Belgium is a relatively small country with two culturally distinct halves. The northern part of Belgium, known as Flanders, speaks mostly Flemish (a Dutch dialect). Wallonia, the southern half, has French as its common language. Eastern Wallonia is also home to a minority of German-speaking Belgians. Brussels, a region on its own, sits just slightly north of center and is considered bilingual, with 85% of its population speaking French.
Belgium is sandwiched between France to the west and the Netherlands and Germany to the east. Luxembourg lies to the south, and the English Channel is to the north. The northern half of the country is flat and predominantly agricultural, and the south is noted for its hills and woods—particularly in the Ardennes region in the country's southeast corner.
