|
| |
Belgium Cities with Hotels
 Belgium (French Belgique; Dutch België),
constitutional monarchy in northwestern Europe, bounded on the north by the
Netherlands and the North Sea, on the east by
Germany and
Luxembourg, and on the
south and southwest by France. With the
Netherlands and
Luxembourg,
Belgium
forms the Low, or Benelux, Countries. It is about 282 km (about 175 mi) long,
measured in a southeastern-northwestern direction, about 145 km (about 90 mi)
wide, and is roughly triangular in shape. The area is 30,519 sq km (11,783 sq
mi). The capital and largest city is Brussels.
 Some of the hotels, motels and resorts available for booking
in our reservation network include, Ramada Inn, Marriott Hotels, Super 8 Motels,
Econo Lodge, Holiday Inn & Holiday Inn Express, Travelodge, Hampton Inn,
Sheraton, Hilton, Best Western, Hyatt and Hyatt Regency, Wyndham Inn, Ritz and
Ritz Carlton, Days Inn, Courtyard by Marriott, La Quinta Inns, Comfort Inn and
Comfort Suite, Embassy Suites, Quality Inn, Radisson Inn, Sleep Inn, Numerous
Resorts and Resort Villas throughout the globe, along with Plaza and Plaza
Suites and and array of private and Golf Clubs and Golf Resorts.
Select a city or territory from the list below.
These Listings have moved to the
Western Europe Lodging Centre
Land and Resources
Belgium has three main physiographic regions: the coastal
plain, the central plateau, and the Ardennes highlands.
The coastal plain extends inland about 16 to 48 km (10 to 30
mi) on the northwest. Along the North Sea is a low-lying area consisting
mainly of sand dunes and polders. The polders, sections of land reclaimed
from the sea and protected by dikes, were developed between the 13th and
15th centuries. Lying inland is a flat pastureland drained by canals. The
coastal plain's elevation ranges from sea level to about 20 m (65 ft).
The central plateau is a gently rolling, slightly elevated
area, irrigated by many waterways and containing a number of wide, fertile
valleys with a rich, alluvial soil. Caves, grottoes, and ravines are found
in parts of this area.
The Ardennes highlands, a densely wooded plateau averaging
460 m (about 1500 ft) in elevation, extends across southeastern Belgium and
into northeastern France. Located here is Botrange, the highest peak in
Belgium, with an elevation of 694 m (2277 ft). The area is generally rocky
and poorly suited to agriculture.
Rivers
The chief rivers are the Schelde (Escaut) and the Meuse. Both
rise in France and are for the most part navigable throughout Belgium. On
the Schelde, the principal waterway of Belgium, are the ports of Antwerp, Brussels, and Ghent. The chief tributaries of the Schelde are the Lys,
Dender, Zenne (Senne), and Rupel rivers. The Sambre and Ourthe rivers are
the main tributaries of the Meuse.
Climate
The climate near the sea is humid and mild. Farther inland,
away from the moderating maritime influences, a marked increase in the range
of temperature occurs. In the Ardennes region hot summers alternate with
cold winters. Heavy rains are confined almost exclusively to the highlands.
Fog and drizzle are common, and April and November are particularly rainy
months. In Brussels, located at the center of the nation, the average
temperatures range from -1° to 4° C (30° to 40° F) in January and 12° to 23°
C (54° to 73° F) in July. In Oostende, on the coast, the average range is 1°
to 5° C (33° to 41° F) in January and 13° to 20° C (56° to 67° F) in July.
Rainfall in Brussels is uniformly spread throughout the year, with a yearly
average of about 860 mm (about 34 in); annual precipitation in Oostende
averages about 600 mm (about 24 in).
"Belgium," Microsoft® Encarta® 97 Encyclopedia.
© 1993-1996 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
 | 
Last Revised:
June 07, 2008 03:28 PM. |
