I.

Introduction

Belgium (in French, Belgique; in Dutch, België), officially Kingdom of Belgium, constitutional monarchy in north-western Europe, bounded on the north by the Netherlands and the North Sea, on the east by Germany and Luxembourg, and on the south and south-west by France. With the Netherlands and Luxembourg, Belgium forms the Low, or Benelux, Countries. It is about 282 km (175 mi) long, from the south-east to the north-west, about 145 km (90 mi) wide, and is roughly triangular in shape. The area is 30,528 sq km (11,787 sq mi). The capital and largest city is Brussels, located in the centre of Belgium.