| Flemish Region Vlaams Gewest | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| — Region of Belgium — | |||
| |||
| Anthem: De Vlaamse Leeuw | |||
 | |||
 | |||
| Country | Belgium | ||
| Seat of the Parliament | Brussels | ||
| Government | |||
| - Minister-President | Kris Peeters | ||
| Area | |||
| - Total | 13,522 km2 (5,220.9 sq mi) | ||
| Population (2010-01-01)[1] | |||
| - Total | 6,251,983 | ||
| - Density | 462.4/km2 (1,197.5/sq mi) | ||
| Demographics | |||
| - Languages | Dutch | ||
| ISO 3166 code | BE-VLG | ||
| Celebration Day | July 11 | ||
| Website | www.flanders.be | ||
The Flemish Region (Dutch: 
Vlaams Gewest (help·info)) is one of the three official regions of the Kingdom of Belgium—alongside the Walloon Region and the Brussels-Capital Region. It occupies the northern part of Belgium and has a surface area of 13,522 km² (44.29% of Belgium). It is one of the most densely populated regions of Europe with around 455 inhabitants per square kilometer.
Contents[hide] |
[edit] Politics
Immediately after its establishment, the region transferred all its constitutional competencies to the Flemish Community. The current Flemish authorities (Flemish Parliament, Flemish Government) therefore represent all the Flemish people, including those living in the Brussels-Capital Region. Hence, the Flemish Region is governed by the Flemish Community institutions. However, members of the Flemish Community parliament who were elected in Brussels-Capital Region, have no right to vote on Flemish regional affairs.
[edit] Administrative divisions
The Flemish Region comprises 5 provinces, each consisting of administrative arrondissements which in turn contain municipalities (in total 308 municipalities in Flanders).
Brussels has its own region, the "Brussels-Capital Region", which is surrounded by the province of Flemish Brabant. However, because Brussels is historically a Dutch-speaking city in Brabant (now largely frenchified), it is often considered a part of Flanders. Brussels contains both the Flemish Community and the French Community, both having their institutions in Brussels.
| Province | Capital city | Administrative arrondissements | Population | Area | Population density | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Antwerp (Antwerpen) | Antwerp (Antwerpen) | Antwerpen, Mechelen, Turnhout | 1,715,707 | 2,867 km² | 587 / km² |
| 2 |  Limburg (Limburg) | Hasselt | Hasselt, Maaseik, Tongeren | 826,690 | 2,414 km² | 333 / km² |
| 3 |  East Flanders (Oost-Vlaanderen) | Ghent (Gent) | Aalst, Dendermonde, Eeklo, Gent, Oudenaarde, Sint-Niklaas | 1,408,484 | 2,991 km² | 459 / km² |
| 4 |  Flemish Brabant (Vlaams-Brabant) | Leuven | Halle-Vilvoorde, Leuven | 1,060,232 | 2106 km² | 493 / km² |
| 5 |  West Flanders (West-Vlaanderen) | Bruges (Brugge) | Brugge, Diksmuide, Ieper, Kortrijk, Oostende, Roeselare, Tielt, Veurne | 1,150,487 | 3,125 km² | 362 / km² |
[edit] Economy
[edit] Transport
"De Lijn" serves as public transport company, run by the Flemish government. It consists of buses and trams. TEC is the equivalent company in Wallonia, and MIVB-STIB in Brussels. The railway network, however, is run nationally, by the NMBS.
The government is also responsible for about 500 kilometers of regional roads (Dutch: gewestwegen) and about 900 kilometers of highways in the territory of the Flemish Region. Other types of roads are provincial roads and municipal roads.
[edit] Demographics
[edit] Cities
Largest cities in the region include (with population figures in 2007):[2]
- Antwerp (466,484)
- Ghent (234,602)
- Bruges (116,500)
- Leuven (95,232)
- Mechelen (78,480)
- Aalst (78,184)
- Kortrijk (73,376)
- Ostend (69,845)
- Hasselt (69,455)
- Sint-Niklaas (69,277)
- Genk (64,071)
- Roeselare (56,797)
The Flemish Diamond (Dutch: Vlaamse Ruit) is the name of the central, populous area in Flanders and consists of several of these cities, such as Antwerp, Ghent, Leuven and Mechelen. Approximately 5,500,000 people live in the area.
[edit] Language
The official language is Dutch, sometimes colloquially referred to as Flemish. Dialects are West Flemish, East Flemish, Brabantian and Limburgish.
French may be used for certain administrative purposes in a limited number of the so-called "municipalities with language facilities" around the Brussels-Capital Region and on the border with Wallonia.
"Rim municipalities" (around Brussels) are Drogenbos, Kraainem, Linkebeek, Sint-Genesius-Rode (French: Rhode-Saint-Genèse), Wemmel and Wezembeek-Oppem. Brussels was originally a Dutch-speaking city, but has been frenchified in the 19th and 20th century and is now largely French-speaking. A few municipalities in the Flemish agglomeration of Brussels are now also frenchified.
Municipalities with language facilities on the border with Wallonia are Bever (French: Biévène), Herstappe, Mesen (French: Messines), Ronse (French: Renaix), Spiere-Helkijn (French: Espierres-Helchin), Voeren (French: Fourons)
[edit] Education-(copy of wikipedia)
Education in Belgium is regulated by the communities. In Flanders this is done by the Flemish Community and in Brussels by both the Flemish and French Community.
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