Map of Belgium, its four language areas & three regions (colours); two of the latter have provinces (thin black lines).

Communities:	Regions:
	Flemish Region (yellow)
Flemish Community (yellow * )
	Brussels-Capital Region (orange * )
French Community (red * )
	Walloon Region (red, incl. blue striped)
German- speaking Community (red & blue striped)
* Citizens of the Brussels-Capital Region may belong to the Flemish or French community.

Belgium is a federal state comprising three communities, three regions, and four language areas. For each of these subdivision types, the sum of their circumscribed surfaces composes the entire country — the types overlap.

Country subdivisions

The Flemish Region (Flanders) and the Walloon Region (Wallonia) each comprise five provinces; the third region, Brussels-Capital Region, is neither a province, nor does it contain any. The Flemish region is one of the three official regions of the Kingdom of Belgium (alongside the Walloon Region and the Brussels-Capital Region). ... Flanders (Dutch: ) has several main meanings: the social, cultural and linguistical, scientific and educational, economical and political community of the Flemings; generally called the Flemish community (others refer to this as the Flemish nation) which is, with over 6 million inhabitants, the majority of all Belgians; the constituent governing institution... National motto: Walon todi ! (Walloon forever!) Official languages French, German Capital Namur Minister-President Jean-Claude Van Cauwenberghe Area  - Total 16,844 km² Population  - Total (2002)  - Density 3,358,560 inhabitants 199. ... Wallonia (French: Wallonie, German: Wallonien, Walloon: Walonreye, Dutch: Wallonië) or the Walloon Region (French: Région Wallonne, Dutch: Waals Gewest) is the predominantly French-speaking region that constitutes one of the three federal regions of Belgium, with its capital at Namur. ... Belgium is divided into three regions, two of them are subdivided into five provinces each. ... The Brussels-Capital Region (French: R gion de Bruxelles-Capitale, Dutch: Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest, German: Region Br ssel-Hauptstadt) or Brussels Region (French: R gion Bruxelloise, Dutch: Brusselse Gewest) is one of the three regions of Belgium. ...

Together, these comprise 589 municipalities, which in general consist of several sub-municipalities (which were independent municipalities before the municipal merger operation mainly in 1977). Belgium is divided into 589 municipalities (Dutch: gemeenten, French: communes, German: Gemeinde) grouped into three regions and 10 provinces, except the 19 municipalities of the Brussels-Capital region which do not belong to any of the 10 provinces. ... A Deelgemeente is a subdivision of Belgian municipalities. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ...

The communities, regions, language areas, municipalities, and provinces, are the five most important subnational entities of Belgium, as laid out into the Belgian constitution. Lesser subnational entities include for instance the intra-municipal districts, the administrative, the electoral and the judicial arrondissements, police districts, as well as the new inter-municipal police zones (lower level than the police districts). This is the translation in English of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Belgium as provided by the Parliament. ... This is a list of Belgian administrative arrondissements or districts. ...

All these entities have geographical boundaries: the language areas, the communities, the regions, the provinces and the municipalities. The language areas have no offices or powers and exist de facto only as precise geographical circumscriptions serving to delimit the empowered subdivisions. The institutional communities are thus equally geographically determined: The Flemish government has legal authority (for its Community competencies) only within the areas of the Flemish and Brussels region; the French-speaking Community analogously has powers only within the areas of the Walloon^{[citation needed]} and Brussels region. Belgian Communities do not officially refer directly to groups of people – there is indeed no subnationality in Brussels – but rather to specific political, linguistic and cultural competencies of the country. De facto is a Latin expression that means in fact or in practice. It is commonly used as opposed to de jure (meaning by law) when referring to matters of law or governance or technique (such as standards), that are found in the common experience as created or developed without...

All Communities thus have a precise and legally established area where they can exert their competencies: the Flemish Community is competent in the Flemish and Brussels regions; the French-speaking Community in the French language area of the Walloon Region and in the Brussels-Capital Region, and the German Community in the German language area, which is a small part of the province of Liège in the Walloon region, and borders Germany.

