The British Military Open Encyclopedia - ARRSE-Pedia. Back to British Army Rumour Service Home
Belgians
From ARRSEpedia
| |
| 2 Nations on the Verge |
|---|
Inhabitants of Belgium. Famous for making chocolate, cakes, beer, 9mm Brownings, FN FALs and the GPMG.
For such a boring country, it's constantly on the verge of a 'civil war' between the 6 million Dutch-speaking Flemings and the 4.5 million French-speaking Walloons.
In the past, French-speakers have tended to dominate the national political scene and regarded their Dutch-speaking compatriots as hicks. This arrogance still rankles.
However in the '70s Wallonia's industrial base collapsed, and Flanders suddenly began to prosper in the new service-driven economy. The current unemployment rate in Wallonia is three times the rate in Flanders and there is some bitterness from the Walloons that the hicks are doing better than them.
It would be an extreme embarrassment to the EU (whose capital is in Brussels) should the country split along language lines. All in all this country is more exciting that anyone imagined especially if separatism kicks off in a big way.
| Find out more in the Dictionary |



