Are you looking for lesser-known facts about Belgium ? Here is a collection of interesting and fun facts about Belgium which You’ve Never Heard Before as well as you can also read general information about Belgium such as culture, history, government rule, etc.

Belgium is a small country in Europe which is much smaller than some big countries like Spain, Italy, Germany, France, UK, but despite its small size, this place has many things like waffles, chocolate, diamonds, and many countless things.Belgium has a different place in the world of geography. Many things in this country differentiate this country from other countries, such as language, living, clothing, culture, religion, and business. Let us know about some unique facts related to the country and important events related to history.

General Facts About Belgium

• Total Population – 11.4 million (1.14 crores) (2018)
• Highest Mountain – Signal de Botrange 694 metres (2,277 ft)
• Total Area –30,688 km²
• National Day – 21 July
• Currency – Euro
• National Song – “La Brabançonne”
• Capital – Brussels

Amazing Facts About Belgium For Tourists and Kids

1.Belgium is known for its medieval old cities, Flemish Renaissance architecture and the international headquarters of the European Union and NATO.

2.Belgium meets high standards of living and is a progressive high-income economy. According to the Global Peace Index, it is a developed country, with a population of approximately 11.3 million, rated as one of the most peaceful countries in the world.More than half of the population considers themselves Roman Catholics. The flag of Belgium is black, yellow and red in continuous stripes.

3.Belgium is officially known as ‘Kingdom of Belgium’. And mostly French, German and Dutch speakers are found here and both French and Dutch are the official languages here.

4.Brussels, the capital of Belgium, is also known as the informal capital of the European Union. Brussels consists of the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission.The currency of Belgium is the Euro because they are part of the European Union.

5.Although the exact number is a matter of debate, Belgium makes over 800 different types of beer. In Belgium, people drink an average of 150 liters of beer per year.

6.The world’s main diamond center

The world’s main diamond center and second-largest petrochemical center is in Belgium About 90% of the world’s raw diamonds are sold, polished, and distributed in Antwerp, Belgium.

7.Belgium border-the north with the Netherlands, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast and France to the south and west. There is also a beach along the North Sea in the northwest

8.Belgian football team -Football (soccer) is the only thing that can unite all Belgian people and make them forget all differences and disagreements, even if only for a short time.

9.Belgium produces 220,000 tonnes of chocolate per year. This is about 22 kg of chocolate per person in Belgium.

10.Brussels is not only the capital of Belgium but also the capital of the European Union (EU) and the headquarters of NATO. This is why Brussels is called the “heart of Europe” – Capital City of Belgium

11.Europe’s first casino “La Redoute”

Europe’s first casino “La Redoute” was opened in the year 1763 in Belgium. Napoleon was defeated at Waterloo, a town south of Brussels.

12.The Battle of Waterloo

The Battle of Waterloo was fought in 1815 AD at a place called ‘Waterloo’ located in Belgium. This war was the last war of Napoleon Bonaparte’s life. The battle was fought between the French Army, led by Napoleon and the British Army, led by the Duke of Wellington. The war resulted in the victory of the Duke of Wellington, and the defeat of Napoleon. Napoleon Bonaparte was imprisoned and sent to the island of St. Helena, where he died in 1821.

13.Belgian people say that they are ‘born with a brick in their belly’ and every Belgian resident tries to buy or build a house as fast as they can.

14.Do you know that? Belgium has the highest density of roads and railroads in the world. It is the third-highest number of vehicles per square kilometer after the Netherlands and Japan. Belgium’s highway system is the only man-made structure visible from space at night.

15.The Royal Palace of Brussels is 50% larger than Buckingham Palace.

16.Belgium was the first country in the world, along with Italy, to introduce electronic ID cards in March 2003.
It will be the first European country to issue an E-ID to the entire population.

17.In Belgium, Television was introduced in the year 1953 with two channels, one in Dutch and one in French

18.80% of billiard players use Belgian-made balls.

19.The biggest chocolate selling point in the world

The biggest chocolate selling point in the world is the Brussels National Airport.
Industry in the country include chemicals, processed food and beverages, engineering, metal products, and automotive assembling.

20.Belgium’s coastal tram is the longest tram line in the world, which is 68 km long. It opened in the year 1885 and is running between De Panne and Knokke-Heist.

