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Area and population of Belgium. Population of Belgium: size, density, ethnic composition

Area and population of Belgium. Population of Belgium: size, density, ethnic composition

belgium netherlands habsburg state

Division of the Netherlands at the end of the 16th century. Led to increased political, religious, cultural and economic divisions between north and south. The independent north, which embraced Calvinism, with its social and cultural values and traditions, experienced economic growth, while the war-ravaged south was under the rule of the Habsburgs and catholic church. In addition, for a long time there was a linguistic difference between the sulfur provinces, where Dutch was spoken, and the southern ones, where French was spoken, which in turn exacerbated cultural differences.

The complete decline of the economy of the Spanish Netherlands, the destruction of economic ties, led to the fact that the once flourishing Flemish cities were abandoned. One of the most difficult periods has begun in the history of the country.

For a long time, the Spanish Netherlands served as an arena for the struggle between the Habsburgs and the Bourbons. In 1648, at the Peace of Westphalia, Spain ceded parts of Flanders, Brabant and Limburg to the United Provinces and agreed to close the mouth of the Scheldt River, as a result of which Antwerp actually ceased to exist as a seaport and trading center.

As part of the War of the "Spanish Succession" (1701-1714), Belgium (as part of the "Spanish Netherlands") became part of the Austrian Habsburg Empire. The transition of the Southern Netherlands to Austrian rule did not change inner life provinces, national autonomy and traditional institutions of local nobility continued to exist. The Austrian monarchs administered the provinces through governors in Brussels. Attempts to reform the internal structure of the Austrian Netherlands by Joseph II, who ascended the throne in 1780, were unsuccessful. The emperor's desire for strict centralization and the desire to go ahead in achieving his goals led to growing resistance to reforms from various segments of the population. The religious reforms of Joseph II, which undermined the foundations of the dominant Catholic Church, aroused opposition throughout the 1780s, and his reforms of the administrative system in 1787, which were supposed to deprive the country's inhabitants of local institutions of power and national autonomy, became the spark that led to the revolution .

In August 1789, the population of Brabant rebelled against the Austrian authorities, and as a result, in December 1789, almost the entire territory of the Belgian provinces was liberated from the Austrians. In January 1790, the National Congress proclaimed the creation of the independent state of the United Belgian States. However, the new government, consisting of representatives of the conservative aristocratic party "Nootists", who enjoyed the support of the Catholic clergy, was overthrown by Leopold II, who became emperor in February 1790 after the death of his brother Joseph II.

After the defeat of the Austrian Empire in the war with France, this territory came under French rule (1795-1814).

The period of French rule over the Netherlands had a huge impact on the development of national consciousness and the desire for national independence. Napoleon's reforms, such as the abolition of internal customs, the liquidation of workshops, and the entry of Belgian goods into the French market, had a positive impact on the economy of the Belgian provinces. However, constant recruitment for wars of conquest, rising taxes caused massive discontent among the Belgians, and the desire for national independence fueled anti-French sentiment. The main achievement of this period was the destruction of the estate-feudal order, the introduction of progressive French legislation, administrative and judicial structure. The French declared freedom of navigation on the Scheldt, which had been closed for 144 years.

After the final defeat of Napoleonic France, by the decision of the Congress of Vienna in 1815, the territory of Belgium was annexed to the Netherlands. The son of the last Stadtholder of the United Provinces, William V, Prince William of Orange, was proclaimed sovereign sovereign of the Netherlands under the name of William I.

The union with the Netherlands provided certain economic benefits to the southern provinces. The more developed agriculture of Flanders and Brabant and the prosperous industrial cities of Wallonia developed thanks to Dutch maritime trade, which gave southerners access to markets in the overseas colonies of the mother country. But in general, the Dutch government pursued economic policy exclusively in the interests of the northern part of the country. The already established Belgian industrial bourgeoisie by that time was dissatisfied with the dominance of the Dutch, predominantly commercial bourgeoisie.

Although the southern provinces had at least 50% more inhabitants than the northern ones, they had same number representatives in the States General, and they were given a small number of military, diplomatic and ministerial posts. The short-sighted policies of the Protestant King William I in the field of religion and education, which included granting equality to all faiths and the creation of a system of secular primary education, caused discontent in the Catholic south. In addition, Dutch became the official language of the country, strict censorship was introduced and the creation of various types of organizations and associations was prohibited. A number of laws of the new state caused massive discontent among the population of the southern provinces.

Flemish traders resented the advantages their Dutch counterparts had. The indignation was even greater among Walloon industrialists, who felt disadvantaged by Dutch laws that could not protect the nascent industry from competition.

In 1828, the two main Belgian parties, Catholics and Liberals, dissatisfied with the policies of William I, formed a united national front. This union, called "unionism", was maintained for almost 20 years and became the main engine of the struggle for independence.

The July Revolution of 1830 in France inspired the Belgians. On August 25, 1830, a series of spontaneous anti-Dutch protests began in Brussels and Liege, which then quickly spread throughout the south.

At first, not all Belgians favored complete political separation from the Netherlands; many agreed to a political compromise: instead of William I, his son, the popular Prince of Orange, was to become king, while others demanded only administrative autonomy. The growing influence of French liberalism and the Brabant national spirit, fueled by the brutal military action and repressive measures of William I, changed the situation.

When Dutch troops entered the southern provinces in September, they were greeted as invaders. What was merely an attempt to expel Dutch officials and troops became a concerted movement towards a free and independent state. Elections to the National Congress took place in November. Congress accepted the declaration of independence drawn up in October by the provisional government led by Charles Rogier and began work on a constitution. The constitution came into force in February. The country was declared a constitutional monarchy with a bicameral parliament. Those who paid taxes of a certain amount had the right to vote, and wealthy citizens received the right to several votes. Executive power was exercised by the king and the prime minister, who had to be approved by parliament. Legislative power was divided between the king, parliament and ministers. The fruit of the new constitution was a centralized bourgeois state, which combined liberal ideas and conservative institutions, supported by an alliance of the middle classes and the nobility.

The question of who would be the king of Belgium became the subject of widespread international discussion and diplomatic battles (a conference of ambassadors was even convened in London). When the Belgian National Congress elected Louis Philippe's son, the new French king, as king, the British protested and the conference considered the proposal inappropriate. The first Belgian king was a relative of the then reigning English Queen Victoria - Leopold I.

The treaty to regulate the separation of Belgium from the Netherlands, drawn up at the London Conference, did not receive approval from William I, and the Dutch army again crossed the Belgian border. The European powers, with the help of French troops, forced her to retreat, but William I again rejected the revised text of the treaty. In 1833 a truce was concluded. Finally, in April 1839 in London, all parties signed agreements on the most important points on the boundaries and division of the internal financial debt of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Belgium was forced to pay part of the military expenses of the Netherlands, to cede parts of Luxembourg and Limburg and Maastricht.

In 1831, Belgium was declared by the European powers to be an "independent and eternally neutral state", although the Netherlands only recognized Belgium's independence and neutrality in 1839.

Britain fought to preserve Belgium as a European country, free from foreign influence. On initial stage Belgium was "helped" by the Polish revolution of 1830, as it diverted the attention of the Russians and Austrians - potential allies of the Netherlands, who otherwise could have helped William I reoccupy Belgium.

The revolution of 1830 freed the country from centuries-old dependence, and Belgium became an independent state. The first 15 years of independence demonstrated the continuation of the policy of unionism and the emergence of the monarchy as a symbol of unity and loyalty. Almost until the economic crisis of the mid-1840s, the coalition of Catholics and liberals pursued a unified internal and foreign policy. Leopold I turned out to be a competent ruler, who also had connections and influence in European royal houses, especially good relations were established with his niece, Queen of England Victoria.

From the middle of the 19th century. capitalism is rapidly developing in Belgium, and by the end of the century it is turning into a highly developed industrial country. Mechanical engineering, the coal mining industry, and the construction of state railways and channels. The abolition of protectionism in 1849, the creation of a national bank in 1835, and the restoration of Antwerp as a center of trade all contributed to the rapid industrial expansion in Belgium.

