View source for Provinces of Belgium

{{Short description|Subdivisions of Belgium}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox subdivision type
| name             = Provinces of Belgium<br>Provincies van België ([[Dutch language|Dutch]])<br>Provinces de Belgique ([[French language|French]])<br>Provinzen Belgiens ([[German language|German]])
| alt_name         = 
| map              = {{Belgian provinces labelled map}}
| category         = Decentralised unit in a federal state
| territory        = {{flag|Kingdom of Belgium}}
| start_date       = 
| current_number   = 10 provinces
| number_date      = 
| population_range = 295,146 ([[Luxembourg (Belgium)|Luxembourg]]) – 1,926,522 ([[Antwerp Province|Antwerp]]) <ref name=structure>[https://statbel.fgov.be/en/themes/population/structure-population Structure of the Population], STATBEL</ref>
| area_range       = {{Convert|1097|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} ([[Walloon Brabant]]) – {{Convert|4459|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} ([[Luxembourg (Belgium)|Luxembourg]]) <ref name=area>[https://statbel.fgov.be/en/land-use-according-land-register Land use according to the land register], STATBEL</ref>
| government       = [[#Provincial governments|Provincial government]]
| subdivision      = [[Arrondissements of Belgium|Arrondissement]]
}}

The Kingdom of [[Belgium]] is divided into three [[Communities, regions, and language areas of Belgium|regions]]. Two of these regions, [[Flanders]] and [[Wallonia]], are each subdivided into five [[province]]s. The third region, [[Brussels]], does not belong to any province, nor is it subdivided into provinces. Instead, it has amalgamated both regional and provincial functions into a single "Capital Region" administration. 

Most of the provinces take their name from earlier [[duchy|duchies]] and [[county|counties]] of similar location, while their territory is mostly based on the [[130 departments of the First French Empire|departments]] installed during French annexation. At the time of the [[Independence of Belgium|creation of Belgium]] in 1830, only nine provinces existed, including the [[province of Brabant]], which held the [[City of Brussels]]. In 1995, Brabant was split into three areas: [[Flemish Brabant]], which became a part of the region of Flanders; [[Walloon Brabant]], which became part of the region of Wallonia; and the [[Brussels|Brussels-Capital Region]], which became a third region. These divisions reflected political tensions between the French-speaking Walloons and the Dutch-speaking Flemish; the Brussels-Capital Region is officially bilingual.

The division into provinces is fixed by Article 5 of the [[Constitution of Belgium|Belgian Constitution]]. The provinces and Brussels are subdivided into 43 administrative [[arrondissements of Belgium|arrondissements]], and further into 565 [[municipalities of Belgium|municipalities]].

