Belgium is a federal state and is composed of three communities, three regions, and four linguistic regions. Two out of the three regions each comprise as well each five provinces, making a total of ten provinces. Belgium also comprises 589 municipalities. These are the five most important subdivisions of Belgium, as laid out into the Belgian constitution (as far as the first four subdivisions are concerned) and law (as far as the municipalities are concerned). Other less important subdivisions include for instance the electoral, judicial and police districts, as well as the new inter-municipal police zones (lower level then the police districts). Map of Belgian regions and provinces. ... This article is about political regions. ... 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. ...

All these subdivisions have geographical boundaries: the regions, the linguistic regions, the communities, the provinces and the municipalities. The division by communities, presumed by some French-speakers as not territorial is equally geographically delimited: 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 and Brussels region. Belgian official communities do not refer directly to groups of people -there is indeed no subnationality in brussels- but rather to the political, linguistic and cultural competencies of the country.

Of these communities, only the Flemings have 'some' exclusive territory (the Flemish region for the Flemish community and the Walloon for the French-speaking community). 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 Walloon and Brussels regions, and the German Community only in a small part of the province of Liège (Wallonia), bordering with Germany.

The three regions are the Brussels-Capital Region, the Flemish Region and the Walloon 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. ... This article or section should be merged with 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). ... 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 three communities are:

• the French-speaking Communauté Française ("French Community")
• the Dutch-speaking Vlaamse Gemeenschap ("Flemish Community"); and
• the German-speaking Deutschsprachigen Gemeinschaft ("Germanophone Community").

The four linguistic regions are the French language region, the Dutch-language region, the bilingual region of Brussels-Capital and the German-language region (which has language facilities for French-speakers). French (français, langue française) is one of the most important Romance languages, outnumbered in speakers only by Spanish and Portuguese. ... The French Community of Belgium (French: Communauté française de Belgique, Dutch: Franse Gemeenschap van België) is one of the three official communities in Belgium along with the Flemish Community and the German speaking Community. ... Dutch (Nederlands   listen?) is a West Germanic, Low German language spoken worldwide by around 24 million people, mostly in the Netherlands and Belgium. ... The term Flemish Community has two distinctive, but closely related meanings: sociologically, politically and culturally, it refers to the Flemish people and all their organisations, media, social and cultural life; one might also speak of the Flemish nation (in a very similar sense as the Scottish nation, the Basque, catalan... 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 German-speaking Community of Belgium or Deutschsprachige Gemeinschaft Belgien in German is one of several federal communities in Belgium. ...

Brussels-Capital Region

Main article: 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. ...

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 follow : +/- 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. Flemish Brabant is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. ... This article or section should be merged with 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). ... Emblem of the Brussels-Capital Region Flag of The City of Brussels Brussels (Dutch: Brussel, French: Bruxelles, German: Brüssel) is the capital of Belgium and is considered by many to be the headquarters of the European Union, as two of its four main institutions have their headquarters in the... Flemish (in Dutch, Vlaams) can either refer to Anything belonging to Flanders (the Flemish nation) or to its inhabitants, the Flemings. ...

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. In 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 ministery of pensions, the military headquarters (in Evere), the national telecommunications company. Finally, also the particular name of the Brussels region, with the explicite '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. ... Emblem of the Brussels-Capital Region Flag of The City of Brussels Brussels (Dutch: Brussel, French: Bruxelles, German: Brüssel) is the capital of Belgium and is considered by many to be the headquarters of the European Union, as two of its four main institutions have their headquarters in the...

This 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 a provincial governor and some aides.

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

See also: Municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region 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. ... The Brussels-Capital Region is divided into 19 municipalities: Seven municipalities have only one official name; the other twelve officially have both a Dutch and a French name. ...

Flemish Region

Main article: Flanders // Definitions Flanders (Dutch: Vlaanderen, French: Flandre or Flandres) has two main designations: a historical region (the County of Flanders), and an administrative region of Belgium (the Flemish Region and the Flemish Community). ...

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 official language is Dutch. French may be used for certain administrative purposes in a limited number of the so-called "municipalities with linguistic facilities" around the Brussels Capital Region and on the border with Wallonia. This article is in need of attention. ... 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. ...

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: Vlaams Parlement). And, as the Flemings from Brussels are just as well Flemings as the others, it was a purely internal choice of the Flemish Community in Belgium to establish its capital in Brussels. Emblem of the Brussels-Capital Region Flag of The City of Brussels Brussels (Dutch: Brussel, French: Bruxelles, German: Brüssel) is the capital of Belgium and is considered by many to be the headquarters of the European Union, as two of its four main institutions have their headquarters in the... Flemish (in Dutch, Vlaams) can either refer to Anything belonging to Flanders (the Flemish nation) or to its inhabitants, the Flemings. ... 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. ... Flemings (Dutch: Vlamingen) are inhabitants of Flanders, the northern half of Belgium. ...