By the middle of the 19th century. the liberal bourgeoisie could no longer act as a united front with Catholic conservatives. The subject of dispute was the education system. Liberals, who advocated official secular schools in which the course of religion was replaced by a course of morality, had a majority in parliament from 1847 to 1870. In the period from 1870 to 1914. (except for five years between 1879 and 1884) the Catholic Party was in power. Liberals managed to pass through parliament a law providing for the separation of schools from the church (1879). However, it was abolished by Catholics in 1884 and the program primary schools religious disciplines were returned. The Catholics consolidated their power in 1893 by passing a law granting the right to vote to all adult men over 25, a clear win for the Catholic party.

In 1879, the Belgian Socialist Party was founded in Belgium, on the basis of which the Belgian Workers' Party (BWP) was formed in April 1885. She abandoned the revolutionary struggle, being strongly influenced by Proudhonism and anarchism, and chose the tactics of achieving her goals through parliamentary means.

In alliance with progressive Catholics and liberals, the BRP managed to push a number of democratic reforms through parliament. Laws were passed regarding housing, workers' compensation, factory inspection, and child and female labor. Strikes in industrial areas in the late 1880s brought Belgium to the brink civil war. In many cities there were clashes between workers and troops, and there were killed and wounded. Unrest also spread to military units. The scale of the movement forced the clerical government to make some concessions. This concerned, first of all, amendments to the law on electoral rights and labor legislation.

The foundations of another conflict were laid by Belgium's participation in the colonial division of Africa during the reign of Leopold II (1864-1909). Like the major imperialist powers, Belgium embarked on the path of colonial conquest. The Congo Free State had no official relations with Belgium, and Leopold II persuaded the European powers at the Berlin Conference of 1884-1885, where the question of the division of Africa was decided, to place him as autocratic monarch at the head of this independent state, and in 1885 Belgium established his power over the Congo.

A serious conflict arose between the Walloons and the Flemings. The Flemish demands were that French and Flemish be equally recognized as the state languages. A cultural movement arose and developed in Flanders, extolling the Flemish past and its glorious historical traditions. In 1898, a law was passed confirming the principle of “bilingualism”, after which the texts of laws, inscriptions on postage and revenue stamps, banknotes and coins appeared in two languages

In 57 BC, as a result of the conquests of Julius Caesar, the lands that are today the territory of Belgium became part of the Roman Empire. The Romans named the new province, inhabited by Celtic tribes, Gallia Belgica.

In the 4th century AD the decline of Rome led to the transfer of control of Gaul to the Franks, a Germanic tribe that the weakened empire used as mercenaries.

Early Middle Ages

By 431, the Franks created their own empire with their own royal dynasty (Merovingians) and capital. Clovis I managed to defeat the last Roman ruler, Afranius Syagrius, and annex the north of Gaul to his kingdom. The lands of the new empire occupied part of the territory of modern France, Belgium and southwestern Germany. After some time, Clovis converted to Christianity, receiving the support of the Church.

After the death of Clovis, the kingdom was divided into several parts, ruled by the sons of the late king. Once again the Frankish lands united into single state during the reign of Pepin the Short, who imprisoned the last of the Merovingians in a monastery in 751. Pepin became the founder of a new dynasty - the Carolingians.

Charlemagne, who succeeded his father in 768, reigned for almost half a century, creating an empire that covered almost all of continental Europe, with the exception of Spain and Scandinavia. For most of his reign, Charles was engaged in the conquest of new lands, however, he did a lot to develop trade and the arts. The use of Belgian rivers as shipping routes for organized trade began during his reign.

After the death of Charlemagne, the empire was divided into three parts. Under the terms of the Treaty of Verdun, concluded in 843, each of Charles’s three grandchildren received part of the land under their control: the western part went to Charles the Bald, the central part went to Lothair, and the eastern part went to Ludwig the German. Most of modern Belgium was Lothair's inheritance, and only a narrow strip of land north and west of the Scheldt River belonged to Charles the Bald.

The northwestern part of Belgium belonged to Charles the Bald only nominally; in fact, Baldwin ruled there Iron hand, who became the first Count of Flanders. Having married Charles's daughter, Baldwin began building fortified cities to protect his lands from the depredations of the Normans. Ghent was built first (867), then Bruges and Ypres.

X-XIV centuries

The southeast of modern Belgium became part of the Duchy of Lower Lorraine under the rule of German kings. In 977, the Duke of Lorraine built a fortress on the Senne River, which later became the basis of Brussels.

At the beginning of the new millennium, Norman raids gradually ceased, and the situation in the most important kingdoms of Europe stabilized, which became the reason for an unprecedented flourishing of trade. By importing wool from England and processing it into quality cloth for sale on the continent, the Flemish cities grew richer and increased their influence in the region. By 1300 Ghent, Bruges and Ypres had effectively become autonomous entities, leaving the count's control.

Of course, this state of affairs did not please the aristocracy, which tried to regain control over such attractive sources of wealth. In turn, France tried in every possible way to bring Flanders back under its influence, which only formally continued to be included in its composition.

The clash took place in 1302. At the Battle of Courtrai, the Flemings defeated the French troops. However, growing rivalry between the cities led to fragmentation, and by 1329 they had lost their independence and Flanders had once again fallen under French control, which in turn displeased England.

The British stopped supplying wool to Flanders, and rivalry with France resulted in the Hundred Years' War of 1337-1453, during which Flemish cities repeatedly tried to regain their independence.

In 1384 Flanders became integral part the Duchy of Burgundy as the inheritance of the wife of Philip the Bold, who ruled Burgundy.

XV-XVIII centuries

During the time of Philip the Good (1419-1467), Flanders flourished as part of Burgundy. Philip gained control of the southeastern regions, including Brussels, Namur and Liege. He suppressed the independence of the cities by imposing central rule from Brussels, and strengthened the region's economy. Philip's reign brought prosperity to the country, which contributed to the flourishing of culture. A whole galaxy of talented artists appeared: Robert Campin, Jan van Eyck, Rogier van der Weyden.

After the death of Charles the Bold (son of Philip the Good), who left no male heirs, the Duchy of Burgundy was transferred to the French crown. Thus, the lands of modern Belgium came under the control of the Habsburgs.

Under Charles V, who became Holy Roman Emperor, Belgium was part of his vast possessions, and after the division of the Empire it became part of the Spanish Crown. Belgian territories were part of the Union of 17 Provinces (Benelux territory and part of northern France).

The accession of Charles V's son Philip II to the throne in 1555 led to a crisis as the new king's strident Spanish Catholicism coincided with the rise of Protestantism in Europe. Social unrest in the cities was met with sharp and severe repression by the authorities. In 1581, Philip II was deposed. The emerging Republic of the United Provinces constantly fought for its independence over the next decades. Catholic regions in the south remained loyal to Spain, becoming known as the Spanish Netherlands.

In 1648, in accordance with the Treaty of Münster, Spain recognized the independence of the Republic and agreed to block navigation on the Scheldt River. As a result, Antwerp, Ghent and Bruges lost their trade dominance in the region.

Under the terms of the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, the Spanish Netherlands ceded to Austria. The Austrian rulers, like the Spanish kings before, had little interest in the new territories, whose economy was in decline. The provinces were governed by governors through Brussels.

Joseph II, who ascended the throne in 1780, tried to carry out a number of reforms, including administrative ones, which abolished national autonomy. These attempts led to an uprising, and by 1788 all the territories of the Belgian provinces were almost completely liberated from Austrian influence.

French period and Kingdom of the Netherlands

After the Great Revolution, the monarchies of Europe declared war on France, however, by 1794 the French managed to expel the invaders from their land and go on the offensive. As a result of the victory over the Austrians at Fleuruse, Belgian territories passed to France.

Napoleonic reforms eliminated the class-feudal order and contributed to the adoption of progressive legislation. Ship traffic on the Scheldt River was restored, and the French market opened for Belgian goods.

After the overthrow of Napoleon, by decision of the Congress of Vienna, the historical territories of the Netherlands were united into one common state– Kingdom of the Netherlands. Although the southern provinces received some economic benefits, for the most part the government of the new state acted in the interests of the north. The Flemings' dissatisfaction with the reforms and privileges of the Dutch led to the unification of Catholics and liberals into a united national front.

