Belgium
had been a constitutional monarchy since it gained its independence
from the Netherlands in 1831. As Belgium occupied the only wide open
space between France and Germany,
its neutrality was a vital component of the European balance of power.
The foreign policy of King Albert I,
who had ruled the country since 1909, was to maintain a neutral stance
between its two powerful and antagonistic neighbours and did not join
either the Triple Alliance or the Triple
Entente.
In 1914 Belgium had a population of around 7.5 million. A prosperous
trading nation, with major ports at Antwerp and Ostend, Belgium had
good supplies of coal and iron and an efficient railway system.
Belgium had universal male suffrage but the well-educated and wealthy
were allowed up to three votes each. In 1914 power was held by Baron
de Broqueville and his Catholic Party.
Belgium had a small regular army of 43,000 men with another 115,000
trained reserves. The Belgian Air Force had only one squadron of 12
aircraft.
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