Belgium Geography 1997

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

Geographic coordinates 50 50 N, 4 00 E

Map references Europe

Area
total : 30,510 sq km
land: 30,230 sq km
water: 280 sq km

Area - comparative about the size of Maryland

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

Coastline 64 km

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

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

Terrain flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountainsof Ardennes Forest in southeast

Elevation extremes
lowest point: North Sea 0 m
highest point : Signal de Botrange 694 m

Natural resources coal, natural gas

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

Irrigated land 10 sq km including Luxembourg (1993 est.)

Natural hazards flooding is a threat in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected fromthe sea by concrete dikes

Environment - current issues Meuse River, a major source of drinking water, polluted from steel productionwastes; other rivers polluted by animal wastes and fertilizers; industrialair pollution contributes to acid rain in neighboring countries

Environment - international agreements
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, EnvironmentalModification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation,Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-VolatileOrganic Compounds, Law of the Sea

Geography - note crossroads of Western Europe; majority of West European capitals within1,000 km of Brussels which is the seat of both the EU and NATO

NOTE: The information regarding Belgium on this page is re-published from the 1997 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Belgium Geography 1997 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Belgium Geography 1997 should be addressed to the CIA.