Independence and Recent History

The bourgeois revolution of 1830 in Brussels led to the final independence of Belgium. At the London Conference that same year, the largest countries in Europe recognized the sovereignty of the new state.

Under the reign of the first king of Belgium, Leopold of Saxe-Coburg, economic prosperity began.

During the First World War, almost the entire country was occupied by German imperialist troops. After the defeat of Germany, under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, Belgium received part of the German territories and African colonies.

In 1940, Nazi Germany again invaded the territory of the state.

IN post-war period Brussels has gradually taken on the role of the “capital” of Europe - it is the headquarters of the European Community and NATO, as well as the main European center of international business. In 1957, Belgium formed the Benelux union together with the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

Perhaps the most significant of the post-war developments was the growing autonomy of the various regions. In 1977, the country was divided into three administrative regions: Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels. In 1980, this division was enshrined in the Constitution.

Geographical position

Belgium located in western Europe, on the eastern coast of the North Sea. She borders on the north With the Netherlands,in the east- With Germany And Luxembourg, on South And southwest borders with France.Total border length amounts to 1,385 km.In North-west The country's territory is washed by waters North Sea.total area Belgium's territory is 30.5 thousand sq. km.

On the territory of the country it is traditional to distinguish three main geographical regions: coastal plain, central plateau And Arden Heights. Coastal Plain located in northwestern Belgium. It is represented by dunes and polders. Polders They are low-lying areas of land that are protected from flooding by dams. Average altitude this region is about 10 meters. Central Plateau is a low section of the country's territory, which is formed by fertile plains. Arden Heights is a plateau covered with forests. His average height is about 460 meters. This site is located in southeast Belgium.

Highest point on the territory of the country is Mount Botrange height 694 meters. Largest rivers Belgium - Scheldt And Maas, which start in France. They are connected to each other using channels.

Capital is a city Brussels.

Climate in Belgium temperate marine. Warm weather lasts from May to September. in winter Snow falls quite often.

On the coast average temperature in January is +3 C, in the Ardennes - 1 C. Average temperature in July on the coast is +19 C, in the Ardennes- +14 C.

On the plains falls annually 700-900 mm precipitation, in mountainous areas - 1200-1500 mm. Relative humidity is quite high all year.

Summer Belgium has enough cool and cloudy. Winter cloudy and humid.

The rainiest months are April And november. Constantly blowing westerly and southwesterly winds.

In summer, the weather can deteriorate due to cool, damp winds from the Atlantic.

Visas, entry rules, customs rules

Belgium is member of the Schengen agreement.Citizens of Russia to enter the country necessary design Schengen visa. Also need to have current international passport, health insurance policy, amount of money sufficient to stay in the country.

Import and export currency Can no limits. Amounts exceeding 10 thousand euros must be declared.

Duty free can not be imported into the country a large number of tobacco and tobacco products, as well as alcohol, coffee, tea, perfumes and personal goods and gold items and jewelry weighing no more than 500 grams.

To the territory of the European Union countries it is forbidden import any products that contain meat or milk. This ban even applies to chocolate. Exception consists only of baby food and special medications for chronic patients.

Special permission required for the import of medications, drugs and drug-containing drugs, weapons and pornographic materials, as well as animals and birds into the country, various types plants and products from them. Plants, animals and products plant origin necessary present to quarantine officials. On pets required all necessary information. It is forbidden export from the country things and objects that have historical or artistic value.

Population, political status

Population Belgium is about 10.26 million people. The country's population is quite diverse in its ethnic composition. Most of it make up Flemings(58%) and Walloons(32.5%). There are also large communities of immigrants from Asia and South-Eastern Europe.

Politically, Belgium is federal constitutional monarchy. Head of State is king. Legislature concentrated in hands bicameral parliament, which consists of House of Representatives And Senate.

Administratively, the entire territory of the country is divided into 3 regions(Flemish, Walloon and metropolitan region Brussels) And 9 provinces: Antwerp, Brabant, East Flanders, West Flanders, Liege, Limburg, Luxembourg, Namur And Hainault.

The capital has about 1 million inhabitants. Population largest cities : Brussels(1,122,000 people), Antwerp(470,000 people), Ghent(231,000 people), Charleroi(207,000 people) and Liege(195,000 people).

Regions have big amount autonomous rights. They are under control local executive authorities - assemblies.

In Belgium there is three official languages -Flemish, German And French. Dutch the language is common in Flanders, French - in Wallonia.

Flemish similar to Dutch and has several dialects. Belgian French It is distinguished by its characteristic local pronunciation and the use of a large number of dialect words. In tourist areas widely spread English language.

Actual head of state is Prime Minister.Government composition approved by the king and parliament. According to the requirements of the country's constitution, one half of the ministers must consist from representatives of the Dutch-speaking community, A second half - representatives of the French-speaking community.

Belgium is divided into judicial cantons and districts. Headed by judicial system Supreme Court.

Belgium is a member of 70 international organizations. Included V UES And NATO.

What to see

Belgium attracts numerous tourists with an abundance of its attractions, historical and cultural monuments. In all cities of this country you can see something interesting.

Capital Brussels is cultural and political center of Belgium and the European Community. Local residents are used to calling old part of the city "Pentagon". This is due to the fact that it is surrounded by circular boulevards. These boulevards were built on the site where the old defensive structures were located.

Grand Place(Grotemarkt or Big square) is the city's largest and most famous square. There is an old building on it Town Hall "Hotel de Ville". This building is interesting for its 15th century weather vane, which depicts St. Michael slaying the dragon. The square also contains Broadhus with city museum. Here you can also see the ancient quarter, in which each building has its own name.

On Etuve Street, near the Grand Place, you can see the most famous fountain in Brussels -Mannequin Piece ("Pissing boy"), which refers to XVII century. Here it is also worth Palais des Nations, in which Parliament is sitting.

In addition to the "Manneken Pis" in Brussels there is "Pissing Girl" and even "Pissing Dog".

West of Grand Place located Exchange And Opera by Monet, which is one of the most prestigious European stages. You can also visit here Rogier Square And Church of St. Catherine. The church building stands on the square of the same name, which is surrounded by ancient houses of the 17th-18th centuries. and lively Central boulevards.

On the site of the old canal today there is popular pedestrian area with two small ponds and a picturesque Church of John the Baptist, built in the 17th century.

Very popular tourists use Royal Galleries of St. Hubert that can be found between Marche aux Herbes and Ecuyer streets. They were built in 1847 and became the first European architectural complex with covered galleries. Today there are many shops, cafes and theaters.

Famous landmark is and Cathedral of St. Michael(XIII-XVI centuries). In the territory " Classic Quarter" located Palace Square With Royal Palace And Palace of Academies. Here tourists have the opportunity to visit Royal Square, Cathedral of the Virgin Mary, Coquelberg Sacré-Coeur Basilica, St. James Church And Palace of Justice.

Museum Square so named because it is surrounded by museums. stands on it Palace of Charles of Lorraine. Many people come here to see the famous " Failure". It is an illuminated well in which some exhibits are displayed Museum of Modern Art.

South of Royal Square stretched out blocks of the Bolshoi And Petit Sablon. Worthy of attention here Egmont Palace, Minim Church and picturesque Church of Notre-Dame de Victoire du Sablon 16th century, built in Gothic style.

"Brussels Park"appeared before royal hunting park. Today it is a beautiful French-style park. It contains such architectural monuments, How: Royal Palace, Palace of Justice, headquarters of the Brussels Lambert bank, Parliament complex And Park Theater.

South-eastern part of the city is business. Famous Cambrai Abbey was built in the XIII-XVIII centuries. Currently located here National Geographic Institute And Cambrai Higher School of Fine Arts.

In the north-eastern part of the capital worth to visit Botanical Garden. There is also Church of Sainte-Marie. On the site of the old one Malebek indoor market today there is a city concert hall.

In the western part of the city Deserves attention Church of Notre-Dame de Laiquen. Palace of Leopold II(XVIII century) is known for its unique Royal greenhouses related to 19th century.Mini-Europe Park also very popular with tourists. It has Atomium, which is a model of an iron molecule, enlarged several million times. In this park you can see all the famous European cathedrals. Not far from here you can visit tropical pool "Oceadium".

