Belgium
When thinking of this small neighbooring nation to Northern France, an initial reaction might be to imagine the more typical provisions like waffles, flemish art, craft beers, and a mercantile system attributeable to it's marine border. These all still hold an importance on the country's existance. It's former artists include some of the realists Bruegel and Jan van Eyck and Pieter Bruegel. It's footprint on beer production boasts of such popular brands as Stella, Hoegarten, Leffe and Palm. It's place in international commerce is important as it ranks as nearly one of the top dozen nations for US manufactured goods and has a sizeable export market.
As can be recalled from any high school text bood, a very significant event, the Battle of Waterloo, occured in Belgium which ended Napolean's conquest for Europe in 1815. Until 1830 it exercised an alliance with the government of the Netherlands that lasted until 1830 when the nation asserted autonomous rule. Troubles with it's independance arose during both of the World Wars due to German invasion and the determination to prevent foreign intervention has shaped it's alliances with friendly nations including Brittain, France and the United States.
The political landscape is segmented largely by it's linguistic association. The francophone western area is represented politically as is the Dutch speaking flemish and bilingual captial region of Brussels. Traveling to is easy courtesy of the english channel railway that facilitates routes between the Brussels and London. Dining in the capital is considered a popular occaision given a cuisine that combines traditional meats and fish using savory sauces. To the northeast where much of the culture is inhereted from the Netherland influence, Antwerp is the major city. 16th century archetecture can be enjoyed in addition to a lively scene within many of it's areas such as Statiestraat or the famous diamond district near Central Station.
