The country's water supply is threatened by hazardous levels of heavy metals, mercury, and phosphorous. The sources of pollution range from nuclear radiation to mercury from industry and pesticides from agricultural activity. As of 2000, Belgium's most significant environmental problems were air, land, and water pollution due to the heavy concentration of industrial facilities in the country. ENVIRONMENTĪbout 520 sq km (200 sq mi) of reclaimed coastal land is protected from the sea by concrete dikes. The many varieties of aquatic life include pike, carp, trout, eel, barbel, perch, smelt, chub, roach, bream, shad, sole, mussels, crayfish, and shrimp. Among mammals still found in Belgium are the boar, fox, badger, squirrel, weasel, marten, and hedgehog. The digitalis, wild arum, hyacinth, strawberry, goldenrod, lily of the valley, and other plants common to temperate zones grow in abundance. Average annual rainfall is between 70 and 100 cm (28 to 40 in). The average annual temperature is 8 °c (46 °f) in Brussels, the mean temperature is 10 °c (50 °f), ranging from 3 °c (37 °f) in January to 18 °c (64 °f) in July. Except in the highlands, rainfall is seldom heavy. In the high southeasterly districts, hot summers alternate with very cold winters. There are marked temperature changes farther inland. In the coastal region, the climate is mild and humid. Chief rivers are the Schelde (Scheldt, Escaut) and the Meuse (Maas), both of which rise in France, flow through Belgium, pass through the Netherlands, and empty into the North Sea. It has an average altitude of about 460 m (1,500 ft) and reaches a maximum of 694 m (2,277 ft) at the Signal de Botrange, the country's highest point. The Ardennes, a heavily wooded plateau, is located in southeast Belgium and continues into France. Altitudes in this region are about 60 –180 m (200 –600 ft). Eastward, this region gradually gives way to a gently rolling central plain, whose many fertile valleys are irrigated by an extensive network of canals and waterways.
The coastal region, extending about 16 –48 km (10 –30 mi) inland, consists of sand dunes, flat pasture land, and polders (land reclaimed from the sea and protected by dikes), and attains a maximum of 15 m (50 ft) above sea level. Belgium borders on the Netherlands to the n, Germany and Luxembourg to the e, France to the s and sw, and the North Sea to the nw, with a total boundary length of 1,385 km (859 mi).īelgium's capital city, Brussels, is located in the north-central part of the country. Comparatively, the area occupied by Belgium is about the same size as the state of Maryland. Situated in northwestern Europe, Belgium has an area of 30,510 sq km (11,780 sq mi) and extends 280 km (174 mi) se –nw and 222 km (137 mi) ne –sw. Movable religious holidays are Easter Monday, Ascension, and Whitmonday. HOLIDAYS: New Year's Day, 1 January Labor Day, 1 May Independence Day, 21 July Assumption Day, 15 August All Saints' Day, 1 November Armistice Day, 11 November Dynasty Day, 15 November and Christmas, 25 December.
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES: The metric system is the legal standard. There are coins in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 cents and 1 euro and 2 euros. MONETARY UNIT: The euro replaced the Belgian franc in 2002. FLAG: The flag, adopted in 1831, is a tricolor of black, yellow, and red vertical stripes.ĪNTHEM: La Braban çonne (The Song of Brabant), named after the Duchy of Brabant.
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