Population: 10.5 million (July 2009 estimate) Area:
Approximately 11,780 square miles (30,528 sq km) Borders:
France, Luxembourg, Germany and the Netherlands Coastline: About
40 miles (60 km) on the North Sea Belgium is an important
country to both Europe and the rest of the world as its capital,
Brussels, is the headquarters the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO) and of the European Commission and the
Council of the European Union. In addition, that city is the
home of many worldwide banking and insurance firms, leading some
to call Brussels the unofficial capital of Europe. History of
Belgium Like many of the world's countries, Belgium has a long
history. Its name is derived from the Belgae, a Celtic tribe
that lived in the area in the first century B.C.E. Also, during
the first century, the Romans invaded the area and Belgium was
controlled as a Roman province for nearly 300 years. Around 300
C.E., Rome's power began to diminish when Germanic tribes were
pushed into the area and eventually the Frank