Flanders

Flanders
Flandre and Flandern redirect here. For the ships, see SS Flandre and SS Flandern.

Flanders
Vlaanderen (Dutch)
Region and community of Belgium

Flag

Coat of arms
Anthem: De Vlaamse Leeuw
("The Flemish Lion")

Present-day Belgian Flanders (dark green) shown within Belgium and Europe. Brussels is in some contexts considered part of Flanders and in other
contexts separate.
County of Flanders

8621795

Community in Belgium

since 1970

Region in Belgium

since 1980

Seat

Brussels

Government
Body

Flemish Government

Minister-President

Kris Peeters

Legislature

Flemish Parliament

Area
Land

13,522km2 (5,221sqmi)

Population (1 January 2012)

Total

6,350,765 (Flemish Region only)

Density

470/km2 (1,200/sqmi)

Official language

Dutch

Flanders

Demonym

Flemish (adjective), Fleming (person)

Vlaams (adjective), Vlaming (person)

Time zone

CET (UTC+1)

Summer (DST)

CEST (UTC+2)

ISO 3166 code

BE-VLG

Website

http:/ / www. vlaanderen. be/

The area and population figures are given for the Flemish Region, not the Community.

Flanders (Dutch: VlaanderenWikipedia:Media helpFile:Nl-Vlaanderen.ogg, French: Flandre) today normally

refers to the Dutch-speaking northern part of Belgium, but it can also refer to two specific provinces within Flanders,
West and East Flanders. It is one of the regions and communities of Belgium. Historically, the name referred to a
region located in the north-western part of present-day Belgium and adjacent parts of France and the Netherlands.
Both in the historical and the contemporary meaning, the demonym associated with Flanders is Fleming, while the
corresponding adjective is Flemish. Brussels is the capital of Flanders, though not fully under its jurisdiction.
Over the course of history, the geographical territory that was called "Flanders" has varied. From around 1000 AD,
Flanders historically meant to English-speaking peoples the land situated along the North Sea from the Strait of
Dover to the Scheldt estuary with ill-defined southern borders.[1] It came to refer specifically to the County of
Flanders, lasting from 862 to 1795, whose territory was situated in the northwestern part of what is now Belgium
(approximately the modern Belgian provinces of East and West Flanders), and what are now parts of northern France
(French Flanders), and the Netherlands (Zeelandic Flanders). Through marriage, the County of Flanders was joined
with most of the rest of the Low Countries around 1400 AD, and it lost its independence. Most of the county's
territory became part of an independent Belgium in 1830, and during the 19th and 20th centuries, it became
increasingly commonplace to refer to the entire Dutch-speaking and northern part of Belgium as "Flanders",
including the Belgian parts of the Duchy of Brabant and Limburg. In the late 20th century, Belgium became a federal
state in which the Dutch-speaking part was given autonomy as the Flemish Community (Dutch: Vlaamse
Gemeenschap) and the Flemish Region (Dutch: Vlaams Gewest); these two entities were effectively merged, except
that the Flemish Community only has partial jurisdiction over Brussels, its capital.
Flanders has figured prominently in European history. During the late Middle Ages, Flanders' trading towns (notably
Ghent, Bruges and Ypres) made it one of the richest and most urbanized parts of Europe, weaving the wool of
neighbouring lands into cloth for both domestic use and export. As a consequence, a very sophisticated culture
developed, with impressive achievements in the arts and architecture, rivaling those of northern Italy. As part of
Belgium, Flanders was initially the poorer half of the country to industrialized Wallonia. In the second half of the
twentieth century, however, there has been a gradual shift of political and economic power to Flanders, which,
having modernized its economy, is now more wealthy and prosperous than its southern counterpart.[2]
Geographically, Flanders is generally flat, and has a small section of coast on the North Sea. Flanders borders France
to the west, the Netherlands to the north and east, and Wallonia to the south. The Brussels Capital Region is enclaved
within the Flemish Region, while Voeren is an exclave of Flanders between Wallonia and the Netherlands. Flanders
is agriculturally fertile and densely populated, with a population density of almost 500 people per square kilometer
(1200 per square mile).

Flanders

Terminology
Northern part of Belgium
The term "Flanders" has several main meanings:
the social, cultural and linguistic, scientific and educational, economical and political community of the Flemings,
in general called the "Flemish community" (small "c") (others refer to this as the "Flemish nation"). It has over 6
million inhabitants, or about 60% of the population of Belgium.
the constituent governing institution of the federal Belgian state through the institutions named the Flemish
Community (capital "C"), exercising the powers in most of those domains for the aforementioned community,
and the officially Dutch-speaking Flemish Region, which has powers mainly on economic matters. The
Community absorbed the Region, leading to a single operative body: the Flemish Government and a single
legislative organ: the Flemish Parliament;
the geographical region in the north of Belgium coinciding with the federal Belgian state's Flemish Region.
Depending on the use including or excluding the bilingual Capital Region;
the geographical area comprising the two westernmost provinces of the Flemish Region, West Flanders and East
Flanders, forming the central portion of the historic County of Flanders.

Historical parts of the County of Flanders

When Flandria appeared in the 8th century, it was a Frankish fief centred on Bruges. The region's name is
thought to derive from an Ingvaeonic stem flm- meaning "flooded land" (from Proto-Germanic *flauma-).[3]
Originally this name referred to the polders surrounding Bruges and dates from a period before the counts of
Flanders expanded their territory. In the 14th century, the county of Flanders reached its maximum size, and
became the wealthiest part of the Seventeen Provinces. It extended over the modern-day Belgian provinces of
East Flanders, West Flanders, and Hainaut.
In the 14th century, the French kings conquered Picardy, where French was spoken. In the 16th century, Artois
was also conquered by the French. In 17th and 18th century, king Louis XIV of France captured more
French-speaking areas in southern Flanders around Lille, referred to as Lilloise Flanders or la Flandre Lilloise,
but also Maritime Flanders, where originally Dutch was spoken, and to this day, a Flemish dialect persists in
some rural areas near Dunkirk. Both areas together are now referred to as French Flanders. The city of Lille
identifies itself as a part of historic Flanders, and thus as "Flemish" in the geographical and historical sense, and
this is reflected, for instance, in the name of its local railway station TGV Lille-Flandres.
During this period of French encroachment on the region, the United Provinces also took some areas of northern
Flanders. These areas now form Zeelandic Flanders (Zeeuws-Vlaanderen), a part of the Netherlands province of
Zeeland.

Dutch-speaking part of Belgium

The significance of the County of Flanders and its counts eroded through time, but the designation remained in a
very broad sense. In the Early modern period, the term Flanders was associated with the southern part of the Low
Countries: the Southern Netherlands. During the 19th and 20th centuries, it became increasingly commonplace to
refer to the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium as "Flanders". The linguistic limit between French and Dutch was
recorded in the early '60's, from Kortrijk to Maastricht. Now, Flanders extends over the northern part of Belgium,
including the Belgian parts of the Duchy of Brabant and Limburg.
The ambiguity between this eastwardly much wider area and that of the County (or the Belgian parts thereof), still
remains. In most present-day contexts however, in general the term Flanders is taken to refer to either the political,
social, cultural, and linguistic community (and the corresponding official institution, the Flemish Community), or the
geographical area, one of the three institutional regions in Belgium, namely the Flemish Region.

