In 1963 a law was passed establishing three official languages within Belgium: Dutch was recognized as the official language in the north, French in the south, and German along the eastern border. In the city and suburbs of Brussels, both French and Dutch are officially recognized, although French speakers are the larger group. In the nation as a whole, strictly Dutch speakers make up about 55 %, and French speakers 33 % of the population. Only 1 % of the people speak German, while some 11 % speak more than one language.