Belgium map in Russian. Detailed map of Belgium with cities, provinces, roads, airports

The Kingdom of Belgium is a Western European state with its capital in Brussels. Neighbors -, and, in the north-west, the border of Belgium runs along the North Sea. More than 11 million citizens live in a small state (30.5 thousand sq. km), which makes Belgium one of the most densely populated countries in Europe.

Geographically, the Belgian lands can be divided into the northwestern coastal plain, the central plateau and the Ardennes Upland in the southeast. Low Belgium rises 100 m above sea level, on the plateau the height reaches 200 m, and the height of the hill is 500 meters.

In the lowlands, the relief is represented by dunes and fertile polders. The space between the Lys and Scheldt polders is filled by the sandy Flemish Lowlands with low hills. Behind it begins the Kempen region with coniferous forests, corn fields and meadows.

Between Kempen and the Meuse and Sambre valleys lies central Belgium with clay plains and fertile soils. A huge beech forest remains south of Brussels. This part of the country has a lot of arable land and agricultural land.

Wooded high Belgium is less populated than other areas. It is difficult to conduct agriculture in the mountains, but tourists strive to get here. Behind the hilly region of Condroz, the low mountains of the Ardennes begin, covered with forest, serpentine roads connecting colorful villages. The “peak” of the Ardennes is Mount Botrange, rising 694 m above sea level.

The climate of Belgium is typical of Western Europe - mild, with cool, humid summers and rainy, warm winters. Frosts and snow do not occur in Brussels every year, but the heat does not last for a long time.

(Kingdom of Belgium)

General information

Geographical position. In the north, Belgium borders with the Netherlands, in the east with Germany, in the southeast with Luxembourg, and in the south and southwest with France. To the west, Belgium has 65 kilometers of access to the North Sea.

Square. The territory of Belgium occupies 30,528 square meters. km.

Main cities, administrative divisions. The capital of Belgium is Brussels. The largest cities: Brussels (1,000 thousand people), Antwerp (500 thousand people), Ghent (240 thousand people).

Belgium consists of 9 provinces: Antwerp, Brabant, Hainaut, Liege, Limbourg, Luxembourg, Namur, East and West Flanders.

Political system

Belgium is a constitutional monarchy. The head of state is the king. The head of government is the prime minister. Legislative power belongs to parliament, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Relief. From a geographical point of view, Belgium can be divided into three parallel zones, stretching from northwest to southeast: Lower Belgium, from the North Sea coast along the border with the Netherlands, similar in landscape to the Dutch provinces of North Brabant and Zeeland (along the coast of the country, transformed mostly in the resort area, stretches a ridge of dunes); Central Belgium is a hilly, fertile area reminiscent of the Rhineland in Germany; and Upper Belgium, the Ardennes mountain region bordering France and the valleys of the Meuse and Sambre rivers.

Geological structure and minerals. Belgium has coal and natural gas deposits.

Climate. Belgium has mild, wet winters and cool summers: in December-January the temperature usually does not fall below 0°C, in July-August it does not rise above + 19°C. Temperature fluctuations due to the small area are insignificant, with the exception of the Ardennes region, where in winter the temperature is several degrees lower and snow often falls. In some places it rains 200 days a year.

Inland waters. The main rivers of Belgium are the Scheldt and the Meuse.

Soils and vegetation. The soils in Belgium are brown forest and podzolic. Broad-leaved forests occupy almost 20% of the territory). There are many protected areas and natural parks (Haut-Fan, Kalmthout, etc.).

Animal world. Wild boars, fallow deer, roe deer, hares, squirrels, and wood mice are found mainly in the Ardennes. Partridges, woodcocks, pheasants, and ducks live in the marshy thickets.

Population and language

Belgium has a population of 10.175 million people. About 60% of Belgium's population is Flemish. The Flemings live mainly in the northern provinces of Belgium: West and East Flanders, Antwerp, Limburg and northern Brabant. French-speaking Walloons, who make up 40% of the population, live in the south of Brabant, in the provinces of Hainaut, Liege, Luxembourg, and Namur. In the east of the country (province of Liege), the majority of the population speaks German.

