The
territory of present-day Belgium has been inhabited since
prehistoric times and was later incorporated into the Roman
Empire as part of Gallia Belgica. After the collapse of Roman
rule, the region came under the control of Germanic and Frankish
peoples and formed part of various mediaeval states in the
Low Countries. During the Middle Ages, cities such as Bruges,
Ghent and Brussels became major centres of commerce, crafts
and culture. The territory later came under Burgundian, Habsburg,
Spanish and Austrian rule before being annexed by France under
Napoleon. In 1815, it was united with the northern Netherlands,
but the Belgian Revolution of 1830 led to independence and
the establishment of a constitutional monarchy in 1831. During
the nineteenth century, Belgium became one of Europe's leading
industrial powers, while its political life was shaped by
Catholic, Liberal and Socialist movements and divisions between
Dutch- and French-speaking communities. It was invaded and
occupied during both World Wars, while its colonial rule in
the Congo, particularly under Leopold II, remains a significant
and controversial part of its history. From the 1970s onwards,
successive constitutional reforms transformed Belgium into
a federal state composed of three Regions and three Communities.
Today it is a federal constitutional
monarchy and parliamentary democracy, with Brussels serving
as an important centre of European and international institutions. |
Location: Western Europe, on the North Sea, bordered by France,
Luxembourg, Germany and the Netherlands |
