Provinces of Belgium
Encyclopedia
Belgium
is divided into three regions, two of them are subdivided into five province
s each.
The division into provinces is fixed by Article 5 of the Belgian Constitution
. The provinces are further subdivided into arrondissements
.
, an executive council known as the Permanent Deputation in the Flemish Region
, or as the Provincial College in the Walloon Region, and the Provincial Council ' onMouseout='HidePop("13886")' href="/topics/States-Provincial">States-Provincial
in the Netherlands
), which is elected by the inhabitants of the province for a term of office of 6 years. The Permanent Deputations and the Provincial Colleges consist of seven members: the Governor and 6 Deputies elected by the Provincial Council from among its members. The numbers of seats in the Provincial Councils are proportional to the population of the province.
In Flemish Brabant
, there is also a Deputy Governor . The Deputy Governor is appointed by the Flemish Government
on the unanimous advice of the Federal Council of Ministers
and must have a considerable knowledge of both the Dutch
and the French language
. He is responsible for ensuring that the language legislation is observed in the peripheral municipalities of Flemish Brabant.
Following the Fifth State Reform, the responsibility for the provincial institutions was devolved to the Regions. The Regions have the power to amend or replace the existing legislation on the provincial institutions, most notably the Provincial Law of 30 April 1836. In the Flemish Region the Provincial Decree of 9 December 2005 applies. In the Walloon Region, the Code of Local Democracy and Decentralisation applies. The legal framework in these Regions is still very similar, but that could change in the future. Although the Regions are responsible for the provincial institutions, the Federal State has retained its responsibility over the provinces in certain cases. For instance, the Regions are responsible for the appointment of the Provincial Governors, but only after the unanimous advice of the Federal Council of Ministers
. Legislation regarding the Governor and Vice-Governor of Brussels-Capital
, and the Deputy Governor of Flemish Brabant
, has also remained a federal competency.
The Brussels-Capital Region does not belong to any province, nor does it contain any. The extraprovincial status of Brussels has existed since 1995, when the former province of Brabant
, which had Brussels as its capital, was divided into the Dutch-speaking province of Flemish Brabant
and the French-speaking province of Walloon Brabant
.
Within this region, nearly all former provincial competencies are assumed by its regional institutions and by the French Community Commission
, the Flemish Community Commission
or the Common Community Commission
. However, the Arrondissement of Brussels-Capital
has two commissioners of the Federal Government
who are called 'Governor of the Brussels-Capital Region' and 'Vice-Governor'. The Governor exercises most of the few remaining powers elsewhere exercised by a provincial governor, particularly in the field of public order, as far as no (federal) law, (regional) decree, ordinance or decision states otherwise.
The Governor is appointed by the cabinet of the Brussels-Capital Region on the unanimous advice of the Federal Council of Ministers. The regional government also appoints the Vice-Governor, who must have a considerable knowledge of both the French
and the Dutch language
and who must ensure that the legislation regarding the use of languages is observed in Brussels.
is located entirely within the Province of Liège
, it has been proposed on multiple occasions to create an eleventh province, the Province of Eupen
-Sankt Vith, which would comprise the 9 municipalities of the German-speaking Community. Most of the functions carried out by provincial organs would then be exercised by the organs of the German-speaking Community.
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
is divided into three regions, two of them are subdivided into five province
Province
A province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state.-Etymology:The English word "province" is attested since about 1330 and derives from the 13th-century Old French "province," which itself comes from the Latin word "provincia," which referred to...
s each.
The division into provinces is fixed by Article 5 of the Belgian Constitution
Constitution of Belgium
The Constitution of Belgium dates back to 1831. Since then Belgium has been a parliamentary monarchy that applies the principles of ministerial responsibility for the government policy and the Trias Politica. The Constitution established Belgium as a centralised unitary state...
. The provinces are further subdivided into arrondissements
Arrondissements of Belgium
The federalized country Belgium geographically consists of 3 regions, of which only Flemish Region and Walloon Region are subdivided into 5 provinces each; the Brussels-Capital Region is neither a province nor is it part of one....
.
