Location: Western Europe, bordering on the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands

Map references: Arctic Region, Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area:
total area: 30,510 sq km
land area: 30,230 sq km
comparative area: slightly larger than Maryland

Land boundaries: total 1,385 km, France 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km, Netherlands 450 km

Coastline: 64 km

Maritime claims:
continental shelf: equidistant line with neighbors
exclusive fishing zone: equidistant line with neighbors (extends about 68 km from coast)
territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: none

Climate: temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy

Terrain: flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast

Natural resources: coal, natural gas

Land use:
arable land: 24%
permanent crops: 1%
meadows and pastures: 20%
forest and woodland: 21%
other: 34%

Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment:
current issues: Meuse River, a major source of drinking water, polluted from steel production wastes; other rivers polluted by animal wastes and fertilizers; industrial air pollution contributes to acid rain in neighboring countries
natural hazards: NA
international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulphur, Antarctic Treaty, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea

Note: crossroads of Western Europe; majority of West European capitals within 1,000 km of Brussels which is the seat of the EC

NOTE: The information regarding Belgium on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Belgium Geography 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Belgium Geography 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.