Environment

Because of its high population density and location in the centre of Western Europe, Belgium faces serious environmental problems. A 2003 report suggested that the water in Belgium’s rivers was of the lowest quality in Europe, and bottom of the 122 countries studied.

Flanders

Flanders (nid.: Vlaanderen) – one of the three federal regions of Belgium. It is situated in the northern part of the country, and inhabited mainly by the Dutch population. The seat of parliament and the government of Flanders is Brussels (lying outside the region – in a separate federal capital region).

French Community of Belgium

French Community of Belgium (fr. Communauté française de Belgique, niderl. Franse Gemeenschap van België) – one of three official communities of Belgium. This is an institution which is involved in the development of the French language in this country. Therefore works in the field of culture, education, science and international cooperation. Its coverage includes the greater part of Wallonia (with the exception of municipalities inhabited by a minority of German) and the Brussels-Capital Region.

In respect of the Community, the French used the names: the Wallonia-Brussels (Communauté Wallonie-Bruxelles), or the French Community Wallonia-Brussels (Communauté française Wallonie-Bruxelles), although none of them do not appear in the Belgian constitution. According to some the name suggests a link between the community and the French region of Wallonia, while they are two different institutions.

Religions

Belgium is a country trójjęzycznym. In the nineteenth century, one of the incentives for the creation of that country was the Catholic religion, because for the people of Flanders was unacceptable anti-Calvinism Netherlands. Anticlerical movement initially developed poorly there, then began to step up to the French model.

In Belgium today with the Church rzymskokatolickim identified about 50-55 percent. population, but only 8-9 percent. participates in regular religious practices. 1.5-2 percent. Belgians confesses Protestantism (mainly Calvinism), and another 1 percent. Belgians are linked with other Christian religions. 3,5-4 percent. are Muslims and 1 percent. to Jews, hinduiści, sikhowie and buddyści. A large part of the Belgians to a person declares atheistic rationalism, agnosticism, or referred to as wolnomyślicieli.

Air transport

In 1999, Belgium had about 42 airports including 24 of the strips startowymi a hard surface including 6 with a length of more than 3000 m. The most important airports are Bruxellen-National (also known as the Brussels-Zaventem) in Brussels (16 180 passengers in 2005), and Charleroi-Gosselies (widely known as Brussels South Charleroi Airport – 1 873 349 passengers in 2005, only low-cost airline). The transport of goods by air central role played by airports and the Brussels-National-Liege Bierset

Belgium – travel guide with tips for your holiday

In the coastal region is the oceanic climate with relatively cool summers and mild winters. Further inland, and thus from the moderating influences maritime removed prevail greater temperature fluctuations. In the Ardennes, the comparatively cold winter. High rainfall recorded almost exclusively the higher-lying parts of the country. The most rainy months are the April and November. The mean annual temperature in Brussels is located at 10 ° C, in January the average temperature is 2.2 ° C, in July 17.8 ° C. The average annual rainfall is in deeper layers at 699 millimeters, in the Ardennes, up to 1 500 millimeter achieved.

Thrive on sandy soils dune grasses, heaths and pine forests, these were mostly in the context of reforestation measures planted. On clay subsoil dominate oak, beech and elm. In the High Fens, a mountainous east of the country, because there are impermeable Tonböden moors. Many species are responsible for the central European fauna typical. Among the predators are Rotfuchs, badgers, otters and weasels other species, in the Ardennes still live wild cats. Biungulates are deer, red and Damhirsche. About 600 square kilometers of the country are protected.

Belgium has about 10.3 million inhabitants (2004). The population density is 342 inhabitants per square kilometer, one of the highest in Europe. Most densely populated industrial centers Brussels, Antwerp, Liege and Ghent and the industrial region between Mons and Charleroi. The median life expectancy is 75.3 for men and for women 81.8 years (2004). The annual growth of the population amounts to around 0.2 percent.

Currency

In Belgium, the euro was introduced in 2002. However, the first sets of coins were minted, as preparation, in 1999. Hence the first euro coins of Belgium have minted the year 1999 instead of 2002 like other countries in the eurozone. In order to conform to the common guidelines on the design of national faces of coins, Belgium has updated the design of the Belgian national face of euro coins to be produced from 2008; also adopted the new common map like the rest of the eurozone countries.

Belgium has a rich collection of collectors’ coins, with face value ranging from 10 to 100 euro. These coins are a legacy of an old national practice of minting of silver and gold commemorative coins. Unlike normal issues, these coins are not legal tender in all the eurozone. For instance, a €10 Belgian commemorative coin cannot be used in any other country.

While all Belgian coins designated for circulation show the portrait of King Albert II, this does not happen for commemorative coins, where designs are freely chosen.

Bruges

Home to Europe’s best-preserved medieval buildings, Bruges is Belgium’s most visited town. Suspended in time 500 years ago by the silting of its river, this 13th-century city is blessed with two medieval cores, the Markt and the Burg, and some of the country’s most compelling art collections.

In the middle of summer Bruges teems with tourists; out of season its beauty is an easier delight to behold. The whole historic centre of Bruges was added to Unesco’s World Heritage List in 2000 and, in 2002, Bruges took centre stage as the European City of Culture.

When to Go

There’s a reason radio DJs in Belgium love the Beatles’ 1969 classic Here Comes the Sun . The weather here is fickle, and when the sun comes out everyone celebrates. To avoid major dampness coupled with biting cold, plan a visit for May to September (ie late spring to early autumn). The disadvantages of this time include considerable crowds and, depending on where exactly you go, a scarcity of accommodation – Bruges is the most problematic in both these areas. Brussels, on the other hand, is actually quieter during summer (mid-July to mid-September), and some hotels cut prices.

In April the weather is more fickle than ever – you’ll be catching sun on a terrace cafe one minute and scuttling for cover the next. Wretched is the only word suitable for the mild winter weather from November to March: the days are grey and wet with occasional light snow. Correspondingly, tourist numbers plummet. If you pack the right clothes and keep in mind that the daylight hours will be short, you can make the most of uncrowded museums. The lion’s share of events take place over summer. Outside this time, there are a few quirky festivals to consider, the highlight being carnival celebrations.

Brussels

Brussels (Dutch: Brussel, pronounced [ˈbrɵsəɫ];French: Bruxelles, pronounced [bʁysɛl]) is the largest city in Belgium, and the administrative heart of the European Union (EU). The City of Brussels in the Brussels-Capital Region is the country’s capital. Brussels has grown from a 10th century fortress town founded by Charlemagne’s grandson into a city of over one million inhabitants.

Brussels is also capital of the Brussels-Capital Region, of Flanders and of the French Community of Belgium. It is not, however, the capital of the Walloon Region (Wallonia), whose capital is Namur.

Depending on the context, the word Brussels may mean the largest municipality of the Brussels-Capital Region officially called the City of Brussels (ca. 140,000 inhabitants), the Brussels-Capital Region (1,067,162 inhabitants as of 1 February 2008) or, the metropolitan area of Brussels (from 2,100,000  to more or less 2,700,000 inhabitants).

Brussels is often considered the de facto capital of the European Union, and hosts key EU institutions such as the Commission, Partliament and the Council. Hence, many other pan-European organisations are also headquartered in the city. NATO is also based in Brussels.