History of Belgium in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: July 12, 2026

Belgium, located in Western Europe, is a sovereign state known for its complex political structure and rich cultural heritage. As a founding member of the European Union and NATO, it serves as a central hub for international diplomacy, with its capital, Brussels, acting as the de facto capital of the EU. The country is linguistically divided between the Dutch-speaking Flanders in the north and the French-speaking Wallonia in the south, with a small German-speaking community in the east. Historically significant for its role in medieval trade and later as a key battleground in World War I and II, Belgium possesses a unique architectural legacy and renowned culinary traditions, particularly its world-famous chocolate, waffles, and beer culture. Governed as a federal constitutional monarchy, Belgium maintains a high standard of living, a robust economy, and is celebrated for its influential contributions to fine arts and surrealism.

1900: International concern over Congo Free State

Around 1900, the international community began expressing significant alarm regarding the brutal treatment of the Congolese population by King Leopold II, who utilized the region primarily to extract ivory and rubber for profit.

1908: Establishment of the Belgian Congo

Following intense international outcry regarding the atrocities committed under Leopold II's private rule, the Belgian state officially took control of the territory in 1908, renaming it the Belgian Congo.

August 1914: German Invasion of Belgium

In August 1914, Germany invaded Belgium as a strategic maneuver within the Schlieffen Plan to facilitate an attack on France, leading to widespread combat across western Belgium and the brutal military excesses collectively referred to as the Rape of Belgium.

1919: Belgian commission population estimate

In 1919, a Belgian government commission published findings estimating that the population of the Congo had been reduced by half since 1879 due to the harsh colonial policies.

1919: Abolition of Plural Voting

In 1919, the Belgian political system underwent a significant reform by abolishing the practice of plural voting, which had previously allowed certain citizens to cast more than one vote in elections.

1924: League of Nations Mandate for Ruanda-Urundi

During 1924, the League of Nations officially granted Belgium a mandate over the former German colonies of Ruanda-Urundi, formalizing the administrative control Belgium had assumed during the course of the First World War.

1925: Annexation of Eupen and Malmedy

As a result of post-World War I settlements, Belgium annexed the Prussian districts of Eupen and Malmedy in 1925, an action that legacy-wise introduced a permanent German-speaking minority population into the Belgian state.

May 1940: German Invasion of Belgium

In May 1940, German military forces launched an invasion of Belgium, initiating a period of occupation that resulted in 40,690 Belgian deaths, including a significant number of Jewish citizens who perished during the Holocaust.

September 1944: Start of Allied Liberation

Starting in September 1944, Allied forces began the systematic liberation of Belgian territory from German occupation, a process that continued into early 1945.

February 1945: Conclusion of Allied Liberation

The liberation of Belgium by Allied forces reached its conclusion in February 1945, effectively ending the German occupation of the country.

1949: Introduction of Women's Suffrage

The year 1949 marked a major milestone in Belgian democracy as universal suffrage was extended to include women, granting them the right to vote in national elections.

1951: Founding of the European Coal and Steel Community

In 1951, Belgium became one of the original six nations to establish the European Coal and Steel Community, marking a significant step in post-war European integration.

1951: Abdication of King Leopold III

In 1951, King Leopold III was forced to abdicate his throne in favor of his son, Prince Baudouin, following a general strike sparked by public perceptions of the King's collaboration with Germany during World War II.

1957: Formation of the European Atomic Energy Community and European Economic Community

During 1957, Belgium joined the founding efforts for the European Atomic Energy Community and the European Economic Community, organizations which laid the groundwork for the modern-day European Union.

1958: Establishment of Christian Democrat Coalition Governments

In 1958, a series of Christian Democrat coalition governments began to form in Belgium, marking the start of a long-standing political era that would last until the end of the century.

1960: Independence of the Belgian Congo

During the period known as the Congo Crisis in 1960, the Belgian Congo officially gained its independence from Belgian rule.

1962: Independence of Ruanda-Urundi

Following the trend of decolonization, Ruanda-Urundi achieved its independence in 1962, officially ending Belgium's colonial administration in the region.

1967: Official Acceptance of the Dutch Constitution

In 1967, the Belgian parliament formally accepted a Dutch language version of the Constitution, marking a significant step in the transition of linguistic status within the nation's governance.

1970: Splitting of National Belgian Political Parties

Starting around 1970, the major national political parties in Belgium began to divide into distinct regional and linguistic components to better serve the specific interests of the nation's cultural communities.

1970: Beginning of State Reforms

Starting in 1970, Belgium initiated a series of significant state reforms to address growing tensions between Dutch-speaking and French-speaking populations, setting the path toward a federal structure.

1990: Historical Forest Cover Measurement

As of 1990, the total forest area in Belgium was recorded at 677,400 hectares, serving as a baseline for measuring forest expansion over the subsequent three decades.

1993: Transition to Federal Structure

By 1993, the transition from a unitary state to a federal structure was completed in Belgium as a response to linguistic and economic regional divisions.

