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.

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Beer+Food+Movie = Good Evening. I can say that I like New Belgium Blue Paddle
taufmonster (Henry Phillips) Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:57:42 -0000
Beer+Food+Movie = Good Evening. I can say that I like New Belgium Blue Paddle
awards in Belgium, Best International Band in Spain, an EMA in London, Best International Band in Sweden, and numerous... @WeLoveRoadDogs
OfficialFCC (FCC ) Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:56:31 -0000
awards in Belgium, Best International Band in Spain, an EMA in London, Best International Band in Sweden, and numerous... @WeLoveRoadDogs
is having a New Belgium Tart Lychee at Sheffield's Beer School. Fruity and puckering sourness. I love it! #gents
kenoftheyear (Ken Hunnemeder) Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:56:01 -0000
is having a New Belgium Tart Lychee at Sheffield's Beer School. Fruity and puckering sourness. I love it! #gents
@NeilDiamond dear Neil, overhere we say;'no news,good news', but please give us a sign so we'll know you're doing alright, WLU, H&K, Belgium
karineverhaegen (karineverhaegen) Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:55:29 -0000
@NeilDiamond dear Neil, overhere we say;'no news,good news', but please give us a sign so we'll know you're doing alright, WLU, H&K, Belgium
Celebrating the end of a 52 hr work week with a Kopp's bacon cheeseburger and Fat Tire Abbey Belgium.
ChuckL50 (Chuck Laskey) Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:53:07 -0000
Celebrating the end of a 52 hr work week with a Kopp's bacon cheeseburger and Fat Tire Abbey Belgium.
Enjoying a New Belgium 1554 and strategizing about racking my #homebrew to the secondary.
milltyl (Tyler Miller) Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:51:59 -0000
Enjoying a New Belgium 1554 and strategizing about racking my #homebrew to the secondary.

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