Belgium lies in northwest Europe and is bordered by the Netherlands, France, Germany, and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Distance is, of course a relative term, as Paris, London, and Amsterdam are a two-hour train ride from Brussels, the capital of Belgium and the European Union. Belgium is located at the interface of the major European hubs of economic and urban activity and the world's primary seaboard, the North Sea. As such, it lies not only within one of the most populous and trade-intensive regions on the planet but also along a key economic and urban axis.