In terms of population density, Belgium ranks one of the first in Europe: 550 people per 1 sq. km. Belgium is a highly urbanized country: more than 90%) of the population lives in cities.

Linguistic division: During the Middle Ages, French was the language of the aristocracy, and Flemish was the language of the bourgeoisie and the lower classes. After the formation of the Kingdom of Belgium in 1830, French became the official language: teaching in schools, higher educational institutions, and legal proceedings were conducted in French.

In 1962, a linguistic boundary was drawn between the two communities in Belgium and teaching was allowed in both French and Flemish. In 1982, this division culminated in the creation of a federation consisting of the Flemish North, Walloon South and Brussels. Brussels, as the capital of the state, has a special bilingual status: despite the predominant (90%) French-speaking population, French and Flemish languages ​​are equal.

Religion

The predominant religion in Belgium is Roman Catholic.

Brief historical sketch

Until 1714, Belgium was called the Spanish Netherlands, from 1714 - the Austrian Netherlands, from 1830 - the Kingdom of Belgium.

1579 - Union of Arras - an attempt to conclude a separate treaty by Philip II and two southern provinces - Artois and Hainault (Gennegau).

1584-1598 - defeat of the anti-Spanish movement in the southern provinces: Bruges and Ghent were taken in 1584, Brussels in 1585, and Antwerp after fierce resistance.

In 1604, Ostend, the last Dutch outpost in the southern provinces, was captured by the Spaniards.

In 1598-1621. - Archduke Albert VII and his wife, Archduchess Isabella, daughter of Philip II, were rulers of the Spanish Netherlands. It was a period of relative prosperity and stability.

In 1648, the Peace of Westphalia confirmed that the southern provinces of the Netherlands belonged to Spain.

In 1667-1697 During the wars of Louis XIV, the French army invaded the Spanish Netherlands several times.

1701-1714 - War of the Spanish Succession. 1714 - Peace of Utrecht: The Spanish Netherlands ceded to Austria. Prince Eugene of Savoy was appointed stadtholder, on whose behalf the Marquis de Prie ruled.

1740-1780 - reign of the Austrian Empress Maria Theresa. Prince Charles of Lorraine was appointed Stadtholder of the Austrian Netherlands. A period of stability and prosperity for the country. School reform. Foundation of the Academy of Sciences.

1745-1748 - War of the Austrian Succession. Battle of Fontenoy (1745). The French conquered almost the entire territory of the southern Netherlands. 1748 - Peace of Aachens: the southern Netherlands are again under the rule of the Austrian Empire.

In 1789-1790 Under the influence of the French Revolution, a popular uprising occurs in Belgium. The United Belgian States are proclaimed. After the suppression of the uprising, the country again fell under Austrian rule.

In 1792-1794. the country was occupied by French troops, and 1795-1813. - annexed to France. In 1815, the Battle of Waterloo took place, ending in the defeat of Napoleon.

In 1815-1830 Belgium was part of the United Netherlands.

In 1830 the Belgian revolution began. There were uprisings in Brussels, Antwerp, and Louvain. Belgian independence was proclaimed. In 1831, the London Agreement of the Allied Powers (England, France, Russia, Austria and Prussia) recognized the country's independence. Leopold I, Prince of Coburg was elected King of Belgium.

In 1834 the University of Brussels was founded. In 1835, a railway was opened between Mechelen and Brussels, the first on the European continent.

In 1914-1918 Belgium was occupied by the German army during the First World War. In 1919, as compensation for damage caused during the war, Germany transferred the areas of Eupen and Malmedy to Belgium.

In 1939-1945. Belgium was again occupied by the German army during World War II.

In 1944-48. The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg united in the Benelux customs union, and in 1958 they created an economic union.

In 1960-1990 Tensions between the Flemings and the Francophones (French-speaking population) intensified. In 1963, a “language barrier” between these population groups was legalized. In 1980, two autonomous regions were created: Flanders and Wallonia. Brussels received a special status. In 1984, a German-speaking region was created in eastern Belgium.

