Belgium Country & Tourist Information

Location
Western Europe.

Area
30,528 sq km (11,787 sq miles).

Population
10.6 million (2007 estimate).

Population Density
347 per sq km.

Capital
Brussels.
Population: 1.98 million (metropolitan area, 2007).

Government
Constitutional monarchy. The Kingdom of Belgium was established in 1830. In 1993, Belgium became a federal state comprising three autonomous regions.

Language
The official languages are Dutch, French and German. Dutch is slightly more widely spoken than French, and German is spoken the least. English is widely spoken in the Flemish region.

Religion
Mainly Roman Catholic (75%), with small Protestant and Jewish communities.

Time
GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).

Electricity
220 volts AC, 50Hz. Plugs are of the round two-pin type.

Head of Government
Prime Minister Yves Leterme since 2008.

Head of State
King Albert II since 1993.

Recent History
In May 2005, the government survived a confidence vote, enabling it to shelve a dispute over the voting rights of French-speakers in Dutch-speaking areas around Brussels. The far-right Vlaams Blok, which wanted Flemish independence and campaigned on an anti-immigration platform, increased its share of the vote substantially in regional and European elections in 2004. However, the high court later ruled that the party was racist, and it was subsequently reconstituted under a new name, Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest).

Guy Verhofstadt, who had been prime minister since 1999, resigned after big losses in the June 2007 general election. However, it took nine months of political deadlock, which threatened to split the country in two, before a new government was finally formed in March 2008. Yves Leterme, of the Flemish Christian Democrats, now heads a five-party coalition government.

Telephone
Country code: 32. For operator services, dial 1324. There are call boxes in all major towns and country districts. Some card phones and credit card phones are also available. Telecards are available from newsagents, railway stations and post offices.

Mobile Telephone
Roaming agreements exist with most international mobile phone companies. Coverage is excellent.

Internet
Internet cafes are widely available throughout the country.

Media
As a result of its political and linguistic divide, Belgium has two separate public broadcasting organizations, each with its own regulations and running their own radio, TV and external broadcasting. Belgium has one of the highest cable TV take-up rates in the world. The cable services offer dozens of domestic and foreign channels, including Dutch and French TV stations. The Belgian press is self-regulated by the Federation of Editors, to which all editors of major newspapers belong. A small number of media groups own the main newspaper titles.

Post
Airmail takes two to three days to other west European destinations.

Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1700 (hours can vary).

Press
• Principal daily newspapers in French are La Lanterne, La Libre Belgique, La Meuse and Le Soir.
• And in Dutch De Morgen, De Gentenaar, De Standaard, Het Laatste Nieuws, Het Nieuwsblad and De Tijd, a business publication.
• And Grenz-Echo in German.
• There is an English-language magazine, The Bulletin, printed in Belgium.

Radio
• The network operated by RTBF, the French-language public broadcaster, includes stations such as La Première, Radio 21 and external service RTBF International.
• The network operated by VRT, the Flemish public broadcaster, includes Radio 1, Studio Brussel and external service Radio Vlaanderen International (RVI).
• Belgischer Rundfunk (BRF) broadcasts in German.

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2009-December 2010 period.

2009
1 Jan New Year's Day.
13 Apr Easter Monday.
1 May Labor Day.
21 May Ascension Day.
1 Jun Whit Monday.
11 Jul* Flemish Community Holiday.
21 Jul Independence Day.
15 Aug Assumption.
27 Sep* French Community Holiday.
1 Nov All Saints' Day.
11 Nov Armistice Day.
15 Nov German Community Holiday.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
26 Dec Boxing Day.

2010
1 Jan New Year's Day.
5 Apr Easter Monday.
1 May Labor Day.
13 May Ascension Day.
24 May Whit Monday.
11 Jul* Flemish Community Holiday.
21 Jul Independence Day
15 Aug Assumption.
27 Sep* French Community Holiday.
1 Nov All Saints' Day.
11 Nov Armistice Day.
15 Nov German Community Holiday.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
26 Dec Boxing Day.

Note
*Observed by the respective communities.

Contact Information:

Embassy of Belgium in the UK
17 Grosvenor Crescent, London SW1X 7EE, UK.
Tel: (020) 7470 3700 (general enquiries) or 0844 815 9839 (visa enquiries, 0830-1300).
Website: www.diplomatie.be/london  (general) or www.vfs-be-uk.com (visa information).
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1700; visa section 0830-1330 (applications), 1300-1400 (collections).


Office de Promotion du Tourisme in the UK (Belgian Tourist Office – Brussels & Wallonia)
217 Marsh Wall, London E14 9FJ, UK
Tel: (020) 7537 1132 or 0800 954 5245 (brochure request line).
Website: www.belgiumtheplaceto.be

Toerisme Vlaanderen in the UK (Tourism Flanders - Brussels)
Flanders House, 1A Cavendish Square, London W1G 0LD, UK
Tel: (020) 7307 7738 or 0800 954 5245 (brochure request line).
Website: www.visitflanders.co.uk

Embassy of Belgium in the USA
3330 Garfield Street, NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA
Tel: (202) 333 6900.
Website: www.diplobel.us
Consulates General in: Atlanta, Los Angeles and New York.

Belgian Tourist Office in the USA
220 East 42nd Street, Suite 3402, New York, NY 10017, USA
Tel: (212) 758 8130.
Website: www.visitbelgium.com


Next Page »

Related Belgium Content