Belgium (Cherry, Plum, and Chrysanthemum)

Kingdom of Belgium Koninkrijk België Timeline: Cherry, Plum, and Chrysanthemum OTL equivalent: Belgium without Wallonia
Flag Coat of arms
Motto:  Eendracht maakt macht (Dutch) ("Unity makes strength")
Anthem:  De Brabançonne
Location of Belgium
Capital		Brussels
Official languages		Dutch
Ethnic groups		Flemish; Walloons; Germans
Religion		Christianity; Irreligion; Islam
Demonym		Belgian
Government		Unitary state; Constitutional monarchy
-	King	Filip
-	Prime Minister	Alexander De Croo
Legislature		Parliament of Belgium
-	Upper house	Senate
-	Lower house	Chamber of Representatives
Establishment
-	Independence from France	April 31, 1848
-	Treaty of London	February 12, 1854
Area
-	Total	13,683 km2  5,283 sq mi
Population
-	estimate	7,820,915
Currency		Euro (EUR)
Time zone		CET (UTC+1)
Internet TLD		.be
Calling code		+32
Membership international or regional organizations		United Nations; European Community

Belgium (Dutch: België), officially the Kingdom of Belgium (Dutch: Koninkrijk België) is a constitutional monarchy in Western Europe. Belgium covers an area of 13,683 sq km (5283 sq mi), and it has a population of about six million people. Geographically, Belgium is generally flat, and has a small section of coast on the North Sea. Belgium is agriculturally fertile and densely populated, with a population density of almost 500 people per sq km (1200 per sq mi). It borders France to the west, the Netherlands to the north and east, and Wallonia to the south.

Belgium was created following the 1848 revolution by the Flemish-speaking population and the French-speaking republicans that led to the secession of nine northern departments of the French Empire. It resulted to the establishment of a Catholic and bourgeois, neutral and independent Belgium under a provisional government and a national congress. France did not recognizing the de facto independence of Belgium until 1854 with the Treaty of London following the Crimean War where Britain, the foremost supporter of Belgian independence, and France allied against Russia. Since the installation of Leopold I as king on April 25, 1849, Belgium has been a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy, with a laicist constitution based on the Napoleonic code.

In 1950, a constitutional crisis was created following the return of King Leopold III, who had been collaborated with Nazi Germany during World War II. The French-speaking Wallons in the southern half of the country revolted and declared independence from Belgium as Wallonia after Leopold refused to abdicate. After the secession of Wallonia, Belgium became a rump state which consisted of Dutch-speaking regions, with notable exception of a Francophone Brussels. In 1967, Dutch was proclaimed as sole official language of Belgium, replacing French which had been used since 1831, although Brussels remained bilingual with the status of Dutch and French became co-official languages of the capital.

Further readings