View source for Wallonia

{{Short description|Southernmost federal region of Belgium}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox subdivision
<!-- See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions -->
| name               = Walloon Region
| native_name        = {{native name|fr|Région wallonne}}<br/>{{native name|de|Wallonische Region}}
<!-- ISO 639-2 code e.g. "fr" for French. If more than one, use {{lang}} instead -->
| other_name         = {{native name|wa|Redjon walone}}<br/> {{native name|nl|Waals Gewest}}<br />{{native name|lb|Wallounesch Regioun}}
| settlement_type    = [[Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium|Region]]
| image_flag         = Flag of Wallonia.svg
| flag_size          = 125px
| image_shield       = Official coat of arms of Wallonia.svg
| shield_size        = 95px
| image_map          = Walloon Region in Belgium and Europe.svg
| mapsize            = 
| image_map1         = WalloniëProvincies.png
| coordinates        = {{coord|50|30|N|4|45|E|display=it|region:BE_type:adm1st_source:GNS-enwiki}}
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = [[Belgium]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions|Communities]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[French Community of Belgium|French Community]] and [[German-speaking Community of Belgium|German-speaking Community]]
| established_date   = 1993
| seat_type          = Capital
| seat               = [[Namur]]
| seat1_type         = Largest city
| seat1              = [[Charleroi]]
| leader_title       = Executive
| leader_name        = [[Government of Wallonia]]
| leader_title1      = Governing&nbsp;parties <small>(2024)</small>
| leader_name1       = [[Mouvement Réformateur|MR]] and [[Les Engagés]]
| leader_title2      = [[Minister-President of Wallonia|Minister-President]]
| leader_name2       = [[Adrien Dolimont]] (MR)
| leader_title3      = Legislature
| leader_name3       = [[Parliament of Wallonia]]
| leader_title4      = Speaker
| leader_name4       = [[Willy Borsus]] (MR)
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="auto1">{{cite web|url=https://bestat.statbel.fgov.be/bestat/crosstable.xhtml?view=90c1e218-dc4f-4827-824d-9b25abfefe59|title=be.STAT|website=Bestat.statbel.fgov.be}}</ref>
| area_total_km2     = 16901<ref name="auto1"/>
| population_footnotes = <ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=https://statbel.fgov.be/nl/themas/bevolking/structuur-van-de-bevolking|title=Structuur van de bevolking &#124; Statbel|website=Statbel.fgov.be}}</ref>
| area_total_sq_mi = 6,526
| population_total   = 3,692,283
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_as_of   = 1 January 2024
| population_demonym = [[Walloons]]
| demographics_type1 = Demographics
| demographics1_footnotes = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| demographics1_title1 = Languages
| demographics1_info1 = French<br />German (in the [[German-speaking Community of Belgium]])<br />[[Dutch Language|Dutch]] (in [[municipalities with language facilities]])<ref>{{cite web|url=http://brussel.vlaanderen.be/wetgeving.html|title=Vlaamse overheid – Taalwetwijzer – Wetgeving|website=Vlaanderen.be}}</ref> <br />[[Walloon language|Walloon]]
| demographics_type2       = GDP
| demographics2_footnotes  = <ref>{{cite web | url=https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/tgs00003/default/table?lang=en | title=EU regions by GDP, Eurostat|access-date=18 September 2023}}</ref>
|demographics2_title1     = Total
|demographics2_info1      = €126.691 billion (2022)
|demographics2_title2     = Per capita
|demographics2_info2      =
| timezone1          = 
| utc_offset1        = 
| timezone1_DST      = 
| utc_offset1_DST    = 
| iso_code           = BE-WAL
| anthem             = ''[[Le Chant des Wallons]]''<br />{{center|("The song of the Walloons")<br />[[File:Hymne - Le Chant des Wallons.ogg]]}}
| blank_name_sec1    = [[Day of the Walloon Region|Celebration Day]]
| blank_info_sec1    = Third Sunday of September
| website            = [https://www.wallonie.be/ wallonie.be]
| footnotes          = 
| official_name      = 
| blank1_name_sec1   = Most populous city
| blank1_info_sec1   = [[Charleroi]]
}}

'''Wallonia''' ({{IPAc-en|w|ɒ|ˈ|l|oʊ|n|i|ə}} {{respell|wol|OH|nee|ə}}; {{langx|fr|Wallonie}} {{IPA|fr|walɔni||LL-Q150 (fra)-WikiLucas00-Wallonie.wav}}; {{langx|de|Wallonien}} {{IPA|de|vaˈloːni̯ən||de-Wallonien.ogg}} or {{lang|de|Wallonie}} {{IPA|de|valoˈniː||De-Wallonie.ogg}}),{{efn|name=fn1|{{langx|wa|Waloneye}} or {{lang|wa|Walonreye}} {{IPA|wa|walɔn(ʀ)ɛ(ː)j|}};<br>{{langx|nl|Wallonië}} {{IPA|nl|ʋɑˈloːnijə||Nl-Wallonië.ogg}};<br>{{langx|lb|Wallounien}}.}} officially the '''Walloon Region''' ({{langx|fr|link=no|Région wallonne}} {{IPA|fr|ʁeʒjɔ̃ walɔn|}}; {{langx|de|link=no|Wallonische Region}} {{IPA|de|vaˈloːnɪʃə ʁeˈɡi̯oːn|}}),{{efn|name=fn2|{{langx|wa|Redjon walone}};<br>{{langx|nl|Waals gewest}} {{IPA|nl|ˌʋaːls xəˈʋɛst||Nl-Waals Gewest.ogg}}.}} is one of the three [[communities, regions and language areas of Belgium|regions]] of [[Belgium]]—along with [[Flemish Region|Flanders]] and [[Brussels]].<ref name="Belgian Constitution">{{Cite book |url=http://www.const-court.be/en/basic_text/belgian_constitution.pdf |title=The Belgian Constitution |date=May 2014 |publisher=Belgian House of Representatives |location=Brussels, Belgium |page=5 |quote=Article 3: Belgium comprises three Regions: the Flemish Region, the Walloon Region and the Brussels Region. Article 4: Belgium comprises four linguistic regions: the Dutch-speaking region, the French-speaking region, the bilingual region of Brussels-Capital and the German-speaking region. |access-date=10 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150810142522/http://www.const-court.be/en/basic_text/belgian_constitution.pdf |archive-date=10 August 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Covering the southern portion of the country, Wallonia is primarily [[Geographical distribution of French speakers|French-speaking]]. It accounts for 55% of Belgium's territory, but only 31% of its population. The Walloon Region and the [[French Community of Belgium]], which is the political entity responsible for matters related mainly to culture and education, are independent concepts, because the French Community of Belgium encompasses both Wallonia and the bilingual [[Brussels-Capital Region]] but not the [[German-speaking Community of Belgium]], which administers nine municipalities in Eastern Wallonia.

