Centuries as part of the historic Low Countries ruled successively by Burgundian, Habsburg, Spanish, and Austrian empires.
1830: Belgian Revolution secures independence from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, establishing a constitutional monarchy.
Late 19th Century: Industrial revolution makes Belgium an economic power, alongside King Leopold II's brutal colonial rule of the Congo.
1914 & 1940: Invaded and occupied by Germany in both World Wars due to its strategic position in Western Europe.
Post-WWII: Becomes a founding member of NATO and the European Economic Community, hosting headquarters for both in Brussels.
Late 20th Century: Successive state reforms convert the nation into a federal state divided between Dutch-speaking Flanders and French-speaking Wallonia.