East Flanders

East Flanders
—  Province of Belgium  —
Name transcription(s)
– Dutch	Oost-Vlaanderen
– French	Flandre-Orientale
– German	Ostflandern
Flag Coat of arms
Country	Belgium
Region	Flemish Region
Capital	Ghent
Government
– Governor	André Denys
Area
– Total	2,991 km2 (1,154.8 sq mi)
Population (1 January 2010)[1]
– Total	1,432,326
– Density	478.9/km2 (1,240.3/sq mi)
Website	Official site

East Flanders (Dutch: Oost-Vlaanderen [ˈoːst ˈvlaːndərə(n)] ( listen), French: (Province de) Flandre-Orientale, German: Ostflandern) is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. It borders (clockwise from the North) on the Netherlands and in Belgium on the provinces of Antwerp, Flemish Brabant (both in Flanders), of Hainaut (Wallonia) and of West Flanders (Flanders). It has an area of 2,991 km² which is divided into six administrative districts (arrondissementen in Dutch) containing 65 municipalities. The provincial population is 1,408,484 and the capital is Ghent.

The flag has a black lion with red tongue and claws, on a background of horizontal white and green stripes. This is a recent adaptation. The flag of East-Flanders used to be the same as that of the Flanders region; a black lion on a yellow background. The old flag is still publicly used, e.g. for road signs.

Old flag used for a road sign

Government

The provincial parliament, Provincieraad, has 84 members.^[2] Six people chosen by and from the parliament are the deputies, bestendige deputatie, and form the daily government. The daily government is led by the governor, who is appointed by the Flemish government.

André Denys (VLD) has been the governor of East Flanders since 26 November 2004.^[3]

The provincial deputies are:^[4]

• 1st Deputy: Alexander Vercamer (CD&V)
• 2nd Deputy: Marc De Buck (CD&V)
• 3rd Deputy: Peter Hertog (SP.A-Spirit)
• 4th Deputy: Jozef Dauwe (CD&V)
• 5th Deputy: Carina Van Cauter (CD&V)
• 6th Deputy Eddy Couckuyt (CD&V)

The province has a yearly budget of approximately 300 million euro.

Governors

• Pierre De Ryckere (1830)
• Werner de Lamberts-Cortenbach (1830–1834)
• Charles Vilain XIIII (1834–1836)
• Louis de Schiervel (1837–1843)
• Leander Desmaisières (1843–1848)
• Edouard De Jaegher (lib.) (1848–1871)
• Emile de T'Serclaes De Wommersom (1871–1879)
• Léon Verhaeghe de Naeyer (lib.) (1879–1885)
• Raymond de Kerchove d'Exaerde (1885–1919)
• Maurice Lippens (lib.) (1919–1921)
• André de Kerchove de Denterghem (lib.) (1921–1929)
• Karel Weyler (lib.) (1929–1935)
• Jules Ingenbleek (lib.) (1935–1938)
• Louis Frederiq (lib) (1938–1939)
• Maurice Van den Boogaerde (1939–1954)
• Albert Mariën (lib.) (1954–1963)
• Roger de Kinder (BSP) (1963–1984)
• Herman Balthazar (SP.A) (1984–2004)
• André Denys (VLD) (2004-)

Timeline:

Sub divisions

Formal subdivisions: districts and municipalities

District	Ghent District:	Oudenaarde District:	Eeklo District:	Aalst District:	Dendermonde District:	Sint-Niklaas District:
Location
HASC NUTS INS Population Area	BE.OV.GT BE234 44 512,407 944 km²	BE.OV.OD BE235 45 117,125 419 km²	BE.OV.EK BE233 43 80,574 334 km²	BE.OV.AL BE231 41 267,274 469 km²	BE.OV.DM BE232 42 189,638 343 km²	BE.OV.SN BE236 46 231,262 475 km²
Municipalities	Aalter Deinze De Pinte Destelbergen Evergem Gavere Ghent Knesselare Lochristi Lovendegem Melle Merelbeke Moerbeke Nazareth Nevele Oosterzele Sint-Martens- Latem Waarschoot Wachtebeke Zomergem Zulte	Brakel Horebeke Kluisbergen Kruishoutem Lierde Maarkedal Oudenaarde Ronse Wortegem- Petegem Zingem Zwalm	Assenede Eeklo Kaprijke Maldegem Sint-Laureins Zelzate	Aalst Denderleeuw Erpe-Mere Geraardsbergen Haaltert Herzele Lede Ninove Sint-Lievens- Houtem Zottegem	Baasrode Berlare Buggenhout Dendermonde Hamme Laarne Lebbeke Waasmunster Wetteren Wichelen Zele	Beveren Kruibeke Lokeren Sint-Gillis- Waas Sint-Niklaas Stekene Temse

Informal subdivisions

• Denderstreek
• Meetjesland
• Waasland (nl:Waasland)
• Flemish Ardennes (nl:Vlaamse Ardennen)
• Lys region (nl:Leiestreek)

References

1. ^ Population per municipality on 1 January 2010 (XLS; 221 KB)
2. ^ "The provinical parliament, province East Flanders". http://www.oost-vlaanderen.be/public/over_provincie/beleid_bestuur/provincieraad/index.cfm. Retrieved 2006-03-14. 
3. ^ "The governor, province East Flanders". http://www.oost-vlaanderen.be/public/over_provincie/beleid_bestuur/gouverneur/index.cfm. Retrieved 2006-03-14. 
4. ^ "Who is who, province East Flanders". http://www.oost-vlaanderen.be/public/over_provincie/beleid_bestuur/deputatie/wieiswie/index.cfm. Retrieved 2007-02-28. 

External links

• Official Website (in Dutch)

Coordinates: 51°00′N 3°45′E / 51°N 3.75°E / 51; 3.75