Provincial government
The provincial government consists of three main parts: the GovernorGovernor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
, an executive council known as the Permanent Deputation in the Flemish Region
Flemish Region
The Flemish Region is one of the three official regions of the Kingdom of Belgium—alongside the Walloon Region and the Brussels-Capital Region. Colloquially, it is usually simply referred to as Flanders, of which it is the institutional iteration within the context of the Belgian political system...
, or as the Provincial College in the Walloon Region, and the Provincial Council ' onMouseout='HidePop("13886")' href="/topics/States-Provincial">States-Provincial
States-Provincial
The States'-Provincial is the provincial parliament and legislative assembly in each of the Provinces of the Netherlands. It is elected for each province simultaneously once every four years and has the responsibility for matters of sub-national or regional importance...
in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
), which is elected by the inhabitants of the province for a term of office of 6 years. The Permanent Deputations and the Provincial Colleges consist of seven members: the Governor and 6 Deputies elected by the Provincial Council from among its members. The numbers of seats in the Provincial Councils are proportional to the population of the province.
In Flemish Brabant
Flemish Brabant
Flemish Brabant is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. It borders on the Belgian provinces of Antwerp, Limburg, Liège, Walloon Brabant, Hainaut and East Flanders. Flemish Brabant also completely surrounds the Brussels-Capital Region. Its capital is Leuven...
, there is also a Deputy Governor . The Deputy Governor is appointed by the Flemish Government
Flemish government
The Flemish Government is the executive branch of the Flemish Community and the Flemish Region. It consists of up to a maximum of eleven ministers, chosen by the Flemish Parliament...
on the unanimous advice of the Federal Council of Ministers
Belgian federal government
The Cabinet of Belgium is the executive branch of the Belgian federal government, consisting of ministers and secretaries of state drawn from the political parties which form the governing coalition. Formally, the ministers are appointed by the King...
and must have a considerable knowledge of both the Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
and the French language
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
. He is responsible for ensuring that the language legislation is observed in the peripheral municipalities of Flemish Brabant.
Following the Fifth State Reform, the responsibility for the provincial institutions was devolved to the Regions. The Regions have the power to amend or replace the existing legislation on the provincial institutions, most notably the Provincial Law of 30 April 1836. In the Flemish Region the Provincial Decree of 9 December 2005 applies. In the Walloon Region, the Code of Local Democracy and Decentralisation applies. The legal framework in these Regions is still very similar, but that could change in the future. Although the Regions are responsible for the provincial institutions, the Federal State has retained its responsibility over the provinces in certain cases. For instance, the Regions are responsible for the appointment of the Provincial Governors, but only after the unanimous advice of the Federal Council of Ministers
Belgian federal government
The Cabinet of Belgium is the executive branch of the Belgian federal government, consisting of ministers and secretaries of state drawn from the political parties which form the governing coalition. Formally, the ministers are appointed by the King...
. Legislation regarding the Governor and Vice-Governor of Brussels-Capital
Arrondissement of Brussels-Capital
The Arrondissement of Brussels-Capital is the only administrative arrondissement in the Brussels-Capital Region in Belgium. Because it is the only administrative arrondissement in the Brussels Region, its territory coincides with that of the latter....
, and the Deputy Governor of Flemish Brabant
Flemish Brabant
Flemish Brabant is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. It borders on the Belgian provinces of Antwerp, Limburg, Liège, Walloon Brabant, Hainaut and East Flanders. Flemish Brabant also completely surrounds the Brussels-Capital Region. Its capital is Leuven...
, has also remained a federal competency.
Absence of any province in the Brussels-Capital Region
Province of Brabant
Brabant was a province of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands from 1815 until 1830 and a province of Belgium from 1830 until 1995, when it was split into the Dutch-speaking Flemish Brabant, the French-speaking Walloon Brabant and the bilingual Brussels-Capital Region.-United Kingdom of the...
, which had Brussels as its capital, was divided into the Dutch-speaking province of Flemish Brabant
Flemish Brabant
Flemish Brabant is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. It borders on the Belgian provinces of Antwerp, Limburg, Liège, Walloon Brabant, Hainaut and East Flanders. Flemish Brabant also completely surrounds the Brussels-Capital Region. Its capital is Leuven...
and the French-speaking province of Walloon Brabant
Walloon Brabant
Walloon Brabant is a province of Wallonia in Belgium. It borders on the province of Flemish Brabant and the provinces of Liège, Namur and Hainaut . Its capital is Wavre...
