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Practical guide for Canadian students

Belgium map

Belgium and Wallonia-Brussels Federation

Belgium is made up of three communities: the Flemish, the German-speaking, and the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, which represents French speakers in Wallonia and Brussels. Responsible for areas such as education and culture, the latter promotes the French language while fostering national harmony.

A multicultural country at the heart of Europe

Belgium is one of the six founding members of the European Union and hosts, in its capital Brussels, many of the EU’s and other international institutions, including the European Parliament, the European Commission and NATO. Thanks to its international outlook, Brussels is now the most multicultural region in Europe and the second worldwide, after Dubai. Nearly 200 nationalities live side by side here, speaking more than 180 foreign languages.

Key figures

Area : [30 528 km²]

Area : 30 528 km²

Population : Nearly [11 800 000] inhabitants

Population : Nearly 11 800 000 inhabitants

including more than [4,700,000] in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation

including more than 4,700,000 in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation

FORM OF STATE: Federal parliamentary constitutional [monarchy]

FORM OF STATE: Federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy

CAPITAL: [Brussels]

CAPITAL: Brussels

CURRENCY: [Euro (€)]

CURRENCY: Euro (€)

KING: [Philippe]

KING: Philippe

OFFICIAL LANGUAGES: [French,] Dutch, German

OFFICIAL LANGUAGES: French, Dutch, German

Our stars are known worldwide!

Our stars are known worldwide!

DJs Lost Frequencies, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike and Henri PFR, Stromae, Jacques Brel, Angèle, les Schtoumpfs, Tintin, Marsupilami, René Magritte…

We invented the saxophone.

We invented the saxophone.

But we left the invention of jazz to someone else.

Not all artists have covered a Jacques Brel songs.

Not all artists have covered a Jacques Brel songs.

Only Frank Sinatra, David Bowie, Nina Simone, Céline Dion, Nirvana…

Chocolate is best when it’s kept out of the sun.

Chocolate is best when it’s kept out of the sun.

No wonder the best one is found in Belgium!

They’ve taken a vow of silence.

They’ve taken a vow of silence.

Our Trappist monks will never say they brew the best beer in the world.

Our national symbol DOESN’T have quite the same cachet as Lady Liberty.

Our national symbol DOESN’T have quite the same cachet as Lady Liberty.

But he does fully enjoy his freedom.

14,500 km of cycle paths in a country that is only 280 km long.

14,500 km of cycle paths in a country that is only 280 km long.

Not bad at all, is it?

We’d drop names like Van Noten and Demeulemeester.

We’d drop names like Van Noten and Demeulemeester.

That is, if it was in our nature to name-drop.

Study, research, innovation

In the student population

Of international students

21%

Of international students

Of international professors

20%

Of international professors

Of international PhD students

47%

Of international PhD students

Percentage of phd students by nationality

Belgian nationality

53%

Belgian nationality

Non-eu nationals

27%

Non-eu nationals

20%

Eu nationals

Belgian scientific research recognised worldwide

[4] Nobel prizes in Medecine

4 Nobel prizes in Medecine

[5] Nobel Peace prizes

5 Nobel Peace prizes

[1] Nobel prize in Literature

1 Nobel prize in Literature

[1] Nobel prize in chemistry

1 Nobel prize in chemistry

[1] Nobel prize in Physics

1 Nobel prize in Physics

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Its intense cultural life, its excellent health system, its easy access to a wide variety of sports activities and its high-performing public transport network are just some of the advantages that make French-speaking Belgium such a great place in the world to live.