General Information
Area: 30,528 sq km (11,787 sq
miles).
Population: 10,274,595 (July
2002 est.)
Population Growth Rate: 0.15% (2002 est.)
Population Density: 336.2 per sq km.
Capital: Brussels (Bruxelles,
Brussel).
Ethnicity / Race: Fleming 58%,
Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11%
Language: The official languages
are Flemish and French; Flemish is slightly more
widely spoken than French. German, although not
an official language, is spoken by fewer than
one per cent of the population.
Currency:
Religion: Mainly Roman Catholic,
with small Protestant and Jewish communities.
Time: GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from
last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday
in October)
Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz.
Plugs are of the round two-pin type
Health: Rabies is present in
a small number of animals. If you are bitten,
seek medical advice without delay. For those at
high risk, vaccination before arrival should be
considered.
Tipping: A service charge of
16 per cent is usually included in hotel or restaurant
bills. Cloakroom attendants and porters may expect
a tip per item of luggage. A tip is generally
included in taxi fares.
Customs: A land whose specialities
include ubiquitous beers and delicate chocolates,
Belgium is often perceived to be dull. The image
that it’s simply a staid haunt for business
executives and Eurocrats, or the gateway to the
rest of Europe, reinforces the idea. But Belgium
is a prime destination if you’re interested
in countryside, culture and history, served up
alongside a huge proportion of highly acclaimed
restaurants serving everything from haute cuisine
to moules-frites or Belgian waffles.
Ostend, in the north, is a popular seaside resort
with a long sandy beach, bustling harbour and
shops to explore. With its canals and cobbles,
thirteenth-century Bruges is one of Europe’s
finest examples of a medieval town and home to
some impressive art collections. Antwerp is renowned
for diamonds and throughout all these towns it’s
difficult to escape the bars and pavement cafes.
The south holds great appeal for outdoorsy types
– the forested Ardennes is a nature-lover’s
paradise cut by rivers and gorges where walking
opportunities abound. How dull is that? |