The three regions are:

• the Flemish Region
• the Brussels-Capital Region
• the Walloon Region

The three communities are: The Flemish region is one of the three official regions of the Kingdom of Belgium (alongside the Walloon Region and the Brussels-Capital Region). ... The Brussels-Capital Region (French: R gion de Bruxelles-Capitale, Dutch: Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest, German: Region Br ssel-Hauptstadt) or Brussels Region (French: R gion Bruxelloise, Dutch: Brusselse Gewest) is one of the three regions of Belgium. ... National motto: Walon todi ! (Walloon forever!) Official languages French, German Capital Namur Minister-President Jean-Claude Van Cauwenberghe Area  - Total 16,844 km² Population  - Total (2002)  - Density 3,358,560 inhabitants 199. ...

• the Dutch-speaking Vlaamse Gemeenschap ("Flemish Community")
• the French-speaking Communauté Française ("French Community")
• the German-speaking Deutschsprachige Gemeinschaft ("German-speaking Community").

It should be noted that the Flemish Region was officially merged into the Flemish Community, with one parliament, one government and one administration, exerting both regional and community competencies, although Flemish parliamentarians from the Brussels-Capital Region cannot vote on competencies of the Flemish Region. Dutch (  ) is a West Germanic language spoken by around 23 million people, mainly in the Netherlands, Belgium and Suriname, but also by smaller groups of speakers in parts of France, Germany and several former Dutch colonies. ... the Flemish community has jurisdiction over Flanders and over the Dutch language institutions in Brussels. ... French (français, langue française) is one of the most important Romance languages, outnumbered in speakers only by Spanish and Portuguese. ... The French Community area of Belgium The French Community of Belgium (French: , Dutch: , German: ) is one of the three official communities in Belgium along with the Flemish Community and the German speaking Community. ... German (called Deutsch in German; in German the term germanisch is equivalent to English Germanic), is a member of the western group of Germanic languages and is one of the worlds major languages. ... The Executive (government) of the German-speaking Community meets in Eupen Flag of the German-speaking community in Belgium The German-speaking Community of Belgium (German: , short DGB) is one of the three federal communities in Belgium. ... The Flemish Parliament (Dutch: Vlaams Parlement, and formerly called Flemish Council or Vlaamse Raad) constitutes the legislative power in Flanders, for matters which fall within the competence of Flanders, both as a geographic region and a cultural and linguistic community of Belgium. ...

The four language areas (as taalgebieden in Dutch and Sprachgebiete in German), occasionally referred to as linguistic regions (from French régions linguistiques), are:

• the Dutch language area
• the Bilingual area Brussels-Capital
• the French language area
• the German language area (which has specific language facilities for French-speakers).

This article is in need of attention. ...

Competences

The Federal State retains a considerable "common heritage". This includes justice, defence, federal police, social security, monetary policy, public debt and other aspects of public finances, nuclear energy, State-owned companies (such as the Post Office and —an exception on regionalized transport— Belgian Railways). It is responsible for the obligations of Belgium and its federalized institutions towards the European Union and NATO. It controls substantial parts of public health, home affairs and foreign affairs.^[1]

Communities exercise competences only within linguistically determined geographical boundaries, originally oriented towards the individuals of a Community's language: culture (including audiovisual media), education, the use of the relevant language. Extensions to personal matters less directly attributed to the language comprise health policy (curative and preventive medicine) and assistance to individuals (protection of youth, social welfare, aid to families, immigrant assistance services, etc.)^[2]

Regions have authority in fields connected with their territory in the widest meaning of the term, thus relating to the economy, employment, agriculture, water policy, housing, public works, energy, transport, the environment, town and country planning, nature conservation, credit, and foreign trade. They supervise the provinces, municipalities and intercommunal utility companies.^[3]

In several fields, the different levels each have their own say on specificities. On education for instance, the autonomy of the Communities does neither include decisions about the compulsory aspect nor setting minimum requirements for awarding qualifications, which remain federal matters.^[1] Each level can be involved in scientific research and international relations associated with its powers.^[2][3]

Communities

For an explanation on communities and regions in Belgium, see the introduction of this article.