Brief Economic Sketch

Belgium is a highly developed industrial country with intensive agriculture. Coal mining. Ferrous metallurgy, mechanical engineering (automotive, electrical, production of weapons equipment), chemical (plastics, synthetic fibers, rubber) and petrochemical, textile, and food industries are developed. Diamond cutting, diamond trading. The main branch of agriculture is meat and dairy farming. Main crops: wheat, barley, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables. Export: industrial equipment, cars, chemical and pharmaceutical products, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, textiles, jewelry diamonds.

The monetary unit is the Belgian franc.

Brief sketch of culture

Art and architecture. Brussels. City Hall (from the bombing of 1695, only the three-story facade of the city hall, built in 1401-1455 by J. van Ruysbroeck in the Gothic style, has survived); a unique symbol of the city of Mappeke K$ (a fountain bronze statue of a small pissing boy, created in 1619 by Hieronymus Duxnois the Elder); gothic church of st. Nicholas, damaged by the bombing of 1695 and reconstructed in the 50s of the 20th century; City Exchange building, built in 1871-1873. in an over-exuberant neoclassical style; Brussels Opera House (built in 1819 in the classicist style, the interiors designed by the architect Poehler were completed only in 1856); the thirty-story tower of the Roger International Center (1960; it houses 85 companies employing 2,500 people, 2 theaters and underground parking for 2 thousand cars); Gallery of St. Hubert (1847; the first glazed covered gallery in Europe, which provided space for shops, restaurants, cafes and theaters; the Gallery of St. Hubert reaches a length of 213 m and consists of two large galleries - the Rhine and Royal - and one small Princes' Gallery); Chapel of Our Lady (considered one of the oldest churches in the city; it began to be built at the beginning of the 13th century, the nave dates back to the 15th century, and the western tower has a Baroque finish. Inside, the remains of frescoes from the 15th century are preserved. Many famous people are buried in the church, including in the third chapel of the southern aisle there is an epitaph to Pieter Bruegel the Elder, who was buried here in 1569); the Anspache fountain, 20 m high, named after the mayor of Brussels (1863-1879) Jules Anspache, the main initiator of the creation of internal boulevards; Church of St. Jean of the Order of the Beguines (1657-1676, architect L. Faidherb; three-nave cruciform basilica with a hexagonal tower behind the altar); Brussels Cathedral dedicated to the patron saint of the city, St. Michael and St. Gudule (their sculptural images can be seen on the Gothic gable of the western façade of the cathedral: “St.

Michael trampling the dragon" and in the bottom row: "St. Gudula between two saints." The construction of the temple began in 1220 with the choir; the completion of the work dates back to the 15th century. During the Reformation, the temple was severely damaged, then it was subjected to significant destruction during the bombing of 1695. It is believed that under Napoleon Bonaparte the cathedral was partially restored, and comprehensive restoration continues to this day. The picturesque compositions in the southern chapel belong to the school of Rubens. Carved oak pulpit, the work of the sculptor X. Verbruggen (1699), Museums of Fine Arts, which now consist of two separate museums; The Museum of Ancient Art is not only the largest art museum in Belgium, but also the largest collection of paintings and drawings by the Old Netherlandish masters, Flemish painting and sculpture in Europe. The museum was founded in the 1830s, when it contained 400 works); Royal Palace; Brussels Park (hunting place of the Counts of Brabant, known from documents from the 14th century. The modern park was designed in 1776-1780 by B. Guimard based on the model of the Versailles park); The Palais des Nations was built in 1779-1783. based on Guimard's design. Now it houses the Senate and several ministries); The Royal School of Music (the building of which was built in 1876-1877. It houses the Museum of Instruments of the Royal Conservatory. More than 500 exhibits are exhibited in a small room, among which you can find such ancient instruments as the viola da gamba, a miniviola designed to be carried in the pocket of a street musician. The whole hall is dedicated to the inventor of the saxophone, the Belgian Adolphe Sax); Congress Column (45 m high, built in 1850-1859 in honor of the Congress of 1830. An eternal flame burns here in memory of the soldiers who died in the two world wars of the 20th century); Royal Museum of Art and History (the most interesting are the collections of antiquities, works of the Egyptian, ancient Greek and Roman periods, the section of decorative and applied arts: medieval and modern tapestries, lace, silver jewelry, porcelain, glass, furniture - and a collection of casts); Autoworld museum (various types of engines and car models are on display); "Mini-Europe" park (models of famous buildings of the countries of the European Community are collected. The park began to be created in 1987: first, an art history commission selected the most architecturally interesting monuments, the most important from a religious point of view, the most significant for the historical and economic development of Europe, the most spectacular technological projects of the 20th century. ; then 55 masters of making models from eight European countries began to work); Cathedral of Our Lady (built in 1854-1872 according to the design of the architect Pöhler). Lat-Verpen. Town Hall (built in 1561-1565 according to the design of the Renaissance architect K. de Frindt and partially renovated in 1581); Cathedral of Our Lady (the largest Gothic church in Belgium: height 40 m with a width of 55 m and a length of 117 m; the construction of a huge seven-nave cathedral was carried out from 1352 to 1616 by many architects, among whom were G. and D. van Wagemaker, R. Keldermans, P. Appelmans. Here are the paintings by P. P. Rubens: “The Raising of the Cross” (1610), the famous triptych “The Descent from the Cross” (1612), “The Assumption” (1625), etc. Machelen. Cathedral of St. Romuald (construction work The cathedral began in 1217, but it was finally completed in 1452-1546. Liege. St. Martin's Basilica, which was built in the XIII-XIV centuries; Museum and Academy of Fine Arts (among works of modern sculpture and painting - portrait of Napoleon by Ingres, which the emperor donated to the city). only the eastern crypt.

