Belgium
A small and cosy european country designed purely to keep the Dutch and the French from fighting each other. Because of this, half the country speaks Dutch (Flemish), and the other French (Walloon).
Belgium today is a very small and cosy European country, but one shouldn’t underestimate this nation. Belgium is not just and not only the Flemish lace, the Liège waffle and the chocolate of Brussels. Since the founding of this country it was a small but vicious predator, and back in the previous centuries it had huge overseas colonies.
By its level of development in the early 20th century this country was ahead of many other European countries and was deservedly among the leaders, especially for the production of steel. In contrast to the neighbouring Netherlands, during the First World War, Belgium was quite affected by the combat activities. This was largely due to the fact that Germany who was envious was trying actively to weaken the potential industrially strong competitor. In those years in Africa, the Belgian Congo was a powerful source of raw materials for Belgium, as well as their other colonies: Burundi, Rwanda.
The stable position of Belgium as a major power was also provided by strong efficient army with a long military traditions. Nowadays many international organizations, primarily NATO has their headquarters in Brussels, this is just an echo of the glorious past of Belgium.
A division of the Belgian para-commandos (paratroopers commando) is one of the oldest in the world. The Belgian paratroopers enjoy well-deserved recognition of their foreign counterparts due to the high level of training, high mobility, operational readiness for the challenges anywhere in the world. The glorious history of these units began in England in 1942, when a company of Belgian volunteers were trained by Them. During the Second World War, the Belgian commandos took an active part in the Allied operations in North Africa, Italy, Yugoslavia, the Netherlands and Belgium itself. The red berets and insignia of the Special Air Service (SAS) proudly worn by modern paratroopers is still the reminiscent of that events. In the 1960-70s, the Belgian para-commandos have participated in the fighting and rescue operations of European settlers from African rebels. Even Germany, which at that time was deprived of the opportunity to have a similar unit was forced to seek the help of Belgian paratroopers to rescue their citizens.
Via Belgium is the traditional route for the German army mounting an excursion into France. Exports of note include chocolate, beer, arms, industrial effluent, paedophiles and European federalism.
Belgium is not quite as exciting as The Netherlands, though it is the birthplace of jap-slapper par excellence Jean Claude Van Damme.
Name 5 famous people from Belgium is a popular pub game, usually played after the pointless sporting discussion, but before the beer goggles are firmly in place. PS: Tin Tin is not a valid answer.
- Geradus Mercator
- Adolphe Saxe
- Stefan Everts
- Adria Carton de Ward
- Prins Filip