In Anderlecht worth to visit Erasmus Museum of Rotterdam, located on Chapitre street. Also interesting Birsel Castle(XIV century), Royal Castle Gaasbeek And Constant Vanden Stock Stadium.

The most interesting museums in the city can be called: Royal Museum of Fine Arts, with a large collection of masterpieces of world art, Aeronautics Museum, Porcelain Museumon the territory of the Royal Greenhouses, Municipal Museum in the Royal Palace building, richest Museum musical instruments , Royal Army Museum and military history , private car museum V " Fiftieth Anniversary Park".

Antwerp is the main city of the province of the same name. This second largest port in Europe. Antwerp is also known as the world's largest diamond cutting center. There are also many interesting monuments of architecture, culture and history.

Worth to visit Royal Art Museum. Museum Mayer van den Bergh("Museum of Costume Jewelry") is one of the most interesting and rich museums in the city.

The city also houses such museums as: Rubens House Museum And Plantin-Moretus Museum, Diamond Museum,Folklore Museum,Museum "Dwelling of Virgins" And Museums of folk art and ethnography.

The most beautiful churches can be called Cathedral of Our Lady, Church of St. James And St. Charles Borromean.

Worthy of attention Royal Castle Gaasbeek, Opera And Flanders Ballet, and Antwerp Zoo.

Fortress of the Walls is the oldest building in the city. Currently it operates Maritime Museum. Tourists take great pleasure in strolling along the pedestrian street, the central Grote Markt square, embankment And Southern terrace of the Scheldt and Linkerover. Left bank of the Scheldt River was built up based on Corbusier's design.

In the Meir area worth visiting the ancient Royal Palace, which dates back to the 18th century, a picturesque Rotunda of the Burla Theater And Church of St. James.

Borenbond Tower represents the country's first skyscraper. Quite interesting and old shoe market Schoonmarkt.

In the Southern Quarter picturesque Leopold-Waalplats Square And Marniksplats, and esplanade of the Museum of Fine Arts. Flemish And Walloon embankments are very busy places in the city. Art galleries are nearby.

Antwerp has a lot of entertainment venues of various types: restaurants, bars, cafes, night clubs etc. Most entertainment can be found near Central Square And railway station.

In the suburbs of Antwerp There are also a number of attractions: Singel cultural complex, Guyet house. On Morkensplein there is a town hall Borgerhout, which has 47 bells.

In Middelheim Park you can see the real one open-air museum. Landscape compositions with modern sculptures are exhibited here.

In Derna There are two castles worth visiting. One of them, Sterkhof, is interesting because it opens Museum of Arts and Crafts. There is also a magnificent park here, which is considered one of the most picturesque parks in the country.

Antique" Fort VII", built in 1860, today is a natural park-reserve. It is home to a huge number of animals and birds.

City of Lir worth a visit to see the famous astronomical clock, ancient Zimmer tower And ring of fortifications dating back to the 16th century.

Not far from the city is located natural Kalmthout Nature Reserve with sand dunes, moorland and pine forests.

City of Ghent is capital of East Flanders. It surpasses all other Belgian cities in the number of remarkable buildings of ancient architecture. There are especially many of them in the historical center.

One of the main symbols of the city can be called St. Michael's Bridge through Lis channel And watchtower. Indoor Cloth Market Lakenhalle dates back to the 15th century.

Beautiful embankments of Grasley And Korenley built up with medieval guild buildings. Very well preserved the oldest quarter of Ghent Patershall. The local buildings were built during the period of the XVI-XVMI centuries. Now they house shops, restaurants, cafes, etc.

To the main tourist attractions Ghent includes the church of St. Nicholas, the church of St. Michael, the old fortified gateway of Rabot, the street of ancient houses of Grasley, the castles of Count Philip and Gerard the Devil, which were built in the 12th century, Van der Mers Palace(XVIII century). Cathedral of St. Bavo The 12th century is interesting for Van Eyck's paintings. University Library has a tower whose height is 64 meters. On the slopes of "mountain" Blandeinberg located St. Peter's Abbey, which dates back to the 17th century. The main square of the city is Vrijdagmarkt ("Friday market"). On Breidelstraat tourists can see Royal Palace. Town Hall on Hoogpoort surrounded by the magnificent houses of the aristocracy.

Old " beguinage" represents Convent of the Order of the Beguines of St. Elizabeth, it is located around the church of the same name. At Beilock Abbey working today Archaeological Museum.

At the Museum of Modern Art presents a rich collection of works by artists belonging to the school " old Flemings". These works date back to the 15th-16th centuries.

Most popular museums cities can be called: Museum of Modern Art, Museum of Fine Arts, Folklore Museum, which currently operates in the old building Hospice Kinderen Alein.

On the Veldstraat pedestrian street located old mansion buildings XVIII century and expensive stores.Shores of the Scheldt turned into picturesque gardens.

Not far from the city are Laarne, Ooidonk and Vondelgem castles which served for defensive purposes.

City of Bruges is main city of West Flanders. In the Middle Ages it was considered a popular center of trade. Special attention deserves a part of the city that is located between the station, the main square and the market.

Worth to visit City Museum of Fine Arts.In the building of the Sint-Jans hospital open today Hans Memling Museum. On the territory of the old market square there are interesting buildings dating back to the 13th century.

Watchtower was built during the XIII-XV centuries. Its height is 83 meters.

In the Cathedral of St. Salvator(XII-XIII centuries) there is a rich Cathedral Museum. Gothic Church of Our Lady, built in the XIV-XV centuries, has a height of 122 meters.

To the most beautiful churches relate: St. James, St. Walpurgis, St. Anne, St. Gilles and Jerusalem. On Daver Street located Gruthuse Palace. The ancients are also interesting Jeselpoort city gate,Gentpoort and Smedenpoort, Palace of Justice(Palace of the Bruges Union),Basilica of the Blood of Christ(XV century). At Burg Square costs Basilica of Saint-Saens.

Very popular Tourists also enjoy such historical monuments as Lace center, current St. Janus Mill, which was built in 1770, as well as 80 bridges stretching over picturesque canals.

City Liege counts the largest and one of the most ancient cities in Wallonia. Most tourists definitely visit here St. Lambert's Square, Town Hall And Church of St. James, Palace of Prince-Bishops.

Quite interesting exhibitions are presented in Museum of Walloon Life And Museum of Walloon Art.

Ancient symbol of independence of Liege is Platform, which features a fountain and a column with four lions. It is located on the Marchais market square.

In the old days Monastery of Frere-Miner many interesting museums. Baptismal fonts with biblical scenes are often called " Liege miracle".

On St. Leonard's Bridge located Curtius' house white-red color. Cathedral of St. Paul can see on Vinav d'Ile square. Here is the famous statue"Delcourt Virgin". Passage Lemonnier was built in 1839 and is considered the oldest passage in the country.

On Place Isère the building is located theater de la place, in En Roture Lane- famous Circus Diver.

On St. Martin's Hill costs Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament with 12 medallions by Jean Delcourt. Local Glass Museum More than 9,000 exhibits are presented to visitors.

Other interesting museums include: Museum of Religious Art and Mozan Art,Weapons museum, Ansembourg Museum, Zoo museum And Chanchey Puppet Museum.

City of Mechelen (Malines) well known for his famous bells. It is from the name of this city that the expression “ raspberry ringing”, which refers to the beautiful chime of a bell. This city has been capital of the Spanish Netherlands. Moreover, here the great Beethoven was born.

Mechelen is also quite interesting for its architectural monuments. Schepenhuis is one of the oldest buildings in the city, it was built in 1374. Also worth the attention of tourists Town Hall(XV-XVI centuries), Royal Lyceum, Cathedral of St. Rombout, Baroque Church of St. Peter. In the palace of Margaret of Austria, dating back to the 16th century, is located Palace of Justice.

Palace of Margaret of York is currently an urban theater. St. John's Church is notable for the fact that it houses the famous triptych by Rubens "Adoration of the Magi".

