BELGIUM
The best kept secret
of Europe
Belgium, the best kept
secret of Europe
Where is Belgium?
In the Centre of Europe
Belgium, the best kept
secret of Europe
Independent since 1831, a constitutional
monarchy 君主立憲體制
A Federal Country 聯邦制國家
Three regions: Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels-Capital
Three Cultural communities: the French Speaking
Community, the Dutch Speaking Community and the
German Speaking Community
Three official languages : Dutch, French, German
10.63 million inhabitants
30528 KM²
Currency: euro, EUR, €
Euroland includes 15 out of 27
EU member states
Eurozone (15)
joining Eurozone
on 1 Jan 2009
(Slovakia)
比利時位於歐洲
三大主要文化的
中心
盎格魯薩克遜
歐盟27國人口: 4.99 億
歐盟27GDP : 世界GDP的 31%
Brussels
拉丁
日耳曼與
北歐
比利時地方自治結構
A Federal Country with three Regions
3 個自治區
Brussels
Flanders荷語
荷法雙語
法語
Wallonia
Belgium, the best kept
secret of Europe
A Federal Country with
Three Cultural Communities三個語言文化區
法語文化區
荷語文化區
德語文化區
Brussels-Capital
布魯塞爾首都區
• Capital of Belgium (and of Europe)
• An international business center:
2000 foreign companies, 160 multinational companies HQs
• Inhabitants : 1 million
• Official languages : French and
Dutch
• 2 universities
Flanders 法蘭德斯
The northern part of Belgium
• 13522 km
• 6 million inhabitants
• Official language :
Dutch/Flemish
• 5 universities
• Major cities: Antwerp,
Ghent, Bruge, Ostend,
Leuven
• Regional airports:
Antwerp, Ostend
• Seaports: Antwerp,
Zeebrugge
Wallonia 瓦隆尼亞
The southern part of Belgium
– 16844km²
– 3,4 million inhabitants
(French speaking + 71500
German speaking )
inhabitants
– Official language : French
– 9 universities
– Major cities:
Namur, Liège, Charleroi,
Mons, Nivelles, Eupen
– 2 regional airports
(Charleroi, Liège)
Belgium, the best kept secret
of Europe
Economy
GDP structure:
(source: World Bank)
agriculture 1.4%, industry 27%, services 71.6%
GDP in 2007: 448.6 billion USD
(source: World Bank)
GNI per capita 2007: 40710 USD
(source: World Bank)
Economic growth rate 2007: 2.8%
(source: World Bank)
Major industries: Automobile, Chemical & Petrochemical, Biotech & pharmaceutical, Microelectronics, Textile, Machinery, etc.
Belgium, the best kept secret
of Europe
Foreign Trade
• Export: 430.11 billion USD (2007 +7.6%)
• Import: import: 412.52 billion USD (2007 + 7.5%)
• Ranking 10th in the world leading exporters &
importers
• Major trading partners: DE, FR, NL, UK, US,
• Trade with Taiwan (2007)
Import from Taiwan: 1126.8 million USD
Export to Taiwan: 579.3 million USD
Belgium, the best kept secret
of Europe
Trade with Taiwan (2007)
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Major imports From
Taiwan
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Major exports to
Taiwan
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Machinery & equipment
Base metals & products
Transport equipment
Chemicals
Plastics
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Chemicals
Base metals & products
Machinery
Plastics
Food products
Belgium, the best kept secret
of Europe
Education system
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Free primary and secondary education
Schooling is compulsory from the age of 6 to 18
Education policies are made by the three communities
Structure:
– Primary (age 6-12)
– Secondary (general, specialized, technical, vocational,
professional) (age 12-18)
– Higher education (vocational and university)
Bachelor (3 years), Master (1-2 years), and
Doctorate (2 years at least)
The Past glory…
In 1910, Belgium was ... the third trade nation in the world, home to
the inventors of the saxophone, the trolleybus, the rollerskates, the
stroboscope, the first plastics, ... and the fathers of cartography,
human anatomics, plantgenetics, the bigbang theory ;
and ... the origin of SPA !
The Origin of SPA
• The City of Spa
Spa from the latin word « spagere »
A country with leading
technologies
and rich culture
• To beer or not to beer…
By Shakespeare
Belgium is also
a paradise of beers
• To beer or not to beer…
By ShakesBeer
A land of gastronomy
A few more famous Belgians
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Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin
Eddy Merckx (the greatest cyclist)
Ernest Solvay (the Solvay process)
The Dardenne Brothers (twice Palm d’Or winner)
Georges Lemaïtre (the Big Bang Theory)
César Auguste Franck (composer)
Paul Henri Spaak (founder of Benelux, Mr. Europe)
Dries Van Noten (fashion designer)
Georges Remi (Hergé, creator of Tintin)
Andreas Vesalius (anatomist and physician)
Quiz Time
Which of the following countries
are neighbours of Belgium?