21.Belgium houses the highest percentage of cable TV in the world, which is 97%.

22.The life expectancy of Belgium is between 78–81 years of age.

23.Hockey World Cup 2018

Belgium won the title for the first time by defeating the Netherlands in a shootout. The Belgian team defeated the three-time champion Netherlands 3–2 in a very exciting Sudden Death shootout. The Netherlands was the runner-up last time while they won the title in 1973, 1990 and 1998.

24.Over 97% of Belgian people live in urban areas, making it one of the most densely populated countries in the world.

25.French fries from Belgium

Both Belgium and France claim to be the inventors of French fries. The name of France is associated with French fries, but despite that, it does not mean that they originated from France.

French fries are believed to originate in Belgium. According to popular stories in Belgium, poor farmers of the Meuse Valley used to eat small fish by frying them. However, due to the freezing of water in the winter, it was difficult to make the fish available to eat. So instead of frying up fish in winter times, they would cut up potatoes in long thin slices, and fry them up as they did the fish. So instead of frying up fish in winter times, they would they slice potatoes in long thin slices, and fry them up in the same way they prepared the fish fry. French fries introduced in the world

26.In 1903, the city Antwerp hosted the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Belgium.

27.Belgium was the second country in the world to make same-sex marriage legal on 1 June 2003.

28.The Signal de Botrange is the highest point in Belgium which is 694 meters above sea level.

29.Belgium gained independence from the Netherlands on 04 October 1830.

30.Belgian people are the second tallest person in the world, after Dutch. Usually, Dutch people have a length of 183 cm and Belgians have a length of about 182 cm.

31.The highest divorce rate is in the Belgian country of Western Europe.

32.You will be surprised to know that the practice of intentionally ending life to get rid of pain and suffering is lawfully accepted in the country i.e. there is also a ‘suicide law’.

33.The Fier de Libramont is the largest agricultural, forestry and agri-food fair in Europe is held in Belgium.

34.You might not know the three famous comics are Tintin, The Smurfs and Lucky Luke from Belgium.

35.Belgium is situated at a height of just 181 meters above sea level.

36.Even if you think that Brussels is the capital of Belgium, it is not so. According to the Belgian constitution, the capital of Belgium is the City of Brussels.

Watch Video Top Tourist Attraction in Brussels

37.Tomorrowland festival

One of the world’s largest and most famous electronic dance music festivals “Tomorrowland”, is held every year in Belgium. Tickets are usually sold out in minutes. The largest and popular electronic dance music festivals in the world, Tomorrowland is becoming very popular worldwide.

Every year Million of people participate in the festival. In 2005, the first Tomorrowland was organized in the city of Boom, Belgium, which was attended by 9000 people. In 2016, about 100 thousand people enjoyed this musical fest. In this festival, many popular singers from around the world perform, including Dimitri Vegas, David Guetta, Steve Okee. This festival is special for couples, in which they get a chance to go to ‘The Church of Love’ to be naughty.
Couples are naughty in ‘The Church of Love’.

You will see many unique things in Tomorrowland. Here Kissing Point is built for couples. Not only this, a hut called ‘The Church of Love’ is built to give the couple a chance to be naughty at the music fest.

Pink color church shape hut is very beautifully decorated for the couples. Both nuns allow couples to enter ‘The Church of Love’ for 10 minutes. During this, they are allowed to have sex. When the couples go inside the church, the nuns give them condoms for safe sex. They stay inside for 10 minutes and the nuns supervise them. Let me tell, they look like a nun in front of them. But from behind they are dressed in striper clothes.

38.Father Kamil Bulke

Born in Belgium in 1935, Father Kamil Bulke came to India to propagate Christianity, but here he recognized the divinity of Hindi. Here Bulke learned Hindi and Sanskrit language and settled in India.

39.Pigeons sold for auction in Belgium for 1.25 million euros

A pigeon has been auctioned for a record 1.25 million euros.A Belgian pigeon Armando has been bought by a Chinese man. This pigeon was the best in Belgium in 2017 and 2018 and in Europe in 2018.This pigeon called Armando is described as ‘the best Belgian pigeon of long-distance’. Also, this pigeon is being called ‘Louis Hamilton of Pigeons’.Before this auction, the most expensive pigeon sold for 376000 euros.