==List==
[[File:Population density of Belgium provinces.png|400px|thumb|center|Provinces of Belgium (including the Brussels-Capital Region) by population as of 1 January 2019<ref name=structure/>]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="vertical-align:top;"
! style="width:2em" class="unsortable" | [[List of Belgian flags#Provinces|Flag]] !! style="width:2em" class="unsortable" | [[Coat of arms|Arms]] !! Province !! Dutch name !! French name !! German name !! Capital !! colspan="2" | Governor
! Area <ref name=area/>
! Population<br /><small>(1 January 2024)</small> <ref name=structure/>
! Density
! Postal codes<ref name="statoids"/>
! [[Hierarchical administrative subdivision codes|HASC]]<ref name="statoids">{{cite web|title=Province of Belgium|url=http://www.statoids.com/ube.html|publisher=statoids.com}}</ref>
! FIPS<ref name="statoids"/>
! [[ISO 3166-2:BE]]<ref name="statoids"/>
|-
! colspan="16" style="background-color:#ccccff;" | [[Flanders]]
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Flag of Antwerp.svg|border|80px]]
| align="center" | [[File:Wapen van de provincie Antwerpen (klein).svg|45px]]
| [[Antwerp Province|Antwerp]] || '''Antwerpen''' || Anvers || Antwerpen
| [[Antwerp]]
| [[Cathy Berx]] || <small>Since 2008</small>
| {{convert|2876|km2|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,926,522
| {{convert|670|/km2|abbr=on}}
| 2000–2999
| BE.AN || BE01 || VAN
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Flag_of_Oost-Vlaanderen.svg|80px]]
| align="center" | {{Coat of arms|East Flanders|text=none|size=45px}}
| [[East Flanders]] || '''Oost-Vlaanderen''' || Flandre orientale || Ostflandern
| [[Ghent]]
| [[Jan Briers]] || <small>Since 2013</small>
| {{convert|3007|km2|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,572,002
| {{convert|520|/km2|abbr=on}}
| 9000–9999
| BE.OV || BE08 || VOV
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Flag of Flemish-Brabant.svg|80px]]
| align="center" | {{Coat of arms|Flemish Brabant|text=none|size=45px}}
| [[Flemish Brabant]] || '''Vlaams-Brabant''' || Brabant flamand || Flämisch-Brabant
| [[Leuven]]
| [[Jan Spooren]] || <small>Since 2020</small>
| {{convert|2118|km2|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,196,773
| {{convert|570|/km2|abbr=on}}
| 1500–1999, 3000–3499
| BE.VB || BE12 || VBR
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Flag of Limburg (Belgium).svg|border|80px]]
| align="center" | {{Coat of arms|Limburg (Belgium)|text=none|size=45px}}
| [[Limburg (Belgium)|Limburg]] || '''Limburg''' || Limbourg || Limburg
| [[Hasselt]]
| [[Herman Reynders]] || <small>Since 2009</small>
| {{convert|2427|km2|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align:right;" | 900,098
| {{convert|370|/km2|abbr=on}}
| 3500–3999
| BE.LI || BE05 || VLI
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Flag of West Flanders.svg|80px]]
| align="center" | {{Coat of arms|West Flanders|text=none|size=45px}}
| [[West Flanders]] || '''West-Vlaanderen''' || Flandre occidentale || Westflandern
| [[Bruges]]
| [[Carl Decaluwé]] || <small>Since 2012</small>
| {{convert|3197|km2|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,226,375
| {{convert|380|/km2|abbr=on}}
| 8000–8999
| BE.WV || BE09 || VWV
|-
! colspan="16" style="background-color:#ccccff;" | [[Wallonia]]
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Flag of Hainaut.svg|80px]] 
| align="center" | [[File:Wapen van Henegouwen (provincie).svg|45px]]
| [[Hainaut Province|Hainaut]] || Henegouwen || '''Hainaut''' || Hennegau
| [[Mons, Belgium|Mons]]
| [[Tommy Leclercq]] || <small>Since 2013</small>
| {{convert|3813|km2|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,360,074
| {{convert|360|/km2|abbr=on}}
| 7000–7999 <small>(West)</small>,<br /> 6000–6999 <small>(East,<br /> shared with Luxembourg)</small>
| BE.HT || BE03 || WHT
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Flag of the Province of Liège.svg|80px]]
| align="center" | [[File:Wapen van Luik (provincie).svg|45px]]
| [[Liège Province|Liège]] || Luik || '''Liège''' || '''Lüttich'''
| [[Liège]]
| [[Hervé Jamar]] || <small>Since 2015</small>
| {{convert|3857|km2|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,119,038
| {{convert|290|/km2|abbr=on}}
| 4000–4999
| BE.LG || BE04 || WLG
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Official flag of the Arelerland.svg|border|80px]]
| align="center" | {{Coat of arms|Luxembourg (Belgium)|65px|text=none|size=45px}}
| [[Luxembourg (Belgium)|Luxembourg]] || Luxemburg || '''Luxembourg''' || Luxemburg
| [[Arlon]]
| [[Olivier Schmitz]] || <small>Since 2016</small>
| {{convert|4459|km2|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align:right;" | 295,146
| {{convert|66|/km2|abbr=on}}
| 6000–6999<br /><small>(shared with Eastern Hainaut)</small>
| BE.LX || BE06 || WLX
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Flag province namur.svg|80px]]
| align="center" | [[File:Wapen van Namen (provincie).svg|45px]]
| [[Namur Province|Namur]] || Namen || '''Namur''' || Namür
| [[Namur]]
| [[Denis Mathen]] || <small>Since 2007</small>
| {{convert|3675|km2|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align:right;" | 503,895
| {{convert|140|/km2|abbr=on}}
| 5000–5999
| BE.NA || BE07 || WNA
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Drapeau Province BE Brabant Wallon.svg|80px]]
| align="center" | {{Coat of arms|Walloon Brabant|text=none|size=45px}}
| [[Walloon Brabant]] || Waals-Brabant || '''Brabant wallon''' || Wallonisch-Brabant
| [[Wavre]]
| [[Gilles Mahieu]] || <small>Since 2015</small>
| {{convert|1097|km2|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align:right;" | 414,130
| {{convert|380|/km2|abbr=on}}
| 1300–1499
| BE.BW || BE10 || WBR
|-
! colspan="16" style="background-color:#ccccff;" | [[Brussels]]
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Flag of the Brussels-Capital Region.svg|80px]] 
| align="center" | [[File:Blason de Bruxelles-Capitale.svg|45px]]
| [[Brussels|Brussels Capital Region]] || '''Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest''' || '''{{Lang|fr|Région de Bruxelles-Capitale|italic=no}}''' || Region Brüssel-Hauptstadt
| [[City of Brussels|Brussels City]]
| [[Rudi Vervoort]] || <small>Since 2013</small>
| {{convert|162|km2|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,249,597
| {{convert|7,700|/km2|abbr=on}}
| 1000–1299
| BE.BR || BE02 || BBR
|- class="sortbottom"
! colspan="3" style="text-align:right;"| Total
! België
! Belgique
! Belgien
! [[City of Brussels|Brussels City]]
!
!
! style="text-align:right;"| {{convert|30689|km2|sqmi|abbr=on|sortable=on}}
! style="text-align:right;"| 11,763,650
! style="text-align:right;"| {{convert|383|/km2|/sqmi|abbr=on|sortable=on}}
!
!
!
!
|}

