Regions

Belgium is a federal state comprising three language 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.

• Three communities:
  • the Dutch-speaking Vlaamse Gemeenschap ('Flemish Community')
  • the French-speaking Communauté Française ('French Community')
  • the German-speaking Deutschsprachige Gemeinschaft ('German-speaking Community').
• Three regions (which differ from the language communities with respect to the German-speaking community and the Brussels region):
  • the Flemish Region
  • the Walloon Region
  • the Brussels-Capital Region
• Four language areas (as taalgebieden in Dutch and Sprachgebiete in German), occasionally referred to as linguistic regions (from French régions linguistiques):
  • 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).

Conflicts between the bodies are resolved by the Court of Arbitration. The setup allows a compromise so distinctly different cultures can live together peacefully.

The Flemish Community absorbed the Flemish Region in 1980 to form the government of Flanders. The overlapping boundaries of the Regions and Communities have created two notable peculiarities: the territory of the Brussels-Capital Region is included in both Flemish and French Communities, and the territory of the German-speaking Community lies wholly within the Walloon Region. Flemish and Walloon regions are furthermore subdivided in administrative entities, the provinces.

At the highest level of this setup is the federal government which manages foreign affairs, development aid, defence, military, police, economic management, social welfare, social security transport, energy, telecommunications, and scientific research, limited competencies in education and culture, and the supervision of taxation by regional authorities. The community governments are responsible for the promotion of language, culture and education in mostly schools, libraries and theatres. The third tier is the Regional governments, who manage mostly land and property based issues such as housing, transportation and so on.

Flemish Region

• Dutch name: Vlaams Gewest
• French name: Région flamande
• German name: Flämische Region

The Flemish Region (or Flanders) occupies the northern part of Belgium. It has a surface area of 13,522 sq km (44.29% of Belgium) and is divided into 5 provinces (West Flanders, East Flanders, Antwerp, Flemish Brabant, Limburg) which contain a total of 308 municipalities.

The official language is Dutch, often referred to by its inhabitants as Flemish. French may be used for certain administrative purposes in 'municipalities with language facilities' around the Brussels-Capital Region and at the border with Wallonia.

Brussels-Capital Region

• Dutch name: Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest
• French name: Région de Bruxelles-Capitale
• German name: Die Region Brüssel-Hauptstadt

The Brussels-Capital Region (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 sq km (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 and 15% Flemish.

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).

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.

Walloon Region

• Dutch name: Waals Gewest
• French name: Région Wallonne
• German name: Wallonische Region

The Walloon Region (or Wallonia) occupies the southern part of Belgium. It has a surface area of 16844 sq km (55.18% of Belgium) and is also divided into 5 provinces (Hainaut, Walloon Brabant, Namur, Luxembourg, Liège), which contain a total of 262 municipalities. Its capital is Namur.

The official languages are French and German (only in the nine eastern municipalities that form the German-speaking Community near the German border, which were given to Belgium after WWI).