Flanders
In history of art and other fields, the adjectives Flemish and Netherlandish are commonly used to designate all the
artistic production in this area before about 1580, after which it refers specifically to the southern Netherlands. For
example the term "Flemish Primitives", now outdated in English but used in French, Flemish and other languages, is
a synonym for "Early Netherlandish painting", and it is not uncommon to see Mosan art categorized as Flemish art.
In music the Franco-Flemish School is also known as the Dutch School.
Describing Flanders as the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium is commonplace, although Jewish groups have been
speaking Yiddish in Antwerp for centuries, and Flanders' minority residents include 170 nationalities[4] their
larger groups speaking French, English, Berber, Turkish, Arabic, Spanish, Italian and Polish. Typically, in each
group, most people switch to using Dutch in their daily life, while others maintain their language of origin.

History
Early history
The area, roughly encompassing the later geographical meanings of Flanders, was considered to be in the northern
and less economically developed part of Gallia Belgica, the most northeastern continental province of the Roman
Empire at its height. Linguistically, the tribes in this area were under Celtic influence in the south, and Germanic
influence in the east, but there is disagreement about what language was spoken locally, which may even have been
an intermediate "Nordwestblock" language related to both. By the first century BC Germanic languages had become
prevalent. In the future county of Flanders, the main Belgic tribe in Roman times was the Menapii, but also on the
coast were the Marsacii and Morini.

Historical Flanders
Created in the year 862 as a feudal fief in West Francia, the County of Flanders was divided when its western
districts fell under French rule in the late 12th century. The remaining parts of Flanders came under the rule of the
counts of neighbouring Hainaut in 1191. The entire area passed in 1384 to the dukes of Burgundy, in 1477 to the
Habsburg dynasty, and in 1556 to the kings of Spain. The western districts of Flanders came finally under French
rule under successive treaties of 1659 (Artois), 1668, and 1678.
During the late Middle Ages Flanders' trading towns (notably Ghent, Bruges and Ypres) made it one of the richest
and most urbanized parts of Europe, weaving the wool of neighbouring lands into cloth for both domestic use and
export. As a consequence, a very sophisticated culture developed, with impressive achievements in the arts and
architecture, rivaling those of northern Italy. Ghent, Bruges, Ypres and the Franc of Bruges formed the Four
Members, a form of parliament that exercised considerable power in Flanders.[5]
Increasingly powerful from the 12th century, the territory's autonomous urban communes were instrumental in
defeating a French attempt at annexation (13001302), finally defeating the French in the Battle of the Golden Spurs
(11 July 1302), near Kortrijk. Two years later, the uprising was defeated and Flanders remained part of the French
Crown. Flemish prosperity waned in the following century, however, owing to widespread European population
decline following the Black Death of 1348, the disruption of trade during the Anglo-French Hundred Years' War
(13371453), and increased English cloth production. Flemish weavers had gone over to Worstead and North
Walsham in Norfolk in the 12th century and established the woolen industry.

Flanders

Low Countries
Beeldenstorm
In 1500, Charles V was born in Ghent. He inherited the Seventeen Provinces (1506), Spain (1516) with its colonies
and in 1519 was elected Holy Roman Emperor.[6] The Pragmatic Sanction of 1549, issued by Charles V, established
the Low Countries as the Seventeen Provinces (or Spanish Netherlands in its broad sense) as an entity separate from
the Holy Roman Empire and from France. In 1556 Charles V abdicated due to ill health (he suffered from crippling
gout).[7] Spain and the Seventeen Provinces went to his son, king Philip II of Spain.
Over the first half of the 16th century Antwerp grew to become the second-largest European city north of the Alps
by 1560. Antwerp was the richest city in Europe at this time.[8] According to Luc-Normand Tellier "It is estimated
that the port of Antwerp was earning the Spanish crown seven times more revenues than the Americas."[9]
Meanwhile, Protestantism had reached the Low Countries.
Among the wealthy traders of Antwerp, the Lutheran beliefs of
the German Hanseatic traders found appeal, perhaps partly for
economic reasons. The spread of Protestantism in this city was
aided by the presence of an Augustinian cloister (founded 1514)
in the St. Andries quarter. Luther, an Augustinian himself, had
taught some of the monks, and his works were in print by 1518.
The first Lutheran martyrs came from Antwerp. The
Reformation resulted in consecutive but overlapping waves of
reform: a Lutheran, followed by a militant Anabaptist, then a
Mennonite, and finally a Calvinistic movement. These
movements existed independently of each other.

The Sack of Antwerp in 1576, in which about 7,000

people died.

Philip II, a devout Catholic and self-proclaimed protector of the

Counter-Reformation, suppressed Calvinism in Flanders, Brabant and Holland (what is now approximately Belgian
Limburg was part of the Bishopric of Lige and was Catholic de facto). In 1566, the wave of iconoclasm known as
the Beeldenstorm was a prelude to religious war between Catholics and Protestants, especially the Anabaptists. The
Beeldenstorm started in what is now French Flanders, with open-air sermons (Dutch: hagepreken) that spread
through the Low Countries, first to Antwerp and Ghent, and from there further east and north. In total it lasted not
even a month.
The Eighty Years' War and its consequences
Subsequently, Philip II sent the Duke of Alba to the Provinces to repress the revolt. Alba recaptured the southern part
of the Provinces, who signed the Union of Atrecht, which meant that they would accept the Spanish government on
condition of more freedom. But the northern part of the provinces signed the Union of Utrecht and settled in 1581
the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands. Spanish troops quickly started fighting the rebels, but before the
revolt could be completely defeated, a war between England and Spain had broken out, forcing Philip's Spanish
troops to halt their advance. Meanwhile, the Spanish armies had already conquered the important trading cities of
Bruges and Ghent. Antwerp, which was then the most important port in the world, also had to be conquered. On 17
August 1585, Antwerp fell. This ended the Eighty Years' War for the (from now on) Southern Netherlands. The
United Provinces (the Northern Netherlands) fought on until 1648 the Peace of Westphalia.