==History==
[[File:Map of the Habsburg Netherlands by Alexis-Marie Gochet.png|thumb|Map of the Seventeen Provinces, red showing the border between the independent (Northern) [[Netherlands]] and the [[Southern Netherlands]].]]
The medieval [[Low Countries]], including present-day Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, as well as parts of modern Germany and France, comprised a number of rival and independent feudal states of varying sizes. These each had their own identities and governments, though in the early modern period almost all the Belgian states became part of larger entities (the [[Seventeen Provinces]] (1549–1581) and the [[Southern Netherlands]] (after 1581)). Prominent early states in the area of modern Belgium included the [[Duchy of Brabant]], the [[County of Flanders]], the [[Prince-Bishopric of Liège]] and the [[Duchy of Luxembourg]]; smaller ones included the [[County of Hainaut]], the [[Duchy of Limburg]] and the [[County of Namur]], though there were other small states as well.

[[File:France Departement 1801.svg|thumb|The [[First French Republic]]]]
When these territories were annexed by France in 1795, they were reorganised into ''[[130 departments of the First French Empire|départments]]''; the borders were redrawn and the historical names were replaced by names of geographical features (generally the main river of the area).

[[File:Belgique 1830.jpg|thumb|Belgium at its independence in 1830]]
At the end of French rule and the creation of the [[United Kingdom of the Netherlands]] in 1815, the departmental territories were generally retained but were renamed into provinces and the historical names returned. At the time of the [[independence of Belgium]] from the Netherlands in 1830, Belgium's territory simply consisted of the existing nine southern provinces. The first article of the [[Belgian Constitution]] said: "Belgium is divided into provinces. These provinces are Antwerp, Brabant, West Flanders, East Flanders, Hainaut, Liège, Limburg, Luxembourg, Namur, except for the relations of Luxembourg with the [[German Confederation]]." As such, each of the modern provinces of Belgium (with the exception of [[Antwerp Province|Antwerp]]) takes its name from one of the medieval predecessors, whereas the borders largely correspond to those of the French departments, which in most cases differ substantially from the historical entities.

