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Benelux Countries

Benelux Countries is a term used to describe a group of nations located northwestern Europe. The name is derived from the three nations in the region: Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. This region is also nicknamed “Low Countries” because much of the land is located below or just slightly above sea level.

The name Benelux was adopted to name the customs agreement signed by the nations in 1944. In modern times, however, it is used to describe the geographic and cultural area made up by these three nations.

This region has a network of shipping canals and waterways linked to the rivers of Meuse, Rhine, and Schelde. There are over 3,000 square miles of farmland that is fertile along the deltas of these rivers.

The population density in this region is one of the highest in Europe. It also has one of the highest population densities in the world. This is a very urbanized region, with about 90% of residents living in cities and urban areas.

The administrative center of this region is Brussels. The official languages are Dutch and French, although there are other languages and dialects spoken throughout the nations.

The total area of the Benelux countries is 28,825 square miles. There is an estimated population of 29.3 million, with a population density of over 1,011 people per square mile. Of these nations, the Netherlands is the most populous with over 17 million people. Luxembourg is the smallest by population with just over 575,000 people.

Many major European cities are located within the Benelux countries. This includes Amsterdam in the Netherlands and Brussels in Belgium, each of which have populations exceeding 2 million. Other major cities include Antwerp and Liege in Belgium, Rotterdam and The Hague in the Netherlands, and Luxembourg City and Esch-sur-Alzette in Luxembourg.

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Country
Benelux Country
Belgium
Luxembourg
Netherlands

What are the Benelux countries?

Belgium, Luxembourg and Netherlands are part of the Benelux Member States of the European Union (EU).

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources