can see not only the commanders-in-chief of that time, but also the emperor of France himself;
Manneken Pis. The statue of the boy is located in Brussels and needs no introduction. By the way, the boy's name is Julien, he follows fashion and has more than $2,000 of suits in his own wardrobe.
Remark 2
Of course, these are not all the sights of Belgium, there are much more of them. The Belgians are proud of their cultural values and take good care of them.
Description.
Economic and geographical position, economy, politics, population, climate, culture
Extract from work.
Essay on geography on the topic:
Country of foreign Europe:
Introduction ______________________ _________________ 3
Economic and geographical position _____________ 4
Natural conditions and resources _____________ _______5
Population_____________________ _________________ 7
Farm ______________________________ ________10
Climate ________________________ _________________13
Culture______________________ _________________14
Introduction.
Economic and geographical position.
Belgium borders on the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg and France, only a narrow strip of the North Sea separates it from Great Britain. Within a radius of 250 km from Brussels - the capital of the country - there are such large cities as Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Cologne, Dusseldorf, Lille, Reims. Thus, Belgium is located in the center of the most densely populated and industrialized Europe. Transport routes linking neighboring states with each other and with the North Sea have long passed through its territory. This geographical position contributed to a high level of economic development and the establishment of extensive international relations, and at the same time brought a lot of trouble to the country. There were few wars in Western Europe that bypassed Belgium.
Its location between the major Western European countries has acquired a new aspect in connection with the abolition of some customs restrictions in trade with neighboring countries, which, together with Belgium, united in 1957 in the European Economic Community. Belgium becomes, as it were, the geographical center of the community, where enterprises are located that work for other countries of the "common market". It is from here that it is most convenient to export to the Ruhr and Saar regions of Germany, Luxembourg, northern and eastern France, the Netherlands and Great Britain, the Belgian port of Antwerp is turning into one of the largest ports in Europe in terms of cargo turnover, and Brussels is becoming the administrative and financial capital of the "common market". Brussels is also the headquarters of NATO. Many Western European countries are represented in the capital by three ambassadors or representatives "under the Belgian king", under the NATO council and under the "common market".
Location in Europe
Natural conditions and resources.
The nature of Belgium has been changed by man to such an extent that the natural landscapes on its territory have almost not been preserved. The exception is the mountainous region of the Ardennes. The natural conditions of Belgium are favorable both for the population and for the economic development of the territory. The relief is generally flat and does not hinder the development of agriculture, transport and urban growth. Approximately 3/4 of the country is occupied by lowlands; rising slightly from the coast deep into the mainland to the south, it only in the southeast passes into the low mountain range of the Ardennes. The Belgian Plain is part of the Central European Plain between the lowlands of France and Germany.
The Belgian sea coast is small - it stretches for only 65 km - and besides, it is inconvenient for navigation, as it is devoid of natural harbors. Only two small rivers flow into the sea here, and their mouths are closed by locks. The sea gently sloping coast is composed mainly of thin white sand and is a beautiful natural beach that attracts tourists from both Belgium and other countries.
To the southeast, the coastal lowland rises, giving way to a strip of crossed rivers rolling plains with altitudes from 100 to 200 m above sea level. This is average Belgium. The plains are composed of tertiary clays and sands, on which fertile loess soils have formed, which, in terms of their arable properties, occupy one of the first places in Europe. These are the best agricultural lands in the country.
To the south of the Sambre and Meuse rivers, high Belgium begins, markedly different in natural conditions from the rest of the country. Most of this territory is occupied by the heavily destroyed Ardennes and their foothills. It is a mountain range with rounded peaks and flat plateaus composed of shales, sandstones and limestones.
The proximity of the North Sea and the warm North Atlantic Current causes the formation of a maritime humid climate in Belgium with mild winters and cool summers, with a fairly favorable rainfall and temperature regime for agriculture. The winds predominate, so in winter and summer dominates overcast weather with frequent foggy showers.
The mild climate favors the growth of broad-leaved forests of oak, beech, hornbeam and ash. but high degree development of the territory led to the reduction of forests.