In 1839, as part of the [[Treaty of London (1839)|Treaty of London]], half of the province of Limburg became part of the [[Netherlands]], which consequently has its own [[Limburg (Netherlands)|province of Limburg]].

In 1920, following the [[First World War]], Belgium annexed the [[Eupen-Malmedy]] territory, which became part of [[Liège Province]].

During the second half of the 20th century, Belgium transitioned from a unitary state to a federal state with [[Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium|three Communities and three Regions]]. As part of the [[State reform in Belgium|state reforms]], the (bilingual) [[province of Brabant]] was split in 1995 three ways: into two (unilingual) provinces (Flemish Brabant and Walloon Brabant) and into the (bilingual) [[Brussels|Brussels-Capital Region]]. (The Brussels-Capital Region does not belong to any province, is not a province, and does not contain any provinces.) The two new Brabant provinces became part of the Flemish Region and the Walloon Region respectively. The remaining eight provinces became part of these regions as well, so the Flemish Region and the Walloon Region each contain five provinces.

===Schematic overview===
The following table presents a simplified overview of the evolution of the French [[130 departments of the First French Empire|departments]] into the present-day Belgian provinces.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;font-size:95%;"
! Part of: [[French First Republic]]<br/>– [[First French Empire]] !! Part of: [[United Kingdom of the Netherlands|United Kingdom<br/>of the Netherlands]] !! colspan="3" | [[Belgium|Kingdom of Belgium]]
|-
! 1795–1815 !! 1815–1830 !! 1830–1839 !! style="width:150px;" | 1839–1995 !! 1995–present
|-
| rowspan="2" | [[Meuse-Inférieure]] || rowspan="2" | [[Province of Limburg (1815–39)|Limburg]] || rowspan="2" {{Yes2|[[Province of Limburg (1815–39)|Limburg]]}} || colspan="2" | ''[[Limburg (Netherlands)|Limburg]] (NL)''
|-
| colspan="2" {{Yes2|[[Limburg (Belgium)|Limburg]]}}
|-
| [[Lys (department)|Lys]] || [[West Flanders]] || colspan="3" {{Yes2|[[West Flanders]]}}
|-
| [[Escaut (department)|Escaut]] || [[East Flanders]] || colspan="3" {{Yes2|[[East Flanders]]}}
|-
| [[Deux-Nèthes]] || [[Antwerp Province|Antwerp]] || colspan="3" {{Yes2|[[Antwerp Province|Antwerp]]}}
|-
| rowspan="3" | [[Dyle (department)|Dyle]] || rowspan="3" | [[Province of Brabant|South Brabant]] || rowspan="3" colspan="2" {{Yes2|[[Province of Brabant|Brabant]]}} || {{Yes2|[[Flemish Brabant]]}}
|-
| {{Optional|''[[Brussels-Capital Region]]''}}
|-
| {{Yes2|[[Walloon Brabant]]}}
|-
| [[Jemmape (department)|Jemmape]] || [[Hainaut Province|Hainaut]] || colspan="3" {{Yes2|[[Hainaut Province|Hainaut]]}}
|-
| [[Sambre-et-Meuse]] || [[Namur Province|Namur]] || colspan="3" {{Yes2|[[Namur Province|Namur]]}}
|-
| [[Ourthe (department)|Ourthe]] || [[Liège Province|Liège]] || colspan="3" {{Yes2|[[Liège Province|Liège]]}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | [[Forêts]] || rowspan="2" | [[Partitions of Luxembourg|Grand Duchy of Luxembourg]]<br/><small>(in [[personal union]])</small> || rowspan="2" {{Yes2|[[Luxembourg (Belgium)|Luxembourg]]}} || colspan="2" {{Yes2|[[Luxembourg (Belgium)|Luxembourg]]}}
|-
| colspan="2" | ''[[Luxembourg|Grand Duchy of Luxembourg]] (LU)''
|}

==Provincial governments==
The provincial government consists of three main branches: the ''Provincial Council'', which is the legislative body, the ''Deputation'' or ''Provincial College'', which is the executive body, and the ''Governor'', who is appointed by the regional government (i.e. the Flemish or Walloon Government).

