Belgium is a small country in northwest Europe, tucked between France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. The capital is Brussels. About eleven million people live there.

Belgium is a small country in northwest EuropeBelgium是西北歐的一個小國， tucked between France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg夾在法國、德國、荷蘭和盧森堡之間。 The capital is Brussels首都是布魯塞爾。 About eleven million people live there那裡大約住了一千一百萬人。

On a map it looks modest, but it sits in a busy corner of the continent, and a great deal of European Union work happens in Brussels — so English speakers sometimes say Brussels when they really mean EU offices, EU rules, and EU politics, not only the city.

On a map it looks modest在地圖上看起來不起眼， but it sits in a busy corner of the continent但它位在歐洲大陸一個很繁忙的角落， and a great deal of European Union work happens in Brussels而且很多歐盟的工作都在布魯塞爾進行—— so English speakers sometimes say Brussels所以講英文的人有時候說Brussels， when they really mean EU offices, EU rules, and EU politics其實是在指歐盟辦公室、歐盟法規和歐盟政治， not only the city而不只是那座城市。

Belgium has three official languages: Dutch in the north (people often say Flemish for that everyday speech), French in the south, and a little German in the east. Brussels sits in the middle and uses both Dutch and French. That split is not a textbook curiosity; it shapes parties, schools, and how people talk about belonging.

Belgium has three official languagesBelgium有三種官方語言： Dutch in the north北部是荷蘭語 (people often say Flemish for that everyday speech)（日常口語大家常說Flemish）， French in the south南部是法語， and a little German in the east東部有一點德語。 Brussels sits in the middle布魯塞爾位在中間， and uses both Dutch and French同時使用荷蘭語和法語。 That split is not a textbook curiosity這種分裂不只是教科書上的趣聞； it shapes parties, schools, and how people talk about belonging它影響了政黨、學校，還有大家怎麼談歸屬感。

Outsiders reach first for chocolate, waffles, and beer, and those things are real and loved — though actually, inside the country the living fact is often the north–south tension, not the sweet shop. English uses Belgium for the country and Belgian for the people and for things from there.

Outsiders reach first for chocolate, waffles, and beer外人第一個想到的通常是巧克力、鬆餅和啤酒， and those things are real and loved這些東西也的確真實而受喜愛—— though actually不過其實， inside the country the living fact is often the north–south tension國內真正活生生的現實常常是南北之間的緊張關係， not the sweet shop而不是甜點店。 English uses Belgium for the country英文用Belgium指這個國家， and Belgian for the people and for things from there用Belgian指那裡的人和東西。