Flemish Region

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This article deals with the political entity, for more information see Flanders

The Flemish Region (Vlaams Gewest or Vlaanderen in Dutch), a contemporary meaning of 'Flanders', 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).

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.

Administrative divisions

The Flemish region comprises 5 provinces that form the Flemish region (the provinces contain a total of 308 municipalities):

Antwerp (Dutch: Antwerpen)
Limburg (Limburg)
East Flanders (Oost-Vlaanderen)
Flemish Brabant (Vlaams-Brabant)
West Flanders (West-Vlaanderen)

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.

Cities

Largest cities in the region include (with population figures in 2007):

Antwerp (466,484)
Gent (234,602)
Brugge (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)

Language

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 language facilities" around the Brussels Capital Region and on the border with Wallonia.

External links

Flemish authorities (Dutch: Vlaamse overheid)
Flanders on line
Toerisme Vlaanderen
French Flanders
Frans-Vlaanderen
The Flemish region reaches 6 million inhabitants