Situated in northwestern Europe, Belgium has an area of 30,510 sq km (11,780 sq mi) and extends 280 km (174 mi) SE–NW and 222 km (137 mi) NE–SW. Comparatively, the area occupied by Belgium is about the same size as the state of Maryland. Belgium borders on the Netherlands to the N, Germany and Luxembourg to the E, France to the S and SW, and the North Sea to the NW, with a total boundary length of 1,385 km (859 mi).
Belgium's capital city, Brussels, is located in the north-central part of the country.