• West Flanders (West-Vlaanderen in Dutch)

West Flanders has a surface area of 3151 km² (23.30% of Flanders; 10.33% of Belgium), and is divided into eight administrative districts which contain 64 municipalities.

• East Flanders (Oost-Vlaanderen in Dutch)

East Flanders has a surface area of 2991 km² (22.12% of Flanders; 9.81% of Belgium), and is divided into six administrative districts which contain 65 municipalities.

• Antwerp (Antwerpen in Dutch)

Antwerp has a surface area of 2860 km² (21.15% of Flanders; 9.38% of Belgium), and is divided into three administrative districts which contain 70 municipalities.

• Flemish Brabant (Vlaams-Brabant in Dutch)

Flemish Brabant has a surface area of 2106 km² (15.57% of Flanders; 6.91% of Belgium), and is divided into two administrative districts which contain 65 municipalities.

• Limburg

Limburg has a surface area of 2414 km² (17.85% of Flanders; 7.92% of Belgium), and is divided into three administrative districts which contain 44 municipalities.

See also: List of municipalities of the Flemish Region 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, one of the three regions of Belgium, and is located west of the Meuse river. ... The Flemish region has 308 municipalities. ...

Walloon Region

Main article: Wallonia 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 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. Namur, the Meuse, the Walloon parliament and the citadel. ...

The official languages are French and German (only in nine eastern municipalities near the German border, which were "given" to Belgium after WWI), though Dutch may be used for administrative purpose in the so-called municipalities with linguistic facilities on the border with Wallonia. World War I was a basically European conflict with many facets: immense human sacrifice, stalemate trench warfare, and the use of new, devastating weapons - tanks, aircraft, machineguns and poison gas. ... This article is in need of attention. ...

• Hainaut

Hainaut has a surface area of 3800 km² (22.56% of Wallonia; 12.44% of Belgium), and is divided into seven administrative districts which contain 69 municipalities.

• Walloon Brabant (Brabant Wallon in French)

Walloon Brabant has a surface area of 1093 km² (6.49% of Wallonia; 3.58% of Belgium), and contains only one administrative district with 27 municipalities.

• Namur

Namur has a surface area of 3664 km² (21.75% of Wallonia; 11.99% of Belgium), and is divided into three administrative districts which contain 38 municipalities.

• Liege

Liege has a surface area of 3844 km² (22.82% of Wallonia; 12.58% of Belgium), and is divided into four administrative districts which contain 84 municipalities.

• Luxembourg

Luxembourg has a surface area of 4443 km² (26.38% of Wallonia; 14.54% of Belgium), and is divided into five administrative districts which contain 44 municipalities.

See also: List of Walloon municipalities Hainaut (Dutch: Henegouwen) is the westernmost province of Wallonia, in 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. ... Wallonia has the following 262 municipalities: ...

Communities, regions and provinces of Belgium
Communities: French Community of Belgium | Flemish Community in Belgium | German-speaking community of Belgium Image File history File links General info: Large flag of Belgium Dimensions: 348x302 pixels Source: Image originally derived from the public domain flags of the CIA World Factbook License: originally public domain, modifications under GFDL Most of the flags have had their colours improved and many have been resized to... The French Community of Belgium (French: Communauté française de Belgique, Dutch: Franse Gemeenschap van België) is one of the three official communities in Belgium along with the Flemish Community and the German speaking Community. ... The term Flemish Community has two distinctive, but closely related meanings: sociologically, politically and culturally, it refers to the Flemish people and all their organisations, media, social and cultural life; one might also speak of the Flemish nation (in a very similar sense as the Scottish nation, the Basque, catalan... The German-Speaking Community of Belgium (Deutschsprachige Gemeinschaft Belgien in German, short DGB) is one of the three federal communities in Belgium. ...
Regions and provinces:
Flanders: Antwerp | East Flanders | Flemish Brabant | Limburg | West Flanders
Wallonia: Hainaut | Liège | Luxembourg | Namur | Walloon Brabant // Definitions Flanders (Dutch: Vlaanderen, French: Flandre or Flandres) has two main designations: a historical region (the County of Flanders), and an administrative region of Belgium (the Flemish Region and the Flemish Community). ... Antwerp is the northernmost province of Flanders and of Belgium. ... East Flanders is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. ... Flemish Brabant is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. ... Limburg is the easternmost province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium, and is located west of the Meuse river. ... West Flanders (Dutch: West-Vlaanderen) is the westernmost province of Flanders and 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. ... Hainaut (Dutch: Henegouwen) is the westernmost province of Wallonia, in Belgium. ... Liège is the easternmost province of Wallonia and of Belgium. ... Namur (Dutch: Namen) is a province of Wallonia and of Belgium. ... Walloon Brabant is a province of Wallonia and of Belgium. ...
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. ...