Belgium

·         On July 15, 2008 Belgian PM Yves Leterme offered resignation of his government to the King after talks on a larger degree of autonomy for the Flemish-speaking region failed

·         The variants of standard Dutch as generally perceived from speakers or writers of 'Common Dutch' that are native to the Belgian regions Flanders or Brussels-Capital;

Mission IAS’2009

·         Belgium is a Western European country, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands

·         It has been a major European battleground over the centuries.

·         Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830; it was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II.

·         For such a small country, tensions between the Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the French-speaking Walloons of the south have led in recent years to constitutional amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy.

·        Its Capital is Brussels

·        Area: 30,528 sq km (11,787 sq miles)

·        In India we have

21 Rank for    Kerala                         38,863

22 Rank for    Meghalaya                 22,429