Two Countries in One

The continuous occupation of Belgium by foreign powers throughout its 2000-year history has made the Belgians critical of any form of authority, including its own government. The governing of the country is very much complicated by the linguistic and cultural divisions between the two major language communities, Dutch-speaking Flanders in the North, and French-speaking Wallonia in the South, not to mention the multilingual, multicultural and multinational city of Brussels. Each language community has its own governmental authorities and much conflict comes from promoting the language of the region to the exclusion of the other official national languages. Despite the conflicts, however, the cultural division is not a violent one, as in other countries such as Northern Ireland and Israel.

Since the Middle Ages, Belgium has been one of the richest and most developed regions in the world, both artistically and economically. The art and architecture in cities such as Brussels, Ghent, Bruges, and Antwerp highlights the level of wealth and beauty centered in the country. Before World War I, Belgium was the fourth largest economic power, significant when compared to other industrialized nations with populations 5 to 10 times greater. This wealth was due to industrial production and trade, which is facilitated by Belgium's central position in Western Europe, and the presence of its many land routes and waterways.

Belgians do have a love for the "good life", which can be found in their excellent food and drink (notably their excellent beers), comfortable housing, reliable medical and social services, low crime rate, and highly developed traffic and communications infrastructures. This all comes at a price, though Belgians seem willing to pay it, as most natives do not emigrate. They have a “live and let live” attitude that serves them well, being the governmental centre of Europe.

Belgium is characterized as being:

Diverse | The seat of the government of the European Union and NATO, contributes to its multicultural atmosphere.

Fractured | with three distinct language communities each with their own government and culture, conflicts over cultural differences often occur.

Affluent | One of the world’s richest countries, it has a high standard of living, despite the high taxes.