Satellite image of Belgium
Satellite image of Belgium 2001.
Belgium's territory covers an area of 30,528 km² and is geographically divided into three regions: the coastal plain to the northwest, the central plateau, and the Ardennes plateau to the southeast. Following the example of the Netherlands, the coastal plain has reclaimed some space from the North Sea through dikes and canals. The central plateau, in the interior, is a flat, low-lying area, which has many fertile valleys and is irrigated by numerous waterways. Here there are also structures with rougher relief, such as caves and small gorges.
The Ardennes region is more rugged than the other two. It is a densely forested plateau, very rocky and not very suitable for cultivation, which extends to the north of France. This is where most of Belgium's wildlife is concentrated. The highest point in Belgium, the Signal de Botrange, is located in this region, with only 694 meters of altitude.
Due to its high population density and its position in the heart of Western Europe, Belgium faces serious environmental problems. A 2003 report indicated that Belgium's river water had the worst quality in Europe, and that it was at the bottom of the 122 countries studied.
Belgium's territory covers an area of 30,528 km² and is geographically divided into three regions: the coastal plain to the northwest, the central plateau, and the Ardennes plateau to the southeast. Following the example of the Netherlands, the coastal plain has reclaimed some space from the North Sea through dikes and canals. The central plateau, in the interior, is a flat, low-lying area, which has many fertile valleys and is irrigated by numerous waterways. Here there are also structures with rougher relief, such as caves and small gorges.
The Ardennes region is more rugged than the other two. It is a densely forested plateau, very rocky and not very suitable for cultivation, which extends to the north of France. This is where most of Belgium's wildlife is concentrated. The highest point in Belgium, the Signal de Botrange, is located in this region, with only 694 meters of altitude.
Due to its high population density and its position in the heart of Western Europe, Belgium faces serious environmental problems. A 2003 report indicated that Belgium's river water had the worst quality in Europe, and that it was at the bottom of the 122 countries studied.
