Brussels

Getting Around

The streets of Brussels have grown out of the haphazard planning of the middle ages, making navigation in the city somewhat like traveling a maze. Tourists will need to find a street map in order to successfully get around in Brussels on their own, or find a reliable tour guide.

City Proper

Population: 951,580
Ethnic composition: 55% Flemish (Dutch); 33% French (Walloons); 12% German and other
Nicknames: City of Beer, Capital of Europe, Company Town (for the European government)

Metropolitan Area

Population: 1,122,000
World population rank1: 330
Percentage of national population2: 11.0%
Average yearly growth rate: less than 0.1%

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  1. The Brussels metropolitan area's rank among the world's urban areas.
  2. The percent of Belgium's total population living in the Brussels metropolitan area.