Flanders

While Spain was at war with England, the rebels from

the north, strengthened by refugees from the south,
started a campaign to reclaim areas lost to Philip II's
Spanish troops. They managed to conquer a
considerable part of Brabant (the later Noord-Brabant
of the Netherlands), and the south bank of the Scheldt
estuary (Zeeuws-Vlaanderen), before being stopped by
Spanish troops. The front line at the end of this war
stabilized and became the current border between
Winter scene by Sebastian Vrancx, 1622
present-day Belgium and the Netherlands. The Dutch
(as they later became known) had managed to reclaim enough of Spanish-controlled Flanders to close off the river
Scheldt, effectively cutting Antwerp off from its trade routes.
First the fall of Antwerp to the Spanish and later also the closing of the Scheldt were causes of a considerable
emigration of Antverpians.[10] Many of the Calvinist merchants of Antwerp and also of other Flemish cities left
Flanders and emigrated to the north. A large number of them settled in Amsterdam, which was at the time a smaller
port, of significance only in the Baltic trade. In the following years Amsterdam was rapidly transformed into one of
the world's most important ports. Because of the contribution of the Flemish exiles to this transformation, the exodus
is sometimes described as "creating a new Antwerp".
Flanders and Brabant, due to these events, went into a period of relative decline from the time of the Thirty Years
War.[11] In the Northern Netherlands however, the mass emigration from Flanders and Brabant became an important
driving force behind the Dutch Golden Age.
Southern Netherlands (15811795)
Although arts remained at a relatively impressive level for another
century with Peter Paul Rubens (15771640) and Anthony van Dyck,
Flanders experienced a loss of its former economic and intellectual
power under Spanish, Austrian, and French rule, with heavy taxation
and rigid imperial political control compounding the effects of
industrial stagnation and Spanish-Dutch and Franco-Austrian conflict.
The Southern Netherlands suffered severely under the War of the
Spanish Succession, but under the reign of empress Maria-Theresia
these lands economically flourished again. Influenced by the
Enlightenment, the Austrian emperor Joseph II was the first sovereign
who has been in the Southern Netherlands since king Philip II of Spain
left them in 1559.

1609 map of the county of Flanders

French Revolution and Napoleonic France (17951815)

In 1794 the French Republican Army started using Antwerp as the northernmost naval port of France,[11] which
country officially annexed Flanders the following year as the dpartements of Lys, Escaut, Deux-Nthes,
Meuse-Infrieure and Dyle. Obligatory (French) army service for all men aged 1625 was one of the main reasons
for the people's uprising against the French in 1798, known as the Boerenkrijg (Peasants' War), with the heaviest
fighting in the Campine area.
United Kingdom of the Netherlands (18151830)
After the defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte at the 1815 Battle of Waterloo in Waterloo, Brabant, sovereignty over the
Austrian Netherlands Belgium minus the East Cantons and Luxembourg was given by the Congress of Vienna
(1815) to the United Netherlands (Dutch: Verenigde Nederlanden), the state that briefly existed under Sovereign
Prince William I of Orange Nassau, the latter King William I of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, after the

Flanders
French Empire was driven out of the Dutch territories. The United Kingdom of the Netherlands was born. The
Protestant King of the Netherlands, William I rapidly started the industrialisation of the southern parts of the
Kingdom. The political system that was set up however, slowly but surely failed to forge a true union between the
northern and the southern parts of the Kingdom. The southern bourgeoisie mainly was Roman Catholic, in contrast
to the mainly Protestant north; large parts of the southern bourgeoisie also primarily spoke French rather than Dutch.
In 1815 the Dutch Senate was reinstated (Dutch: Eerste Kamer der Staaten Generaal). The nobility, mainly coming
from the south, became more and more estranged from their northern colleagues. Resentment grew both among the
Roman Catholics from the south and the Protestants from the north and among the powerful liberal bourgeoisie from
the south and their more moderate colleagues from the north. On 25 August 1830 (after the showing of the opera 'La
Muette de Portici' of Daniel Auber in Brussels) the Belgian Revolution sparked off and became a fact. On 4 October
1830, the Provisional Government (Dutch: Voorlopig Bewind) proclaimed the independence, which was later
confirmed by the National Congress that issued a new Liberal Constitution and declared the new state a
Constitutional Monarchy, under the House of Saxe-Coburg. Flanders now became part of the Kingdom of Belgium,
which was recognized by the major European Powers on 20 January 1831. The de facto dissidence was finally
recognized by the United Kingdom of the Netherlands on 19 April 1839.

Kingdom of Belgium
In 1830, the Belgian Revolution led to the splitting up of the two countries. Belgium was confirmed as an
independent state by the Treaty of London of 1839, but deprived of the eastern half of Limburg (now Dutch
Limburg), and the Eastern half of Luxembourg (now the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg). Sovereignty over Zeeuws
Vlaanderen, south of the Westerscheldt river delta, was left with the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which was
allowed to levy a toll on all traffic to Antwerp harbour until 1863.[11]
Rise of the Flemish Movement
The Belgian Revolution was not well supported in Flanders and even on the 4th of October 1830, when the Belgian
independence was eventually declared, Flemish authorities refused to take orders from the new Belgian government
in Brussels. Only after Flanders was subdued with the aid of a large French military force one month later, under the
leadership of the Count de Pontcoulant, did Flanders become a true part of Belgium.
The French-speaking bourgeoisie showed very little respect for the Dutch-speaking part of the population. French
became the only official language in Belgium and all secondary and higher education in the Dutch language was
abolished.
In 1834, all people even remotely suspected of being "Flemish minded" or calling for the reunification of the
Netherlands were prosecuted and their houses looted and burnt. Flanders, until then a very prosperous European
region, was not considered worthwhile for investment and scholarship. A study in 1918 demonstrated that in the first
88 years of its existence, 80% of the Belgian GNP was invested in Wallonia. This led to a widespread poverty in
Flanders, forcing roughly 300.000 Flemish to emigrate to Wallonia to start working there in the heavy industry.
All of these events led to a silent uprising in Flanders against the French-speaking domination. But it was not until
1878 that Dutch was allowed to be used for official purposes in Flanders (see language legislation in Belgium),
although French remained the only official language in Belgium.
In 1873, Dutch became the official language in public secondary schools. In 1898 Dutch and French were declared
equal languages in laws and Royal orders. In 1930 the first Flemish university was opened.
The first official translation of the Belgian constitution in Dutch was not published until 1967.

