Belgium



=Belgium= 1. Dutch (60%) 2. French (40%) || 1. Roman Catholic (75%) 2. Protestant (25%) ||
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 * Rabbit with Sour Cherries in the Flemish Way

Note: Game is a staple food in Belgium. Ingredients: 1 rabbit, approximately 3 pounds 2 big onions, coarsely chopped 1 pound sour cherries 1/2 bottle Belgian cherry beer 1 generous tablespoon lard 1 generous tablespoon brown sugar 2 tablespoons flour 2 tablespoons eau-de-vie Nutmeg Salt and pepper Directions: Yields: 4 servings || Belgium is a place that enjoys having festivals. One of those national festivals is Carnaval. It is celebrated in Febuary or March. This festival is characterized by parades, parties, and colorful costumes. || USA: 97% Belgium: 99% ||
 * 1) Cut the rabbit into serving pieces, and season with salt and pepper.
 * 2) Heat the lard in a casserole, and fry the onions until golden. Add the rabbit, and brown it on all sides. Sprinkle the flour over the rabbit. Mix well and pour the beer over it; the meat should be covered. Add the brown sugar and a pinch of nutmeg. Cover the casserole and let the rabbit simmer for 1 hour.
 * 3) In the meantime, remove the stones from the cherries and add them to the rabbit 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time.
 * 4) Season to taste and add the eau-de-vie. Serve with baked potatoes.
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When greeting, Belgians often greet eachother with a handshake. Meals are a social and cultural event in Belgium and are not meant to be finished quickly. For dating, group dating usaully begins by the age 16. Young people go to movies, dances, and cafes. || Sports are nearly universal and soccer & cycling are most prominent, or common. Beaches in the northwest & forests in the south are popular attractions. Families enjoy picnics and the theatre. Hikinh, hunting, fishing, and pigeon racing have large followings in some areas. ||
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 * **Government** ||
 * __Type__: Federal Parliamentary Democracy under a Constitutional Monarchy ||
 * __Leader__: Prime Minister - Guy Verhofstadt ||
 * __Independence__:

__When__: October 4, 1830 __From Whom__: Netherlands || USA: $39,676 Belgium: $33,000 || 1. agriculture 2. automobiles || Imports: Netherlands, Germany, France, UK, Ireland, US Exports: Germany, France, Netherlands, UK, US, Italy || Men: 75.75 years Women: 82.24 years || Belgium's climate is pretty temperate with mild winters & cool summers; rainty, humid, cloudy. || 1. construction materials 2. silica sand 3. carbonates || 1. Schelde River - one of Belgium's magor rivers, which runs throughout most of the country. Flooding is a threat along this river and others. 2. Ardennes Mountains - This beautiful forest is found in the southeast and has the highest elevation. || Belgium's enviroment is exposed to intense pressures from human activities, urbanization, crazy transportation networks, extensive animal breeding, crop cultivation, and air & water pollution. ||
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 * __Monetary Unit__: euro ||
 * __Exchange Rate__: 0.7964 ||
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