Belgium may not have a high level of tourism, but it is a very well-known country. It is known for its waffles and Belgian chocolates. The Belgian people are rich in culture and very proud of their country. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Belgium is located on the European continent. Its official name is the Kingdom of Belgium and its capital is Brussels. Its population is nine hundred and seventy-six thousand, five hundred and thirty-six inhabitants. Belgium borders the Netherlands, Germany, France and the North Sea. Belgium is rich in culture. People in Belgium have freedom of religion and ninety-eight percent of the population is Catholic. One hundred and fifty thousand people are Protestants and forty thousand people are Jews. Belgians are big meat eaters and big beer drinkers. In fact, Belgians drink more beer than any other national group except Germany. Their favorite dishes are carbonades, which is beef stewed in beer, and waterzooi, which is chicken or fish soup. Belgians speak Dutch, French or German. There are many festivals in Belgium. One of the most popular festivals is the Gilles March. During the Gilles March boys and men dress in brightly colored clothes and wear hats filled with ostrich feathers. They throw oranges at people in the crowd and the undressed boys blow out sheep's bladders and hit anyone who isn't wearing a fancy hat. The Gilles supposedly represent the Inca Indians who were defeated and the oranges represent the gold taken by the Spanish. Additionally, the townspeople leave their doors open so that some guests can enter the house and have a glass of champagne. Another popular festival is the Cat Festival, held every May in Ypres. During the Cat Festival people throw toy cats from the Cloth Hall, which is a tall building. This festival represents the time when people threw cats away from the Cloth Hall because there were too many of them. Furthermore, during the festival a fake witch is burned at the stake and at the end there is a great fireworks display. There are also many medieval festivals in Belgium. Belgium's main sport is football, which is the main sport of many countries. Other sports in Belgium include tennis, horse riding, rowing and hiking. There are also two strange sports in Belgium that people in Western Europe should know about. One is called pigeon racing where pigeons fly across Spain, France and Belgium. More than one hundred pigeons can participate in a competition. Another strange sport is sand sailing. The vessel for sailing on sand is called a sand yacht and is built just like sailboats, except that they are made for land and not water. Belgium has a constitutional, representative government and a hereditary monarchy. The monarch is head of state and is known as the King of the Belgians. He has limited political power and they have an important role in choosing the prime minister. It also serves as a symbol of national unity. The Senate in Belgium has 181 members and the House of Representatives has 212 members. Their constitution was revised in 1971. Their cabinet must have an equal number of Dutch- and French-speaking ministers. Belgians have freedom of education. Children must go to school between the ages of six and fifteen. Belgium also has one of the highest literacy rates in the world. Almost all children attend preschool and kindergarten. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay In conclusion, Belgium is very proud of their culture and they are. (2016)., 56(1), 36-54.