12 INTRODUCING BELGIUM AND LUXEMBOURG
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With an area of 30,530 sq km (11,788 sq miles) and a population
of about 10.6 million, Belgium is a small country, bordered
by France, Germany, the Netherlands and the North Sea. Its
biggest port, Antwerp, lies on an estuary separated from the
rest of the coast by a segment of the southern Netherlands.
The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is landlocked, bordered by
Germany, France and Belgium. Less than one-tenth the size
of Belgium, Luxembourg is one of the smallest independent
nations in Europe. Both countries have a rich historical
heritage and highly developed economies. They
are also among the founding members of
the European Union and home to
many of its institutions.
Putting Belgium and
Luxembourg on the Map
THE LANGUAGE MAP OF BELGIUM
Belgium has three official languages: French, Dutch
and German. Dutch is spoken in Flanders, the north-
ern half of the country. In the past, the people of
Flanders were said to speak Flemish, but this term is
now used to refer to the many dialects of Dutch used
within Flanders. French is used in Wallonia, the south-
ern half of the country, as well as in Brussels, which
lies wholly within Flanders and is officially bilingual.
German speakers form a small community in the east,
in the Province of Liège. From an administrative point
of view, the linguistic borders are precisely drawn, but
in reality they are more fluid, creating considerable
antagonism where communities using one language
are governed by authorities operating in another. This
language divide has become more deeply entrenched
over recent decades and is a thorny political issue.
KEY
Bilingual (French and Dutch)
Dutch
French
German
KEY
International airport
Ferry port
Motorway
Major road
Minor road
Railway
International border
Regional border
0 km
0 miles
25
25