Belgium and Netherlands Exchange Territories in the New Year

• 01.02.2018, 18:07
•  Europe,  World

© AP Photo/ Virginia Mayo

A new Dutch-Belgian border deal has come into force, putting an end to a 30-year territorial dispute between the two countries.

As result of the new agreement the Netherlands has received a territory the size of 23 soccer fields (16.37 hectares; 40.5 acres), while Belgium, in turn, has gained an area the size of four soccer fields (3.09 hectares; 7.6 acres), Sputnik News reports, referring to Deutsche Welle.

The land swap helped to resolve a tense border situation at the Meuse River, which over the years has changed resulting in a territorial mishmash.