Belgians

Belgians

Belgen (Dutch) Belges (French) Belgier (German)
Map of the Belgian diaspora in the world
Total population
c. 11–12 million
Regions with significant populations
Belgium 10,839,905 (Belgian nationality only, 1 January 2014)[1]
United States	352,630[2]
Canada	176,615[3]
France	139,962[4][5][6]
Netherlands	117,495[7]
Spain	52,000[8]
Italy	46,000[8]
Germany	20,000–50,000[9]
United Kingdom	31,000[8]
Luxembourg	22,000[8]
Switzerland	17,000[8]
Turkey	12,000[8]
South Africa	10,000[8]
Australia	8,000[8]
Poland	7,000[8]
Portugal	6,088 [10]
Brazil	6,000[11]
Israel	6,000[8]
Romania	5,000[8]
Greece	5,000[8]
Bulgaria	3,000[8]
Austria	3,000[8]
Hungary	3,000[8]
Sweden	3,000[8]
Denmark	2,000[8]
Norway	2,000[8]
Ireland	2,000[8]
Morocco	2,000[8]
Mexico	1,000[8]
Slovakia	1,000[8]
Malta	1,000[8]
Czech Republic	1,000[8]
Languages
Dutch, French, German (also other languages of Belgium)
Religion
Predominantly Roman Catholicism and irreligious
Related ethnic groups
Other Germanic and Romance peoples (especially French, Dutch, Frisians, Luxembourgers and Germans)

Belgians (Dutch: Belgen; French: Belges; German: Belgier pronounced [ˈbɛlɡi̯ɐ] ^ⓘ) are people identified with the Kingdom of Belgium, a federal state in Western Europe. As Belgium is a multinational state, this connection may be residential, legal, historical, or cultural rather than ethnic. The majority of Belgians, however, belong to two distinct linguistic groups or communities (Dutch: gemeenschap; French: communauté) native to the country, i.e. its historical regions: Flemings in Flanders, who speak Dutch; and Walloons in Wallonia, who speak French or Walloon. There is also a substantial Belgian diaspora, which has settled primarily in the United States, Canada, France, and the Netherlands.