Information om Belgien

Ett litet utdrag från Belgiska regeringens hemsida på engelska:

A potted history

First Roman, then Burgundian, Spanish, Austrian, French and Dutch, the Belgian Provinces finally gained their independence after the 1830 Revolution. Belgium officially came into being as an independent state organised as a constitutional and parliamentary monarchy.

Recent political history has been dominated by issues to do with the country's various communities, and four national reforms have gradually transformed Belgium into a federal state. At the same time, Belgium remains highly committed in the international arena, being a founder member of what is currently the European Union and a member of the United Nations. In peacekeeping missions around the world, Belgium regularly commits its troops to participate in international actions and dispatches observers to flashpoints

From the historical point of view, constitutional reform in Belgium has come as a result of two divergent political movements. Since the end of the 19th century, the Flemish Movement ("Vlaamse Beweging") has aspired to cultural and linguistic emancipation in a country where public life is dominated by the French language. Subsequently, but essentially since 1960, another movement grew up as Wallonia strove for greater autonomy, especially in the economic domain.
Institutionally, the Flemings' call for greater cultural autonomy and the Walloons' aspiration to economic independence have been reflected in an original federal structure made up of Communities which are responsible for cultural matters and issues directly related to the individual, and Regions that are responsible for economic affairs and other matters to do with collective local concerns.
This arrangement has led to some territorial overlapping: the bilingual Brussels-Capital region, for example, has become a Region in its own right, but the Flemish Community and French Community also have some authority there; the German-speaking region is essentially run by the Walloon Region for local issues, but also by the German-speaking Community with respect to cultural affairs. Belgium has thus evolved from a unitary, decentralised state into a fully federal state.

For more information : www.belgium.be

The Belgians

Language

There are two main language communities in Belgium: the Dutch-speaking Flemings in the north, and the French-speaking Walloons in the south. Brussels is officially bilingual, although most of its inhabitants are French-speaking. In the far eastern part of the country there is a small German-speaking community. The Dutch-, French- and German-speakers form three autonomous Communities, each with their own linguistic and cultural policies.

Vote

Voting is compulsory in Belgium.

Education

Schooling is compulsory for 12 years, between ages 6 and 18. On average, however, young people go on to study until they are 23, making Belgium second only to the United Kingdom in this respect. More and more young Belgians are earning university degrees each year.

Religion

The principle of religious freedom is written into the Belgian Constitution. Most Belgians are Catholics, but other religions such as Islam, Protestantism and Judaism are also widely practised in Belgium.

Social security

As in other EU countries, Belgian families are getter smaller (the current birth rate is just 1.56). The country is also facing the problem of an ageing population: already 15% of the people are over 65. However, the society is founded on the principle of solidarity and a vast social security system is now in place: everyone is entitled to family benefit, an old-age pension, health insurance, unemployment benefit and paid leave.

Life expectancy

Life expectancy is 75 for men and 81 for women.

Work

Belgians are active in the sectors of agriculture, industry, services (banks, hotels, childcare, etc.), IT and research. Many women work and childcare is strictly monitored and regulated.

Media

Virtually the whole country is wired for cable TV and radio. The various cable companies offer a total of 41 channels. Each household can receive 30 cable channels. In addition to having public French- and Dutch-speaking channels, Belgium has three commercial stations (two in Dutch and one in French), and a number of local stations. The radio market is also divided up into public, private and local stations. The written press aims to reflect all popular views in Belgium. The foreign press also has a large circulation, mostly in Brussels.

Typically Belgian…

Run through with language issues and widely varying socio-economic and identity concerns, Belgium has adopted a peaceful method for settling the disputes that sometimes arise out of this diversity: the well-known "Belgian compromise"

Belgians are also known for building their own houses (the local expression is "born with a brick in the belly"). They invest heavily in their homes and the renovation market has been booming for several years now.

Belgium at the heart of Europe

Belgium is a small country (32,545 km²) at the centre of the most significant industrial and urban area in Western Europe: the ‘industrial square' formed by the Ruhr, Randstad Holland, Nord-Pas de Calais and Lorraine-Saarland. Moreover, it is also the hinterland of an area that includes the highest concentration of seaports (from Le Havre to Hamburg).

An incomparable geographical location

Belgium's geographical location is special for two basic reasons: it borders the North Sea, one of the busiest in the world, and it also has a lack of high reliefs. It lies at the crossroads of Europe's economic and urban ‘backbone' and the world's main maritime front. It is not only located in one of the most densely populated and most commercial regions of the world but is also at the centre of a major urban and economic corridor. This urban area or ‘megalopolis' is the principal transport and trade corridor in Europe, and despite its short coastline ( 67 km in total), Belgium is both a key hub in the western European transport system and a very active participant in the economic activity of the European megalopolis.

For more information: National Institute of Statistics http://statbel.fgov.be

Crossroads country

The opening of borders within the European Union should be supported by an efficient European transport system. This means fast inter-European and cross-border links between member states for all modes of transport.

In order to maintain its role as a crossroads country in the future, Belgium has put in place transport networks corresponding perfectly to the current traffic needs.
Given the high-density road network in Western Europe, Belgium lies at the crossroads of the major North-South, East-West and North-West-South-East routes.

Having been the bridgehead for rail links between continental Europe and the UK, Belgium is now the key link for international lines.

Moreover, many European Union countries including Belgium have developed a high-speed train network project in Western Europe. Similar projects are planned in the longer term for Central and Eastern Europe.

Like Germany and especially the Netherlands, Belgium is also easily accessible by inland waterways thanks to the shared delta of the Scheldt, Meuse and Rhine rivers.

In addition, Brussels International Airport is set to a play an increasingly important role in transporting travellers.

Brussels has thus become a genuine platform for continental European transport.

For more information:

Belgian Railways http://www.b-rail.be/F/index.html

High-speed trains http://www.b-rail.be/internat/F/booking/index.html

Brussels International Airport http://www.brusselsairport.be