Worth to visit Church of Our Lady of Hanswijk(1663), bishopric And Abbey of Saint-Tron. Grand Beguinage attracts with its magnificent church built in the 17th century.

From the main museums of the city can be distinguished: City Museum (Büsleiden family museum), Museum of Toys and Folklore, and Museum of Traditional Crafts and etc.

Small town of Waterloo is one of the main tourist areas of the country. It is known throughout the world due to what happened in this place the legendary battle between Napoleon's army and Wellington's troops. All the main attractions of the town are associated with this battle. Here you can see Napoleon's headquarters,Wellington Museum, Lion Hill with Visitor Center, Panorama. Interesting to visit The Wax Museum And St. Joseph's Church.

You can go to city of churches» Tour or ancient Mons. In medieval Binche the famous Carnival.

City of Charleroi represents home of the Carolingian dynasty. Tongeren- This oldest city countries. Yui is " the country's tin capital". City of Leuven- This first capital of the Duchy of Brabant.

On the border of Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany famous Great Forest of Ardennes. It is very popular not only among tourists, but also among local residents. 30 minutes drive south of Charleroi located Neptune's grotto, near La Roche - grotto"Thousand and One Nights". It is also very picturesque Dinant citadel rock.

The name of the country is happening from the Belgians who inhabited the territory of Belgium in ancient times. In the 1st century BC uh. the territory of the country was captured Romans.

During the Middle Ages territory of modern Belgian duchies: Brabant, Luxembourg, Flanders etc., was part of the Netherlands. But in the 16th century this is the state was conquered by the Spaniards.

The War of the Spanish Succession led to in 1714 Belgian territories took possessionAustrian Habsburgs.

During from 1815 to 1830 Belgium was part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In 1830 occurred Belgian Revolution, as a result of which The Belgian state gained independence.

In 1908 year Congo became a colony of Belgium. The capture of this country began in the 70s of the 19th century. Before 1908 Congo had a year left" private ownership"Monarch of Belgium.

In the 19th century started in the country opposition to the Catholic And Liberal Party. In 1945 year on the basis of the Catholic Party was formed Social Christian Party. A Liberal Party since 1961 became the year Party of Freedom and Progress.

In the 90s in Belgium the national question has worsened associated with the Flemish movement.

In 1885 appeared Belgian Workers' Party, which in 1941 year was transformed into Belgian Socialist Party.

Most of Belgium's territory during the First World War was occupied by German invaders. After World War II at the head of governments, especially coalition ones, were alternately socialists And demo-Christians.

Wallonia until the beginning of the 20th century was the main region of the country. It dominated in terms of economics, culture and politics. Then the more developed region became Flanders.

During the world wars, German troops attacked Belgium. Currently a country's foreign policy is determined by its membership in NATO And EU.

Belgium is part of some political and economic unions, including Belgian-Luxembourg Economic Union. It is also included in Benelux countries.

International trade

Main import items are rough diamonds, textile And cloth, oil And petroleum products,Food, cars, as well as products chemical industry.

Basic export goods Belgium can be called Food, non-ferrous metals, cars, textile, plastics, processed diamonds, iron, steel And petroleum products.

The shops

The shops countries open on weekdays from 8.00 to 18.00/19.30. On Saturdays they work from 8.00 to 12.30. IN every first Saturday of the month shops are open until 17.00. Large supermarkets open all day. Sunday is on days off.

In summer and winter seasons are taking place in Belgium sales.

Most often tourists bring from Belgium as souvenirs Brussels lace, chocolate, waffles And fruit beer, and tapestries of the highest quality, which are produced in Bruges.

Demography

Most of the population countries lives in cities. Population density is quite high and amounts to about 342 people per km². Urban population - 97% , rural- 3% .

average life expectancy is 78.77 years. Average life expectancy for men - 75.59, women- 82.09 years old.

The bulk of the country's population(65.7%) are aged people from 15 to 64 years old.

Average age is 50.0 years. Average age of men - 39.6, women- 42.1 years.

Fertility rate - 10,38, mortality- 10,27.

Overall infant mortality rate is 4.62 deaths per 1,000 births.

Total Fertility Rate: There are 1.64 children per woman.

On the territory of the country permanently reside about 900 thousand foreigners. Their most make up Italians, Moroccans, French, Turks, Dutch And Spaniards.

Industry

Belgian industry has high level of development. In the river valley Sambra And Maas concentrated production of cement, steel And chemical products. The largest industrial centers countries are the following cities: Liege, Mons, Charleroi And Namur. Liege is also center of the steel industry.

Chemical industry produces fertilizers, various plastics, dyes And pharmaceutical substances.

Petrochemical industry especially well developed in Antwerp. In Brussels the headquarters of a large chemical and pharmaceutical company is located Solvay.

Textile industry presented processing of flax, cotton, synthetic fabrics And wool.Main products textile industry are carpets And blankets. Its largest centers can be called Verviers, Ghent, Kortrijk And Tournai.

In Brussels, Bruges And Mechelen have been producing for a long time lace.

Among other industries developed diamond processing(Antwerp) and also cement production And glass, food industry And woodworking. There is a several automobile production facilities.

The main energy sector is atomic. The country has two nuclear power plants.

Vegetable and animal world

Common in Belgium beech And hornbeam forests, oak And birch groves. In the Ardennes widespread forests, which consist mainly of coniferous trees. But local soils are not at all as fertile as the soils Central Plateau. The alluvial soils that cover the coastal lowlands of Flanders. They are used for agricultural purposes..Belgium metro
Transport schemes in Belgium

Belgium is a small country, domestic airlines quite short. Backbone network Belgium is one of the densest in the world.

Belgium has a fairly extensive railway network.

Main seaports are: Antwerp, Bruges, Ghent And Ostend.

Internal ports:Brussels And Liege.

Belgian roads are of the highest quality and illuminated at night. Driving through them is free.

On the highway maximum permitted speed movement is 120 km/h., on national roads - 90 km/h., in populated areas -50 km/h.

Local drivers don't like to follow traffic rules, that's why it's happening in the country a large number of serious accidents.

To park a car cities are best in paid parking lots. Of course, you can leave your car on the side of the road or sidewalk, but it can evacuate, and getting the car back will not be easy.

Tourists in Belgium can rent a car, but this expensive costs. To rent a car with you necessary have an international or national driver's license, passport and credit card.

Much cheaper take bike. Bicycles for rent available in all cities.

Urban transport presented by bus And by trams. In the capital there is also metro. Between cities convenient to move around by train or on the bus.

Parking lots Taxi located in almost all tourist places. You can also simply catch on the street or call by phone.

AND barley. In each region, agriculture has its own distinctive characteristics. The most fertile area country is Condroz. In the vicinity of big cities grow fruits And vegetables.

For agricultural needs About 1/4 of the country's total area is used. About half of agricultural land falls on pastures for grazing livestock. Livestock provides 70% of all agricultural products.

Livestock presented mainly cattle breeding And pigs.

Cost of service in restaurants already included in the bill and amounts to 15%. In a bar and cafe for waiter services - 10-15% from the account. In a taxi tip also included in the fare.

Accepted also leave a tip caretaker in the toilet, movie ticket taker And theater, and hairdressers.

National characteristics

The country has enough low crime rate. However, tourists should be feared pickpocketing, which is not uncommon.

For tourists you should be on your guard V in public places and around the block" Rondpoint Schuman", in which are located institutions of the European Union. It is best to store valuables in the hotel safe.

Locals will be perceived negatively, if tourists begin to criticize the royal family and the institution of the kingdom. Not worth it touch on the topic of interethnic relations. It is forbidden compare Belgium with France and copy the local accent.

In Belgium there is an unusual for us tradition greet the same person repeatedly. In this way they show respect for each other. According to etiquette requirements of this country necessary express gratitude for even the smallest phone call.

It should be noted that local residents not accepted have more intimate conversations. The conversation mainly consists of formal, polite questions and answers. Not worth it discuss politics, money, health and personal life with local residents.

The Belgians can be called pedants in relation to education and work. Bragging about one's wealth or position considered a sign of bad taste.

The Belgians simply love horses, horse riding and everything connected with it.

