July 25th, 2005 | The lowdown by Joella Adams

An Introduction to Belgium.

A country about the size of Maryland, Belgium is nestled between two European giants, France and Germany, and shares its Benelux title with Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Bordering the North Sea and sharing almost its entire Western boundary with the Netherlands, Belgium declared its independence from the Dutch on July 21st, 1830 with the ascension of King Leopold I.

Belgium is a country of countless foreign influences. A merging ground of cultures, Western European and other nationalities alike make this small country their workplace in international associations like NATO and the EU, and often, their home.

Belgium has three official languages: Dutch or Flemish, French, and German. This, along with the influx of Moroccan and other African languages from immigrants, makes it commonplace to hear the chattering of a dozen different languages.

The major cities of Belgium include Brussels (the capital), Antwerp, and Brugges. All three are unique in their trade and culture resulting in three strong and proud regional identities.

The weather is similar to that of Holland and England: usually rainy, with the occasional hot summer and cold winter. There is much to see and appreciate besides the weather, such as beautiful medieval cities like Brugges, and the famous traditional cuisine of waffles and mussels.