Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Brussels.

Belgium is a country in northwest Europe bordered by the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg and France and is one of the founding and core members of the European Union. Belgium has a population of over ten million, located in an area of approximately 30,000 square kilometres (11,700 square miles).

Situated between France and Holland, the history of the kingdom of Belgium is closely associated with both commercial and cultural exchange, and much of the country's character is due to its location at a significant cross-roads of Western Europe. It would be difficult to name a European country which did not at some point in history attempt to stake their claim on Belgium.

The area in the North known as Low Belgium is flat with sandy beaches, polders and small hills rising to approximately 197 feet. The centre of the country is known as middle Belgium and possesses some rolling hills and river valleys, while the area in the south is known as High Belgium and rises to 2277 feet above sea level at the Signal de Botrange located in the wild Hautes Fagnes region.