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Belgium - 4.469936 50.503887

Belgium Belgian Flag - Three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red; the design was based on the flag of France.

Weather
Temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy.

Terrain
Flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast.

Currency
Euro (EUR)

Languages
Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French)

Religion
Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25%

Ethnic groups
Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11%

History
Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830 and was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. It has prospered in the past half century as a modern, technologically advanced European state and member of NATO and the EU. Tensions between the Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the French-speaking Walloons of the south have led in recent years to constitutional amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy.