Belgium is located in western Europe bordering the North Sea, France, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Germany. It has an area of 30,550 square kilometres. Its capital city is Brussels which seats the EU and NATO. The majority of Western European capitals are within 1,000 kilometres from Brussels. Antwerp, Ghent and Bruges are other major cities. Belgium had a population of 10,182,034 in July 1999. It has a population growth rate of 0.06%.

The country has three national languages, Flemish, French and German. English is frequently spoken and understood. The main religion is Roman Catholic.

Belgium has a temperate climate. Temperatures range from 2.6°C in January to 17.1°C in July, which is the hottest month. The terrain in the southeast is mountainous around the Ardennes Forest, whereas the northwest has flat coastal plains.

The country is divided into three regions. The Dutch speaking region, called Flanders, is in the north, and the French speaking region, called Wallonia, is in the south. The Brussels region is officially bilingual. German-speaking cantons exist in the Eastern part.

Belgium gained independence from the Netherlands in 1830 and is governed as a federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarch. The executive branch of government is composed of a Monarch, Prime Minister and Council of Ministers approved by parliament and appointed by the monarch. The legislative branch consists of a Senate or Senaat and a Chamber of Deputies.

Belgium has a highly developed economy with a diversified industrial and commercial base. Industry is concentrated mainly in the north, around metal production, machinery, chemicals, textiles and glass. However the government is trying to encourage growth in the south. The economy is usually dependant on the state of the world markets due to the high levels of imports. Of the labour force 70.9% of individuals are employed in service industries, 27.2% in industry and only 1.9% in agriculture. The currency of Belgium is the Euro.

Franchising is growing in Belgium. The Belgian Franchise Association is a member of the European Franchise Federation.

There is no specific franchise law in Belgium, although one is currently being considered by the Belgian parliament.