Brussels is located in the central part of Belgium, in the region of Flanders. It is approximately 50 kilometers (31 miles) to the northwest of the city of Leuven and around 110 kilometers (68 miles) to the southeast of Bruges. Brussels is geographically within the Brussels-Capital Region, which is an independent administrative region in Belgium. Brussels is also close to other major European cities, making it easily accessible by various transportation modes, including air, train, bus, and car.