Flanders

World War I and its consequences

Flanders (and Belgium as a whole) saw some of the greatest loss of life on the
Western Front of the First World War, in particular from the three battles of
Ypres. Due to the hundreds of thousands of casualties at Ypres, the poppies that
sprang up from the battlefield afterwards, later immortalised in the Canadian
poem "In Flanders Fields", written by John McCrae, have become a symbol for
lives lost in war.
Flemish feeling of identity and consciousness grew through the events and
experiences of war. The occupying German authorities took several
Flemish-friendly measures. More importantly, the experiences of many
Dutch-speaking soldiers on the front led by French-speaking officers catalysed
Flemish emancipation. The French-speaking officers often gave orders in
A memorial to soldiers killed in World
French only, followed by "et pour les Flamands, la mme chose!", meaning
War I.
"and for the Flemish, the same thing!" (which did not help the Flemish
conscripts, who were mostly uneducated farmers and workers unable to have
understood what had been said in French).[12] The resulting suffering is still remembered by Flemish organizations
during the yearly Yser pilgrimage in Diksmuide at the monument of the Yser Tower.
Right-Wing Nationalism in the interbellum and World War II
During the interbellum and World War II, several right-wing fascist and/or national-socialistic parties emerged in
Belgium, the Flemish ones being energized by the anti-Flemish discrimination of the Wallonians. Since these parties
were promised more rights for the Flemings by the German government during World War II, many of them
collaborated with the Nazi regime. After the war, collaborators (or people who were Zwart, "Black" during the war)
were prosecuted and punished, among them many Flemish Nationalists whose main political goal had been the
emancipation of Flanders. As a result, up until this day Flemish Nationalism is often associated with right-wing and
sometimes fascist ideologies.
Flemish autonomy
After World War II, the differences between Dutch-speaking and French-speaking Belgians became clear in a
number of conflicts, such as the Royal Question, the question whether King Leopold III should return (which most
Flemings supported but not the Walloons) and the use of Dutch in the Catholic University of Leuven. As a result,
several state reforms took place in the second half of the 20th century, which transformed the unitary Belgium into a
federal state with communities, regions and language areas. This resulted also in the establishment of a Flemish
Parliament and Government. During the 1970s, all major political parties split into a Flemish and French-speaking
party.
Several Flemish parties still advocate for more Flemish autonomy, some even for Flemish independence (see
Partition of Belgium), whereas the French-speakers would like to keep the current state as it is. Recent governments
(such as Verhofstadt I Government) have transferred certain federal competences to the regional governments.
On 13 December 2006, a spoof news broadcast by the Belgian Francophone public broadcasting station RTBF
declared that Flanders had decided to declare independence from Belgium.
The 2007 federal elections showed more support for Flemish autonomy, marking the start of the 20072011 Belgian
political crisis. All the political parties that advocated a significant increase of Flemish autonomy gained votes as
well as seats in the Belgian federal parliament. This was especially the case for Christian Democratic and Flemish
and New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) (who had participated on a shared electoral list). The trend continued during the
2009 regional elections, where CD&V and N-VA were the clear winners in Flanders, and N-VA became even the
largest party in Flanders and Belgium during the 2010 federal elections, followed by the longest-ever government
formation after which the Di Rupo I Government was formed excluding N-VA. Eight parties agreed on a sixth state

Flanders

reform which aim to solve the disputes between Flemings and French-speakers. The 2012 provincial and municipal
elections however continued the trend of N-VA becoming the biggest party in Flanders.
These victories for the advocates of much more Flemish autonomy are very much in parallel with opinion polls that
show a structural increase in popular support for their agenda. Since 2006, certain polls have started showing a
majority in favour of Flemish independence. Those polls are not yet representative, but they point to a significant
long-term trend.

Government and politics

Both the Flemish Community and the Flemish Region are
constitutional institutions of the Kingdom of Belgium, exercising
certain powers within their jurisdiction, granted following a series of
state reforms. In practice, the Flemish Community and Region together
form a single body, with its own parliament and government, as the
Community legally absorbed the competences of the Region. The
parliament is a directly elected legislative body composed of 124
representatives. The government consists of up to a maximum of
eleven members and is presided by a Minister-President, currently Kris
Peeters (Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams) leading a coalition of his
party (CD&V) with New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) and Socialistische
Partij Anders (sp.a).
The area of the Flemish Community is represented on the maps above,
including the area of the Brussels-Capital Region (hatched on the
relevant map). Roughly, the Flemish Community exercises
competences originally oriented towards the individuals of the
Community's language: culture (including audiovisual media),
Kris Peeters, Minister-President of Flanders,
education, and the use of the language. Extensions to personal matters
promoting Flanders in Action
less directly associated with language comprise sports, health policy
(curative and preventive medicine), and assistance to individuals (protection of youth, social welfare, aid to families,
immigrant assistance services, etc.)[]
The area of the Flemish Region is represented on the maps above. It has a population of around 6 million (excluding
the Dutch-speaking community in the Brussels Region, grey on the map for it is not a part of the Flemish Region).
Roughly, the Flemish Region is responsible for territorial issues in a broad sense, including economy, employment,
agriculture, water policy, housing, public works, energy, transport, the environment, town and country planning,
nature conservation, credit, and foreign trade. It supervises the provinces, municipalities, and intercommunal utility
companies.[]
The number of Dutch-speaking Flemish people in the Capital Region is estimated to be between 11% and 15%
(official figures do not exist as there is no language census and no official subnationality). According to a survey
conducted by the Universit catholique de Louvain in Louvain-la-Neuve and published in June 2006, 51% of
respondents from Brussels claimed to be bilingual, even if they do not have Dutch as their first language.[13][14] They
are governed by the Brussels Region for economics affairs and by the Flemish Community for educational and
cultural issues.

Flanders

As mentioned above, Flemish institutions such as the Flemish

Parliament and Government, represent the Flemish Community and the
Flemish Region. The region and the community thus de facto share the
same parliament and the same government. All these institutions are
based in Brussels. Nevertheless, both types of subdivisions (the
Community and the Region) still exist legally and the distinction
between both is important for the people living in Brussels. Members
of the Flemish Parliament who were elected in the Brussels Region
cannot vote on affairs belonging to the competences of the Flemish
Region.

10

The Flemish Parliament

The official language for all Flemish institutions is Dutch. French enjoys a limited official recognition in a dozen
municipalities along the borders with French-speaking Wallonia, and a large recognition in the bilingual Brussels
Region. French is widely known in Flanders, with 59% claiming to know French according to a survey conducted by
the Universit catholique de Louvain in Louvain-la-Neuve and published in June 2006.[15][16]

Politics
Historically, the political parties reflected the pillarisation (verzuiling) in Flemish society. The traditional political
parties of the three pillars are Christian-Democratic and Flemish (CD&V), the Open Flemish Liberals and
Democrats (Open Vld) and the Socialist Party Differently (sp.a).
However, during the last half century, many new political parties were founded in Flanders. One of the first was the
nationalist People's Union, of which the right nationalist Flemish Block (now Flemish Interest) split off, and which
later dissolved into the now-defunct Spirit or Social Liberal Party, moderate nationalism rather left of the spectrum,
on the one hand, and the New Flemish Alliance (N-VA), more conservative but independentist, on the other hand.
Other parties are the leftist alternative/ecological Green party; the short-lived anarchistic libertarian spark ROSSEM
and more recently the conservative-right liberal List Dedecker, founded by Jean-Marie Dedecker, and the socialist
Workers' Party.
Particularly the Flemish Block/Flemish Interest has seen electoral success roughly around the turn of the century,
and the New Flemish Alliance during the last few elections, becoming even the largest party in the 2010 federal
elections.

Flemish nation
For some Flemings, Flanders is more than just a geographical area or the federal
institutions (Flemish Community and Region). Supporters of the Flemish
Movement even call it a nation and pursue Flemish independence, but most people
(approximately 75%) living in Flanders say they are proud to be Belgian and
opposed to the dissolution of Belgium.[17]
In 2012, the Flemish government drafted a "Charter for Flanders" (Handvest voor
Vlaanderen)[18] of which the first article says "Vlaanderen is een deelstaat van de
federale Staat Belgi en maakt deel uit van de Europese Unie." ("Flanders is a
federated state[19] of the federal State of Belgium and is part of the European
Union"). Though interpreted by many Flemish nationalists as a statement, this
phrase is merely a quotation from the Belgian constitution and has no further legal
value whatsoever.