.
Within this region, nearly all former provincial competencies are assumed by its regional institutions and by the French Community Commission
French Community Commission
The Commission communautaire française is the local representative of the French-speaking authorities in the Brussels-Capital Region, one of the three regions of Belgium....
, the Flemish Community Commission
Flemish Community Commission
The Vlaamse Gemeenschapscommissie is the local representative of the Flemish authorities in the Brussels-Capital Region, one of the three regions of Belgium...
or the Common Community Commission
Common Community Commission
The Common Community Commission is responsible for community matters that are common to both the French Community and the Flemish Community and for institutions that fall within the competencies of the Communities but do not belong exclusively to either Community in the Brussels-Capital Region of...
. However, the Arrondissement of Brussels-Capital
Arrondissement of Brussels-Capital
The Arrondissement of Brussels-Capital is the only administrative arrondissement in the Brussels-Capital Region in Belgium. Because it is the only administrative arrondissement in the Brussels Region, its territory coincides with that of the latter....
has two commissioners of the Federal Government
Belgian federal government
The Cabinet of Belgium is the executive branch of the Belgian federal government, consisting of ministers and secretaries of state drawn from the political parties which form the governing coalition. Formally, the ministers are appointed by the King...
who are called 'Governor of the Brussels-Capital Region' and 'Vice-Governor'. The Governor exercises most of the few remaining powers elsewhere exercised by a provincial governor, particularly in the field of public order, as far as no (federal) law, (regional) decree, ordinance or decision states otherwise.
The Governor is appointed by the cabinet of the Brussels-Capital Region on the unanimous advice of the Federal Council of Ministers. The regional government also appoints the Vice-Governor, who must have a considerable knowledge of both the French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and the Dutch language
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
and who must ensure that the legislation regarding the use of languages is observed in Brussels.
Provinces of the Flemish Region
| Province | Antwerp Antwerp (province) Antwerp is the northernmost province both of the Flemish Region, also called Flanders, and of Belgium. It borders on the Netherlands and the Belgian provinces of Limburg, Flemish Brabant and East Flanders. Its capital is Antwerp which comprises the Port of Antwerp... |
Limburg Limburg (Belgium) Limburg is the easternmost province of modern Flanders, which is one of the three main political and cultural sub-divisions of modern Belgium. It is located west of the river Meuse . It borders on the Dutch provinces of North Brabant and Limburg and the Belgian provinces of Liège, Flemish Brabant... |
Flemish Brabant Flemish Brabant Flemish Brabant is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. It borders on the Belgian provinces of Antwerp, Limburg, Liège, Walloon Brabant, Hainaut and East Flanders. Flemish Brabant also completely surrounds the Brussels-Capital Region. Its capital is Leuven... |
East Flanders East Flanders East Flanders is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. It borders on the Netherlands and in Belgium on the provinces of Antwerp, Flemish Brabant , of Hainaut and of West Flanders... |
West Flanders |
| Dutch Dutch language Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second... name |
Antwerpen | Limburg | Vlaams-Brabant | Oost-Vlaanderen | West-Vlaanderen |
| German German language German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union.... name |
Antwerpen | Limburg | Flämisch-Brabant | Ostflandern | Westflandern |
| French French language French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts... name |
Anvers | Limbourg | Brabant flamand | Flandre orientale | Flandre occidentale |
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| HASC Hierarchical administrative subdivision codes Hierarchical administrative subdivision codes are codes to represent names of country subdivisions, such as states, province, regions.They are described in the book "Administrative Subdivisions of Countries: A Comprehensive World Reference, 1900 Through 1998" written by Gwillim Law.The codes are... |
