Belgium, (French: Belgique, Dutch: België), or Kingdom of Belgium, a country in northwestern Europe. It is on the North Sea, opposite Great Britain, and is bordered by the Neth erlands, Germany, Luxembourg, and France. Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg are known collectively as the Low Countries or the Benelux nations. With an area of 11,787 square miles (30,528 km2), Belgium is one of the smallest countries in Europe. Maximum dimensions are about 125 miles (200 km) north-south and 140 miles (225 km) east-west. A tiny enclave, Baarle-Hertog, lies just over the border in the Netherlands.