Five questions about Belgium – Quick Quiz answers

By British Expat, 28 November 2017

We asked you five questions about Belgium. Here come the answers!

1. Who is the current head of state of Belgium?
   King Philippe, who succeeded his father Albert II on the latter’s abdication for health reasons on 21 July 2013. The Belgian Royal Family is the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha – as the British one still would be if George V hadn’t changed the name to Windsor for patriotic reasons in 1917.
2. Between what ages is education compulsory in Belgium?
   Six to 18 years old. Like the UK, education is compulsory, but school isn’t – parents and guardians can elect to educate their children at home.
3. What seafood/fast food pairing is generally considered to be the national dish of Belgium?
   Mussels and chips – commonly known under its French name of moules-frites even in the Dutch-speaking north of Belgium. Although Belgium’s something of a gourmet paradise (they claim to have French-quality cuisine served in German portions) it’s remarkable how popular chips are.
4. The Trappist monastic order is famous for producing high-quality beer. How many of the 11 brewing abbeys are in Belgium?
   Six – Achel, Chimay, Orval, Rochefort, Westmalle and Westvleteren. The others are in the Netherlands (two), Austria, Italy and the USA. All 11 share a common logo to mark their products as authentically made by, or supervised by, Trappists in a Trappist abbey.
5. In 2014, Belgium’s laws on euthanasia became the first in the world to allow what?
   Euthanasia for children of any age. The child has to be terminally ill, face unbearable physical suffering, and make multiple requests to die before an application can be considered – and the parents have to consent.

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