Border crossing sign near Menen.

Flanders

11

Administrative divisions
The present-day Flemish Region covers 13,522km2 (5,221sqmi) and
is divided into five provinces, 22 arrondissemements and 308 cities or
municipalities.

Province

Capital city

Administrative arrondissements

Municipalities

Area

Population
(density)
(1 January
2012)

Antwerp (Antwerpen)

Antwerp
(Antwerpen)

Antwerp, Mechelen, Turnhout

70

2,867km 1,781,904
(622/km)

Limburg (Limburg)

Hasselt

Hasselt, Maaseik, Tongeren

44

2,414km 849,404
(351/km)

East Flanders
(Oost-Vlaanderen)

Ghent (Gent)

Aalst, Dendermonde, Eeklo, Ghent,

Oudenaarde, Sint-Niklaas

65

2,991km 1,454,716
(488/km)

Flemish Brabant
(Vlaams-Brabant)

Leuven

Halle-Vilvoorde, Leuven

65

2,106km 1,094,751
(520/km)

West Flanders
(West-Vlaanderen)

Bruges (Brugge)

Bruges, Diksmuide, Ypres, Kortrijk, Ostend,

Roeselare, Tielt, Veurne

64

3,125km 1,169,990
(372/km)

The province of Flemish Brabant is the most recent one, being formed in 1995 after the splitting of the province of
Brabant.
Most municipalities are made up of several former municipalities, now called deelgemeenten. The largest
municipality (both in terms of population and area) is Antwerp, having more than half a million inhabitants. Its nine
deelgemeenten have a special status and are called districts, which have an elected council and a college. While any
municipality with more than 100,000 inhabitants can establish districts, only Antwerp did this so far. The smallest
municipality (also both in terms of population and area) is Herstappe (Limburg).
The Flemish Community covers both the Flemish Region and,
together with the French Community, the Brussels-Capital Region.
Brussels, an enclave within the province of Flemish Brabant, is not
divided into any province nor is it part of any. It coincides with the
Arrondissement of Brussels-Capital and includes 19 municipalities.
The Flemish Government has its own local institutions in the
Brussels-Capital Region, being the Vlaamse Gemeenschapscommissie
(VGC), and its municipal antennae (Gemeenschapscentra, community
centres for the Flemish community in Brussels). These institutions are
Brussels-Capital Region with the City of Brussels
independent from the educational, cultural and social institutions that
(one of 19 municipalities) in red
depend directly on the Flemish Government. They exert, among others,
all those cultural competences that outside Brussels fall under the provinces.

Flanders

12

Geography and climate

The Sonian Forest

Flanders shares its borders with Wallonia in the south, Brussels being
an enclave within the Flemish Region. The rest of the border is shared
with the Netherlands (Zeelandic Flanders, North Brabant and Limburg)
in the north and east, and with France (French Flanders) and the North
Sea in the west. Voeren is an exclave of Flanders between Wallonia
and the Netherlands, while Baarle-Hertog in Flanders forms a
complicated series of enclaves and exclaves with Baarle-Nassau in the
Netherlands. Germany, although bordering Wallonia and close to
Voeren in Limburg, does not share a border with Flanders. The
German-speaking Community of Belgium, also close to Voeren, does
not border Flanders either. (The commune of Plombires, majority

French speaking, lies between them.)

Flanders is a highly urbanised area, lying completely within the Blue Banana. Antwerp, Ghent, Bruges and Leuven
are the largest cities of the Flemish Region. Antwerp has a population of more than 500,000 citizens and is the
largest city, Ghent has a population of 250,000 citizens, followed by Bruges with 120,000 citizens and Leuven
counts almost 100,000 citizens. Brussels is a part of Flanders as far as community matters are concerned, but does
not belong to the Flemish Region.
Flanders has two main geographical regions: the coastal Yser basin plain in the north-west and a central plain. The
first consists mainly of sand dunes and clayey alluvial soils in the polders. Polders are areas of land, close to or
below sea level that have been reclaimed from the sea, from which they are protected by dikes or, a little further
inland, by fields that have been drained with canals. With similar soils along the lowermost Scheldt basin starts the
central plain, a smooth, slowly rising fertile area irrigated by many waterways that reaches an average height of
about five metres (16.4ft) above sea level with wide valleys of its rivers upstream as well as the Campine region to
the east having sandy soils at altitudes around thirty metres[20] Near its southern edges close to Wallonia one can find
slightly rougher land richer of calcium with low hills reaching up to 150m (492ft) and small valleys, and at the
eastern border with the Netherlands, in the Meuse basin, there are marl caves (mergelgrotten). Its exclave around
Voeren between the Dutch border and the Walloon province of Lige attains a maximum altitude of 288m (945ft)
above sea level.[21][]
The climate is maritime temperate, with significant precipitation in all seasons (Kppen climate classification: Cfb;
the average temperature is 3C (37 F) in January, and 21C (69.8F) in July; the average precipitation is
65millimetres (2.6in) in January, and 78millimetres (3.1in) in July).

Economy
Total GDP of the Flemish Region in 2004 was 165,847 million
(Eurostat figures). Per capita GDP at purchasing power parity was 23%
above the EU average. Flemish productivity per capita is about 13%
higher than that in Wallonia, and wages are about 7% higher than in
Wallonia.[22]
Flanders was one of the first continental European areas to undergo the
Industrial Revolution, in the 19th century. Initially, the modernization
relied heavily on food processing and textile. However, by the 1840s
the textile industry of Flanders was in severe crisis and there was

The Port of Antwerp is the second largest in

Europe.

Flanders

13

famine in Flanders (184650). After World War II, Antwerp and

Ghent experienced a fast expansion of the chemical and petroleum
industries. Flanders also attracted a large majority of foreign
investments in Belgium. The 1973 and 1979 oil crises sent the
economy into a recession. The steel industry remained in relatively
good shape. In the 1980s and 90s, the economic centre of Belgium
continued to shift further to Flanders and is now concentrated in the
populous Flemish Diamond area.[23] Nowadays, the Flemish economy
is mainly service-oriented.
The A12 with a railway in the centre.

Belgium is a founding member of the European Coal and Steel

Community in 1951, which evolved into the present-day European Union. In 1999, the euro, the single European
currency, was introduced in Flanders. It replaced the Belgian franc in 2002.
The Flemish economy is strongly export-oriented, in particular of high value-added goods.[citation needed] The main
imports are food products, machinery, rough diamonds, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, clothing and
accessories, and textiles. The main exports are automobiles, food and food products, iron and steel, finished
diamonds, textiles, plastics, petroleum products, and non-ferrous metals. Since 1922, Belgium and Luxembourg have
been a single trade market within a customs and currency unionthe BelgiumLuxembourg Economic Union. Its
main trading partners are Germany, the Netherlands, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, the United States, and
Spain.[citation needed]
Antwerp is the number one diamond market in the world, diamond exports account for roughly 1/10 of Belgian
exports. The Antwerp-based BASF plant is the largest BASF-base outside Germany, and accounts on its own for
about 2% of Belgian exports. Other industrial and service activities in Antwerp include car manufacturing,
telecommunications, photographic products.
Flanders is home to several science and technology institutes, such as IMEC, Flanders DC and Flanders DRIVE.

