Belgium — country of 3 languages, 1500 beers and 600 chocolatiers. Brussels is Belgium's capital and unofficially the EU's. Here are 15 facts.
- Belgium has 3 official languages — Dutch (Flanders, 60%), French (Wallonia, 40%), German (Eupen, <1%). Brussels is officially bilingual (NL+FR).
- Belgians invented fries, not the French. History: peasants from the Meuse in the 17th century fried fish — when the river froze, they cut potatoes in fish shape. Americans called them "French fries" because Belgians speak French.
- Brussels — capital of 3 institutions: Belgium, NATO and (unofficially) the EU. International summits → 30% of hotels are reserved for delegations.
- Atomium — iron atom 165 billion× magnified. Built for Expo'58, meant to stand 6 months. Still stands today, an iconic symbol of Brussels. Height 102 m, 9 spheres.
- Belgian chocolate — production 220,000 tonnes annually. 600 chocolatiers. First pralines: Neuhaus (1912), Brussels. Côte d'Or, Godiva, Leonidas — all Belgian.
- 1500+ varieties of Belgian beer. Trappists brew 6 true Trappist beers (Westvleteren, Chimay, Orval, Rochefort, Westmalle, Achel). Lambic brewed only in Brussels.
- Manneken Pis has 1000 costumes. 61 cm statue, peeing since 1619. Costumes from various countries, displayed at the GardeRobe MannekenPis museum.
- Tintin — Belgium created European comics. Hergé invented Tintin in 1929. Belgium has the most comic artists per capita in the world.
- Bruges — a 100% medieval city. UNESCO. 80 bridges (more than Venice), canals and 800-year-old architecture. Hence the name "Venice of the North".
- Belgium was without government for 541 days (2010-2011) — world record. After elections, no coalition could be formed. The country functioned normally.
- Saxophone was invented in Dinant by Adolphe Sax (1846). The city has a saxophone museum, bridges have instruments instead of railings.
- Belgium produces 1/3 of the world's diamonds — all through Antwerp. Diamond district: 4 streets, 380 firms, 2/3 of world's rough diamonds.
- "Persistence" is French, but the brick — Belgian. Galette des Rois, baguette, croissant — all French. But Pommes Frites, Liège waffles, chocolate — Belgian.
- Belgium has more castles per km² than any country in the world — 3000+ in 30,500 km². Most private, inhabited. Famous: Gravensteen, Bouillon, Beersel.
- Belgian motorway network visible from the Moon — Belgium is illuminated at night from space, one of the most lit-up countries. NASA uses Belgium night images as reference for studies.
Sources: Statbel (Belgian Statistical Office), Visit Brussels, Trappist International Association, Antwerp World Diamond Centre.