The fauna of the indigenous forests has been preserved mainly in the Ardennes, where there are also katanas, fallow deer, roe deer, hares, squirrels, forest mice.
The natural conditions of Belgium are generally favorable for the development of agriculture. However, the country is relatively poor in minerals needed for industry. The only type of mineral resources that Belgium has in sufficient quantities is coal. Coal reserves amount to about 6 billion tons and are concentrated in two basins: the Northern, or Campin, which is a continuation of the Luxembourg basin in the Netherlands and Aachen in Germany, and the Southern, which stretches in a narrow strip along the Sambre valley, and then the Meuse from the French border to the border from Germany. The quality of coals is low, the thickness of the seams is small, the conditions for extraction are hampered by the large depth of occurrence and the complex geological arrangement of the seams.
Of economic importance are the reserves of building materials in the Sambre and Meuse valleys: granite, lime, clay and quartz sand, which served as the basis for the creation of a large glass industry. Small deposits of iron and lead-zinc ores in the Ardennes are almost completely depleted.
Population
More than 1/2 of the population of Belgium are Flemish and about 2/5 are Walloons. In addition, about 700 thousand people of other nationalities live in the country - Italians, Spaniards, Germans, Poles, etc.
Almost the entire believing population of the country are politicians. The religiosity of the Belgians is quite high, in any case, its external manifestations are very diverse. There are many Catholic churches in cities and villages.
Belgium has two Catholic languages: French and Flemish. Their application in public life is largely determined by the division of the country into two linguistic-territorial zones - the northern, Flemish (provinces of Antwerp, Limburg, Western and Eastern parts of Brabant) and the southern, Walloon (provinces of Lieps, Epo, Namur, Luxembourg, and the district of Nivelles of the province of Brabant). Some Walloon families still speak the Walloon dialect French, however, literary French is taught as a native language in Walloon schools. The literary Flemish language is similar to Dutch, but the spoken Flemish language, which is divided into the Brabant-French and Limburg dialects, is somewhat different from the spoken Dutch.
Mostly for a long time it was for the French language, the spread of which was supported by the socio-cultural influence of France.
Belgium is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. It ranks second in Europe after the Netherlands. The central part of the country is especially populated - the Sambre and Meuse valleys and the strip along the Antwerp - Brussels - Charleroi axis, where the main industrial, commercial and transport life of the country is concentrated and the largest cities are located.
There are almost no uninhabited territories and unused lands in Belgium, there are many cities and urban-type settlements. Belgium is one of the most "traditionally urban" countries in the world. In the cities to which settlements home to about 70% of the total population. However, the boundary between the city and the countryside is very arbitrary. Some villages have outward signs of the city, and a significant part of their inhabitants work outside of agriculture. Therefore, in fact urban population more. Officially, there are 5 large (for Belgium) agglomerations in the country: Brussels, Antwerp, Liepe, Ghent and Charleroi. More than a quarter of the total population of the country lives in these agglomerations. At the same time, several highly urbanized territories, representing a cluster of small towns and industrial settlements that have developed together, can also be considered relatively significant agglomerations, for example, Borinage-Monnet, Center-Epoux, Courtrai, Aalst-Ninove, La Louviere-Senef-Manage. Such clusters are distinguished by the absence of a clearly defined single center, as if absorbing other cities and towns. Urban agglomerations are located so close to each other that the zones of their influence and the boundaries of buildings are in contact.
The wars sweeping over Belgium relatively weakly affected its cities, so many monuments of ancient architecture dating back to early medieval. In each city, its old, as a rule, central part and the new, usually located on the outskirts of industrial and residential areas with modern-type houses, stand out quite clearly.
Economy.
The basis of the Belgian economy is, first of all, industry, before the importance of which giant ports, museum cities filled with tourists, and agriculture go far into the background. Belgium's share of world industrial output is more than three times its share of the world's population. The country ranks second in the world in steel production per capita, second only to Luxembourg, and in terms of industrial production is in twelfth place in the capitalist world.