Infrastructure
Flanders has developed an extensive transportation infrastructure of ports, canals, railways and highways. The Port
of Antwerp is the second-largest in Europe, after Rotterdam.[24] Other, much smaller ports are Ghent,
Bruges-Zeebrugge and Ostend, the last two being located at the Belgian coast.
Whereas railways are managed by the federal National Railway Company of Belgium, other public transport (De
Lijn) and roads are managed by the Flemish region.
The main airport is Brussels Airport, the only other civilian airport with scheduled services in Flanders is Antwerp
International Airport, but there are two other ones with cargo or charter flights: Ostend-Bruges International Airport
and Kortrijk-Wevelgem International Airport, both in West Flanders.

Demographics
The highest population density is found in the area circumscribed by the Brussels-Antwerp-Ghent-Leuven
agglomerations that surround Mechelen and is known as the Flemish Diamond, in other important urban centres as
Bruges and Kortrijk to the west, and notable centres Turnhout and Hasselt to the east. On 1 January 2012, the
Flemish Region had a population of 6,350,765 and about 15% of the 1,138,854 people in the Brussels Region are
also considered Flemish.[4][]

Flanders

14

Religion
The (Belgian) laicist, or secularist, constitution provides for freedom of
religion, and the various governments in general respect this right in
practice. Since independence, Catholicism, counterbalanced by strong
freethought movements, has had an important role in Belgium's
politics, since the 20th century in Flanders mainly via the Christian
trade union ACV and the Christian Democratic and Flemish party
(CD&V). According to the 2001 Survey and Study of Religion,[25]
about 47 percent of the Belgian population identify themselves as
belonging to the Catholic Church, while Islam is the second-largest
religion at 3.5 percent. A 2006 inquiry in Flanders, considered more
religious than Wallonia, showed that 55% considered themselves
religious, and 36% believed that God created the world.[26]
Jews have been present in Flanders for a long time, in particular in
Antwerp. More recently, Muslims have immigrated to Flanders, now
forming the largest minority religion with about 3.9% in the Flemish
Region and 25% in Brussels.[27] The largest Muslim group is the
Moroccans, while the second largest is the Turks.
A typical church, present in all villages in
Flanders

Education
Education is compulsory from the ages of six to 18, but most Flemings
continue to study until around 23. Among the Organisation for
Economic Co-operation and Development countries in 1999, Flanders
had the third-highest proportion of 1821-year-olds enrolled in
postsecondary education. Flanders also scores very high in
international comparative studies on education. Its secondary school
students consistently rank among the top three for mathematics and
science. However, the success is not evenly spread: ethnic minority
youth score consistently lower, and the difference is larger than in most
comparable countries.[4]

Arenberg Chteau, part of the Katholieke

Universiteit Leuven, the oldest university in
Belgium and the Low Countries.

Mirroring the historical political conflicts between the freethought and Catholic segments of the population, the
Flemish educational system is split into a secular branch controlled by the communities, the provinces, or the
municipalities, and a subsidised religiousmostly Catholicbranch controlled by both the communities and the
religious authoritiesusually the dioceses. It should however be noted thatat least for the Catholic schoolsthe
religious authorities have very limited power over these schools. Smaller school systems follow 'methodical
pedagogies' (e.g. Steiner, Montessori, or Freinet) or serve the Jewish and Protestant minorities. During the school
year 20032004, 68.30% of the total population of children between the ages of six and 18 went to subsidized
private schools (both religious schools or 'methodical pedagogies' schools).[28]

Flanders

15

Healthcare
Healthcare is a federal matter, but the Flemish Government is responsible for care, health education and preventive
care.

Culture
At first sight, Flemish culture is defined by its language and its gourmandic mentality, as compared to the more
Calvinistic Dutch culture. Dutch and Flemish paintings enjoyed more equal international admiration.

Language and literature

The standard language in Flanders is Dutch; spelling and
grammar are regulated by a single authority, the Dutch Language
Union (Nederlandse Taalunie), comprising a committee of
ministers of the Flemish and Dutch governments, their advisory
council of appointed experts, a controlling commission of 22
parliamentarians, and a secretariate.[][] The term Flemish can be
applied to the Dutch spoken in Flanders; it shows many regional
and local variations.[29]
Literature in non-standardized dialects of the current area of
Flanders originated with Hendrik van Veldeke's Eneas Romance,
the first courtly romance in a Germanic language (12th century).
With a writer of Hendrik Conscience's stature, Flemish literature
rose ahead of French literature in Belgium's early history.[][]
Guido Gezelle not only explicitly referred to his writings as
Flemish but actually used it in many of his poems, and strongly
defended it:

statue of Gezelle in Bruges, Jules Lagae, sculptor

[][]

Original from kleengedichtjes (1860?)

Translation

Gij zegt dat t vlaamsch te niet zal gaan:

You say Flemish will fade away:

t en zal!

It shan't!

dat t waalsch gezwets zal boven slaan:'

that Walloon twaddle will have its way:

t en zal!

It shan't!

Dat hopen, dat begeren wij:

This we hope, for this we hanker:

dat zeggen en dat zweren wij:

this we say and this we vow:

zoo lange als wij ons weren, wij:

as long as we fight back, we:

t en zal, t en zal,

It shan't, It shan't,

t en zal!

It shan't!

Flanders
The distinction between Dutch and Flemish literature, often perceived politically, is also made on intrinsic grounds
by some experts such as Kris Humbeeck, professor of Literature at the University of Antwerp.[][30] Nevertheless,
nearly all[citation needed] Dutch-language literature read (and appreciated to varying degrees) in Flanders is the same as
that in the Netherlands.
Influential Flemish writers include Ernest Claes, Stijn Streuvels and Felix Timmermans. Their novels mostly
describe rural life in Flanders in the 19th century and at beginning of the 20th. Widely read by the older generations,
they are considered somewhat old-fashioned by present-day critics. Some famous Flemish writers of the early 20th
century wrote in French, including Nobel Prize winners (1911) Maurice Maeterlinck and Emile Verhaeren. They
were followed by a younger generation, including Paul van Ostaijen and Gaston Burssens, who activated the
Flemish Movement.[] Still widely read and translated into other languages (including English) are the novels of
authors such as Willem Elsschot, Louis Paul Boon and Hugo Claus. The recent crop of writers includes the novelists
Tom Lanoye and Herman Brusselmans, and poets such as the married couple Herman de Coninck and Kristien
Hemmerechts.
At the creation of the Belgian state, French was the only official language. French was during a long period used as a
second language in Flanders and, like elsewhere in Europe, commonly spoken among the aristocracy. There is still a
French-speaking minority in Flanders, especially in the municipalities with language facilities, along the language
border and the Brussels periphery (Vlaamse Rand), though many of them are French-speakers that migrated to
Flanders in recent decades. Many Flemings are also able to speak French, but proficiency has been on the decline.
French is the primary language in the officially bilingual Brussels Capital Region, (see Francization of Brussels). In
French Flanders, French is now the native language of the majority of the population and the only official language.
Historically it was a Dutch-speaking region and there's still a minority of Dutch-speakers living there.