The choir of the modern cathedral dates back to the 14th century; the choir chapels were built in the Flamboyant Gothic style in the 16th century. The western tower with four octagonal turrets on the sides, designed by J. Stassins, was built in the Brabant Gothic style in the 15th century. The transept and nave, begun in the 13th-14th centuries, were completed only by 1539-1559. in the style of flaming Gothic. Until the 16th century The cathedral was dedicated to St. John; The main shrine of the cathedral is a polyptych-altar by the brothers Gurbert and Jan van Eyck, made in 1432 for the family chapel in the crypt of the burgomaster of Ghent I. Veidt and his wife I. Bollyut. The altar is huge - height 3.5 m, width 5 m, and includes 14 images when opened); Church of St. Nicholas (a wonderful example of Burgundian Gothic); the gun, called Mad Greta, because after the first shot it cracked. Bruges. Chapel of St. Basil of Caesarea, better known as the Chapel or Basilica of St. Blood (built in 1139-1149 to house a reliquary with drops of Christ’s blood taken from Jerusalem during the 1st Crusade). Louvain. Catholic University.

The science. A. Vesalius (1514-64) - naturalist, founder of anatomy; S. Stevin (1548-1620) - author of the most important works on hydrostatics, navigation, etc.; L. Dollo - paleontologist, who discovered the law of irreversibility of evolution), 3. Gram (1826-1901) - inventor of the dynamo; J. Lemaitre (1894-1966) - creator of the model of the expanding Universe.

The Kingdom of Belgium is a small state in the northwestern part of Europe.

The country has a small outlet to the North Sea, 100 km east of the Pas-de-Calais Strait. However, the monotonous nature of the northern coast of the region completely deprives Belgium of maritime island territories. A detailed map of Belgium shows that the country's largest island, Monsen, barely exceeds 1 km 2 in size. Despite its small size, the population of Belgium reaches 11,800,000 inhabitants. This makes the country second in Europe after the Netherlands (not counting dwarf states) in terms of population density - 368 people per km 2.

Belgium is one of the most urbanized countries on the planet. About 98% of the country's population lives in urban agglomerations.

Belgium on the world map: geography, nature and climate

The size of the country is small - from the coast to the southeastern tip no more than 250 km. Belgium occupies only 30,528 km 2 on the world map, but the length of the country’s borders, due to their significant ruggedness, is about 1,385 km. The largest section of the border lies in the southwest of the country with France. The country is bordered to the north and north and northeast by the Netherlands, to the east by Germany, and to the southeast by Luxembourg.

Geographical position

The small size of the country determines the relative poverty of its topography. Geographically, Belgium is usually divided into 3 parts: low, middle and high. But Haute Belgium, located in the Ardennes Mountains region, does not exceed 500 meters in height. The highest point on the map of Belgium in Russian is Mount Botrange - only 694 meters above sea level. Middle and Low Belgium is a largely flat region, replete with fertile alluvial lowlands. The country's coastline has virtually no relief and is often bordered by dams that protect the plains from flooding.

