Belgium

This small, densely populated country in northwest Europe borders France, Germany, and the Netherlands. Today, Belgium is a highly developed industrial nation with a thriving economy.

In the north of Belgium is a flat plain stretching from Flanders to the Dutch border. To the south of the Meuse and sambre rivers the central plateau is bounded. The adrennes plateau extends into Luxembourg and France.

Ardennes plateau covers 10,000 sq km in southern Belgium, Luxembourg, and northern France crossed by deep river valleys such as the semis and Meuse, this upland area is rocky and heavily wooded and has spectacular limestone caves.

With about a million inhabitants, Belgium’s capital, Brussels, is the centre of government and trade. With three languages- Dutch, French, and German-it is a truly international city and the administrative headquarters of the European Union.
The Belgium climate is generally mild, but the skies are often cloudy. Rainfall is plentiful, especially in the mountains of the Ardennes where winter snow lingers, summers tend to be short.

Belgium has highly developed business and service industries, such as banking and insurance. The once-thriving coal and steel industries on the rivers Meuse and sambre are now in crisis. Belgium is one of the world’s largest exporters of chocolate, and produces fine bears.