Belgium plays an important role in world trade. Belgium is one of the first places in the world in the production and export of metallic germanium and cobalt, as well as in the export of drilling tools with diamonds, caprolactam and cars. Although the country's agriculture does not reach the level that it has in the neighboring Netherlands, it still belongs to the most highly organized in the capitalist sense in Western Europe, giving some of the products for export.
Important transport routes pass through the territory of Belgium, providing a significant amount of international transit traffic. The transit position, the abundance of historical and architectural monuments, the famous beaches of seaside resorts attract many foreign tourists to the country, who leave a lot of currency in hotels, campsites, shops and restaurants.
A favorable geographical position, extensive intermediary trade, available coal deposits, combined with once large reserves of iron and zinc ore, colonial exploitation of the wealth of the Belgian Congo - all this contributed to the fact that at the beginning of the 20th century. Belgium entered as an industrial imperialist power, the owner of large accumulations of free capital. In terms of the development of capitalism, it occupied one of the leading places in Europe. However, in the years following the two world wars, Belgium gradually lost its former role as one of the leading industrial powers, falling increasingly under the influence of stronger imperialist states.
After the Second World War, the economic development of Belgium was slow, the country was one of the last places in Europe in terms of growth in industrial production, it lags behind in the development of scientific research, labor productivity, the development of new industries and some other indicators. The Belgian industry, unlike most other small states, specializes in the production of semi-finished products that turn into finished goods in other countries.
Foreign capital plays an important role in the economic development of Belgium. The increased interest of foreign monopolies in the economy of this small country is primarily due to its favorable geographical position, the presence of a highly skilled workforce and a well-developed network of communications of all kinds (primarily the large seaport of Antwerp), as well as an incentive tax system in relation to foreign enterprises and the possibility obtaining a Belgian loan. As a rule, foreign firms invest their capital in the most dynamic and advanced industries, such as car assembly, electronics and petrochemicals, for example, and seize leading positions in these industries.
The first place in direct investment in the Belgian economy is occupied by the United States. About 3/5 of the cars imported from Belgium are assembled at the General Motors and Ford factories.
Ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, mechanical engineering (car assembly, electrical engineering, electronics) and chemical industries became the main branches in the industrial structure. The glass, diamond-granite and weapons industries play a significant role.
Energy is based on oil and natural gas, which make up more than 2/3 of Belgium's energy balance. The rest is coal and atomic energy. Belgium has a developed oil refining industry. Since oil refineries operate on imported raw materials, almost all of them are located in the port area of Antwerp and in the zone of the Gent-Terneuzen canal. Antwerp has become a significant center of the oil refining industry Western Europe. However, it is located 90 km from the sea. To improve the supply of Antwerp plants with oil, the Antwerven-Rotterdam oil pipeline was built and the Antwerp-Zeebrugge oil pipeline was being laid.
Coal mining, which in the 1950s was one of the main branches of Belgian industry, now occupies one of the last places. Belgium's accession to the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) has had a particularly painful impact on the coal mining industry, which has been unable to withstand competition from other "common market" countries. The difficulty of exploitation, the low level of mechanization and poor quality make Belgian coal more expensive than imported. In addition, Belgian mines have the most difficult working conditions in all of Europe: accidents often occur in them, the level of occupational morbidity of miners here is higher than in the most hazardous industries. Since 1957, more than 100 unprofitable mines have been closed and coal production has fallen. Belgium imports almost half of the coal it needs, which seriously affects its solvent balance.
Belgium (Kingdom of Belgium) is a state in Northwestern Europe, a member of the EU, UN and NATO. Area - 30,528 km², population - 10.8 million people. The country is named after the ethnonym of the Celtic tribe - Belgi. The capital is Brussels.
It borders the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, and France to the south and west. It is washed by the North Sea in the northwest.
The form of government is a constitutional parliamentary monarchy, the form of administrative-territorial structure is a federation.
Political structure
Belgium is a constitutional monarchy (since its formation) and a federal state (since 1980). The head of state is the king, currently Albert II (since 1993). The actual head of state is the Prime Minister, until April 2010 - Yves Leterme; the process of forming a new government is currently underway. As a rule, the prime minister is a representative of the party that has won more votes in parliamentary elections. The government is formally appointed by the king. Also, the composition of the government must be approved by Parliament. The constitution requires language parity in the government: half of the ministers must be representatives of the Dutch-speaking community, half of the representatives of the French-speaking community.
