Koninkrijk België (Dutch)

Royaume de Belgique (French)

Königreich Belgien (German)

Political Status: Independence proclaimed October 4, 1830; monarchical constitution of 1831 most recently revised in 1970.

Area: 11,781 sq. mi. (30,513 sq. km).

Population: 11,354,432 (2012E—UN); 10,438,353 (2012E—U.S. Census).

Major Urban Centers (2005E): BRUSSELS (urban area, 999,000), Antwerp (urban area, 457,000), Ghent (230,000), Charleroi (200,000), Liège (185,000), Bruges (117,000), Namur (106,000).

Official Languages: Dutch, French, German.

Monetary Unit: Euro (market rate November 5, 2012: 0.78 euro = $1US).

Sovereign: King ALBERT II; ascended the throne on August 9, 1993, following the death of his brother, King BAUDOUIN.

Heir to the Throne: Prince PHILIPPE, son of the king.

Prime Minister: Elio Di RUPO (Socialist); appointed by the king on December 5, 2011, and sworn in on December 6, 2011, to succeed Yves LETERME (Christian Democratic ...