Media
The public radio and television broadcaster in Flanders is VRT, which operates the TV channels n, Canvas,
Ketnet, OP12 and (together with the Netherlands) BVN. Flemish provinces each have up to two TV channels as
well. Commercial television broadcasters include vtm and Vier (VT4). Popular TV series are for example Thuis and
F.C. De Kampioenen.
The five most successful Flemish films were Loft (2008; 1,186,071 visitors), Koko Flanel (1990; 1,082,000 tickets
sold), Hector (1987; 933,000 tickets sold), Daens (1993; 848,000 tickets sold) and De Zaak Alzheimer (2003;
750,000 tickets sold). The first and last ones were directed by Erik Van Looy, and an American remake is being
made of both of them, respectively The Loft (2012) and The Memory of a Killer. The other three ones were directed
by Stijn Coninx.
Newspapers are grouped under three main publishers: De Persgroep with Het Laatste Nieuws, the most popular
newspaper in Flanders, De Morgen and De Tijd. Then Corelio with De Gentenaar, the oldest extant Flemish
newspaper, Het Nieuwsblad and De Standaard. Lastly, Concentra publishes Gazet van Antwerpen and Het Belang
van Limburg.
Magazines include Knack and HUMO.

16

Flanders

17

Sports
Association football (soccer) is one of the most popular sports in both
parts of Belgium, together with cycling, tennis, swimming and judo.[31]
In cycling, the Tour of Flanders is considered one of the five
"Monuments". Other "Flanders Classics" races include Dwars door
Vlaanderen and GentWevelgem. Eddy Merckx is regarded as one of
the greatest cyclists of all time, with five victories in the Tour de
France and numerous other cycling records.[32] His hour speed record
(set in 1972) stood for 12 years.
Jean-Marie Pfaff, a former Belgian goalkeeper, is considered one of the
greatest in the history of football (soccer).[33]
Kim Clijsters (as well as the French-speaking Belgian Justine Henin)
was Player of the Year twice in the Women's Tennis Association as she
was ranked the number one female tennis player.

Kim Clijsters was WTA Player of the Year in

2005 and 2010

Kim Gevaert and Tia Hellebaut are notable track and field stars from Flanders.
The 1920 Summer Olympics were held in Antwerp. Jacques Rogge has been president of the International Olympic
Committee since 2001.
The Flemish government agency for sports is Bloso.

Music
Flanders is known for its music festivals, like the annual Rock Werchter, Tomorrowland and Pukkelpop. The Gentse
Feesten are another very large yearly event.
The best-selling Flemish group or artist is the (Flemish-Dutch) group 2 Unlimited, followed by (Italian-born) Rocco
Granata, Technotronic, Helmut Lotti and Vaya Con Dios.
The weekly charts of best-selling singles is the Ultratop 50. Kvraagetaan by the Fixkes holds the current record for
longest time at #1 on the chart.

References
[1]
[2]
[3]
[4]

[5]
[6]
[7]
[9]

The Random House Dictionary of the English Language, the Unabridged Edition, NY, 1966
"Belgium." U.S. Department of State. Web. 26 July 2011. <http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2874.htm>.
Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal, entry VLAMING (http:/ / gtb. inl. nl/ )
Note: The relation between nationality, genetic ethnicity, native and mainly spoken language(s) (within a group of same ethnicity and age, in
presence of elders, in ethnically mixed groups), and minority group identification, can be complex: Dutch nationals constituting one of the
largest groups of foreigners, share the standard language with Flemish locals but their accent is enough to immediately distinguish them. The
majority of immigrants from certain other countries, had belonged to a minority or disadvantaged group there. Children born in Belgium from
residents of foreign nationality, very often acquired Belgian citizenship. Regardless nationality, according to Belgian Law, if for obligatory
education inscribed to a school located in the Flemish Region, the lessons will be in Dutch language; among schools in Brussels, one may as
well opt for one teaching in French. The determining of statistical samples and interpretation of publicized figures can easily lead to false
assumptions or conclusions.
Philip the Good: the apogee of Burgundy by Richard Vaughan, p201
William Robertson, The History of the Reign of the Emperor Charles V (NY, 1874), p 116
William Robertson, The History of the Reign of the Emperor Charles V (NY, 1874), p 456
Luc-Normand Tellier (2009). " Urban world history: an economic and geographical perspective (http:/ / books. google. com/
books?id=cXuCjDbxC1YC& pg=PA308& dq& hl=en#v=onepage& q=& f=false)". PUQ. p.308. ISBN 2-7605-1588-5

[10] Footnote: An Antverpian, derived from Antverpia, the Latin name of Antwerp, is an inhabitant of this city; the term is also the adjective
expressing that its substantive is from or in that city or belongs to it.
[12]
Note: This quote in French language "Et pour ...!" has become a coined expression in Belgium, and as such published abroad. E.g.:

Flanders
[13] Report of study by the Universit Catholique de Louvain (http:/ / regards. ires. ucl. ac. be/ Archives/ RE042. pdf)
[14] Article at Taaluniversum.org summarising report (http:/ / taalunieversum. org/ nieuws/ 1349/ )
[15] Report of study by Universit Catholique de Louvain (http:/ / regards. ires. ucl. ac. be/ Archives/ RE042. pdf)
[16] Taaluniversum.org (http:/ / taalunieversum. org/ nieuws/ 1349/ ), summarising report
[17] http:/ / www. knack. be/ nieuws/ belgie/ drie-op-vier-vlamingen-zijn-trotse-belgen/ article-1195114178145. htm
[18] Handvest voor Vlaanderen (http:/ / docs. vlaamsparlement. be/ docs/ biblio/ opendigibib/ monografie/ 2012/
280_handvest_voor_vlaanderen_20120524. pdf)
[19] "Deelstaat" is a Dutch word that is difficult to translate to English. "Deel" means "part" and "staat" is "state".
[20] The altitude of Mechelen, approximately in the middle of the central plain forming the large part of Flanders, is 7m (23ft) above sea level.
Already closer to the higher southern Wallonia, the more eastern Leuven and Hasselt reach altitudes up to about 40m (131ft)
[22] Onze Waalse collegas kunnen niet volgen (http:/ / www. nieuwsblad. be/ Article/ Detail. aspx?ArticleID=DMA28052005_007), 29 May
2005, Het Nieuwsblad
[26] Inquiry by 'Vepec', 'Vereniging voor Promotie en Communicatie' (Organisation for Promotion and Communication), published in Knack
magazine 22 November 2006 p. 14 [The Dutch language term 'gelovig' is in the text translated as 'religious', more precisely it is a very
common word for believing in particular in any kind of God in a monotheistic sense, and/or in some afterlife.
[27] Jan Hertogen, In Belgi wonen 628.751 moslims (http:/ / www. indymedia. be/ en/ node/ 29363), Indymedia, September 12, 2008
[33] " Goalkeeping Greats (http:/ / www. goalkeepersaredifferent. com/ keeper/ goalkeeping_greats. htm)" Goalkeepersaredifferent.com.
Retrieved on 2008