BE.AN | BE.LI | BE.VB | BE.OV | BE.WV |
| FIPS | BE01 | BE05 | BE12 | BE08 | BE09 |
| ISO 3166-2:BE ISO 3166-2:BE ISO 3166-2:BE is the entry for Belgium in ISO 3166-2, part of the ISO 3166 standard published by the International Organization for Standardization , which defines codes for the names of the principal subdivisions of all countries coded in ISO 3166-1.Currently for Belgium, ISO 3166-2 codes are... |
VAN | VLI | VBR | VOV | VWV |
| Postal codes | 2000-2999 | 3500-3999 | 1500-1999, 3000-3499 | 9000-9999 | 8000-8999 |
| Area | 2860 km² 21.15% of Flanders 9.38% of Belgium |
2414 km² 17.85% of Flanders 7.92% of Belgium |
2106 km² 15.57% of Flanders 6.91% of Belgium |
2982 km² 22.12% of Flanders 9.81% of Belgium |
3151 km² 23.30% of Flanders 10.33% of Belgium |
| Capital | Antwerpen | Hasselt Hasselt Hasselt is a Belgian city and municipality, and capital of the Flemish province of Limburg... |
Leuven Leuven Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium... |
Gent Ghent Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of... |
Brugge Bruges Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country.... |
| Population | 1,682,683 28% of Flanders |
805,786 13% of Flanders |
1,037,786 17% of Flanders |
1,389,199 23% of Flanders |
1,130,040 19% of Flanders |
| Density | 587 / km² | 333 / km² | 493 / km² | 459 / km² | 362 / km² |
| Governor | Cathy Berx Cathy Berx Cathy Berx is a Belgian Roman Catholic politician, jurist and governor of the province of Antwerp. Cathy Berx is married to Johan Meeusen, vice-rector and professor of European Law at the University of Antwerp, and has 2 children.... |
Herman Reynders | Lodewijk De Witte Lodewijk De Witte Lodewijk De Witte is the governor of the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant.After his studies at the law school of the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, he remained active as a researcher and became specialised in issues concerning labour law , which was assigned to him by the European Economic... |
André Denys | Paul Breyne |
| Government | CD&V, SP.A, VLD | CD&V, SP.A, VLD | CD&V, SP.A, VLD | CD&V, SP.A, VLD | CD&V, SP.A |
| website | www.provant.be | www.limburg.be | www.vlaamsbrabant.be | www.oost-vlaanderen.be | www.west-vlaanderen.be |
Provinces of the Walloon Region
| Province | Hainaut | Walloon Brabant Walloon Brabant Walloon Brabant is a province of Wallonia in Belgium. It borders on the province of Flemish Brabant and the provinces of Liège, Namur and Hainaut . Its capital is Wavre... |
Namur Namur (province) Namur is a province of Wallonia, one of the three regions of Belgium. It borders on the Walloon provinces of Hainaut, Walloon Brabant, Liège and Luxembourg in Belgium, and on France. Its capital is the city of Namur... |
Liège Liège (province) Liège is the easternmost province of Belgium and belongs to the Walloon Region. It is an area of French and German ethnicity. It borders on the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, and in Belgium the provinces of Luxembourg, Namur, Walloon Brabant , and those of Flemish Brabant and Limburg . Its... |
Luxembourg |
| French French language French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts... name |
Hainaut | Brabant wallon | Namur | Liège | Luxembourg |
| German German language German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union.... name |
Hennegau | Wallonisch-Brabant | Namür | Lüttich | Luxemburg |
| Dutch Dutch language Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second... name |
Henegouwen | Waals Brabant | Namen | Luik | Luxemburg |
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| HASC Hierarchical administrative subdivision codes Hierarchical administrative subdivision codes are codes to represent names of country subdivisions, such as states, province, regions.They are described in the book "Administrative Subdivisions of Countries: A Comprehensive World Reference, 1900 Through 1998" written by Gwillim Law.The codes are... |
BE.HT | BE.BW | BE.NA | BE.LG | BE.LX |
| FIPS | BE03 | BE10 | BE07 | BE04 | BE06 |
| ISO 3166-2:BE ISO 3166-2:BE ISO 3166-2:BE is the entry for Belgium in ISO 3166-2, part of the ISO 3166 standard published by the International Organization for Standardization , which defines codes for the names of the principal subdivisions of all countries coded in ISO 3166-1.Currently for Belgium, ISO 3166-2 codes are... |
WHT | WBR | WNA | WLG | WLX |
| Postal codes | 7000-7999 (West), 6000-6999 (East, shared with Luxembourg) |
