Why Is Belgium Called a Divided Country and What Language Do Most People In Belgium Speak?

Two distinct groups of people live in Belgium.

The northern part of the country, closer to the Netherlands, is called Flanders.

The people who live there are Flemings, and they speak a language similar to Dutch called Flemish.

The southern part of Belgium, closer to France, is called Walloonia.

The people who live there are called Walloons, and they speak French. Even the capital city of Brussels has French and Flemish zones.

Only about 1 Belgian in 10 speaks both languages.

Countries in which two or more languages are widely spoken are called polyglot states.