A constitutional monarchy rules Belgium, formally known as the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal parliamentary democracy. It is a sovereign state. Nestled in Northwestern Europe, Belgium is a federal constitutional monarchy spanning 30,689 km2 and home to more than 11.5 million people. The North Sea, the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, and France surround it. The nation has three autonomous regions: Wallonia, Brussels-Capital, and Flanders. It is part of the Low Country region. Flemish, French, and German-speaking communities make up Belgium’s diverse linguistic environment. Its geographic center has historically served as a battlefield for European nations, leading to its moniker, “the Battlefield of Europe.” The Congo Free State was one of Belgium’s colonies in Africa. The country was also a major player in the Industrial Revolution. To ease tensions between speakers of Dutch and French, the nation moved from a unitary to a federal structure between 1970 and 1993. Belgium is a developed nation with a good standard of living. It is a part of the WTO, OECD, NATO, EU, and Eurozone. Brussels, an important centre for international organizations, highlights Belgium’s importance on a global scale.