These days, the Belgian economy is cashing in on its location. Belgium lies in the heart of one of the world’s most industrialized regions. It has direct shipping access to the North Sea (and from there, the Atlantic Ocean). It also sits in the middle of the economically stable European Union (EU)—in fact, most Western European capital cities are within a few hundred miles of Brussels.

Belgium’s location also gives it a political edge. In the decades following World War II, Belgium joined all the right clubs: NATO, the European Union, the OECD and others. Its memberships have paid off. Largely because of Belgium’s central location and broad transportation network, Brussels ends up the headquarters of many of the agencies it joins. This has a snowball effect; international organizations and companies want to be where their colleagues are and their colleagues are in Brussels.

This is just a sample of what you'll find in the complete Belgium guide.