|
Kingdom of Belgium Koninkrijk België Royaume de Belgique | ||
|---|---|---|
|
| ||
| Motto:
"L'union Fait la Force" "Eendracht Maakt Macht" "Strength through Unity" | ||
|
Anthem "La Brabançonne"
| ||
|
(I add map later) | ||
|
Brussels | |
|
French, Dutch, German, | |
|
Roman Catholicism, Protestantism | |
|
Belgian | |
|
Federal Parliamentary Constitutional Monarchy | |
| - | King | Leopold III |
| - | Prime Minister | Hubert Pierlot |
| Legislature | Federal Parliament | |
| - | Upper house | Senate |
| - | Lower house | Chamber of Representatives |
| Formation | ||
| - | Belgica Regia | 1648 |
| - | Revolution | 1830 |
| Population | ||
| - | 1940 census | 8,301 |
|
SQ MI (KM2) | |
|
USD$ 88,59 Billion | |
|
Currency |
Belgian Franc (₣)(BEF) | |
|
Date format |
dd-mm-yyyy | |
Officialy the Kingdom of Belgium, is a soverign nation located in Western Europe, it borders the Republic of France , Netherlands , Germany and the United Kingdom.
History[]
Historically, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg were known as the Low Countries, which used to cover a somewhat larger area than the current Benelux group of states.
The region was called Belgica in Latin, after the Roman province of Gallia Belgica, which covered more or less the same area. From the end of the Middle Ages until the 17th century, the area of Belgium was a prosperous and cosmopolitan centre of commerce and culture.
From the 16th century until the Belgian Revolution in 1830, when Belgium seceded from the Netherlands, the area of Belgium served as the battleground between many European powers, causing it to be dubbed the "Battlefield of Europe".
Government[]
The King is the head of state, though with limited prerogatives. He appoints ministers, including a Prime Minister, that have the confidence of the Chamber of Representatives to form the federal government.
The Council of Ministers is composed of no more than fifteen members. With the possible exception of the Prime Minister, the Council of Ministers is composed of an equal number of Dutch-speaking members and French-speaking members.
The judicial system is based on civil law and originates from the Napoleonic code. The Court of Cassation is the court of last resort, with the Court of Appeal one level below.
Military[]
The army is divided in the Land Component, Air Component and Naval Component.
The Land Component is made of 144 divisions.