How were Belgium's borders determined and do they make sense?

Belgium became an independent country in 1830. Prior to that time, Belgium was ruled by the Netherlands. There were various factors that led to the Belgians becoming free from the Netherlands. One factor was religion. The South was more Catholic while the North was more Protestant. There were some conflicts over religion. Economic factors were also an influence. The South was hurt by free trade policies. Those policies benefited the North. As a result, conflict occurred in 1830, and Belgium became an independent country.

The boundaries of modern day Belgium were determined as a result of this war. The London Conference recognized Belgium’s independence and established the borders. The northern section of the Netherlands remained the Netherlands. The southern section became independent and assumed the borders that existed at the time. As a result, these borders do make sense. Some people believed Belgium was established to create an area of protection between France and other countries in Europe.