Administrative division. ... the Flemish community has jurisdiction over Flanders and over the Dutch language institutions in Brussels. ... The French Community area of Belgium The French Community of Belgium (French: , Dutch: , German: ) is one of the three official communities in Belgium along with the Flemish Community and the German speaking Community. ... The Executive (government) of the German-speaking Community meets in Eupen Flag of the German-speaking community in Belgium The German-speaking Community of Belgium (German: , short DGB) is one of the three federal communities in Belgium. ... File links The following pages link to this file: Flanders Flemish Community Categories: Images with unknown source ... Image File history File links Franse_GemeenschapLocatie. ... Image File history File links Duitstalige_GemeenschapLocatie. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Flanders. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Wallonia. ... This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Nickname: Map showing the location of Brussels in Belgium Coordinates: Country Belgium Region Brussels-Capital Region Founded 979 Founded (Region) June 18, 1989 Government  - Mayor (Municipality) Freddy Thielemans Area  - Region 162 km²  (62. ... Nickname: Map showing the location of Brussels in Belgium Coordinates: Country Belgium Region Brussels-Capital Region Founded 979 Founded (Region) June 18, 1989 Government  - Mayor (Municipality) Freddy Thielemans Area  - Region 162 km²  (62. ... St Nikolaus church in Eupen Eupen is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège, 15 km from the German border (Aachen), from the Dutch border (Maastricht) and from the nature reservation Hohes Venn (Ardennes). ... Yves Camille Désiré Leterme (born October 6, 1960 in Wervik, Belgium) is the current Minister-President of Flanders, Belgium. ... Karl-Heinz Lambertz (born June 4, 1952 at Amel, Belgium), is a jurist and politician, currently the leader (Minister-President) of the community executive of the German-speaking community of Belgium. ...

Regions

For an explanation on communities and regions in Belgium, see the introduction of this article.

Successive Belgian kings are 1831-1865: Léopold I (34) 1865-1909: Léopold II (44) 1909-1934: Albert I (25) 1934-1951: Léopold III (16) 1944-1950: Charles, reigned as Prince Regent 1951-1993: Baudouin I (42) Since 1993: Albert II (13) None of these were King of... Albert II, King of the Belgians (Albert Félix Humbert Théodore Chrétien Eugène Marie), (born June 6, 1934), is the current King of the Belgians and a constitutional monarch. ... The executive branch of the Belgian federal government consists of ministers and secretaries of state (junior ministers or smaller departments) drawn from the political parties which form the government coalition. ... This is a list of Prime Ministers of Belgium, known regionally as: Premier Ministre in French, Eerste Minister in Dutch, and Premierminister in German. ... Guy Verhofstadt (help· info) (born April 11, 1953) is a Belgian politician, municipal councillor in Ghent and current Prime Minister of Belgium. ... The Belgian Federal Parliament is a bicameral parliament. ... The Belgian Senate (Dutch: de Senaat, French: le Sénat) is one of the two chambers of the Belgian Federal Parliament. ... The Belgian Chamber of Representatives (Dutch: de Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers, French: la Chambre des Représentants) is one of the two chambers of the Belgian Federal Parliament. ... Belgium has a multi-party political system, with numerous parties in which no one party often has a chance of gaining power alone, and parties must work with each other to form coalition governments. ... Elections in Belgium gives information on election and election results in Belgium. ... The May 18, 2003 Belgian general elections were the first Belgian elections to be held under a new electoral code. ... The next Belgian general election is scheduled to take place on Sunday June 24, 2007. ... On June 13, 2004, regional elections were held in Belgium, to choose representatives in the regional councils of Flanders, Wallonia, and Brussels, as well as in the German Community Council. ... The Belgian municipal elections, 2000 took place on Sunday October 8, 2000. ... The Belgian municipal elections, 2006 took place on Sunday October 8, 2006. ... Administrative division. ... Belgium is a federal state and is composed of three communities, three regions, and four linguistic regions. ... The European Union or EU is a supranational and international organization of 27 member states. ... The Concert of Europe sanctioned the creation of Belgium in 1830 on the condition that the country remain strictly neutral. ... Information on politics by country is available for every country, including both de jure and de facto independent states, inhabited dependent territories, as well as areas of special sovereignty. ...

Flemish Region

Main article: Flemish Region

The Flemish Region or Flanders (Vlaams Gewest or Vlaanderen in Dutch) occupies the northern part of Belgium. It has a surface area of 13522 km² (44.29% of Belgium) and is divided into 5 provinces which contain a total of 308 municipalities. The Flemish region is one of the three official regions of the Kingdom of Belgium (alongside the Walloon Region and the Brussels-Capital Region). ...

