BELGIUM
(Kingdom of Belgium)

Dutch: Koninkrijk Belgie;
French: Royaume de Belgique

Capital: Brussels (Brussels, Brussels)

Flag: the flag accepted in 1831 represents three-colored black, yellow and red vertical strips.

ANTHEM: La Brabanconne (Brabant Song) called in honor of the duchy Brabant.

MONETARY GROUP: euro replaced the Belgian franc in 2002. Euro is divided into 100 cents. There are coins of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents and 1 euro; and 2 euros. There are notes from 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euros. €1 = $1.25475 (or $1 = €0.79697) as of 2005.

WEIGHT AND MEASURES: the metric system is the legal standard.

HOLIDAYS: New year, on January 1; Labor Day, on May 1; Independence Day, on July 21; Uspensky day, on August 15; All Saints' Day, on November 1; Armistice Day, on November 11; Day of a dynasty, on November 15; and Christmas, on December 25. Moveable religious feasts - Easter Monday, Rise and Uitmondey.

TIME: 13:00 - 12:00.

ARRANGEMENT, SIZE AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Located in northwest Europe, Belgium has the area of 30 510 sq.km (11 780 quarter. Miles) and 280 km long (174 miles) and 222 km (137 miles) of a не-sw. Rather, the area occupied with Belgium, approximately the same size as the State of Maryland. Belgium borders on the Netherlands in Russia, Germany and Luxembourg with е, France to with and sw and the North Sea to N at., with a total length of border of 1385 km (859 miles).

Capital: Belgium, Brussels, it is located in the North central part of the country.

TOPOGRAPHY

The coastal area stretching approximately for 16-48 km (10-30 miles) within the country consists of sandy dunes, flat pasturable grounds and polder (the earth, rekultivirovanny of the sea and protected by milkings), and reaches a maximum of 15 m (50 feet) above sea level. In the east this region gradually gives way to gently rolled central plain which many fertile valleys are irrigated with extensive network of channels and waterways. Height in this area is about 60-180 m (200-600 feet). Ardennes, strongly woody plateaus, are located in the southeast of Belgium and proceed to France. It has the average height about 460 m (1500 feet) and reaches a maximum of 694 m (2,277 feet) on Signal de Botrange, the highest point of the country. The main rivers - Scheldt (Scheldt, Ascot) and Maas (Maas), both from which rise to France, flow through Belgium, pass through the Netherlands and are devastated to the North Sea.

CLIMATE

In a coastal zone climate soft and damp. Noticeable changes of temperature are within the country noted. In high southeast areas the hot summer alternates with very cold winters. Except for highlands, rainfall seldom happens heavy. Average annual temperature is 8 °C (46 °F); in Brussels average temperature is 10 °C (50 °F) in the range from 3 °C (37 °F) in January to 18 °C (64 °F) in July. The average annual amount of precipitation makes from 70 to 100 cm (from 28 to 40 inches).