Geography of Belgium
De Moeren −3 m (−10 ft) | |
Longest river | Escaut 200 km |
---|
General information
Total renewable water resources: 18.3 cu km (2011)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 6.22 cu km/yr (12%/88%/1%)
per capita: 589.8 cu m/yr (2007)
Natural hazards: flooding is a threat in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes
Geography – note: crossroads of Western Europe; majority of West European capitals within 1,000 km of Brussels which is the seat of both the EU and NATO
Longest Distances: 280 km SE-NW/ 222 km NE-SW
Area
Belgium has an area of 30,689 square kilometres,
- Luxembourg: 4,459 km2 (1,722 sq mi)
- Liège: 3,857 km2 (1,489 sq mi)
- Hainaut: 3,813 km2 (1,472 sq mi)
- Namur: 3,675 km2 (1,419 sq mi)
- West Flanders: 3,197 km2 (1,234 sq mi)
- East Flanders: 3,007 km2 (1,161 sq mi)
- Antwerp: 2,876 km2 (1,110 sq mi)
- Limburg: 2,427 km2 (937 sq mi)
- Flemish Brabant: 2,118 km2 (818 sq mi)
- Walloon Brabant: 1,097 km2 (424 sq mi)
For the purpose of total area, the
Compared to other countries, Belgium is 44% larger than Wales in the United Kingdom and about the size of Maryland in the United States. Belgium is actually used as an unusual unit of measurement in comparing country sizes.[2]
In November 2016, Belgium and the Netherlands agreed to cede small, uninhabited parcels of land to reflect a change in course of the river Meuse (or Maas, in Dutch). The land swap is to take effect as of 2018.[3]
Physical geography
Belgium has three main geographical regions: the coastal
Notable natural regions include the Ardennes, Campine and High Fens.
Rivers and lakes
All of Belgium is drained into the
.Artificial waterways
Belgium has also many artificial waterways or canals, among others the Brussels–Scheldt Maritime Canal, the Brussels–Charleroi Canal, the Canal du Centre and the Albert Canal in Antwerp.
Climate
The Belgian climate, like most of northwest Europe,
Climate data for Uccle (Brussels-Capital Region) 1991–2020 | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 15.3 (59.5) |
20.0 (68.0) |
24.2 (75.6) |
28.7 (83.7) |
34.1 (93.4) |
38.8 (101.8) |
39.7 (103.5) |
36.5 (97.7) |
34.9 (94.8) |
27.8 (82.0) |
20.6 (69.1) |
16.7 (62.1) |
39.7 (103.5) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 6.1 (43.0) |
7.1 (44.8) |
10.9 (51.6) |
15.0 (59.0) |
18.4 (65.1) |
21.2 (70.2) |
23.2 (73.8) |
23.0 (73.4) |
19.5 (67.1) |
14.9 (58.8) |
9.9 (49.8) |
6.6 (43.9) |
14.7 (58.4) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 3.7 (38.7) |
4.2 (39.6) |
7.1 (44.8) |
10.4 (50.7) |
13.9 (57.0) |
16.7 (62.1) |
18.7 (65.7) |
18.4 (65.1) |
15.2 (59.4) |
11.3 (52.3) |
7.2 (45.0) |
4.3 (39.7) |
10.9 (51.7) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 1.4 (34.5) |
1.5 (34.7) |
3.5 (38.3) |
6.0 (42.8) |
9.2 (48.6) |
12.0 (53.6) |
14.1 (57.4) |
13.9 (57.0) |
11.3 (52.3) |
8.1 (46.6) |
4.6 (40.3) |
2.1 (35.8) |
7.3 (45.2) |
Record low °C (°F) | −21.1 (−6.0) |
−18.3 (−0.9) |
−13.6 (7.5) |
−5.7 (21.7) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
0.3 (32.5) |
4.4 (39.9) |
3.9 (39.0) |
0.0 (32.0) |
−6.8 (19.8) |
−12.8 (9.0) |
−17.7 (0.1) |
−21.1 (−6.0) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 75.5 (2.97) |
65.1 (2.56) |
59.3 (2.33) |
46.7 (1.84) |
59.7 (2.35) |
70.8 (2.79) |
76.9 (3.03) |
86.5 (3.41) |
65.3 (2.57) |
67.8 (2.67) |
76.2 (3.00) |
87.4 (3.44) |
837.2 (32.96) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 18.9 | 16.9 | 15.7 | 13.1 | 14.7 | 14.1 | 14.3 | 14.3 | 14.1 | 16.1 | 18.3 | 19.4 | 189.9 |
Average snowy days | 3.8 | 4.9 | 2.7 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.2 | 3.7 | 17 |
Average relative humidity (%)
|
84.1 | 80.6 | 74.8 | 69.2 | 70.2 | 71.3 | 71.5 | 72.4 | 76.8 | 81.5 | 85.1 | 86.6 | 77.0 |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 59.1 | 72.9 | 125.8 | 171.3 | 198.3 | 199.3 | 203.2 | 192.4 | 154.4 | 112.6 | 65.8 | 48.6 | 1,603.7 |
Average ultraviolet index | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
Source 1: Royal Meteorological Institute[6][7] | |||||||||||||
Source 2: Weather Atlas; VRT Nieuws[9]
|
Climate data for Antwerp (1981–2010 normals), sunshine 1984–2013 | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 6.2 (43.2) |
7.0 (44.6) |
10.8 (51.4) |
14.4 (57.9) |
18.4 (65.1) |
20.9 (69.6) |
23.2 (73.8) |
23.1 (73.6) |
19.7 (67.5) |
15.3 (59.5) |
10.1 (50.2) |
6.6 (43.9) |
14.7 (58.5) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 3.4 (38.1) |
3.7 (38.7) |
6.8 (44.2) |
9.6 (49.3) |
13.6 (56.5) |
16.2 (61.2) |
18.5 (65.3) |
18.2 (64.8) |
15.1 (59.2) |