The federal parliament is bicameral. The upper house of parliament is the Senate (Dutch Senaat, French Sénat), the lower house is the House of Representatives (Dutch Kamer van volksvertegenwoordigers, French Chambre des Représentants). Both chambers are elected by direct universal suffrage every four years. All citizens of the state who have reached the age of 18 have the right to vote. There are 71 deputies in the Senate and 150 deputies in the House of Representatives.
Belgium is a federal state, sometimes called a dual federation, since Belgium is divided simultaneously into three regions and three linguistic communities (see Administrative division). The area of responsibility of the regions includes the management of the local economy, public works (for example, road construction), environmental issues, etc.), into the area of responsibility of linguistic communities - primarily issues related to culture, including education, scientific activity and sports.
Each region and each linguistic community has its own parliament and its own government, however, by mutual agreement, the parliament and government of the Flemish Region and the Dutch-speaking community were united. Thus Belgium has six governments and six parliaments. The federal government is responsible for coordinating the actions of the other five governments, as well as for issues of national importance, such as: defense, foreign affairs, national economic and monetary policy, pensions, health care.
The judiciary is organized in the form of a pyramid, the basis of which is the magistrate's court, which exists in each canton, and the top is the Supreme Court. Belgium is divided into judicial cantons and districts. Each county has a trial court, a labor court, and a commercial court. There are also five courts of appeal (in Brussels, Liège, Mons, Gand and Antwerp) and in each province a jury trial.
In addition to the Control Chamber and State Council, Belgium has a Court of Arbitration, established in 1983 to resolve conflicts in case they arise between various institutions of the Belgian federal government.
Belgium is a member of 70 international organizations. Belgium joined the European Economic Community (EEC) on 25 March 1957. It is also a member of NATO.
Administrative division
Belgium has a parallel system of administrative divisions:
* Belgium is divided into three regions, two of which are divided into provinces.
Belgian Armed Forces
The Belgian Armed Forces were formed in 1830. Now the total number of active military personnel is about 41,000 people. The commander-in-chief is King Albert II. The draft age is 18 years (2005). The budget of the Armed Forces is € 3.4 billion (2008). The share of the sun is 1.3% of Belgian GDP.
The armed forces are organized into one unified structure, which consists of four main components: 1. Ground forces, or Army 2. Air forces, or Air Force 3. Navy 4. Medical component of the troops
The operational command of the military components reports to the Personnel Office for Operations and Training under the Department of Defense, which is headed by the Assistant Chiefs of Departments Committee for Operations and Training and the Secretary of Defense.
Foreign relations of Belgium
July 25, 1921 Creation of the Belgian-Luxembourg Economic Union. The Treaty Establishing the Benelux Customs Union was signed on 5 September 1944 by the deported governments of the three countries in London and entered into force in 1948. The union lasted until November 1, 1960, when it was replaced by the Benelux Economic Union as a result of the signing of the treaty in The Hague on February 3, 1958.
On April 4, 1949, Belgium became a founding member of the NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization, headquartered in Brussels. On April 18, 1951, Belgium, together with five European countries, signed the Treaty Establishing the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC).
In 1957, six states, including Belgium, established the European Economic Community (EEC, Common Market), officially renamed the European Community in 1993, and the European Atomic Energy Community.
In 1964 Belgium joined the Group of Ten.
The Schengen Agreement was originally signed on 14 June 1985 by five European states(Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, Germany), which entered into force on March 26, 1995.
The headquarters of the Supervisory Body of EFTA, the headquarters of the European Commission are located in Brussels. The European Parliament holds plenary meetings in Strasbourg and Brussels. The Economic and Social Committee, an advisory body of the EU, meets once a month in Brussels. Plenary sessions of the EU Committee of the Regions are held in Brussels 5 times a year.
Belgium joined the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism in June 2007.
