Ethnic Conflicts
The main and largest of the ethnic conflicts in Belgium is the divide of Flanders (dutch speaking) and Wallonia (french speaking). It is historically about a deep seeded hatred of each other from economic and political imbalance. For many years Flanders has wanted to leave the country of Belgium to become its own state. Many people in Flanders don't even identify as Belgian, just as Flemish. The conflict is so bad that the last 3 Prime Ministers have all resigned. This conflict doesn't seem to be going anywhere anytime soon.
In June of 2012 riots broke out in Flanders after police arrested a Muslim woman for not showing her face at a security check point. The Muslim community who already faces alienation in Belgium felt that it was a personal attack on all Muslims so they fought back. Tensions are already high due to the ethnic partition between the Muslim Belgians and the native Belgians. For many Muslims it is hard to find work and they are seen as second class citizens.
The main and largest of the ethnic conflicts in Belgium is the divide of Flanders (dutch speaking) and Wallonia (french speaking). It is historically about a deep seeded hatred of each other from economic and political imbalance. For many years Flanders has wanted to leave the country of Belgium to become its own state. Many people in Flanders don't even identify as Belgian, just as Flemish. The conflict is so bad that the last 3 Prime Ministers have all resigned. This conflict doesn't seem to be going anywhere anytime soon.
In June of 2012 riots broke out in Flanders after police arrested a Muslim woman for not showing her face at a security check point. The Muslim community who already faces alienation in Belgium felt that it was a personal attack on all Muslims so they fought back. Tensions are already high due to the ethnic partition between the Muslim Belgians and the native Belgians. For many Muslims it is hard to find work and they are seen as second class citizens.
State Shape
Belgium is a compact state. This supports greater communication with the different ethnicities that live in Belgium, yet they still have very tense relations between the main ethnicities.
Belgium is a compact state. This supports greater communication with the different ethnicities that live in Belgium, yet they still have very tense relations between the main ethnicities.
Types of Boundaries
Cultural
Language is the biggest cultural boundary in Belgium. The division of Flanders and Wallonia is due to a linguistic difference of the people of Belgium. The Dutch speaking people of Flanders are in a political rivalry with the French speaking Wallonians.
Physical
There aren't many physical boundaries in Belgium due to the compact nature of the state in a relatively flat region of Europe. However in the southeast region the Mountains of Ardennes separate Belgium with Luxembourg and France.
Cultural
Language is the biggest cultural boundary in Belgium. The division of Flanders and Wallonia is due to a linguistic difference of the people of Belgium. The Dutch speaking people of Flanders are in a political rivalry with the French speaking Wallonians.
Physical
There aren't many physical boundaries in Belgium due to the compact nature of the state in a relatively flat region of Europe. However in the southeast region the Mountains of Ardennes separate Belgium with Luxembourg and France.