1999: Start of the Verhofstadt Government

In 1999, Guy Verhofstadt took office as Prime Minister, initiating a tenure that would introduce significant legislative changes including labor-market reforms and a planned nuclear phase-out.

1999: End of Christian Democrat Dominance and the Rainbow Coalition

In 1999, the long streak of Christian Democrat governments ended following the first dioxin crisis, a major food contamination scandal. Consequently, a six-party "rainbow coalition" consisting of Flemish and French-speaking Liberals, Social Democrats, and Greens was formed.

2000: Beginning of the 2000-2006 Climatic Observation Period

Starting in 2000, meteorological records for Belgium indicated a shift in climate patterns, serving as the beginning of a six-year observation period that showed a temperature increase of 1 °C and a rainfall increase of nearly 10 millimeters above the historical averages of the previous century.

2003: Formation of the Purple Coalition

Following the 2003 election, where the Green parties suffered significant losses in parliamentary seats, a "purple coalition" comprised of Liberals and Social Democrats was established to govern Belgium.

2003: Legalization of Same-Sex Marriage

In 2003, Belgium established itself as a global pioneer by becoming one of the first nations to officially legalize same-sex marriage.

2006: Conclusion of the 2000-2006 Climatic Observation Period

By the end of 2006, data analysis comparing this period to the previous century confirmed that the climate had experienced an upward trend, characterized by daily temperature minimums of 7 °C and maximums of 14 °C, with average monthly rainfall reaching 74 mm.

June 2007: Federal Elections Result

In June 2007, Flemish Christian Democrat Yves Leterme emerged as the winner of the federal elections in Belgium, eventually leading to his appointment as Prime Minister.

June 2007: Verhofstadt Coalition Election Defeat

In June 2007, the coalition led by Guy Verhofstadt performed poorly in the federal elections, which triggered a prolonged period of political instability in Belgium.

December 2007: Formation of Verhofstadt III Government

On 21 December 2007, a temporary administration known as the Verhofstadt III Government was established to manage the country during the ongoing political crisis.

2007: Conclusion of the Verhofstadt Era

By the end of his administration in 2007, Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt had achieved a balanced budget and implemented notable reforms regarding drug policy and war crime prosecution.

March 2008: Conclusion of Verhofstadt III Government

The temporary Verhofstadt III Government, which had been in office since December 2007, concluded its term on 20 March 2008.

July 2008: Resignation of Leterme Cabinet

On 15 July 2008, Yves Leterme submitted his cabinet's resignation to the King due to a complete lack of progress regarding necessary constitutional reforms in Belgium.

December 2008: Cabinet Collapse and Transition

During December 2008, Yves Leterme resigned again following a major political crisis concerning the sale of Fortis to BNP Paribas. This resignation was accepted, leading to the swearing-in of Herman Van Rompuy as the new Prime Minister on 30 December 2008.

November 2009: Resignation of the Belgian Government

On 25 November 2009, following his appointment as the first permanent President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy resigned from his position as Prime Minister of Belgium, leading to the swearing-in of a new government led by Yves Leterme.

April 2010: Collapse of the Leterme II Government

Following the withdrawal of the OpenVLD party from the coalition, Prime Minister Yves Leterme submitted his cabinet's resignation on 22 April 2010, which was officially accepted by King Albert II on 26 April 2010.

2010: Federal Election and Government Crisis

Following the 2010 federal election, Belgium experienced a fractured political landscape that resulted in a record-breaking 589-day period without a functional government formation.

2014: Reform of the Belgian Senate

In 2014, a significant structural change occurred in the Belgian federal parliament where the selection process for the Senate was altered. Before 2014, the majority of Senate members were directly elected by the public, but following this change, the body transitioned to being composed of 50 senators appointed by community and regional parliaments, alongside 10 co-opted senators.

2015: Forest Ownership Distribution

In 2015, the ownership of Belgium's forest area was divided between public ownership at 47% and private ownership at 53%, with no forested land listed under other or unknown status.

2018: Forest Landscape Integrity Index Ranking

In 2018, Belgium received a Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 1.36 out of 10, resulting in a global ranking of 163rd out of 172 countries surveyed.

2018: Belgium Surface Area Recalculation

In 2018, the official surface area of Belgium was updated following a change in calculation methodology. By including the area extending from the coast to the low-water line, the total surface area of the country was found to be 160 km2 (62 sq mi) larger than the previous estimate, resulting in a new total of 30,689 km2 (11,849 sq mi) as reported in 2018.

2020: Total Forest Area Statistics

By 2020, Belgium's forest cover reached 689,300 hectares, which included 251,200 hectares of naturally regenerating forest and 438,200 hectares of planted forest.

2023: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Data

During the year 2023, Belgium recorded a total of 106.82 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, which equates to approximately 9.12 tonnes per individual resident.

2050: Projected Economic Impact and Net Zero Commitment

In 2050, Belgium is projected to face annual climate change costs of €9.5 billion primarily from heat, drought, and flooding, balanced against €3 billion in economic gains from milder winters; concurrently, the country aims to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by this year.