Essay on geography on the topic:
Country of foreign Europe:
Introduction _____________________________ 3
Economic and geographical position _____________ 4
Natural conditions and resources ____________________5
Population ______________________________________ 7
Farm ______________________________________10
Climate _________________________________________13
Culture_______________________________________14
Introduction.
Some information:
|
date of independence |
1830
(Proclaimed) |
|
Official languages |
Dutch(Flemish), French, German |
|
Capital |
Brussels |
|
Largest cities |
Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent, Liege, Charleroi, Bruges |
|
Form of government |
A constitutional monarchy |
|
Monarch
|
Albert II |
|
Territory
|
136th in the world |
|
Population
|
77th in the world |
|
GDP
|
30th in the world |
|
Currency |
Euro
(EUR, €)
, |
|
Internet domain |
.be |
|
Telephone code |
|
|
Timezone |
Belgium is one of the small capitalist countries of Europe; only Luxembourg and the microstates are smaller than it. The territory of Belgium occupies only 30.5 thousand square meters. km and its population is about 10 million inhabitants.
Belgium is a highly industrialized country, almost completely smoked with the smoke of factory chimneys, densely intertwined with steel rails and highways, with large cities and ports of European and international importance, with extensive foreign economic relations.
With a relatively small population, Belgium is one of the most densely populated, highly urbanized states in the world, the population of which consists of two national groups - the Walloons and the Flemings; a state that has managed to preserve to this day the freshness of folk customs and traditions, rooted in the depths of centuries, a country of museums and architectural monuments of antiquity.
Economic and geographical position.
Belgium borders on the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg and France, only a narrow strip of the North Sea separates it from Great Britain. Within a radius of 250 km from Brussels - the capital of the country - there are such large cities as Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Cologne, Dusseldorf, Lille, Reims. Thus, Belgium is located in the center of the most densely populated and industrialized Europe. Transport routes linking neighboring states with each other and with the North Sea have long passed through its territory. This geographical position contributed to a high level of economic development and the establishment of extensive international relations, and at the same time brought a lot of trouble to the country. There were few wars in Western Europe that bypassed Belgium.
Its location between the major Western European countries has acquired a new aspect in connection with the abolition of some customs restrictions in trade with neighboring countries, which, together with Belgium, united in 1957 in the European Economic Community. Belgium becomes, as it were, the geographical center of the community, where enterprises are located that work for other countries of the "common market". It is from here that it is most convenient to export to the Ruhr and Saar regions of Germany, Luxembourg, northern and eastern France, the Netherlands and Great Britain, the Belgian port of Antwerp is turning into one of the largest ports in Europe in terms of cargo turnover, and Brussels is becoming the administrative and financial capital of the "common market". Brussels is also the headquarters of NATO. Many Western European countries are represented in the capital by three ambassadors or representatives "under the Belgian king", under the NATO council and under the "common market".
Location in Europe
Natural conditions and resources.
The nature of Belgium has been changed by man to such an extent that the natural landscapes on its territory have almost not been preserved. The exception is the mountainous region of the Ardennes. The natural conditions of Belgium are favorable both for the population and for economic development territory. The relief is generally flat and does not hinder the development of agriculture, transport and urban growth. Approximately 3/4 of the country is occupied by lowlands; rising slightly from the coast deep into the mainland to the south, it only in the southeast passes into the low mountain range of the Ardennes. The Belgian Plain is part of the Central European Plain between the lowlands of France and Germany.
B 
The Elgian sea coast is small - it stretches for only 65 km - and besides, it is inconvenient for navigation, since it is devoid of natural harbors. Only two small rivers flow into the sea here, and their mouths are closed by locks. The gently sloping seashore is composed mainly of fine white sand and is a beautiful natural beach that attracts tourists from both Belgium and other countries.
To the southeast, the coastal lowland rises, giving way to a strip of hilly plains crossed by rivers with heights from 100 to 200 m above sea level. This is average Belgium. The plains are composed of tertiary clays and sands, on which fertile loess soils have formed, which, in terms of their arable properties, occupy one of the first places in Europe. These are the best agricultural lands in the country.
