Belgium is a nation in Northwestern Europe, formally known as the Kingdom of Belgium. The nation is bounded to the north by the Netherlands, to the east by Germany, to the southeast by Luxembourg, to the southwest by France, and to the northwest by the North Sea. It has a population of more than 11.5 million people on a land area of 30,689 km2 (11,849 sq mi), making it the 22nd most densely populated country in the world and the 6th most densely populated country in Europe, with a population density of 376 per square kilometer (970/sq mi). Brussels is the capital and biggest city; other notable cities include Antwerp, Ghent, Charleroi, Liège, Bruges, Namur, and Leuven.
Belgium is a sovereign state with a parliamentary system and a federal constitutional monarchy. Its institutional framework is complicated, with regional and language divisions. The country is split into three largely autonomous regions: the Flemish Region (Flanders) in the north, the Walloon Region (Wallonia) in the south, and the Brussels-Capital Region in the center. Brussels is the smallest, most densely inhabited, and wealthiest area in terms of GDP per capita.
Belgium has two major linguistic communities: the Dutch-speaking Flemish Community, which accounts for about 60% of the population, and the French-speaking Community, which accounts for approximately 40% of the population. In the East Cantons, there is a tiny German-speaking community of around 1%. Although French is the prevalent language in the Brussels-Capital Region, the region is legally multilingual in both French and Dutch. Belgium's linguistic variety and concomitant political disputes are mirrored in its complicated governance structure, which is comprised of six separate administrations.
The nation as it exists now was formed during the Belgian Revolution of 1830 when it seceded from the Netherlands, which had only existed since 1815. The name selected for the new state is taken from the Latin term Belgium, which was used to denote a neighboring territory in Julius Caesar's "Gallic Wars" about 55 BCE. Belgium is part of the Low Countries, which was historically a wider territory than the Benelux group of nations since it covered sections of northern France. Since the Middle Ages, the area's center position near multiple important rivers has meant that it has been reasonably rich, financially and politically tied to its larger neighbors. Belgium has also served as a battlefield for European nations, gaining the title "Battlefield of Europe," a reputation that was bolstered in the twentieth century by both world wars.
Belgium took part in the Industrial Revolution and controlled a number of African colonies throughout the twentieth century. The Congo Free State, which was privately controlled by King Leopold II of Belgium from 1885 and 1908, was marked by extensive atrocities and a population fall of millions, prompting Belgium to take over the area as a colony.
The second half of the twentieth century saw increased tensions between Dutch-speaking and French-speaking populations, fueled by linguistic and cultural disparities, as well as the uneven economic growth of Flanders and Wallonia. This ongoing rivalry has resulted in a series of far-reaching changes, culminating in a move from a unitary to a federal setup between 1970 and 1993. Despite the reforms, tensions between the groups have remained, if not increased; there is significant separatism, particularly among the Flemish; controversial language laws exist, such as municipalities with language facilities; and the formation of a coalition government took 18 months, a world record, following the June 2010 federal election. Wallonia's unemployment rate is more than twice that of Flanders, which surged following WWII.
Belgium is one of the six founding nations of the European Union, and its city, Brussels, serves as the official headquarters of the European Commission, the Council of the European Union, and the European Council, as well as one of the two seats of the European Parliament (the other being Strasbourg). Belgium is also a founding member of the Eurozone, NATO, the OECD, and the World Trade Organization, as well as a member of the trilateral Benelux Union and the Schengen Area. Many significant international organizations, like NATO, have their headquarters in Brussels.
Belgium is a developed nation with a high-income sophisticated economy. It boasts extremely good living standards, quality of life, healthcare, and education, and is ranked "very high" on the Human Development Index. It is also one of the world's safest or most peaceful nations.