The Provincial Councils ({{langx|nl|Provincieraad}}; {{langx|fr|Conseil provincial}}) are the representative bodies of the population of the provinces. This is the equivalent of the [[States-Provincial]] in the [[Netherlands]]. The numbers of seats in the Provincial Councils are proportional to the population of the province; the numbers were reduced in both Flanders and Wallonia, starting 2013 (following the [[Belgian provincial and municipal elections, 2012|2012 elections]]). They are directly elected each six years, at the same time of the municipal elections. Before 1994, the provincial elections instead coincided with the national elections. Until then, the provincial councils also appointed Provincial Senators to the [[Belgian Senate]]. The last elections were held on [[Belgian local elections, 2018|14 October 2018]].

The executive branch was previously called the ''Permanent Deputation''. In the [[Flemish Region]] it is now simply called the Deputation ({{langx|nl|Deputatie}}) and it consists of the Governor and six Deputies elected by the Provincial Council from among its members. Following the next 2018 election, there will be one Deputy less, i.e. five Deputies. In the [[Walloon Region]] it is called the Provincial College ({{langx|fr|Collège provincial}}) which consists of the Governor and four to five Deputies (depending on the number of inhabitants of the province) elected by the Provincial Council from among its members.

In [[Flemish Brabant]], there is also a Deputy Governor ({{langx|nl|Adjunct van de gouverneur}}). The Deputy Governor is appointed by the [[Flemish Government]] on the unanimous advice of the [[Belgian Federal Government|Federal Council of Ministers]] and must have a considerable knowledge of both the [[Dutch language|Dutch]] and the [[French language]]. He is responsible for ensuring that the language legislation is observed in the municipalities in the [[Brussels Periphery]].

Following the Fifth [[State reform in Belgium|State Reform]], the responsibility for the provincial institutions was devolved to the Regions. The Regions have the power to amend or replace the existing legislation on the provincial institutions, most notably the Provincial Law of 30 April 1836. In the Flemish Region, the Provincial Decree of 9 December 2005 applies. In the Walloon Region, the Code of Local Democracy and Decentralisation applies. The legal framework in these Regions is still very similar, but that could change in the future. Although the Regions are responsible for the provincial institutions, the Federal State has retained its responsibility over the provinces in certain cases. For instance, the Regions are responsible for the appointment of the Provincial Governors, but only after the unanimous advice of the [[Belgian Federal Government|Federal Council of Ministers]]. Legislation regarding the Governor and Vice-Governor of [[Arrondissement of Brussels-Capital|Brussels-Capital]], and the Deputy Governor of [[Flemish Brabant]], has also remained a federal competency.

==Absence of any province in the Brussels Capital Region==
[[File:BelgiumBrussels.png|thumb|The [[Brussels|Brussels Capital Region]] in [[Belgium]].]]
The [[Brussels|Brussels Capital Region]] does not belong to any province, nor does it contain any. The extraprovincial status of Brussels has existed since 1995, when the former [[province of Brabant]], which had Brussels as its capital, was divided into the Dutch-speaking province of [[Flemish Brabant]] and the French-speaking province of [[Walloon Brabant]].