To the south of the Sambre and Meuse rivers, high Belgium begins, which differs markedly in natural conditions from the rest of the country. Most of this territory is occupied by the heavily destroyed Ardennes and their foothills. It is a mountain range with rounded peaks and flat plateaus composed of shales, sandstones and limestones.
The proximity of the North Sea and the warm North Atlantic Current causes the formation of a maritime humid climate in Belgium with mild winters and cool summers, with a fairly favorable rainfall and temperature regime for agriculture. Winds prevail, so in winter and summer cloudy weather prevails with frequent foggy rains.
The mild climate favors the growth of broad-leaved forests of oak, beech, hornbeam and ash. However, the high degree of development of the territory has led to a reduction in forest areas.
The fauna of the indigenous forests has been preserved mainly in the Ardennes, where there are also katanas, fallow deer, roe deer, hares, squirrels, forest mice.
The natural conditions of Belgium are generally favorable for the development of agriculture. However, the country is relatively poor in minerals needed for industry. The only type of mineral resource that Belgium has in enough- coal. Coal reserves amount to about 6 billion tons and are concentrated in two basins: the Northern, or Campin, which is a continuation of the Luxembourg basin in the Netherlands and Aachen in Germany, and the Southern, which stretches in a narrow strip along the Sambre valley, and then the Meuse from the French border to the border from Germany. The quality of coals is low, the thickness of the seams is small, the conditions for extraction are hampered by the large depth of occurrence and the complex geological arrangement of the seams.
Of economic importance are the reserves of building materials in the Sambre and Meuse valleys: granite, lime, clay and quartz sand, which served as the basis for the creation of a large glass industry. Small deposits of iron and lead-zinc ores in the Ardennes are almost completely depleted.
Population
B 
More than 1/2 of the population of Belgium are Flemings and about 2/5 are Walloons. In addition, about 700 thousand people of other nationalities live in the country - Italians, Spaniards, Germans, Poles, etc.
Almost the entire believing population of the country are politicians. The religiosity of the Belgians is quite high, in any case, its external manifestations are very diverse. There are many Catholic churches in cities and villages.
IN 
Belgium has two Catholic languages: French and Flemish. Their application in public life is largely determined by the division of the country into two linguistic-territorial zones - the northern, Flemish (provinces of Antwerp, Limburg, Western and Eastern Brabant) and the southern, Walloon (provinces of Liepse, Epo, Namur, Luxembourg, and the district of Nivelles of the province Brabant). Some Walloon families still speak Walloon French, but in Walloon schools Literary French is taught as their mother tongue. The literary Flemish language is similar to Dutch, but the spoken Flemish language, which is divided into the Brabant-French and Limburg dialects, is somewhat different from the spoken Dutch.
Mostly for a long time it was for the French language, the spread of which was supported by the socio-cultural influence of France.
Belgium is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. It ranks second in Europe after the Netherlands. The central part of the country is especially populated - the Sambre and Meuse valleys and the strip along the Antwerp - Brussels - Charleroi axis, where the main industrial, commercial and transport life of the country is concentrated and the largest cities are located.
There are almost no uninhabited territories and unused lands in Belgium, there are many cities and urban-type settlements. Belgium is one of the most "traditionally urban" countries in the world. About 70% of the total population lives in cities, which include settlements. However, the boundary between the city and the countryside is very arbitrary. Some villages have outward signs of the city, and a significant part of their inhabitants work outside of agriculture. Therefore, in fact, the urban population is larger. Officially, there are 5 large (for Belgium) agglomerations in the country: Brussels, Antwerp, Liepe, Ghent and Charleroi. More than a quarter of the total population of the country lives in these agglomerations. At the same time, several highly urbanized territories, representing a cluster of small towns and industrial settlements that have developed together, can also be considered relatively significant agglomerations, for example, Borinage-Monnet, Center-Epoux, Courtrai, Aalst-Ninove, La Louviere-Senef-Manage. Such clusters are distinguished by the absence of a clearly defined single center, as if absorbing other cities and towns. Urban agglomerations are located so close to each other that the zones of their influence and the boundaries of buildings are in contact. Abstract >> History
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