Education enjoys high priority, and the largest share of the regional governments’ annual budget in Belgium. Complete systems of public and private schools are available to all children between the ages of 4 and 18, at little or no cost. A 'Creche Kinderdagverblijf plaats” is available for younger children.
Belgium officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.
Belgium consists of the main cultural communities of the French-speakers of Brussels and Wallonia, as well as the Flemish, and play a significant role in Western European culture. Belgian culture also includes such ethnic minorities as the Jewish community, which has greatly influenced Flemish culture, in particular Antwerp for over 500 years.