External links

(English) Flemish authorities (http://www.flanders.be) (Dutch: Vlaamse overheid)

(Dutch) Flemish authorities (http://www.vlaanderen.be) (Dutch: Vlaamse overheid)

Flemish Government (http://www.vlaanderen.be/regering/) (Dutch: Vlaamse regering)

Flemish Community Council in Brussels (http://www.vgc.be/) (Dutch: Vlaamse Gemeenschapscommissie
(VGC))
(English) Visit Flanders (http://www.visitflanders.com)
(English) Flanders Today (http://www.flanderstoday.eu) (Weekly independent magazine on Flanders)
Toerisme Vlaanderen (http://www.toerismevlaanderen.be)
(French) French Flanders (http://www.nordmag.com/nord_pas_de_calais/flandre/flandre.htm)

Coordinates: 5100N 430E (http:/ / tools. wmflabs. org/ geohack/ geohack. php?pagename=Flanders&
params=51_00_N_4_30_E_type:country_source:GNS_scale:2500000)

18

Article Sources and Contributors

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AjaxSmack, Alai, Alansohn, Alextheliao, AlfonsVH, Aliekens, Alwetendheid alom, Andre Engels, Andreas Kaganov, Andrew Lancaster, Angusmclellan, Antandrus, Arda Valinor, Arthur
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Phatom87, PhiRho, Phlebas, Piccolo Modificatore Laborioso, Picus viridis, PieterVermeersch, Pinfix, Pinkville, Pmeire, Poccil, Pol098, Polyphilo, Prasenberg, Provocateur, Pvosta, Qirex,
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Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors

File:Flag of Flanders.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Flanders.svg License: Public Domain Contributors: Adelbrecht, Cycn, Dinsdagskind, Foroa, Fry1989,
J. Patrick Fischer, Juiced lemon, Leit, LimoWreck, Lokal Profil, Mattes, Mbch331, Mutxamel, Palosirkka, Phlegmatic, Wester, 1 anonymous edits
File:Arms of Flanders.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Arms_of_Flanders.svg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors: Adelbrecht,
CommonsDelinker, Cycn, Elvaube, Rinaldum, 2 anonymous edits
File:Flemish Community in Belgium and Europe.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flemish_Community_in_Belgium_and_Europe.svg License: Creative Commons
Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors: Blank_map_of_Europe.svg: maix? derivative work: Alphathon
File:Loudspeaker.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Loudspeaker.svg License: Public Domain Contributors: Bayo, Frank C. Mller, Gmaxwell, Gnosygnu, Husky,
Iamunknown, Mirithing, Myself488, Nethac DIU, Omegatron, Rocket000, Shanmugamp7, Snow Blizzard, The Evil IP address, Trelio, Wouterhagens, 27 anonymous edits
File:Incendio Ayuntamiento Amberes.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Incendio_Ayuntamiento_Amberes.jpg License: Public Domain Contributors: Franz
Hogenberg
File:Sebastian Vrancx02.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Sebastian_Vrancx02.jpg License: Public Domain Contributors: Bukk, Mattes, Sailko, Tiago Vasconcelos,
Xenophon
File:Quad Flandria.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Quad_Flandria.jpg License: Public Domain Contributors: Matthias Quad (1613) and Johannes Bussemacher /
scanned by Marc Ryckaert (MJJR)
File:Gesneuvelden Koksijde - Belgi.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Gesneuvelden_Koksijde_-_Belgi.jpg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike
3.0,2.5,2.0,1.0 Contributors: Spotter2
File:Kris Peeters 675.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Kris_Peeters_675.jpg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors: User:Michiel
Hendryckx
File:Brussels - Vlaams Parlement.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Brussels_-_Vlaams_Parlement.jpg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike
3.0,2.5,2.0,1.0 Contributors: Spotter2
File:Menen - Border crossing 1 cropped.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Menen_-_Border_crossing_1_cropped.jpg License: GNU Free Documentation License
Contributors: SPQRobin
File:VlaanderenProvincies.png Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:VlaanderenProvincies.png License: Public Domain Contributors: Cycn, Red devil 666, SPQRobin,
Srtxg, Walter
File:Flag of Antwerp.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Antwerp.svg License: Public Domain Contributors: Conti, Cycn, David Descamps, Foroa, JMCC1,
Mattes, Ninane, Phlegmatic, Pumbaa80, WarX
File:Vlaams-limburg.png Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Vlaams-limburg.png License: Public Domain Contributors: Bernard Piette, BrightRaven, Bryan, Cycn, Foroa,
Joey-das-WBF, Kneiphof, Koavf, Mattes, Ninane, Rodejong, Siebrand, Ultratomio
File:Flag of Oost-Vlaanderen.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Oost-Vlaanderen.svg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors:
User:F5JMH
File:Flemish Brabant Flag.png Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flemish_Brabant_Flag.png License: unknown Contributors: Cycn, Darwinius, Dinsdagskind, F5JMH,
FSII, Himasaram, Jimmy44, Joey-das-WBF, Kelson, Koavf, Liftarn, Ninane, Sancho, Shizhao, SiBr4, Walcoford
File:Flag of West Flanders.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_West_Flanders.svg License: GNU Free Documentation License Contributors: User:Fibonacci,
User:Fibonacci
File:BrusselLocatie.png Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:BrusselLocatie.png License: Public Domain Contributors: Aliman5040, Ben2, Donarreiskoffer, Michel wal,
Red devil 666, Vascer, Wester
File:Zonien.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Zonien.jpg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 2.5 Contributors: Original uploader was Theunske at
nl.wikipedia
File:Zicht op het Delwaidedok.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Zicht_op_het_Delwaidedok.jpg License: GNU Free Documentation License Contributors: Original
uploader was Arminius at nl.wikipedia
File:Lijn11 a12.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Lijn11_a12.jpg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 2.5 Contributors: Rafal Delaedt (Arafi)
File:Binderveld - Sint-Jan de Doperkerk.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Binderveld_-_Sint-Jan_de_Doperkerk.jpg License: Creative Commons
Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors: Sonuwe
File:Castle Arenberg, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven adj.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Castle_Arenberg,_Katholieke_Universiteit_Leuven_adj.jpg License:
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported Contributors: Juhanson

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Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors

File:Guidogezelle.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Guidogezelle.jpg License: GNU Free Documentation License Contributors: Original uploader was Donderwolk at
nl.wikipedia
File:Kim Clijsters 2006.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Kim_Clijsters_2006.jpg License: Public Domain Contributors: Andrew Huse

License
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported
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