[custom_adv] Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Western Europe. It is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to the southwest, and the North Sea to the northwest. [custom_adv] Belgium is a densely populated country trying to balance the conflicting demands of urbanization, transport and industry with commercial and intensive agriculture. [custom_adv] It imports large quantities of raw materials and exports a large volume of manufactured goods, mostly to other EU countries. Belgium is the homeland of Peyo, the creator of the Smurfs. [custom_adv] Belgium is the heir of several former Medieval powers, previously named Belgae (or Belgica reference to the Roman Empire period), and you will see traces of these everywhere during your trip in this country. [custom_adv] After the collapse of the Carolingian Empire in the 9th century, the territory that is nowadays Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg, was part of Lotharingia, an ephemeral kingdom soon to be absorbed into the Holy Roman Empire; however, the special character of "Lower Lotharingia" remained intact in the feudal Empire: this is the origin of the Low Countries, a general term that encompasses present-day Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg. [custom_adv] Belgium occupies part of the Roman province of Belgica, named after the Belgae, a people of ancient Gaul. The area was conquered by Julius Caesar in 57–50 B.C., then was overrun by the Franks in the 5th century A.D. [custom_adv] It was part of Charlemagne's empire in the 8th century, then in the next century was absorbed into Lotharingia and later into the duchy of Lower Lorraine. [custom_adv] Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Western Europe. It is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to the southwest, and the North Sea to the northwest. [custom_adv] Belgium is a densely populated country trying to balance the conflicting demands of urbanization, transport and industry with commercial and intensive agriculture.
