- [Narrator] Most people outside of Europe
don't really know much about Belgium,
and even other Europeans tend not to know too much about it.
From being the seat of the EU, to waffles,
to its many political divisions,
Belgium is a small land with an abundance of history.
Which is why it is now time
to give you the 10 things you didn't know about Belgium.
In 1912, the Walloon politician Jules Destree,
wrote in a letter to the king
(speaking in a foreign language)
or, there are no Belgians,
and his statement was as true then as it is now.
The Belgian state was officially created in 1831
by the powers that were at the time,
despite great differences in the populations,
most of which followed along linguistic lines.
Most Belgians are Flemish speakers,
followed by Walloons, and finally,
a small German-speaking minority in the east of the country.
As can be expected for a country with multiple languages,
there are sometimes problems
that go beyond mere communication.
The Flemish generally do not get alone with the Walloons,
who speak French, and vice versa,
and there is little reason for common cause.
Add to the fact that Brussels is the seat of the EU,
and it becomes clear that no such thing
as a distinct Belgian identity exists.
This will likely remain so for many years to come,
and thus, Belgium shall also remain a divided country.
While Italy's most renowned for its historical place
in the development that would later be called
the Renaissance, there was a later,
but just as vibrant Northern Renaissance,
that also produced great art.
During the 15th and 16th century,
there was no clear distinction
between the Netherlands and Belgium,
and two painters born at the time
were Pieter Bruegel and Hieronymus Bosch
that really stand out.
Hieronymus Bosch painted in a style,
that, for his time, was hardly known,
creating fantastical works of art
that displayed diabolical creatures,
bizarre structures, and strange occurrences.
His painting, The Garden of Earthly Delights,
is one of the most famous paintings in the world
and depicts, alternatively, scenes of both hell and heaven,
some even have speculated
that his art style ultimately inspired
modern dark fantasy art.
Pieter Bruegel also worked with such elements,
such as in his famous painting, The Triumph of Death,
but also portrayed everyday peasant life with equal rigor.
The Flemish Renaissance was a unique phenomenon
that deserves more attention and interest.
They say that all that is certain in life
is death and taxes
and in Belgium, that might be truer than other places.
Belgium actually has one of the highest tax rates in Europe,
with high earners working over
57.8 percent of their income to the government.
One of the reasons for this
is the heavily socialized system of medicare
and other public services that depend
on high tax revenue to function at their maximum,
so if Belgium's taxes ever were lower,
the country's infrastructure could crumble.
Many countries have cities that are distinct
from what you will typically find,
but in Belgium, this is truer than elsewhere.
Two locations in particular that really shine here
and those are Antwerp and Bruges.
Antwerp has been one of the most important cites
in Europe in terms of economics and trade for centuries
and its port remains the second most active one in Europe,
even today, after Hunterdon.
Historically, it has been well known
for its diamond cutting and polishing (mumbles),
and even today, approximately 84 percent
of the world's rough diamonds pass through
the so called diamond district.
Bruges exists on the opposite end of spectrum
and is well known for its unique medieval architecture
that remains intact even today.
Just browsing the city streets and walking around
makes you think you currently find yourself
in a medieval fantasy world of unparalleled beauty.
Every year, untold numbers of tourists visit Bruges
just to glimpse the medieval glory of the past
that has been lost in so many other cities.
As mentioned prior, Belgium is a divided land,
and one of the long standing issues it faces
is that of Flemish nationalism.
Flemish itself is essentially a variety of Dutch,
but is often regarded as a different language
for political reasons.
Many Flemish people feel no connection
to the other groups within Belgium
and some have petitioned for a
separate country of their own.
One of the most important political parties in this regard,
is the Vlaams Belang, or Flemish interest party,
which is headed by Tom Van Grieken
and is considered to be part of the right wing
populous movement that is growing in Europe.
Its stated goal is the creation of a separate Flemish nation
but not all Belgians are behind the idea,
even Flemish speakers,
because Belgians tend to be majority liberal.
Still Vlaams Belang claims that is the artificial nature
of Belgium that causes tensions
and prevents true flourishing.
Belgium was fairly limited in colonial ambitions
and in the realization of these ambitions
having only colonized parts of Central Africa,
but considering what the country managed to do,
it struck gold quite literally.
The Democratic Republic of Congo was
and remains one of the most
mineral rich countries in the world
and from 1885 to 1962,
it was a possession of the Belgian monarchy.
The resource richness of the area
allowed Belgium to prosper
at a level few other European countries could at the time.
Unlike many European countries, however,
such as Britain or France, Belgian colonies,
such as Congo, were rarely if ever referred to as empire,
rather, they were seen merely as colonies and regions
worthy of economic exploitation.
Many people have heard of Belgian chocolate,
but few people know the extent
of Belgian chocolate production.
Belgium produces 220 thousand tons
of chocolate each and every year
and is known for some of the most delicious
and unique varieties of chocolate in the world.
One of the most famous kinds of Belgian chocolate
is the praline, which is a soft center
chocolate bonbon of sorts.
Chocolate making in Belgium goes back more than 400 years,
but much of Belgium's chocolate fame
has to do with Congo being a former Belgian colony
and, with it, the ability to import vast amounts of cocoa
to make the chocolate that everyone craved.
The colonial times are over,
but the chocolate reputation remains.
As a testament to its chocolaty nature,
the Brussels International Airport
is the world's biggest chocolate selling point.
It might seem like a distant memory,
but, at one time, the land that would become Belgium
was part of the Spanish Habsburg Empire.
Modern Belgium was Spanish territory from 1581 to 1714
and this occupation had left a lasting mark
in Belgium's society at the time.
Spain also controlled much of the Netherlands
during this time and it was an era
of tremendous tribulation and blood shed.
Much of the infamous 30 years war
took place within the Spanish occupied territories.
This might seem like a remarkable circumstance,
but we have to remember that during the early modern era,
European powers were constantly at each other's throats
and thus, Spanish occupation should not surprise us.
With more than 800 varieties of beer,
Belgium consumes between 100 and 150 liters
of beer per person each year.
One thing that immediately strikes you about Belgian beer
is its immense variety and, in particular,
the variety of flavor.
Some are dry, some are biter,
and some resemble scotch ale more than they do beer.
Many of these types are brewed
by the famous Trappist breweries,
which are eleven monasteries called the Trappist Order
that have an ancient heritage of beer brewing
and continue to do so today.
In case you didn't know,
Belgium is a waffle land
and there are more than 12 regional varieties
including, but not limited to,
the Liege waffle, Brussels waffle,
Flemish waffle, Bergische waffle, stroopwafel,
and several others.
The concept of the modern waffle
is thought to have originated in Belgium
and waffles remain an important part of the culture
with such things as waffle vans in cities such as Brussels
and many street vendors selling the local variety.
Whatever your waffle pleasure might be,
you'll be sure to find it in Belgium, land of the waffle.
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and thanks for watching
and thanks for learning.