According to local laws necessary Always carry an official document confirming your identity and present it at the first request of the police. For tourists you need international health insurance. Medical services in Belgium are different high quality and stand expensive. Providing emergency assistance is free, All other medical services - paid.

Pharmacies during weekdays work from 9.00 to 19.00,on Saturday -from 9.00 to 13.00. In major cities available 24-hour pharmacies. Addresses of on-duty pharmacies can be found on signs, in national daily newspapers and on special posters posted in the windows of all pharmacies.

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Chisinau Finance and Banking College

History of the creation of the state of Belgium

Chisinau 2014

1. History of Belgium VI - X centuries.

Although Belgium was formed as an independent state in 1830, the history of the peoples inhabiting the Southern Netherlands goes back to the period Ancient Rome. In 57 BC Julius Caesar used the name "Gallia Belgica" to refer to the territory he conquered, located between the North Sea and the rivers Waal, Rhine, Marne and Seine. Celtic tribes lived there and fiercely resisted the Romans. The most famous and numerous was the Belg tribe. After bloody wars, the lands of the Belgae were finally conquered by the Romans (51 BC) and became part of the Roman Empire. Lower Germany (with its center in Cologne) and Second Belgium (in Reims). The Roman conquerors introduced it into circulation among the Belgae. Latin language, legislative system based on Roman law, and at the end of the 2nd century. Christianity spread throughout this area.

Decline of the Roman Empire in the 3rd-4th centuries. led to the fact that the lands of the Belgae were captured by the Germanic tribes of the Franks. The Franks settled mainly in the north of the country, marking the beginning of a linguistic division between population groups of Germanic and Romance origin. The border between the lands captured by the Romans and the lands conquered by the Franks was finally established in the 4th century. AD

Stretching in a latitudinal direction and coinciding, as is believed, with the Roman defensive line running here from Culogne (Cologne) to Boulogne, it became the border between the two main peoples of the country. In the southern, Romanized half of Belgium, the Walloons formed - a people close in origin to the French. The Walloons speak a dialect of French; their culture and way of life have much in common with the inhabitants of neighboring regions of France. In the northern, Germanized part of the country, the Flemings formed, whose language, dating back to the Low German dialects, is very close to Dutch; Similarities between the Flemings and the Dutch are also observed in their culture.

According to the Treaty of Verdun in 843, which divided the Carolingian empire into three parts, the middle part, which went to Louis Lothair, who retained the imperial title, included, in addition to Italy and Burgundy, all the lands of the historical Netherlands. After the death of Lothair, the empire gradually disintegrated into many independent fiefs, the most significant of which in the north were the County of Flanders, the Duchy of Brabant and the Bishopric of Liege. After the Arab conquests in the Mediterranean and the movement of the main trade routes to the north, the territory of Belgium found itself almost at the center of the economic life of medieval Europe.

2. History of Belgium X-XVI centuries.

In the 13th-14th centuries. In the Southern Netherlands, cities grew rapidly, commercial farming and foreign trade developed. Many cities, in the fight against feudal lords, achieve relative freedom and the status of urban communes. With the growth of cities, the need for food increased, agriculture became commercial, sown areas expanded, land reclamation work began, and social stratification among the peasantry worsened.

In 1384, Flanders was annexed to Burgundy and by the middle of the 15th century, the Burgundian dukes ruled most of Belgium. However, after the death of Charles the Bold and the marriage of his daughter to the German prince Maximilian, Belgium came under the rule of the Habsburg family. Centralization increased, the power of city-communes weakened, crafts, art, architecture and science flourished. At the end of the 14th century. Almost the entire country, with the exception of the Principality of Liege, was united (mainly as a result of dynastic marriages) under the rule of the Burgundian dukes.

The unification of the Netherlands as a result of the Augsburg Agreement did not yet mean the creation of a strong, centralized state. Once under the rule of Philip II of Spain (as a result of the transfer of power from Charles V in 1555), the population faced religious oppression. Even under Charles V, a religious and political struggle developed between the Protestant north and the Catholic south. The laws against heretics adopted by Philip II infringed on the religious freedom of many segments of the population, especially the burghers, among whom Protestantism was widespread. In addition, Philip II tried to suppress the freedoms and privileges of the cities by governing them with the help of foreign officials, which displeased the Dutch nobility.

Philip II's attempts to suppress his political rivals led in 1567 to an uprising of the opposition nobility in the north of the country. It was headed by William of Orange, who declared himself protector of the northern provinces. However, a long and fierce struggle was not crowned with success for the southern Dutch provinces; they capitulated to Philip II and remained under the rule of the Spanish crown and the Catholic Church. Flanders and Brabant eventually submitted to the Spaniards, which was secured by the Union of Arras in 1579. The seceding seven northern provinces responded to this act by signing the text of the Union of Utrecht (1579), declaring themselves independent. After the deposition of Philip II (1581), the Republic of the United Provinces arose here.

3. History of Belgium XVI - XIX centuries.

belgium netherlands habsburg state

Division of the Netherlands at the end of the 16th century. Led to increased political, religious, cultural and economic divisions between north and south. The independent north, which had embraced Calvinism, with its social and cultural values and traditions, experienced economic growth, while the war-ravaged south was under the rule of the Habsburgs and the Catholic Church. In addition, for a long time there was a linguistic difference between the sulfur provinces, where Dutch was spoken, and the southern ones, where French was spoken, which in turn exacerbated cultural differences.

As part of the War of the "Spanish Succession" (1701-1714), Belgium (as part of the "Spanish Netherlands") became part of the Austrian Habsburg Empire. The transition of the Southern Netherlands to Austrian rule did not change the internal life of the provinces; national autonomy and traditional institutions of the local nobility continued to exist. The Austrian monarchs administered the provinces through governors in Brussels. Attempts to reform the internal structure of the Austrian Netherlands by Joseph II, who ascended the throne in 1780, were unsuccessful. The emperor's desire for strict centralization and the desire to go ahead in achieving his goals led to growing resistance to reforms from various segments of the population. The religious reforms of Joseph II, which undermined the foundations of the dominant Catholic Church, aroused opposition throughout the 1780s, and his reforms of the administrative system in 1787, which were supposed to deprive the country's inhabitants of local institutions of power and national autonomy, became the spark that led to the revolution .

After the defeat of the Austrian Empire in the war with France, this territory came under French rule (1795-1814).

Although the southern provinces had at least 50% more inhabitants than the northern ones, they had the same number of representatives in the States General and were given a small number of military, diplomatic and ministerial posts. The short-sighted policies of the Protestant King William I in the field of religion and education, which included granting equality to all faiths and the creation of a system of secular primary education, caused discontent in the Catholic south. In addition, Dutch became the official language of the country, strict censorship was introduced and the creation of various types of organizations and associations was prohibited. A number of laws of the new state caused massive discontent among the population of the southern provinces.

In 1831, Belgium was declared by the European powers to be an "independent and eternally neutral state", although the Netherlands only recognized Belgium's independence and neutrality in 1839.

Britain fought to preserve Belgium as a European country, free from foreign influence. At the initial stage, Belgium was “helped” by the Polish revolution of 1830, since it diverted the attention of the Russians and Austrians - potential allies of the Netherlands, who otherwise could have helped William I re-occupy Belgium.

The revolution of 1830 freed the country from centuries-old dependence, and Belgium became an independent state. The first 15 years of independence demonstrated the continuation of the policy of unionism and the emergence of the monarchy as a symbol of unity and loyalty. Almost until the economic crisis of the mid-1840s, the coalition of Catholics and liberals pursued a single domestic and foreign policy. Leopold I turned out to be a competent ruler, who also had connections and influence in European royal houses, especially good relations were established with his niece, Queen Victoria of England.

From the middle of the 19th century. capitalism is rapidly developing in Belgium, and by the end of the century it is turning into a highly developed industrial country. Mechanical engineering, the coal mining industry, and the construction of state railways and canals acquired a large scale in Belgium. The abolition of protectionism in 1849, the creation of a national bank in 1835, and the restoration of Antwerp as a center of trade all contributed to the rapid industrial expansion in Belgium.

