Brussels is the capital city of Belgium. As headquarters of many European institutions Brussels might also be considered something of a capital for the European Union. The fact, moreover, that Brussels acts as political capital of NATO serves to give the city a Transatlantic twist. Lying at the crossroads of cultures and playing an important role in Europe Brussels fits the definition of the archetypal "melting pot", but nonetheless retains its own unique character. Population of the Brussels metropolitan area is just over 2 million.