Within this mainly French speaking region, nearly all former provincial competencies are assumed by its regional institutions and by the [[French Community Commission]], the [[Flemish Community Commission]] or the [[Common Community Commission]]. However, the [[Arrondissement of Brussels-Capital]] has two commissioners of the [[Belgian Federal Government|Federal Government]] who are called "[[Governor of the Brussels-Capital Region]]" and "Vice-Governor". The Governor exercises most of the few remaining powers elsewhere exercised by a provincial governor, particularly in the field of public order, as far as no (federal) law, (regional) decree, ordinance or decision states otherwise.<ref>[http://www.weblex.irisnet.be/data/arccc%5CDoc%5C1997-98%5C100142%5Cimages.pdf Proposal for an ordinance, stating the Governor's powers for the "arrondissement Brussels"], the latter should be seen as the part of the [[Arrondissements of Belgium|arrondissement]] [[Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde]] that is not part of the [[Flemish Brabant]] province.</ref>

The Governor is appointed by the [[Politics and government of the Brussels-Capital Region#Cabinet|cabinet of the Brussels Capital Region]] on the unanimous advice of the Federal Council of Ministers. The regional government also appoints the Vice-Governor, who must have a considerable knowledge of both [[French language|French]] and [[Dutch language|Dutch]] and who must ensure that the legislation regarding the use of the two languages is observed in Brussels.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dekamer.be/kvvcr/pdf_sections/pri/fiche/28E.pdf |title=Factsheet on the Provinces |publisher=The Belgian Chamber of Representatives |access-date=2007-06-22 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070927112501/http://www.dekamer.be/kvvcr/pdf_sections/pri/fiche/28E.pdf <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 2007-09-27}}</ref>

==Proposed additional province==
[[File:Duitstalige GemeenschapLocatie.png|thumb|The German-speaking Community.]]
Because the [[German-speaking Community of Belgium|German-speaking Community]] is located entirely within [[Liège Province]], it has been proposed on multiple occasions to create an eleventh province, the province of [[Eupen]]-[[St. Vith|Sankt Vith]], which would comprise the nine municipalities of the German-speaking Community. Most of the functions carried out by provincial organs would then be exercised by the organs of the German-speaking Community.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dekamer.be/FLWB/PDF/50/0524/50K0524001.pdf |title=Proposal of Law creating the Province of Eupen-Sankt Vith and a German-speaking electoral circle for the elections of the Chamber of Representatives and the Senate |author=Ferdy Willems and Danny Pieters |date=21 March 2000 |publisher=The [[Belgian Chamber of Representatives]] |access-date=2007-09-02 |language=nl, fr}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.senate.be/www/?MIval=/publications/viewPubDoc&TID=16778258&LANG=nl |title=Proposal of Law granting all provincial competences to the organs of the German-speaking Community and on the representation of the German language area in the Legislative Chambers |author=Jan Loones ([[People's Union (Belgium)|VU]]) |date=13 July 1995 |publisher=The [[Belgian Senate]] |access-date=2007-09-02 |language=nl}}</ref>

However, the community is small in area ({{cvt|854|km2|disp=or}}) and has only about 76,000 inhabitants, which would make it the smallest and by far the least populated province.

==See also==
* [[Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium]]
* [[List of Belgian provinces by GDP]]
* [[List of Belgian provinces by Human Development Index]]
* [[State reform in Belgium]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Provinces of Belgium}}
* [http://www.belgium.be/en/about_belgium/government/provinces/ The provinces], Belgium.be
* [http://www.vlaamseprovincies.be/ Vereniging van de Vlaamse Provincies] (Association of the Flemish Provinces)
* [http://www.apw.be/ Association des Provinces wallonnes] (Association of the Walloon Provinces)

{{Articles on second-level administrative divisions of European countries}}
{{Subdivisions of Belgium}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Provinces Of Belgium}}

[[Category:Provinces of Belgium| ]]
[[Category:Subdivisions of Belgium]]
[[Category:Lists of subdivisions of Belgium|Provinces]]
[[Category:Administrative divisions in Europe|Belgium 2]]
[[Category:Second-level administrative divisions by country|Provinces, Belgium]]
[[Category:Local government in Belgium]]

[[cs:Belgie#Administrativní rozdělení]]
[[de:Politische Gliederung Belgiens]]
[[ja:ベルギーの地方行政区分]]
[[lt:Belgijos bendruomenės ir regionai]]
[[no:Belgias regioner]]
[[pl:Podział administracyjny Belgii]]
[[ru:Дагестан]]