By the middle of the 19th century. the liberal bourgeoisie could no longer act as a united front with Catholic conservatives. The subject of dispute was the education system. Liberals, who advocated official secular schools in which the course of religion was replaced by a course of morality, had a majority in parliament from 1847 to 1870. In the period from 1870 to 1914. (except for five years between 1879 and 1884) the Catholic Party was in power. Liberals managed to pass through parliament a law providing for the separation of schools from the church (1879). However, it was abolished by Catholics in 1884 and religious disciplines were returned to the primary school curriculum. The Catholics consolidated their power in 1893 by passing a law granting the right to vote to all adult men over 25, a clear win for the Catholic party.

In alliance with progressive Catholics and liberals, the BRP managed to push a number of democratic reforms through parliament. Laws were passed regarding housing, workers' compensation, factory inspection, and child and female labor. Strikes in industrial areas in the late 1880s brought Belgium to the brink of civil war. In many cities there were clashes between workers and troops, and there were killed and wounded. Unrest also spread to military units. The scale of the movement forced the clerical government to make some concessions. This concerned, first of all, amendments to the law on electoral rights and labor legislation.

A serious conflict arose between the Walloons and the Flemings. The Flemish demands were that French and Flemish be equally recognized as the state languages. A cultural movement arose and developed in Flanders, exalting the Flemish past and its glorious historical traditions. In 1898, a law was passed confirming the principle of “bilingualism”, after which the texts of laws, inscriptions on postage and revenue stamps, banknotes and coins appeared in two languages

4. Recent History Belgium

Belgium remained vulnerable to possible attacks by more powerful powers due to its insecure borders and geographical location at the crossroads of Europe. The guarantees of Belgium's neutrality and independence from Great Britain, France, Prussia, Russia and Austria, provided by the Treaty of London in 1839, rather turned it into a hostage to the complex diplomatic game of European politicians. By 1907, Europe was divided into two opposing camps. Germany, Italy and Austria-Hungary united in the Triple Alliance. France, Russia and Great Britain were united by the Triple Entente: these countries feared German expansion in Europe and the colonies.

Increasing tensions between neighboring countries - France and Germany - contributed to the fact that one of the first victims of the First World War was neutral Belgium. Belgium, despite internationally recognized neutrality, was occupied by German troops. But each time after the defeat of Germany, which was achieved by the allied powers of the anti-German coalition, the country managed to relatively quickly restore its economy and even play a particularly important role in the economic revival of the entire Western European region. During these periods, Belgian heavy industry (coal, metallurgy, engineering) made the most of the advantages of its geostrategic location (“Golden Gate of Europe”).

Even during the Second World War in 1944, Belgium initiated the creation of the first international Benelux association, which included Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. Belgium emerged from the war with its industrial potential largely intact. Therefore, industrial areas in the south of the country were quickly modernized with the help of American and Canadian loans and Marshall Plan financing. While the south was recovering, the development of coal deposits began in the north, and the capacity of the port of Antwerp was expanded (partly due to foreign investment, and partly at the expense of the capital of already quite powerful Flemish financial companies). Congo's rich uranium deposits, which became especially important during the nuclear age, also contributed to Belgium's economic prosperity.

In 1948, Belgium joined the Western Union and joined the American Marshall Plan, and in 1949 joined NATO. This was followed by the formation of the first sectoral European Coal and Steel Community (1951). In the post-war years, several political problems intensified: dynastic (the return of King Leopold III to Belgium), the struggle between church and state for influence on school education, the growth of the national liberation movement in the Congo and the fierce confrontation on linguistic grounds between the Flemish and French communities.

Another issue that threatened Belgian unity in the 1950s was the conflict over government subsidies for private (Catholic) schools. After the general elections of 1954, the country was governed by a coalition of the Belgian Socialist and Liberal parties, led by A. van Acker (1954-1958). In 1955, socialists and liberals united against Catholics to pass legislation that cut spending on private schools. Supporters of different points of view on the problem held mass demonstrations in the streets. Eventually, after the Social Christian (Catholic) Party took over the government in 1958, a compromise law was drawn up that limited the share of parish church institutions financed from the state budget.

After the success of the SHP in the general elections of 1958, a coalition of Social Christians and liberals led by G. Eyskens (1958-1961) was in power. To strengthen the economy after the loss of the Congo, the coalition government, consisting of representatives of the Social Christian and Liberal parties, approved a program of austerity. The socialists strongly opposed this program and called for a general strike. Unrest spread throughout the country, especially in the Walloon south. The Flemings refused to join the Walloons and boycotted the strike. The Flemish socialists, who initially supported the strike, were frightened by the unrest. This crisis exacerbated the differences between the Flemings and the Walloons to such an extent that socialist leaders proposed that the unitary state of Belgium be restructured on a federal basis and include three free regions - Flanders, Wallonia and the area around Brussels.

This division between the Walloons and the Flemings became the most difficult problem in modern Belgium. Before World War I, the dominance of the French language reflected the economic and political supremacy of the Walloons, who controlled both local and national governments and major parties. But after 1920, especially after World War II, a number of changes occurred. The expansion of suffrage in 1919 (women were deprived of it until 1948) and laws in the 1920s and 1930s that established equality between Flemish and French languages and who made Flemish the language of administration in Flanders, strengthened the position of the northerners.

Industrialization turned Flanders into a prosperous region, while Wallonia experienced an economic crisis. In addition, the Flemish population played a prominent role in political life country, some Flemings received important government positions that had previously been occupied by Walloons.

In 1966, new outbreaks broke out in Belgium social conflicts. The Socialists left the government coalition, and the cabinet of the SHP and the liberal Freedom and Progress Party (PSP) came to power. It was headed by Prime Minister Paul van den Buynants (1966-1968). The government has reduced funds allocated for education, health care, social security, and also increased taxes.

Laws of 1962 and 1963 established a precise linguistic border, but the confrontation remained, and regional isolation only intensified. Both Flemings and Walloons protested against discrimination in employment, and unrest broke out at the universities of Brussels and Louvain, which eventually led to the division of universities along linguistic lines.

Although the Christian Democrats and Socialists remained the main rivals for power throughout the 1960s, both Flemish and Walloon federalists continued to make gains in general elections, largely at the expense of the Liberals. Eventually, separate Flemish and Walloon ministries of education, culture and economic development. In 1971, a revision of the constitution paved the way for the introduction of regional self-government in most economic and cultural matters.

Despite the change in the previous policy of centralization, federalist parties opposed the course towards regional autonomy. Repeated attempts to transfer real legislative power to regional bodies were hampered by a dispute over the geographical boundaries of the Brussels Region. In 1980, agreement was reached on the issue of autonomy for Flanders and Wallonia, and additional amendments to the constitution expanded the financial and legislative powers of the regions. This was followed by the creation of two regional assemblies, consisting of existing members of the national parliament from the constituencies in their respective regions.

In 1989, Brussels elected a regional assembly, which had the same status as the assemblies of Flanders and Wallonia. At the end of the 1990s. Belgium gave Europe an extraordinary public figure. The leader of the Flemish liberal democrats, G. Verhofstadt, is considered to be such. He justified and put forward as the most important national strategic goal giving the process of European integration a permanent character, because only in these conditions does a small country get its voice in solving global problems. Today's Belgium has a great influence on the life of Europe: NATO headquarters is located in Brussels and The EU Parliament meets. Belgium is a member of the UN and all specialized agencies of this organization, NATO, EU, OSCE.

The Kingdom of Belgium is a federal state, a constitutional parliamentary monarchy. The Belgian Constitution is in force from February 7, 1831 with the latest amendments from July 14, 1993, when the constitutional reform was approved by the Belgian Parliament government system a country that has completed the process of federalization that began in the 70s. The current version of the constitution was published on February 3, 1994. The Federal State consists of three regions with broad autonomy - Flanders, Wallonia and the Brussels-Capital Region (Flanders, Wallonia, Brussel) and three linguistic communities: Flemish, French and German (Flemish, French, German) . The competence of communities and regions is delimited.

The country is governed by a bicameral parliament consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate. Executive power is exercised by the king and the federal government, which is appointed by the king and responsible to the House of Representatives of the federal parliament.

