Belgium is one of the gorgeous countries that is located in Western Europe. The country is surrounded by the Netherlands, Germany, France, and Luxembourg.
It’s a beautiful country full of history, culture, and most importantly, lovely people. Belgium is a small country, and there are many things that you have to see and do to have a wonderful time.
The nation is rich in history and culture. Belgium offers Gothic grandeur on its university and commercial sites, castle-dominated towns, magnificent paintings, and folk culture of past eras.
The country is one of the smallest yet densely populated. It became an independent nation in 1830. Here, democracy is headed by a constitutional monarch. Today, the head of state is King Philippe.
The county is divided between a German-speaking population in the east and French-speaking people called Walloons in the five southern provinces such as (Namur, Liege, Walloon, Brabant, Hainaut, and Luxembourg) and Dutch-speaking people in the five north and northeastern provinces (West Flanders, East Flanders, Vlaanderen, and Ooost Vlaanderen), Brabant, Antwerp, Brabant, and Limburg.
The capital city, Brussels, is also the headquarters of the European Union. It is an attractive city with several museums, galleries, and parks.
The country is safe to travel to for tourists. The major cities also have low crime rates. However, it is vital to remain vigilant as petty crimes like pickpocketing, bag snatching, and muggings prevail in some areas.
Geography
The Netherlands borders Belgium to the north whereas, Germany bounds the country to the east, France to the south, and Luxembourg to the southeast. It has a 60km shoreline on the North Sea.
It is a low-lying country with a broad coastal plain extending to a southeasterly direction from the North Sea. This plain gradually rises into the Ardennes hills and forests of the southeast.
The Ardennes and the Ardennes foothills are the two main physical regions of the country.
Climate
This country has a temperate and maritime climate that is influenced by the air masses of the Atlantic. Consequently, Belgium has a variation in weather due to frequent alternation between different air masses.
The elevation and distance inland also determines the regional climatic differences.
The country gets heavy rainfall that averages 750-1,000 mm every year due to the frontal conditions.
Winter months are cool and foggy, whereas summers are mild.
Nature and Wildlife
Belgium primarily lies on the zone of broad-leaved deciduous forestation. Consequently, oak trees are abundant, along with beeches, elms, and birches.
The lowlands are used for agriculture, but you will still see deciduous trees and grasses in the open spaces.
The Ardennes have mixed deciduous and coniferous forestation.
The wild animal population has decreased due to human activities. Nevertheless, you can find most animals like wild boars, deer, pheasant, and wildcats in the Ardennes.
You can find sandpipers, woodcocks, lapwings, and snipes in the lowlands in terms of birdlife.