40.Scientists made self-healing , will repair itself on damage

Belgian scientists have designed a special robot that can understand pain and damage. Not only this, it treats itself without the help of humans or simply says that it repairs itself.

This robot has a special robotic hand which has been prepared with the help of 3D printing. It can be used in many types of work. It is specially designed for the food industry, where this robot will help humans in lifting delicate and soft things.This robot has been prepared by scientists from the Free University of Brussels and the University of Cambridge.

41.March 22, 2016, Black Day for Brussels: 32 killed in an airport and metro train attack in Brussels

Explosions at Zaventem International Airport, northeast of Brussels. Another blast took place at the Maalbeek metro station in the middle of the city, near which are the buildings of the European Union.
The attacks are four days after the arrest of Salah Abdeslam, the main suspect in the 13 November Paris attacks in Brussels.
Two blasts took place at Zaventem Airport. An eyewitness claimed to have fired bullets and heard slogans in Arabic before the explosion.An hour later, a blast took place at the Maalbeek metro station in the middle of the city, which has several European Union offices.

42.Bruges will ban the growing influx of tourists, the second city in Europe to do so

The Belgian city of Brèges has also decided to ban the influx of tourists. Brèges is known for its medieval buildings.
In 2000 it was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is the second city in Europe to control the number of tourists. Earlier, Amsterdam had banned the advertisement to entice tourists due to a large number of tourists.
The Tourism Board has also said that advertising campaigns in other cities, including the capital Brussels, will be scrapped.

The aim is to reduce the number of tourists. The Tourism Board says that we want to control the influx of tourists. We don’t want to be Disneyland where people are crowded.

43.Looking for some amazing facts about Brussels? Washington DC, Together with Brussels, Brussels has the most diplomatic and foreign correspondents in the world.

44.The word Brussels is derived from the Old Dutch language Broekzele or Broeksel. It means ‘home in the marsh’.

45.Brussels is the largest city in Belgium with 19 metropolitan municipalities. The city of Brussels is also included in the metropolitan municipality.

46.Brussels was a part of Austria until 1795. After this, till 1815 it was also part of France. Later it became part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands.

47.Belgium issued a chocolate-flavored stamp in 2013 but in limited edition.

48.When the Second World War ended, Brussels was made the political capital of Europe. It is also the capital of the European Union and Belgium. There is also the headquarters of NATO. This city is of peace.

49.In the 13th century, Brussels was established as a city. Now there is an average of 138 restaurants per square mile.

50.Brussels has spread its foothold in about 162 square kilometers. Most people here speak French and Dutch.

51.27% of people living in Brussels are not Belgian

52.Brussels is a big trader of beer, wafers, and chocolate. 800 brands of beer are available here.

53.Exhibition of clothing of rape victims in Brussels, said – rape has no relation to clothes

One such exhibition was held at Molenbeek, Brussels. This exhibition is being discussed everywhere.
The exhibition showcased the clothes of the rape victims at the crime scene. Through this exhibition, people were given the message that, rape has no relation to clothes. The exhibition was given a title that was “Is this my fault?”

54.Brussels: People Combine Largest Climate March, Includes 70,000 People

On Jan 27, 2019, About 70,000 people took part in the 2nd ‘Rise for Climate’ march in Brussels to pressure the Belgian government and the European Union (EU).According to the news agency report, the march took place on Sunday. This March has been described as the biggest climate march of Belgium ever.

Historical Facts About Belgium

The name Belgium is derived from Gallia Belgica, a Roman province in the northern part of Gaul, which was inhabited by the Belgae, a mixture of the Celtic and Germanic peoples.(source)

From the end of the Middle Ages to the 17th century, it was a prosperous center of commerce and culture. From the 16th century to the Revolution of Belgium in 1830, many battles were fought in the territory of Belgium between the European powers, which gave it the title of “Battleground of Europe“.

After its independence, Belgium eagerly participated in the Industrial Revolution and, at the end of the nineteenth century, conquered several colonies in Africa.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, it was the site of most Franco-Spanish and Franco-Austrian wars. The 1830 Belgian Revolution resulted in the establishment of an independent, Catholic and impartial Belgium, under a provisional government and a national congress.

Since Leopold’s ascent as king in 1831, Belgium has been a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy.
Universal suffrage for men was started in 1893 and for women in 1949.

