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| Kingdom of Belgium Koninkrijk België Royaume de Belgique Königreich Belgien | |
|---|---|
 Flag | |
 | |
| Capital and largest city | Brussels |
| Official languages | Dutch French German |
| Dominant mode of production | Capitalism |
| Government | Constitutional parliamentary monarchy |
• Monarch | Philippe |
• Prime Minister | Alexander de Croo |
| Area | |
• Total | 30,689 km² |
| Population | |
• 2020 estimate | 11,492,641 |
Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is an imperialist country in Western Europe that houses the headquarters of NATO.[1]
Colonialism
King Leopold II of Belgium colonized and personally ruled the Congo from 1885 to 1908. Leopold killed over 10 million Africans and became one of the richest people in the world through rubber and ivory. Colonial authorities routinely cut off hands, legs, and ears of Africans. In 1908, control of the Congo switched from the Belgian king to the Belgian government. Belgium used its wealth from the Congo to pay for the Second World War and ended the war with no debt.[2]
In 1960, Belgium helped the dictator Mobutu Sese Seko come to power in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, one of its former colonies.[3]
References
- ↑ "North Atlantic Treaty Organization". North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Archived from the original on 2022-01-20. Retrieved 2022-01-20.
- ↑ Luwezi Kinshasa (2020-09-09). "King Leopold II, king of genocide: Make Belgium pay reparations!" The Burning Spear. Archived from the original on 2022-03-16. Retrieved 2022-08-27.
- ↑ "Belgium link in Lumumba death" (2001-11-16). BBC. Archived from the original on 2021-06-13. Retrieved 2022-01-20.