Benelux Countries.......................

General Facts

1. the Benelux Countries

2. What are the Benelux Countries? Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg are known as the Benelux Countries. They are also referred to as the Low Countries due to their low elevation.

3. Historical Overview of the Benelux Region Belgium Before independence (1830), it belonged to : Spain , Austria, France, Netherlands Netherlands Before independence (1648), it belonged to : Holy Roman Empire , Spain Luxembourg Before Independence (1867), it belonged to : Holy Roman Empire , Spain , Austria, France, Netherlands , Prussia

4. Historical Overview of the Benelux Region Many nations and empires dominated the Benelux region. In World War II, Germany occupied the Benelux Countries. After the war, they joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) for protection. NATO is an alliance of nations. In the 1950s the Benelux Countries joined the group of nations now known as the EU.

5. Modern Governance Each Benelux country has its own parliament and a ceremonial monarch. Their strategic location has led to both invasions and trade opportunities, contributing to their wealthy economies .

6. The Netherlands: Geography and Economy The Netherlands is known for its low and flat landscape, with some areas below sea level. Rotterdam is one of the world's busiest seaports and the second after Amsterdam, and Dutch agriculture is famous for cheese and tulips.

7. The Netherlands: Interesting fact When people refer to the Netherlands as Holland , they're using a nickname , but it's not entirely correct. Here's the difference: The Netherlands is the official name of the entire country. Holland refers specifically to two provinces: North Holland and South Holland . These provinces include major cities like Amsterdam , Rotterdam , and The Hague .

8. Belgium: Urban Culture and Languages Belgium is a highly urbanized country, with over 95% of its population living in cities. Brussels is a cosmopolitan capital and the headquarters for the EU and NATO. The country has language divisions between Flemish and French speakers.

9. Luxembourg: A Small but Wealthy Nation Luxembourg is a small, forested, and hilly country with a high standard of living. The economy is focused on banking, steel, and chemicals, and the population primarily speaks French and German.

10. Fun Fact about Belgium Belgium is famous for its delicious chocolates and is home to over 2,000 chocolatiers!

11. The Netherlands is known for its mountainous terrain. True False

12. Identify Who was Charlemagne? A ruler of Franks, built Christian empire 2. Explain Why is Napoleon considered a significant figure in French history? Because he conquered much of Europe. 3. Develop Why might the French be proud of their long history? They have always been strong kingdom, great empire, colonial power, leader of Europe, Let’s work on the assessment (SECTION 2 ASSESSMENT)

13. 4. Define What is impressionism? style of painting using rippling light to cre -ate an impression of a scene 5. Summarize What are some major contributions of French culture? cuisine, impressionism, cathedrals, ideas about government, fashion and film. 6. Elaborate How has immigration influenced French culture? brought other languages, religions, customs 7. Describe Why is Paris an important city? Because It is France's capital and largest city.

14. 8. Summarize What is the French economy like? Diverse, based on agriculture, manufacturing, trade, tourism. 9. Describe How does language divide Belgium? Flanders in north and coast speak Flemish; Walloons in southern interior speak French; these cultural differences have caused tensions. 10. Draw Conclusions Why might Brussels be such a cosmopolitan city?. It has many foreign influences since it's home to many international organizations.