Belgium Facts

Belgium has the highest income tax of any OECD country. Find out some more amazing facts about this interesting country!

• The country is being run by a caretaker government.

• Belgium produces around 220,000 tonnes of chocolate every year.

• Belgians should be given credit for their “French Fries“. It wasn’t France who came up with fries at the first place.
  

  The central square of Brussels, the Grote Markt or Grand Place is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

• Belgium produces the highest number of comic books in the world (even more than Japan).

• The world’s main diamond center and second largest petrochemical center is in Belgium.

• The Royal Palace of Brussels is 50% longer than Buckingham Palace.

• Belgium also has enforced compulsory voting.

• It grants the most new citizenship per capita in the world.

• The saxophone was invented in Belgium, in the early 1840′s by Adolphe Sax.

• In the 15^th century, Belgians were credited with inventing oil painting.

• Brussels sprouts have been grown in Belgium for over 400 years.

• Belgians tend to be liberal thinkers. They legalized euthanasia in 2002.

• Belgium was the scene of Napoleon’s final defeat, at Waterloo, south of Brussels.

• The Law Courts of Brussels is the largest court of justice in the world (26,000 m² at ground level). It is bigger than Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

• It has the world’s longest rail network with 4078 kilometers if you add all the tracks together.