Belgium
Belgium
BELGIUM - LANGUAGE PHRASES
Official Languages of Belgium are French, Dutch and German. French (Wallon) is used by 33% of population. Flemish, the local variant of Dutch, is used by more than 60% of the population, and is spoken in the northern part of the country. The languages learned at school are officially labeled French and Dutch.
BELGIUM - COMMUNICATION
Fleming Belgians will often prefer to answer visitors in English rather than French, even if the visitor’s French is good. It is customary to bring flowers or a small present for the hostess, especially if invited for a meal.
BELGIUM - HISTORY
800 000 BC. – the first pugs of people occured in the territory of today Belgium
500 BC – Celtic tribes settled here, from their name – lat. Belgae – comes contemporary name of the state and people
150 BC – the first coins were made
57 BC – Julius Caesar and his army occupied the land of Belgae – new Roma province Gallia Belgica.
BELGIUM - ECONOMY
Macroeconomic statistics
| 2004 | 2005 | |
| Economic growth | 2,6 % | 1,2 % |
| GDP/inhabitant | 118,4 | 117,5 |
| Inflation rate | 1,9 % | 2,5 % |
| Unemployment rate | 8,4 % | 8,4 % |
| Public debt | 94,7 % in relation |
BELGIUM - BASIC FACTS
Surface area : 30 528 km2 (136th biggest in the world)
North-South 220 km, West-East 260 km
Belgium is a part of West-European region. It is located on the coast of La Manche canal (English Channel) and shares frontiers with Netherlands on the North, with the Germany and Luxembourg on the East, and France on the South. Local Time Zone is GMT + 1 hour(summer + 2 hours).
Inhabitants: 10 millions