The official language is Dutch, often referred to by its inhabitants as Flemish. French may be used for certain administrative purposes in a neat dozen so-called "municipalities with language facilities" around the Brussels-Capital Region and at the border with Wallonia. Flemish is the term for the dialects of Dutch spoken in Flanders or, alternatively, the forms of Dutch spoken in Belgium. ... Wallonia (French: Wallonie, German: Wallonien, Walloon: Walonreye, Dutch: Wallonië) or the Walloon Region (French: Région Wallonne, Dutch: Waals Gewest) is the predominantly French-speaking region that constitutes one of the three federal regions of Belgium, with its capital at Namur. ...

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. The Flemish Region has no institutions on its own. Its competencies were transferred to the unified Flemish institutions that combine both regional and community competencies. As a result, the Flemish region (nor the Flemish Community) has not a single civil servant of its own, no legislative council etc. Since, the unified institutions exert all their power and competencies (see also: Flemish Parliament and Flemish Government). Nickname: Map showing the location of Brussels in Belgium Coordinates: Country Belgium Region Brussels-Capital Region Founded 979 Founded (Region) June 18, 1989 Government  - Mayor (Municipality) Freddy Thielemans Area  - Region 162 km²  (62. ... Flanders (Dutch: ) has several main meanings: the social, cultural and linguistical, scientific and educational, economical and political community of the Flemings; generally called the Flemish community (others refer to this as the Flemish nation) which is, with over 6 million inhabitants, the majority of all Belgians; the constituent governing institution... The Flemish Parliament (Dutch: Vlaams Parlement, and formerly called Flemish Council or Vlaamse Raad) constitutes the legislative power in Flanders, for matters which fall within the competence of Flanders, both as a geographic region and a cultural and linguistic community of Belgium. ... Flanders (Dutch: ) has several main meanings: the social, cultural and linguistical, scientific and educational, economical and political community of the Flemings; generally called the Flemish community (others refer to this as the Flemish nation) which is, with over 6 million inhabitants, the majority of all Belgians; the constituent governing institution...

Provinces

Main article: Provinces of Belgium

• Flanders contains five provinces: West Flanders, East Flanders, Antwerp, Flemish Brabant, Limburg

Belgium is a federal state and is composed of three communities, three regions, and four linguistic regions. ... West Flanders (Dutch: West-Vlaanderen) is the westernmost province of Flanders and of Belgium. ... East Flanders is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. ... Antwerp is the northernmost province of Flanders and of Belgium. ... Flemish Brabant is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. ... Limburg is the easternmost province of Flanders (which is one of the three regions of Belgium), and is located west of the Meuse river. ...

Brussels-Capital Region

Main article: Brussels-Capital Region

The Brussels-Capital Region (Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest in Dutch, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale in French, Die Region Brüssel-Hauptstadt in German) or Brussels Region is centrally located and completely surrounded by the province of Flemish Brabant and thus by the Flemish Region. With a surface area of 162 km² (0.53% of Belgium) it is the smallest of the three regions. It contains Brussels, which acts both as federal and regional capital, and in total 19 municipalities. The population breakdown in the region is as follows: ±85% French-speaking, ±15% Flemish. Its official languages are both Dutch and French. The Brussels Capital Region contains only one administrative district, the Brussels Capital District. However, for many administrative and juridical purposes (e.g. electoral purpose), it forms a district with surrounding Flemish areas (something considered by competent judicial authorities as contrary to the Belgian Constitution). However, this often creates disfunctions in the public service, e.g. whenever mono-lingual French-speaking civil servants or policemen operate in the mono-lingual Flemish municipalities. The Brussels-Capital Region (French: R gion de Bruxelles-Capitale, Dutch: Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest, German: Region Br ssel-Hauptstadt) or Brussels Region (French: R gion Bruxelloise, Dutch: Brusselse Gewest) is one of the three regions of Belgium. ... Flemish Brabant is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. ... The Flemish region is one of the three official regions of the Kingdom of Belgium (alongside the Walloon Region and the Brussels-Capital Region). ... Nickname: Map showing the location of Brussels in Belgium Coordinates: Country Belgium Region Brussels-Capital Region Founded 979 Founded (Region) June 18, 1989 Government  - Mayor (Municipality) Freddy Thielemans Area  - Region 162 km²  (62. ... Flanders (Dutch: ) has several main meanings: the social, cultural and linguistical, scientific and educational, economical and political community of the Flemings; generally called the Flemish community (others refer to this as the Flemish nation) which is, with over 6 million inhabitants, the majority of all Belgians; the constituent governing institution...