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Climate

The territory of Belgium is quite compact, so there is not much variation in the temperature background. In winter, the average temperature on the coast is +3°C, on the central plateau - +2°C, on the Ardennes Highlands - -1°C. In summer, the temperature on the coast is quite comfortable - about +20°C, in the Ardennes it is slightly lower - on average +16°C.

The cold period lasts about 120 days in the Ardennes, and about 80 days in Campina. The average temperature in winter is +0...+6°С, in spring - +5...+14°С, in summer - +11...+22°С, in autumn - +7...+15°С. In rare years, summer temperatures in Belgium reached +30°C. It is warmest from May to September, so most tourists choose these months to visit Belgium.

As for precipitation, its level is quite high. The average precipitation across the country is 800-1000 mm. The Ardennes receives the most precipitation – up to 1500 mm per year. This is due to the fact that the Ardennes are more distant than other areas from the ocean coast, so their climate has characteristic continental features. It snows in winter, but you are unlikely to see a stable snow cover. In winter, cold winds blow, including on the Atlantic coast, where it is especially chilly and damp. In summer there are frequent rains and fogs caused by high humidity.

The proximity of the ocean causes high humidity and often cloudy weather. The sunniest months in Belgium are April and September. Air masses from the Atlantic can significantly influence the climate: in summer the winds bring prolonged rain and coolness, and in winter - warm and damp weather.

The water temperature in the summer months is quite cool - about +17°C, but for residents of northern latitudes it is quite acceptable for swimming. If you are an experienced walrus, you can swim in the winter months. In winter, the water temperature in the North Sea is about +5°C. In Belgium, swimmers cold water called "polar bears". Every year in the Ostend area

Geography

Belgium is a state in Western Europe. Has an area of 30,528 sq. km, washed in the northwest by the North Sea. Most of the country is occupied by plains with dominant cultural landscapes.

The total length of land borders is 1385 km, the length of borders with France is 620 km, Germany - 167 km, Luxembourg - 148 km, the Netherlands - 450 km. Coastline has a length of 66.5 km. The total area of the territory is 33,990 square meters. km, of which the marine coastal zone occupies 3462 sq. km, and internal waters - 250 sq. km. By land, Belgium borders France, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Belgium's land borders with neighboring countries have a total length of 1,385 km. Almost half of them border with France (620 km), followed by the Netherlands (450 km), Germany (167 km), and Luxembourg (148 km). Belgium's closest maritime neighbors are France, the Netherlands and the UK.

The territory of Belgium is usually divided into three geographical regions, each of which has a special relief - lower, middle and high Belgium. Bas-Belgium is a coastal plain with an altitude of up to 100 m, which is located in the north-west of the country. There are mainly sand dunes and so-called polders, which are lands located below sea level and characterized by high fertility. The polders are constantly subject to flooding, so numerous dams are built to protect them. Central Belgium (altitude 100-200 meters above sea level) is located on the central plateau, between the city of Kempen and the valleys of the Sambre and Meuse rivers.

The southeast of the country falls on high Belgium - the Ardennes Heights and Condroz. The height of this area above sea level is 200-500 meters. The Ardennes Upland, represented by high hills, is covered with forests and is practically uninhabited. The Ardennes is home to the highest point in Belgium, Mount Botrange, 694 meters high. Haute Belgium includes the geographical region of Condroz, which is an area of low hills (200-300 meters above sea level).

Flora and fauna

Vegetable world

As in most European countries, the forests of Belgium had to make room under the pressure of man, his economic activity. Previously, almost the entire territory of Belgium was covered with deciduous forests, the main species of which were oak, beech, hornbeam, chestnut and ash. In the Middle Ages, there were forests even in Flanders, which has now become the most developed industrial region of Belgium. The forests of Flanders at that time provided shelter for the “forest geese” - fugitive peasants and artisans who rebelled against Spanish rule.

Until now, pristine forests have been preserved only in the Ardennes Mountains, which are unsuitable for economic development due to low soil fertility and a not particularly favorable climate. More than half of the Ardennes forests are coniferous forests, formed mainly by pine and spruce. There are also centuries-old forests of broad-leaved species - oak and beech. Natural forests currently occupy approximately 14% of the total area of Belgium.

The lack of vegetation in other areas of Belgium is compensated by forest plantations, which account for approximately 7% of the country's area, as well as gardens and hedges (bocages). Mostly fir and pine are planted to strengthen coastal zones.

In the lowlands of Belgium you can often find meadows with lush, dark green vegetation, which look great against the backdrop of majestic mountains or the sea coast. Shrubs, mainly heather, grow on sandy soils, and holly in marshy areas. The landscape of the Hautes Fagnes natural park, located on the plateau of the same name, is interesting. This wetland is covered with characteristic vegetation - mosses, lichens, creeping grasses. Here and there there are small crooked trees bending towards the ground, so in some places the landscape resembles tundra.

Animal world

Like the flora, the fauna of Belgium has suffered significantly as a result of human economic activity. Along with the forests, large mammals were almost completely exterminated, which survived only in the forests of the Ardennes Mountains. Small mammals are common, including foxes, hares, martens, weasels, badgers, squirrels, and wood mice. In the Ardennes you can also find deer, fallow deer, roe deer, catana, and wild boar. In certain areas of the mountains, hunting is allowed, but only with licenses.

Of the forest birds, the most common is the pheasant; you can meet partridge, woodcock and wild duck. These birds are most often found in marshy areas of Belgium, as well as in heather thickets growing on sandy soils. Hunting is also allowed during certain periods. Trout is found in abundance in mountain rivers.

Belgium's wild islands are protected by protected areas. The largest and most interesting protected area is national park Haut-Fan, covering an area of 55 thousand hectares. It is located on the eastern border of Belgium, close to Germany.

The most picturesque part of the national park is the Northern Ardennes, which is replete with picturesque rocky canyons and pristine forests. The dense thickets of oak, beech, spruce and juniper are home to red deer, roe deer, wild boars, martens, white hares, as well as a variety of songbirds. The marsh fauna is most clearly represented in the High Marshes Natural Park (Hautes Fagnes), located on the plateau of the same name.

Wading birds and seabirds are found in abundance in the Zwin Bird Sanctuary, which covers an area of 150 hectares on the site of a former estuary. Storks were brought to Zvin and have taken root well. Zvin is also notable for its unique exotic butterfly garden, which features more than 400 species of tropical butterflies. Among the exotic plants you can see fluttering butterflies that delight the eye with the play of colors and fantastic shapes.

There is another tropical park in Belgium - Sun Parks, which is a tropical city under a hood. In the park's aquariums you can see exotic fish, and many tropical parrots sit on quaint trees.

Attractions

The country is literally the center of historical monuments and architectural structures, many of which are scattered throughout almost the entire territory of Belgium. Every city in Belgium has ancient cathedrals or fortresses, castles or medieval guild buildings, preserving the memory of the wealth of medieval trading Flanders and the Walloon counties.

If you need to change money in the evening, when banks are no longer open, you can use the services of exchange offices. In addition to the international airport, they are also available at three railway stations in the Belgian capital. On two of them - Gare Centrale and Gare du Nord - they are open until 20.00, and on Gare du Midi - until 21.30. At the Central Station of the second largest city in Belgium - Antwerp - the exchange office is open even until 22.00. Even later, money is changed only in large hotels. However, the exchange rate here is much less favorable than in banks.

Useful information for tourists

Trains in Belgium are among the fastest in Europe. Brussels is connected to Paris, Amsterdam and Liege by new high-speed rail lines. You can cross the entire country in a short time: from Antwerp to Brussels you can get there in half an hour, to Ghent in 45 minutes, to Bruges in an hour and a half.

Trains run exactly on schedule, almost matching the perfect punctuality of trains in Germany and the Netherlands, allowing passengers to plan their time. Tickets are quite expensive, but there is a system of discounts (depending on the age of the passenger, the number of trips in a certain number of days, the number of passengers buying a ticket). You can find out about discounts at the railway station.

A single ticket is issued for three types of public transport. On the bus and tram, the ticket must be marked in a special machine. In the metro he passes control at an automatic turnstile. You can purchase tickets at any metro station, newsstands, or buses.