| Local name: Royaume de Belgique
- Koninkrijk Belie |
| Surface: 32,545 Kmq...Belgium is
situated in the west of Europe, bordered to the north by the Netherlands, to the east by
Germany and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and to the south and the west by
France. |
| Population : 10.213.752 inhabitants
(1999) |
| Climate: The climate is standard west European; maritime,
temperate, and damp with mild winters and pleasant summer months. Average annual
temperatures are 8°C (46°F); in January they fall to 3°C (37°F), and in July it goes
up as high as 26°C (80°F). ....The coastal region has more of a mild and humid climate
all year round. However, the more inland you go, the more distinct the seasons become.
Southeast regions have hot summers and extremely cold winters. In the highlands, rain is
seldom heavy, but elsewhere rain and drizzle prevail all year round. |
| Visa & Passport: A passport, valid for a minimum three
months after the anticipated exit date, is required of all visitors except citizens of
E.U. countries who have a national ID card. The passport exemption is also extended to any
citizen of Andorra, Liechtenstein, Malta, Monaco, San Marino and Switzerland who holds a
national ID card. ...Following is a list of nations normally exempt from the visa
requirement (E.U. nationals are automatically exempt): Andorra, Argentina, Australia,
Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador,
Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Jamaica, Liechtenstein, Malawi,
Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Poland,
Republic of Korea, San Marino, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Switzerland, Turkey
(only if a permanent resident of a Schengen country), Uruguay, U.S., Vatican City, and
Venezuela. Visa-free travel throughout the Schengen states is valid for a duration of 90
days maximum within a 6-month period, commencing upon initial entry date into a Schengen
country. Of course, if this does not fit into your travel plans, you may apply for a visa
anyway. Types of visas issued are Transit and Short Stay, the latter including both
tourist and business visas. Transit visas are valid for 24 hours only. Short Stay visas
are good for a maximum of three months. If applying for a business visa, you must include
a letter from your company stating the purpose of the visit, or from an attorney or bank
manager if you are self-employed |
| Electricity: 230 volts AC, 50Hz.....Round 2-pin plugs are the
norm |
| Capital : Bruxelles...Brussels |
| System : The
country is a hereditary constitutional monarchy (see above) with a bicameral parliament;
the 212-member Chamber of Deputies is directly elected by proportional representation,
while the 182-member Senate is partly elected (some directly, some by local councils) and
partly appointed. |
| Languages : Flemish (dutch) (official), French (official),
German |
| Religions : Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25%.
|
| Money : Euro |
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