Franco-Belgian comics are comics that are made for Belgian and French readers. These countries have a long tradition in comics and comic books. There they are known as "BD"s, an abbreviation of "bandes dessinées". This means "drawn strips" in French. Many other European comics, especially Italian comics, are strongly influenced by Franco-Belgian comics. In Europe, the French language is spoken not only in France but also by about 40% of the population of Belgium and about 20% of the population of Switzerland. 