Flemish Region

Infobox Belgium Region
name = Flemish Region
"Vlaams Gewest" nl icon

---

emblem = Flemish government emblem.svg
language = Dutch
capital = Brussels
area = km2 to mi2|13522|abbr=yes
ISO = BE-VLG
web = [http://www.flanders.be/ www.flanders.be]
TypePop1 = Total
Population1 = 6,078,600
DatePop1 = 01/01/2006
density = 442
ministerpresident = Kris Peeters
anthem = De Vlaamse Leeuw
celebrationday = July 11
location = Flemish Region in Belgium and the European Union.svg
divisions = VlaanderenProvincies.png

The Flemish Region (Dutch: "Vlaams Gewest") is one of the three official regions of the Kingdom of Belgiumndash 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 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): [http://www.world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=&men=gcis&lng=en&des=gamelan&dat=200&srt=pnan&col=aohdqcfbeimg&geo=-30]
*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

*en icon [http://www.flanders.be Flemish authorities] (Dutch: "Vlaamse overheid").
*en icon [http://www.flandersonline.org/en/flanders.php Flanders online] (also in French, German and Dutch).
* [http://www.toerismevlaanderen.be Toerisme Vlaanderen]
*fr icon [http://www.nordmag.com/nord_pas_de_calais/flandre/flandre.htm French Flanders]
*nl icon [http://roepstem.tripod.com/vlaanderen.html Frans-Vlaanderen]
*nl icon [http://aps.vlaanderen.be/statistiek/nieuws/demografie/2003-11_aantal.htm The Flemish region reaches 6 million inhabitants]