Belgium has a wide network of large deep rivers. The Scheldt River flows through the flat part of the country in the northwest, and the Meuse, the largest river in Western Europe, flows in the Ardennes region. Most other rivers are their tributaries. There are no large lakes in Belgium. The largest - O-Dore - is of artificial origin and does not exceed 6 km 2 in area.

Animal and plant life

Despite the high level of urbanization and population density, the nature of Belgium is quite diverse. The northwestern and central regions of the country are rich in meadow vegetation, and agricultural areas are characterized by a wide distribution of bocages. About 19% of the country - mostly in Upper Belgium - is still covered in forests. Beeches, oaks and hornbeams are common here. Red deer, roe deer, wild boars, martens and brown hares have been preserved in the forests. There are also many species of birds to be found in Belgium - populations of pheasants, partridges and woodcocks are widespread.

Climate

The climate of most of the country is temperate maritime. Only the southeastern regions are more susceptible to a continental climate. On the coast and in the central regions, the average temperature ranges between 3°C in winter and 18-20°C in summer. In Upper Belgium, temperatures are on average 4-5°C lower. The regions of the country also differ in the amount of precipitation. In the Ardennes Mountains, this figure can reach up to 1300 mm per year, but towards the coast it decreases to 700 mm.

Map of Belgium with cities. Administrative division of the country

The administrative structure of the country has a rather complicated structure. Belgium is usually divided into three main regions: Flemish, Walloon and capital. Flanders and Wallonia are comparable in area, but have significant autonomy from each other. The official language of Wallonia is French, while Flemish is spoken in Flanders. Each region, except the capital, is divided into five provinces. Thus, on the map of Belgium with cities in Russian, you can count 11 provinces. The country's population is unevenly distributed. Thus, less than a third of the population lives in the Walloon region, which occupies 55% of the country.

Brussels- the capital and largest city of Belgium. Located in the center of the country. The city's population is small - about 180,000 people. However, Brussels is the capital of several of the world's largest international organizations. The headquarters of NATO, the EU government, and the secretariat of the Benelux countries are located here.

Antwerp is the main port city located in the north of the country at the mouth of the Scheldt River. It is the second largest port in Europe after Rotterdam, and is also one of the twenty largest ports in the world.

The city lies 17 km from the North Sea Bruges. Its location at the intersection of three of the region's most important shipping canals gave the city the nickname "Venice of the North." The historic center of Bruges has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

- a small kingdom, which is located in Western Europe, has a truly considerable history and is very popular among tourists from other countries. So what is her secret?

Belgium is divided into two historical parts. The first part is Flanders, speaks Dutch. Wallonia is the southern part, speaks French and the reasons for this division are deeply rooted in European history. The main cities in greatest demand among tourists are Brussels, the capital of Belgium, Bruges and Antwerp.

The basis of the architecture is made up of numerous medieval castles, monasteries, and bell towers left over from the times of the Knights of the Round Table. But the strongest impression is made by the local towns with the architecture typical of any medieval city, clean streets, pavements and embankments. Almost every Belgian city has old, medieval cathedrals, fortresses, and guild buildings. This allows us to say that upon arrival in this amazing country, you will fully immerse yourself in its history and get an unforgettable experience.

Belgium on the world map and on the map of Europe

Below is an interactive map of Belgium in Russian from Google. You can move the map left and right, up and down with the mouse, and also change the scale of the map using the “+” and “-” icons, which are located at the bottom on the right side of the map, or using the mouse wheel. In order to find out where Belgium is located on the world map, use the same method to reduce the scale of the map even further.

In addition to the map with the names of objects, you can look at Belgium from a satellite if you click on the “Show satellite map” switch in the lower left corner of the map.

Map of Belgium with cities in Russian

Below is another map of Belgium. To see the map in full size, click on it and it will open in a new window. You can also print it out and take it with you on the road.

You have been presented with the most basic and detailed maps of Belgium, which you can always use to search for an object of interest to you or for any other purposes. Have a nice trip!