The United Kingdom of the Netherlands controlled the territory that became Belgium since 1815. In 1830 when Belgium into existence, the United Kingdom of the Netherlands dissolved. Leopold I was made King of Belgium July 21, 1831 – a day now celebrated as Belgium Independence Day.
On this day April 19th, in 1839, the Kingdom of Belgium is recognized and established by the Treaty of London. The most important part of the treaty was that Belgium was to remain a permanently neutral state. This means in all future wars it must remain neutral towards belligerents. That’s not to say if it was attacked that it could not retaliate, but it could not side with one power, as Europe was dominated by families for almost its entire history.
Belgium is a French speaking country, and its highly developed infrastructure and economy have allowed for it to become one of the most aggressive trading nations in the world. Belgium has a population of about 11 million, and is situated in mid-Europe next to France and Germany.