Three Regions and three Communities in 30,667 square kilometres: how Belgium divides power

Background

Belgium's regional and federal ministers travelled together on the royal State Visit to Kazakhstan this month, which is the clearest picture of how the country is built. The European Union's country page describes Belgium as a federal constitutional monarchy, with a King as head of state and a Prime Minister as head of government. Power is split across the federal government, three language-based Communities and three Regions. The three Regions are Flanders, Wallonia and the Brussels-Capital Region. The country covers 30,667 square kilometres and the page gives its population as 11,955,308. Its capital is Brussels and its official languages are Dutch, French and German.