The population of Belgium is over 10 million people.
National composition of Belgium:
- Flemings;
- walloons;
- other nations (immigrants from Spain, Turkey, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy).
The Flemings, who are descendants of the Frisians, Saxons and Franks, and the Walloons (descendants of the Celtic tribes) are the indigenous population of Belgium. Today the Flemings occupy the north of the country (East and West Flanders), and the Walloons occupy the south (their main places of residence are Liege, Brabant Wallon, Hainaut).
342 people live per 1 sq. Km, but the Flemish region (Brussels, Ghent, Leuven, Antwerp) is the most populated, and the province of Luxembourg (Ardennes) is characterized by a low population density.
Official languages are German, Dutch and French.
Major cities: Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent, Bruges, Leuven, Mechelen, Kortrijk.
The inhabitants of Belgium profess Catholicism, Islam, Protestantism, Anglicanism, Judaism, Orthodoxy.
Life span
On average, Belgians live up to 80 years. This high indicator is largely due to the fact that the state allocates more funds for health care than the average in European countries (10, 5% of the entire structure).
It is worth noting that over the past 20 years, there has been less smoking in Belgium (the number of smokers has decreased from 40% to 20%). But the number of obese people, on the contrary, increased from 10% to 14%.
Traditions and customs of the inhabitants of Belgium
The inhabitants of Belgium are friendly people who love beer (more than 600 varieties of the foamy drink are produced in the country).
Since ancient crafts are alive in Belgium, it is worth acquiring copper dishes, handmade lace products, and carpets.
The Belgians love to celebrate the chocolate festival, which takes place annually in the city of Bruges. Here, everyone will have the opportunity to taste original chocolate masterpieces prepared by hundreds of confectioners not only from Belgium, but also from all over Europe.
Festivals are no less beloved by the Belgians. For example, everyone, including tourists, comes to the carnival in Binche (February) to watch the costumed processions, performances on the streets of the city, dance in the square, and admire the fireworks in the evening.
The main Belgian tradition is to give a good education to your children so that they can acquire a profession and get a place in life. It is considered prestigious to send children to study at the Royal Colleges of Belgium.
If you are going to Belgium, keep in mind that in the southern regions you can be fined if you pollute the environment, for example, for garbage (paper, cigarette butt) thrown on the ground, you will be fined 50 euros, and 150 euros if you will throw garbage past the trash can.