11.3 (52.3) |
7.0 (44.6) |
4.0 (39.2) |
10.6 (51.1) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 0.7 (33.3) |
0.5 (32.9) |
2.8 (37.0) |
4.8 (40.6) |
8.8 (47.8) |
11.7 (53.1) |
13.8 (56.8) |
13.2 (55.8) |
10.6 (51.1) |
7.4 (45.3) |
4.1 (39.4) |
1.5 (34.7) |
6.7 (44.1) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 69.3 (2.73) |
57.4 (2.26) |
63.8 (2.51) |
47.1 (1.85) |
61.5 (2.42) |
77.0 (3.03) |
80.6 (3.17) |
77.3 (3.04) |
77.2 (3.04) |
78.7 (3.10) |
79.0 (3.11) |
79.5 (3.13) |
848.4 (33.40) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 12.3 | 10.6 | 12.0 | 9.2 | 10.6 | 10.4 | 10.2 | 9.9 | 10.3 | 11.4 | 12.9 | 12.8 | 132.7 |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 57 | 77 | 122 | 177 | 208 | 202 | 214 | 202 | 144 | 116 | 62 | 47 | 1,625 |
Source: Royal Meteorological Institute[10] |
Mountain and hills
Belgium's highest point is the Signal de Botrange at 694 metres above the sea level. Other hills in Belgium include the Kemmelberg (159 m high) and the Koppenberg (77 m high) both known as part of the route of the cycle races Gent–Wevelgem and the Tour of Flanders respectively.
Extreme points
This is a list of the extreme points of Belgium, the points that are farther north, south, east, west, high or low than any other location.
- Northernmost point — Dreef, municipality of Hoogstraten, Antwerp Province
- Southernmost point — Torgny, municipality of Rouvroy, Luxembourg
- Westernmost point — De Panne, West Flanders
- Easternmost point — Krewinkel, municipality of Büllingen, Liège Province
- Highest point — Signal de Botrange (694 m)
- Lowest point — De Moeren(−3 m)
The
Human geography
Demographics
Political geography
Natural resources
Natural resources in Belgium include construction materials,
- Arable land: 26.49%
- Permanent crops: 0.79%
- Other: 72.72%
As of 2007, the estimated area of irrigated land was of 233.5 km2.
Environment
Because of its high population density and location in the centre of Western Europe, Belgium faces serious environmental problems. A 2003 report[12] suggested that the water in Belgium's rivers was of the lowest quality in Europe, and bottom of the 122 countries studied. The environment is exposed to intense pressures from human activities: urbanisation, dense transportation network, industry, extensive animal breeding, and crop cultivation; air and water pollution also have repercussions for neighbouring countries; uncertainties regarding federal and regional responsibilities (now resolved) have slowed progress in tackling environmental challenges.
Cities
The main cities in Belgium in terms of population are Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent, Charleroi and Liège. Other notable cities include Bruges, Namur, Leuven, Mons and Mechelen.
References
- ^ "About Belgium:Filing card Belgium". www.belgium.be. Archived from the original on 12 January 2011.
- ^ "A Web Site the Size of Belgium : Home Page". Archived from the original on 2010-02-21. Retrieved 2010-04-04.
- ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2017-08-04.
- ISSN 1027-5606. (direct: Final Revised Paper)
- ^ Eurometeo: The meteo at Brussels
- ^ "Normales climatiques à Uccle" (in French). Royal Meteorological Institute. Archived from the original on 3 February 2021. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
- ^ "Le climat de la Belgique" (in French). Royal Meteorological Institute. Archived from the original on 14 April 2021. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
- ^ "Brussels, Belgium - Detailed climate information and monthly weather forecast". Weather Atlas. Yu Media Group. Retrieved 2019-07-02.
- ^ Kristien Bonneure, Johan Droessaert, Gianni Paelinck, Denny Baert (25 July 2019). "Herlees onze Hitteblog: warmste dag ooit eindigt met chaos door propvolle treinen die terugkeren van de kust". VRT Nieuws.
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: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Statistiques climatiques des communes belges: Antwerpen (ins 11002)" (PDF) (in French). Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 January 2017. Retrieved 25 January 2017.
- ^ "Centre géographique – Le Site" (in French). Municipality of Walhain. Archived from the original on January 18, 2010. Retrieved 2007-03-09.
- ^ Pearce, Fred (2003-03-05). "Sewage-laden Belgian water worst in world". New Scientist. Retrieved 2006-05-09.
- CIA Factbook
- Belgian Federal Govt Online (accessed Dec. 24, 2006)
- Official statistics of Belgium website (accessed Dec. 24, 2006)
External links
- Map of Belgium from lib.utexas.edu