The Kingdom of Belgium (Dutch: Koninkrijk België; French: Royaume de Belgique; German: Königreich Belgien) is a country in northwest Europe bordered by the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg and France and is one of the founding and core members of the European Union. Belgium has a population of over ten million people, in an area of around 30,000 square kilometres (11,700 square miles), mostly Flemish (over 6 million), a large minority of French-speakers (4 million, 3/4 of them Walloon) and a tiny German-speaking group. Straddling the cultural boundary between Germanic and Romance Europe, it is linguistically divided. Two major languages are spoken in Belgium: Dutch is mainly spoken in Flanders to the north, while French in Wallonia in the south. The capital, Brussels, is officially bilingual, while the majority of its residents speak French and an officially-recognized German-speaking minority is present, in the east of the country. This linguistic diversity often leads to political and cultural conflict and is reflected in Belgium's complex system of government and political history.

Belgium derives its name from the Belgae, a group of mostly Celtic tribes, and from the Roman province in northern Gaul, known as Gallia Belgica. Historically, Belgium has been a part of the Low Countries, which also include the Netherlands and Luxembourg and were covering a somewhat larger region than the current Benelux group of states. From the end of the Middle Ages until the seventeenth century, it was a prosperous centre of commerce and culture. From the sixteenth century until independence in 1830, Belgium, called at that time the Southern Netherlands, was the site of many battles between the European powers, and has been dubbed "the cockpit of Europe."Nuttall encyclopedia More recently, Belgium was a founding member of the European Union, hosting its headquarters, as well as those of other major international organizations, such as NATO.

History

---

More on [ Belgium ]

BBC News | Europe | World Edition

Betancourt reunited with family
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 20:46:53 -0000
French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt holds an emotional reunion with her children after six years as a hostage.
Five to face Concorde crash trial
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 11:31:37 -0000
A US airline and five people are to be tried for manslaughter over the 2000 Concorde crash.
Turkish party fights for survival
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 16:37:45 -0000
Turkey's ruling AK Party defends itself in court against charges that could see it closed down.

NYT > Europe

U.S. Is in No Shape to Give Advice, Medvedev Says
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 04:40:37 -0000
Russia’s president said that America was in “essentially a depression,” and that Russia had a right to a larger role in the world economy.
Trial Ordered in Concorde Crash That Killed 113
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 19:38:44 -0000
Continental Airlines and two of its employees face involuntary manslaughter charges related to the crash.
2nd Terror Suspect Released in Britain
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 20:24:16 -0000
The release of the unnamed Algerian was the second time in a little more than two weeks that a suspect named by prosecutors as having close ties to Osama bin Laden has been freed on bail in Britain.

L.A. Times - Europe

No decision yet on missile defense
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700
Two nations rejoice over Ingrid Betancourt's rescue
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700
World Briefing
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

UN News Centre - Europe

UN team heads to region to assess Georgian-Abkhaz peace process
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0500
A United Nations team tasked with assessing the Georgian-Abkhaz peace process will be heading to the region this weekend to consult with key actors, a spokesperson for the world body announced today.
Former commander of Bosnian Muslim forces acquitted by UN tribunal
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0500
The United Nations war crimes tribunal set up to deal with war crimes committed during the Balkan conflicts of the 1990s has overturned the conviction of a former commander of Bosnian Muslim forces who was found guilty two years ago of failing to prevent the murder and torture of Serb captives in Srebrenica.
Global cooperation key to solving food crisis, says Assembly President
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0500
Tackling the current food crisis requires a unified global response, United Nations General Assembly President Srgjan Kerim said today in Rome.

Europe - International Herald Tribune

5 face trial in Concorde crash that killed 113 in France
By ALAN COWELL Thu, 03 Jul 2008 21:50:45 -0000
Continental Airlines and two of its employees have been ordered to stand trial on involuntary manslaughter charges related to the crash of a Concorde airliner in 2000 near Paris in which 113 people died.
U.K. releases 2nd suspect linked to bin Laden
By JOHN F. BURNS Thu, 03 Jul 2008 21:50:45 -0000
The 45-year-old Algerian, identified by U.S. prosecutors as the mastermind of an abortive plot to bomb Los Angeles International Airport in December 1999, was freed Thursday on tight bail conditions, two weeks after a Jordanian suspected of strong influence in the ranks of Al Qaeda was released.
Sarkozy wasn't told of Betancourt rescue plan
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 21:50:45 -0000
That was extraordinary because Betancourt is a dual French-Colombian national, her captivity was a cause célèbre in France and Sarkozy had maintained a drumbeat of diplomatic pressure to try to spring her from the hands of Colombian rebels.
'Paradise' for 15 hostages after their rescue from Colombian guerrillas
By Simon Romero and Anahad O'Connor Thu, 03 Jul 2008 20:10:34 -0000
Fifteen hostages were spirited away to freedom Wednesday after a group of Colombian commandos disguised themselves as rebels and tricked the guerrillas into turning the captives over.
UN appeals court overturns conviction of Bosnian Muslim
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 21:50:45 -0000
A UN appeals court Thursday overturned the war crimes conviction of Naser Oric, a Bosnian Muslim considered a war hero by many in his country for fighting Serbs in the Srebrenica enclave during the 1992-95 war in Bosnia.
Russian billionaire steps down as governor of Siberian region
By MICHAEL SCHWIRTZ Thu, 03 Jul 2008 21:50:45 -0000
Roman Abramovich, a billionaire Russian investor, officially resigned as governor of the Chukotka region in the Russian Far East, but not before largely succeeding in pulling it out of decrepitude.

Subscribe to Europe RSS feed