Regions of Belgium
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Regions are the first level subdivisions of Belgium.
| Region | Flemish Region | Walloon Region | Brussels capital region |
| Dutch name | Vlaams gewest | (Waals gewest) | Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest |
| French name | (Région Flamande) | Région Walonne | Région Capitale Bruxelles |
| German name | (Flämische Region) | Wallonische Region | (Hauptstadtregion Brüssel) |
| Location |  |
 |
 |
| Flag |  |
 |
 |
| Capital | Brussels | Namur | Brussels |
| ISO 3166-2:BE | BE-VLG | BE-WAL | BE-BRU |
| Area | 13522 km² (44.29% of Belgium) |
16844 km² (55.18% of Belgium) |
161 km² (0.53% of Belgium) |
| Provinces | Antwerp Limburg Flemish Brabant East Flanders West Flanders |
Hainaut Walloon Brabant Namur Liège Luxembourg |
none |
| Municipalities | 308 | 262 | 19 |
| Population | 6,043,161 (58% of Belgium) |
3,358,560 (32% of Belgium) |
1,006,749 (10% of Belgium) |
| Population density | 442/km² | 199/km² | 6238/km² |
| Minister President | Yves Leterme (list) | Elio Di Rupo (list) | Charles Picqué (list) |
| Web site | www.flanders.be | www.wallonie.be | www.brussels.irisnet.be |
[edit] Brussels-Capital Region
The Brussels-Capital Region (Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest in Dutch, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale in French, Die Region Brüssel-Hauptstadt in German) or Brussels Region is centrally located and completely surrounded by the province of Flemish Brabant and thus by the Flemish Region. With a surface area of 162 km² (0.53% of Belgium) it is the smallest of the three regions. It contains Brussels, which acts both as federal and regional capital, and in total 19 municipalities. The population breakdown in the region is as follows: ±85% French-speaking, ±15% Flemish. Its official languages are both Dutch and French. The Brussels Capital Region contains only one administrative district, the Brussels Capital District. However, for many administrative and juridical purposes (e.g. electoral purpose), it forms a district with surrounding Flemish areas (something considered by competent judicial authorities as contrary to the Belgian Constitution). However, this often creates disfunctions in the public service, e.g. whenever mono-lingual French-speaking civil servants or policemen operate in the mono-lingual Flemish municipalities.
Although many believe that the capital of Belgium is the City of Brussels municipality, the Belgian Constitution makes it clear that the capital of Belgium is Brussels in the broad meaning of the term (cf. Art. 194 and 166 of the Constitution). In practice, the functions, buildings and civil servants of all national Belgian institutions can be found all over the Brussels region and not only in the city of Brussels. Following the same logic, the significant dedicated national funds for those capital functions are shared between all 19 municipalities of the Brussels region. Among the national institutions outside the city of Brussels, one can find many buildings of national ministeries, including the main building of the ministry of pensions, the military headquarters (in Evere), the national telecommunications company. Finally, also the particular name of the Brussels region, with the explicit 'capital' in it, is a very symbolic proof of the ambitions from the main local politicians, and of the recognition for that capital function in Belgian legislation.
The Brussels Region does not belong to any of the provinces. Within the Region, 99% of the provincial competencies are assumed by the Brussels regional institutions. Remaining is only a provincial governor and some aides.
Within Brussels, the two Communities have their own institutions that act as "intermediary levels" of government and public service, sitting below the Community institutions, and above the municipal institutions:
- Vlaamse gemeenschapscommissie (VGC) and its administration;
- Commission Communautaire Française (COCOF) and its executive commission and its administration.
[edit] Flemish Region
The Flemish Region or Flanders (Vlaams Gewest or Vlaanderen in Dutch) occupies the northern part of Belgium. It has a surface area of 13522 km² (44.29% of Belgium) and is divided into 5 provinces which contain a total of 308 municipalities.
The official language is Dutch, often referred to by its inhabitants as Flemish. French may be used for certain administrative purposes in a limited number of the so-called "municipalities with linguistic facilities" around the Brussels Capital Region and on the border with Wallonia.
Brussels is part of Flanders, but only for all its Flemish inhabitants and local institutions (which indeed live in both the Flemish Region and the Brussels Region). It is also the official capital of Flanders. The Flemish Region has no institutions on its own. Its competencies were transferred to the unified Flemish institutions that combine both regional and community competencies. As a result, the Flemish region (nor the Flemish Community) has not a single civil servant of its own, no legislative council etc. Since, the unified institutions exert all their power and competencies (see also: Vlaams Parlement).
[edit] Walloon Region
The Walloon Region or Wallonia (Région Wallonne or Wallonie in French) occupies the southern part of Belgium. It has a surface area of 16844 km² (55.18% of Belgium) and is also divided into 5 provinces which contain a total of 262 municipalities. Its capital is Namur.
The official languages are French and German (only in nine eastern municipalities near the German border, which were "given" to Belgium after WWI), though Dutch may be used for administrative purpose in the so-called municipalities with linguistic facilities on the border with Flanders.