Although many believe that the capital of Belgium is the City of Brussels municipality, the Belgian Constitution makes it clear that the capital of Belgium is Brussels in the broad meaning of the term (cf. Art. 194 and 166 of the Constitution). In practice, the functions, buildings and civil servants of all national Belgian institutions can be found all over the Brussels region and not only in the city of Brussels. Following the same logic, the significant dedicated national funds for those capital functions are shared between all 19 municipalities of the Brussels region. Among the national institutions outside the city of Brussels, one can find many buildings of national ministeries, including the main building of the ministry of pensions, the military headquarters (in Evere), the national telecommunications company. Finally, also the particular name of the Brussels region, with the explicit 'capital' in it, is a very symbolic proof of the ambitions from the main local politicians, and of the recognition for that capital function in Belgian legislation. The City of Brussels (Bruxelles-Ville or Ville de Bruxelles in French, Stad Brussel in Dutch) is one of the municipalities (the largest one) of the Brussels-Capital Region in Belgium. ... Nickname: Map showing the location of Brussels in Belgium Coordinates: Country Belgium Region Brussels-Capital Region Founded 979 Founded (Region) June 18, 1989 Government  - Mayor (Municipality) Freddy Thielemans Area  - Region 162 km²  (62. ...

The Brussels Region does not belong to any of the provinces. Within the Region, 99% of the provincial competencies are assumed by the Brussels regional institutions. Remaining is only the governor of Brussels-Capital and some aides. The Governor of Brussels-Capital (French: Gouverneur de Bruxelles-Capitale, Dutch: Gouverneur van Brussel-Hoofdstad) has the responsibility to enforce laws concerned with public order, in the Brussels-Capital Region, one of the three regions of Belgium. ...

Within Brussels, the two Communities have their own institutions that act as "intermediary levels" of government and public service, sitting below the Community institutions, and above the municipal institutions:

• Vlaamse gemeenschapscommissie (VGC) and its administration;
• Commission Communautaire Française (COCOF) and its executive commission and its administration.

The Vlaamse Gemeenschapscommissie (or VGC, or, in English, the Flemish Community Commission) is the local representative of the Flemish authorities in the Brussels-Capital Region, one of the three regions of Belgium. ... The Commission communautaire française (or COCOF, or, in English, the French Community Commission) is the local representative of the French-speaking authorities in the Brussels-Capital Region, one of the three regions of Belgium. ...

Walloon Region

Main article: Walloon Region

The Walloon Region or Wallonia (Région Wallonne or Wallonie in French) occupies the southern part of Belgium. It has a surface area of 16844 km² (55.18% of Belgium) and is also divided into 5 provinces which contain a total of 262 municipalities. Its capital is Namur. National motto: Walon todi ! (Walloon forever!) Official languages French, German Capital Namur Minister-President Jean-Claude Van Cauwenberghe Area  - Total 16,844 km² Population  - Total (2002)  - Density 3,358,560 inhabitants 199. ... Namur (Nameûr in Walloon, Namen in Dutch) is a city and municipality, capital of the province of Namur and of the region of Wallonia in southern Belgium. ...

The official languages are French and, only in the nine eastern municipalities that form the German-speaking Community near the German border, which were "given" to Belgium after WWI), German. Dutch however, may be used for administrative purposes in the four municipalities with language facilities at the border with Flanders, and German in two such municipalities near the German-speaking Community. “The Great War ” redirects here. ...

Provinces

Main article: Provinces of Belgium

• Wallonia contains five provinces: Hainaut, Walloon Brabant, Namur, Luxembourg, Liège

Belgium is a federal state and is composed of three communities, three regions, and four linguistic regions. ... Hainaut (French; English traditionally Hainault, Dutch: Henegouwen, German: Hennegau, Walloon: Hinnot) is the westernmost province of Wallonia, one of the three regions of Belgium. ... Walloon Brabant is a province of Wallonia and of Belgium. ... Namur (Dutch: Namen) is a province of Wallonia and of Belgium. ... Liège is the easternmost province of Wallonia and of Belgium. ...

References