information about state

BELGIUM – GENERAL INFORMATION

 

Capital:                           Brussels

Population:                    10 355 844

GNP:                             + 2,2%(2007)

Official Language :       Dutch, French, German

The Kingdom of Belgium is littoral  State situated in Western Europa. It neighbours with Germany, France, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, from the western part is being  washed by  Northern Sea. As to the characteristical .things: these are chocolate and  pralines.

POLITICS

The conflicts between  Flemings and Waloons within 20th century  led the Belgium to the regulation of the Constitution and in consequence to a change to a Federative State.

The political system is here the Federative Consututional Monarchy. Thanks to this fact the Belgium is divided into 3 regions: Flemings, Waloons and Brussels, the capital, is an independent region.

GEOGRAPHY

Belgium is divided into three areas: coastal plains, plain in the central part of country and mountaneous Ardennes in the south –east of the country. The plains along the coast form mainly the dunes. The central plain covers most of the territory of Belgium. It is  soft  undulated  area with a fertile soil, interwoven by nest of many rivers – to the most important belong  the rivers Maase and Shelde. The third area, the ardennes, is mountaneous and afforested. In Ardennes is situated the highest point of the country, Signal de Botrange,

694 m high.

THE NATURE

The climate in Belgium is littoral and is to be included into mild climate belt. The reains are quite often  during all seasons periods.  The average temperature in January is 3 degrees Celsius, in July 18 degrees Celsius. The average precipitations  make in January 65 mm, in July 75 mm. Owing to high density of inhabitants and to its placing , Belgium has to drive many ecological problems. There is a statement that the quality of rivers-waters in Belgium  is the worse in Europe  and one of the worst of the whole world.

HEALTH CARE

The medical care is on highest level. It is necessary to keep the standard hygiene. You do not need any special documents for necessary and urgent medical care.

TRANSPORT

In Belgium teere is  functioning very vast nest of regional bus lines carried on  private companies. The railway nest is also very dense. In Anvers and Brussels you can take the underground, tram  as well as the bus.  You can use the tram in Charleroi, Gent and Ostende.  The bus you can take in every bigger town, the same is valid for a taxi.

Quite interesting is the coastal tram nest Kustram, This secures the public traffic on the Belgian  coast of North Sea between the communities De Panne near to the French border and  Knokke-Heist  near to the border of the Netherlands. It is the longest tram line in the world.

PRESS, TV

The  Belgian Press  is rebounding  the political and  linguistic division of a country. For the regulation of  a radio and TV there are responsible mostly the communities as the Federal Offices.  In Belgium there is no state office for radio and TV broadcasting , but two separate organisations with its own norms and controlling its own  TV, radio and broadcasting for abroad. Nearly 95% of Belgian people have the cabel TV – it is one of most vast connections of the world.

The Federation of Publishers is regulating the Belgian Press – here belong all big press media.

The internet is  very extended and used by the population.