The People

The population of Belgium, a nation in Western Europe, is around 11,570,762. Belgians of ethnic origin comprise 75% of the population. Dutch, French, and German are the three official languages of the nation. German is only spoken by 1% of the population, although considerable portions of the population speak Dutch (60%) and French (40%) fluently.

In Belgium, Christianity is the most common religion. Roman Catholicism is practiced by about 50% of the populace. The majority of people in the nation (32.6%) do not practice any religion. There are two main cultural groupings in Belgium. The majority of the people of Flanders, in the north, are Dutch-speaking Flemings. A third of the people in Wallonia, in the south, are French-speaking Walloons.

Belgians, who consider themselves to be Europeans first, Walloons or Flemings second, and Belgians third, respect hard work and love of culture. A healthy family structure is essential to Belgian society. Although they generally reside in or close to the town where they were reared, extended families sometimes live in separate dwellings.