The main political parties of the 19th century were the Catholic Party and the Liberal Party and the Belgian Labor Party began to emerge at the turn of the century.

French was originally the only official language adopted by the nobility and the bourgeoisie.The Berlin Conference of 1885 ceded control of the Congo Free State to King Leopold II as his right.

In 1914, Germany invaded Belgium as part of the Schlieffen Plan and most of the fighting took place in the western parts of the country.

Belgium took over the German colonies of Ruanda-Urundi (modern-day Rwanda and Burundi) during the war and in 1924 they were ceded to Belgium by the League of Nations.After World War I, Prussia’s Eupen and Malmedy districts were annexed by Belgium in 1925.
In 1940, Germany invaded this country again during the Blitzkrieg invasion and held it until it was liberated in 1945 by the Allies.

The Belgian Congo gained independence during the Congo crisis in 1960.
After World War II, Belgium joined NATO as a founding member and formed the Benelux group of countries along with the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

Belgium became one of the six founding members of the European Coal and Steel Community in 1951 and became a member of the European Atomic Energy Community and European Economic Community, established in 1957.(source)

Important history events related to Belgium country:

• 31 December 1514 – The famous Belgian surgeon André Vésale is born in Brussels.
• 04 October 1830 – The Kingdom of Belgium is separated from the Netherlands.
• 27 September 1830 – End the Belgian Revolution to liberate Brussels from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands.
• 04 October 1830 – The Provisional Government declares Belgium’s isolation from the Netherlands.
• 20 December 1830 – Belgian independence is recognized by the great powers.
• 21 July 1831 – Belgium gained independence from the Netherlands and Leopold became the first king.
• 07 February 1831 – European country Belgium accepts the constitution.
• 04 June 1831 – Leopold von Saxe-Coburg is elected as King of Belgium by the National Congress.
• 02 August 1831 – Netherlands forces capture Belgium after a ten-day campaign.
• 18 November 1833 -Zonhoven Treaty signed between Holland and Belgium.

Tourism in Belgium

If you are planning to go to Europe, then you can think of going to Flanders, northern areas of Belgium. It has a rich history of architecture. The food is also very good and what to say about fashion. There are so many places to visit in Belgium that you will get confused, where to go and where not. In such a situation, for your convenience, we are telling you about some places where if you do not go, then you will feel that something is missing.

1.Brussels

In Brussels, you can go to a comic walk. The entry is free here. You must also visit the antique market in Brussels. However, there is a lot of bargaining in the buying and selling of goods here.

2.Bruges

Bruges is quite a romantic city. Do not forget to visit the beautiful canals and chocolate shops. You will love coming here. Some scenes from the Bollywood film ‘PK’ are shot in Bruges. You can come here and see the places where they have been shot.

3.Antwerp Central Station

You must also visit the Antwerp Central Station because it is ranked among the five famous stations in the world.

4.Leuven

There can be no better place than Leuven for those who want to learn about Europe and its culture. You must visit the Old Market Square, which has the longest bar in Europe. There are about 45 pubs.

5.Ghent

You can also enjoy wandering the city of Ghent by boat and it will be a really good experience. Not only this, but you will also get to see the torture museum. Here you can see such old-fashioned devices, which were used to torture people. You must also visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site Belfry Tower.

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If you know any new things about Belgium , then definitely tell through the comments so that other people can read, thanks.

Refernces–

https://hindi.indiatvnews.com/world/europe-indian-flag-flies-on-top-of-brussels-landmark-monument-atomium-535603

https://hindi.indiatvnews.com/world/europe-exhibition-of-rape-victims-dressed-in-brussels-564384

https://www.patrika.com/europe-news/rise-for-climate-march-in-brussels-around-70-thousand-people-took-part-4045430/

https://www.jagran.com/news/national-father-kamil-bulke-was-a-missionary-from-india-to-belgium-after-coming-to-india-he-is-devotees-of-hindi-jagranspecial-18424999.html

https://www.bhaskar.com/international/news/popular-medieval-belgian-town-bruges-makes-moves-to-restrict-tourism-01569431.html

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07l9g29

https://www.bhaskar.com/international/news/everything-made-of-chocolate-in-brussels-chocolate-festival-01492731.html