Total renewable water resources: 18.3 cu km (2011) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 6.22 cu km/yr (12%/88%/1%) per capita: 589.8 cu m/yr (2007) Natural hazards: flooding is a threat in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes Geography – note: crossroads of Western Europe; majority of West European capitals within 1,000  km of Brussels which is the seat of both the EU and NATO Longest Distances: 280 km SE-NW/ 222 km NE-SW Belgium has an area of 30,689 km² (11,849 sq mi), with 16,901 km2 (6,526 sq mi) or 55.1% for the Walloon Region, 13,626 km2 (5,261 sq mi) or 44.4% for the Flemish Region, and 162 km2 (63 sq mi) or 0.5% for the Brussels Capital Region.

[3] In November 2016, Belgium and the Netherlands agreed to cede small, uninhabited parcels of land to reflect a change in course of the river Meuse (or Maas, in Dutch).

[4] Belgium has three main geographical regions: the coastal plain in the north-west, the central plateau, and the Ardennes uplands in the south-east.

It is a thickly forested plateau, very rocky and not very good for farming, which extends into northern France and in Germany where it is named Eifel.

The Belgian climate, like most of northwest Europe,[5] is maritime temperate, with significant precipitation in all seasons (Köppen climate classification: Cfb; the average temperature is 3 °C (37.4 °F) in January, and 18 °C (64.4 °F) in July; the average precipitation is 65 mm (2.6 in) in January, and 78 mm (3.1 in) in July).

The Belgian National Geographic Institute calculated that the central point of Belgium lies at coordinates 50°38′28″N 4°40′05″E / 50.64111°N 4.66806°E / 50.64111; 4.66806, in Nil-Saint-Vincent-Saint-Martin in the municipality of Walhain.

Because of its high population density and location in the centre of Western Europe, Belgium faces serious environmental problems.

A 2003 report[13] suggested that the water in Belgium's rivers was of the lowest quality in Europe, and bottom of the 122 countries studied.

The environment is exposed to intense pressures from human activities: urbanisation, dense transportation network, industry, extensive animal breeding, and crop cultivation; air and water pollution also have repercussions for neighbouring countries; uncertainties regarding federal and regional responsibilities (now resolved) have slowed progress in tackling environmental challenges.