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Denmark
Germany
France
Austria
The Netherlands
Italy
Luxembourg
Which of the following countries
are neighbours of Belgium?
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Denmark
Germany
France
Austria
The Netherlands
Italy
Luxembourg
Which of the following person is
Belgium’s incumbent head of state?
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Queen Elisabeth
Queen Beatrix
King Albert II
Queen Margrethe
King Baudouin
King Harald
Which of the following person is
Belgium’s incumbent head of state?
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Queen Elisabeth
Queen Beatrix
King Albert II
Queen Margrethe
King Baudouin
King Harald
Which of the following cities is
the capital of Belgium?
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Strasbourg
Salzburg
Maastricht
Brussels
Antwerp
Belgrade
Which of the following cities is
the capital of Belgium?
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Strasbourg
Salzburg
Maastricht
Brussels
Antwerp
Belgrade
Which of the following
monuments or buildings is
located in Belgium?
A.
D.
B.
E.
C.
Which of the following
monuments or buildings is
located in Belgium?
C.
Atomium
built in 1958 for the Brussels
World Fair (103 m)
Which of the following languages
are official languages in Belgium?
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English
French
Dutch
German
Spanish
Which of the following languages
are official languages in Belgium?
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English
French
Dutch
German
Spanish
Which of the following
chocolate brands are not
Belgian?
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Godiva
Café Tasse
Charlemagne
Neuhaus
Galler
Pierre Marcolini
Léonidas
Which of the following
chocolate brands are not
Belgian?
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Godiva
Café Tasse
Charlemagne
Neuhaus
Galler
Pierre Marcolini
Léonidas
Which of the following comic strip
personalities are of Belgian origin?
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Pop Eye
Tintin
Pink Panther
Snoopy
Smurfs
(Schtroumpfs)
• Winnie the Pooh
Which of the following comic strip
personalities are of Belgian origin?
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Pop Eye
Tintin
Pink Panther
Snoopy
Smurfs
(Schtroumpfs)
• Winnie the Pooh
Which of the following
artists are Belgian?
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Rembrandt
Cézanne
Rubens
Renoir
Van Dyck
Magritte
Delvaux
Titian
Which of the following
artists are Belgian?
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Rembrandt
Cézanne
Rubens
Renoir
Van Dyck
Magritte
Delvaux
Titian
Which of the following singers is
of Belgian origin?
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Yves Montant
Edith Piaf
Jacques Brel
Céline Dion
Nana Mouscuri
Which of the following singers is
of Belgian origin?
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Yves Montant
Edith Piaf
Jacques Brel
Céline Dion
Nana Mouscuri
Which of the following
International Organizations are
located in Belgium?
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WTO
UNESCO
NATO
European Commission
WHO
Which of the following
International Organizations are
located in Belgium?
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WTO
UNESCO
NATO
European Commission
WHO
Which one of the following
emperors was born in Belgium?
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Alexander the Great
Napoleon
Peter the Great
Charlemagne (Charles the
Great)
Which one of the following
emperors was born in Belgium?
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Alexander the Great
Napoleon
Peter the Great
Charlemagne (Charles the
Great, 742/747-814, King of
the Franks, coronated as
Holy Roman Emperor in 800)
Do you know any of the following
movie stars who was born in Belgium?
• Jean Réno
• Jean Claude Van
Damme
• Audrey Hepburn
• Olando Boom
• Johnny Depp
Do you know any of the following
movie stars who was born in Belgium?
• Jean Réno
• Jean Claude Van
Damme
 • Audrey Hepburn
• Olando Boom
• Johnny Depp
Which of the following musical
instruments was invented by a
Belgian?
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Piano
Trumpet
Cello
Violin
Saxophone
Oboe
Which of the following musical
instruments was invented by a
Belgian?
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Piano
Trumpet
Cello
Violin
Saxophone
Oboe
Adolph SAX made
the first saxophone
in 1846 at the age
of 20
Which of the following writers
are Belgian?
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Georges Simenon
Françoise Sagan
Maguérite Duras
Amélie Nothomb
Dan Brown
Agatha Christie
Which of the following writers
are Belgian?
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Georges Simenon
Françoise Sagan
Maguérite Duras
Amélie Nothomb
Dan Brown
Agatha Christie
For More information…
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www.belgium.gov.be
www.brusselsinternational.be
www.flanders.be
www.wallonia-international.be
www.beltrade.org.tw
Belgium, the best kept
secret of Europe
Thank you for your attention !
Michèle Decaux Wang
Trade and Investment Commissioner for Wallonia
Belgian office Taipei