1300-1499 | 5000-5999 | 4000-4999 | 6000-6999 (shared with Eastern Hainaut) |
| Area | 3800 km² 22.56% of Wallonia 12.44% of Belgium |
1093 km² 6.49% of Wallonia 3.58% of Belgium |
3664 km² 21.75% of Wallonia 11.99% of Belgium |
3844 km² 22.82% of Wallonia 12.58% of Belgium |
4443 km² 26.38% of Wallonia 14.54% of Belgium |
| Capital | Mons Mons Mons is a Walloon city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut, of which it is the capital. The Mons municipality includes the old communes of Cuesmes, Flénu, Ghlin, Hyon, Nimy, Obourg, Baudour , Jemappes, Ciply, Harmignies, Harveng, Havré, Maisières, Mesvin, Nouvelles,... |
Wavre Wavre Wavre is a town and municipality located in the Belgian province of Walloon Brabant, of which it is the capital.Wavre is located in the Dyle valley. Most of its inhabitants speak French as mother tongue and are called "Wavriens" and "Wavriennes"... |
Namur Namur (city) Namur is a city and municipality in Wallonia, in southern Belgium. It is both the capital of the province of Namur and of Wallonia.... |
Liège | Arlon |
| Population | 1,294,844 38% of Wallonia |
370,460 11% of Wallonia |
461,983 13% of Wallonia |
1,047,414 30% of Wallonia |
261,178 8% of Wallonia |
| Density | 341 / km² | 339 / km² | 126 / km² | 272 / km² | 59 / km² |
| Governor | Claude Durieux | Marie-José Laloy | Denis Mathen | Michel Foret Michel Foret Michel Foret is a Belgian politician and lawyer. A member of the Reformist Movement, he is the current governor of Liège Province.-References:... |
Bernard Caprasse |
| Government | PS Socialist Party (francophone Belgium) The Socialist Party is a Francophone social-democratic political party in Belgium. As of the 2010 elections, it is the second largest party in the Belgian Chamber of Representatives and the largest Francophone party... , MR |
PS Socialist Party (francophone Belgium) The Socialist Party is a Francophone social-democratic political party in Belgium. As of the 2010 elections, it is the second largest party in the Belgian Chamber of Representatives and the largest Francophone party... , MR, Ecolo Ecolo Ecolo is a French-speaking Belgian green political party in Wallonia, Brussels and the German-speaking Community of Belgium... |
PS Socialist Party (francophone Belgium) The Socialist Party is a Francophone social-democratic political party in Belgium. As of the 2010 elections, it is the second largest party in the Belgian Chamber of Representatives and the largest Francophone party... , MR |
PS Socialist Party (francophone Belgium) The Socialist Party is a Francophone social-democratic political party in Belgium. As of the 2010 elections, it is the second largest party in the Belgian Chamber of Representatives and the largest Francophone party... , MR |
PS Socialist Party (francophone Belgium) The Socialist Party is a Francophone social-democratic political party in Belgium. As of the 2010 elections, it is the second largest party in the Belgian Chamber of Representatives and the largest Francophone party... , cdH |
| website | www.hainaut.be | www.brabantwallon.be | www.province.namur.be | www.provincedeliege.be | www.province.luxembourg.be |
Proposed 11th province (Eupen-Sankt Vith)
Because the German-speaking CommunityGerman-speaking Community of Belgium
The German-speaking Community of Belgium is one of the three federal communities of Belgium. Covering an area of 854 km² within the province of Liège in Wallonia, it includes nine of the eleven municipalities of the so-called East Cantons...
is located entirely within the Province of Liège
Liège (province)
Liège is the easternmost province of Belgium and belongs to the Walloon Region. It is an area of French and German ethnicity. It borders on the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, and in Belgium the provinces of Luxembourg, Namur, Walloon Brabant , and those of Flemish Brabant and Limburg . Its...
, it has been proposed on multiple occasions to create an eleventh province, the Province of Eupen
Eupen
Eupen is a municipality in the Belgian province of Liège, from the German border , from the Dutch border and from the "High Fens" nature reserve...
-Sankt Vith, which would comprise the 9 municipalities of the German-speaking Community. Most of the functions carried out by provincial organs would then be exercised by the organs of the German-speaking Community.
External links
- Vereniging van de Vlaamse Provincies (Association of the Flemish Provinces)
- Association des Provinces wallonnes (Association of the Walloon Provinces)