Flemish Region
Vlaams Gewest (Dutch)

The Flemish Region region shown within Belgium
Flag Emblem
Geography
Capital	Brussels
Area	13,522 km² (5,220.9 sq mi) km²
ISO 3166-2	BE-VLG
Demographics
Official language	Dutch
Total population	6,078,600  (01/01/2006)
Density	442 / km²
Government
Minister-President	Kris Peeters
Established	1993
Celebration day	July 11
Anthem	De Vlaamse Leeuw
Website	www.flanders.be

The Flemish Region (Dutch: Vlaams Gewest) 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):

1. Antwerp (Dutch: Antwerpen)
2. Limburg (Limburg)
3. East Flanders (Oost-Vlaanderen)
4. Flemish Brabant (Vlaams-Brabant)
5. 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 Community and the Brussels Region). It is also the official capital of Flanders.

Cities

Largest cities in the region include (with population figures in 2007): [1]

• 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.

Education

• List of schools in Antwerp
• List of schools in East Flanders
• List of schools in Flemish Brabant
• List of schools in Limburg
• List of schools in West Flanders

See also

• Communities and regions of Belgium
• Provinces of regions in Belgium
• De Vlaamse Leeuw
• Count of Flanders
• St. Gummarus
• Flanders
• French Flemish

External links

• (English) Flemish authorities (Dutch: Vlaamse overheid).
• (English) Flanders online (also in French, German and Dutch).
• Toerisme Vlaanderen
• (French) French Flanders
• (Dutch) Frans-Vlaanderen
• (Dutch) The Flemish region reaches 6 million inhabitants

v • d • e Subdivisions of Belgium Communities Flemish · French · German Regions · Provinces Capital (Brussels)   Flemish (Flanders) Antwerp · East Flanders · Flemish Brabant · Limburg · West Flanders Walloon (Wallonia) Hainaut · Liège · Luxembourg · Namur  · Walloon Brabant Municipalities by region Capital (Brussels) · Flemish (Flanders) · Walloon (Wallonia) Arrondissements Administrative · Electoral · Judicial