Nickname(s):
"Capital of Europe"
Demonym(s):
Bruxellois(e)
Founded:
1229
Democracy:
Developed:
European Union:
Schengen:
Euro:
National Capital:
RegionalState Capital:
Population (City):
1 212 000
Population (Urban):
-
Population (Metro):
2 500 000
Population Density (km2):
7 500
Population Density (mi2):
19 000
Largest City in Belgium
Language:
French
Currency:
Euro
Avg. Summertime High:
23 °C
74 °F
Avg. Summertime Low:
14 °C
57 °F
Warmest Month:
July
Coldest Month:
January
Avg. Wintertime High:
6 °C
43 °F
Avg. Wintertime Low:
1 °C
35 °F
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The capital of not only Belgium but also the European Union, and home to the headquarters of NATO. Brussels by all means deserves the nickname "Capital of Europe". Major sights include the majestic Grand Place, Manneken Pis, and the Atomium. It's the center of a conurbation that forms one of the densest areas of Europe! It's easy to reach several day trip options by train in Belgium, France, or the Netherlands from Brussels.
Kingdom of Belgium | Koninkrijk België
Belgium
English
Belgique
French
België
Dutch
Region:
Western Europe
Area:
30 689 km2
Ranked 136 out of 195
Population:
Population:
11 493 000
Ranked 81 out of 235
Urbanization:
98 %
Ranked 7 out of 194
Capital:
Brussels
Population: 2 500 000
Largest City:
Brussels
Population: 2 500 000
Economy & Development:
Human Development Index:
Very High
Ranked 14 out of 189
Inequality-Adjusted HDI:
Very High
Ranked 13 out of 189
GDP (PPP) Per Capita:
$61 587
Ranked 22 out of 225
Democracy & Freedom:
Democracy Index:
Flawed Democracy
Ranked 36 out of 167
Freedom House:
Free
96 points out of 100 possible
Press Freedom:
Satisfactory
Ranked 23 out of 180
Economic Freedom:
2nd Quartile
Ranked 40 out of 162
National Identity:
Independence Since:
1830
Independence From:
Netherlands
National Day:
21st of July
What Is Celebrated On The National Day:
Leopold I swore allegiance to the Belgian constitution and thus became the first monarch of Belgium on the 21st of July 1831. This event is considered to be the start of the modern state and Kingdom of Belgium.
Facts & Codes:
Driving Side:
Right
-
Time Zone:
UTC +1 (CET)
Summer: UTC +2 (CEST)
Country Calling Code:
+ 32
-
Country Code:
BE
ISO 3166
Regions of Belgium | Gewesten van België
Brussels-Capital Region
English
Région de Bruxelles-Capitale
French
Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest
Dutch
Region:
Central Belgium
Area:
162 km2
Ranked 3 out of 3
Population:
Population:
1 208 000
Ranked 3 out of 3
Population Share:
11 %
Of National Population
Capital:
Brussels
Population: 2 500 000
Largest City:
Brussels
Population: 2 500 000
Major Cities:
-
Information:
GDP Per Capita:
$82 000
Higher Than National Average
Climate:
Oceanic Climate
Köppen: Cfb
Time Zone:
UTC +1 (CET)
Summer: UTC +2 (CEST)
Grand Place
Iconic Square
Manneken Pis
Famous Statue
Atomium
Steel Monument
Currency:
Euro
Code:
EUR
Subunit:
Cent
Symbol:
€
Cash Or Credit:
I only used credit cards and the only time I faced a problem was when I wanted to use the restroom at certain restaurants where they still had the old French attendant system, (“Dames Pipi”).
Good To Know:
-
Local Language:
French
Language Family:
Romance (Indo-European)
Writing System:
Latin Alphabet
Local Language:
Dutch
Language Family:
Germanic (Indo-European)
Writing System:
Latin Alphabet
What About English?
Since the city is also the capital of Europe, with several major international headquarters and a huge international population, there is a high level of knowledge of English and most people can speak good English.
Bilingual Belgium:
Belgium is at its core bilingual. The country is split between the French Wallonia and Dutch Flanders. Brussels is officially bilingual between the two, but with French as the de facto majority language. About 88 percent of the population of Brussels can speak French at a good, or, perfect level, while only 23% can speak Dutch at the same level of proficiency.
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The most famous sight of Brussels is the Manneken Pis, a statue of a peeing boy. This statue has become something of a symbol of the city. It is often dressed in clothes to celebrate different occasions.
Grand Place is the center of the Old Town of Brussels. Here are some beautiful buildings on the Western end of the square.
The Maison du Roi ("King's House"), or Broodhuis ("Bread House") as it is also called, is another famous and beautiful structure on Grand Place. Today it houses the Brussels City Museum.
During my visit, there was a popular annual event called the Zinneke Parade. It was the first time in two years that it was possible to hold this event and the square and streets were packed with people!
The Old Town of Brussels lies just North of Grand Place.
The less famous Jeanneke Pis in an alley of the Old Town.
Rue de Neuve is the main shopping street in Brussels.
Brussels Town Hall on Grand Place.
An overview of Grand Place at a less crowded time of the day (Monday morning).
Atomium is one of the main sights in the city. It is located far from the center and is just really a large steel monument in a park.