During the [[Industrial Revolution]], Wallonia was second only to the United Kingdom in industrialization, capitalizing on its extensive deposits of coal and iron. This brought the region wealth, and from the beginning of the 19th to the middle of the 20th century, Wallonia was the more prosperous half of Belgium. Since [[World War II]], the importance of [[heavy industry]] has greatly diminished, and the Flemish Region has exceeded Wallonia in wealth as Wallonia has declined economically. Wallonia now suffers from high unemployment and has a significantly lower GDP per capita than Flanders. The economic inequalities and linguistic divide between the two are major sources of political conflicts in Belgium and a major factor in [[Flemish separatism]].

The capital of Wallonia is [[Namur]], and the most populous city is [[Charleroi]]. Most of Wallonia's major cities and two-thirds of its population lie along the east–west aligned [[Sambre and Meuse valley]], the former industrial backbone of Belgium. To the north of this valley, Wallonia lies on the Central Belgian Plateau, which, like Flanders, is a relatively flat and agriculturally fertile area. The south and southeast of Wallonia is made up of the [[Ardennes]], an expanse of forested highland that is less densely populated.

There is a [[German language|German-speaking]] minority in eastern Wallonia, resulting from the annexation of three [[Eupen-Malmedy|cantons]] previously part of the [[German Empire]] at the conclusion of [[World War I]]. This community represents less than 1%<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/european_languages/countries/belgium.shtml|title=BBC – Languages – Languages|website=Bbc.co.uk}}</ref> of the Belgian population. It forms the [[German-speaking Community of Belgium]], which has its own government and parliament for culture-related issues.

Wallonia borders [[Flanders]] and the Netherlands (the province of [[Limburg (Netherlands)|Limburg]]) in the north, France ([[Grand Est]] and [[Hauts-de-France]]) to the south and west, and Germany ([[North Rhine-Westphalia]] and [[Rhineland-Palatinate]]) and Luxembourg ([[Capellen (canton)|Capellen]], [[Clervaux (canton)|Clervaux]], [[Esch-sur-Alzette (canton)|Esch-sur-Alzette]], [[Redange (canton)|Redange]] and [[Wiltz (canton)|Wiltz]]) to the east. Wallonia has been a member of the {{Lang|fr|[[Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie]]}} since 1980.

== Terminology ==
The term "Wallonia" can mean slightly different things in different contexts. One of the three [[Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium|federal regions of Belgium]] is still constitutionally defined as the "Walloon Region" as opposed to "Wallonia", but the latter has been adopted by the regional government and is in common use.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.wallonie.be/fr/acteurs-et-institutions/wallonie/gouvernement-de-wallonie|title=Gouvernement de Wallonie|website=Wallonie.be|access-date=28 February 2022}}</ref><ref>For example, the [https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/belgium/ CIA World Factbook] states Wallonia is the short form and Walloon Region is the long form. The [http://www.investinwallonia.be/ofi-belgium/investir-en-wallonie/histoire-et-institutions/index.php Invest in Wallonia website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090908155837/http://www.investinwallonia.be/ofi-belgium/investir-en-wallonie/histoire-et-institutions/index.php |date=2009-09-08 }} and the [http://invest.belgium.be/en/wallonia-welcomes-your-business Belgian federal government] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090221212715/http://invest.belgium.be/en/wallonia-welcomes-your-business |date=2009-02-21 }} use the term ''Wallonia'' when referring to the Walloon Region.</ref> Prior to 2010, when the renaming came into effect, ''Wallonia'' could sometimes refer to the territory governed by the Walloon Region, whereas ''Walloon Region'' referred specifically to the government. In practice, the difference between the two terms is small and what is meant is usually clear, based on context.

''Wallonia'' is a cognate of terms such as [[Wales]], Cornwall and [[Wallachia]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.etymonline.com/word/Walloon |website=Etymonline.com|title=Walloon}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.etymonline.com/word/welsh|title=Welsh &#124; Etymology, origin and meaning of the name Welsh by etymonline|website=Etymonline.com|access-date=28 February 2022}}</ref><ref>(French) Albert Henry, Histoire des mots Wallons et Wallonie, {{ill|Institut Jules Destrée|fr}}, Coll. «Notre histoire», Mont-sur-Marchienne, 1990, 3rd ed. (1st ed. 1965), footnote 13 p. 86.</ref> The [[Germanic language|Germanic]] word [[Walha]], meaning ''the strangers'', referred to Gallic or Celtic people. Wallonia is named after the [[Walloons]], a group of locals who natively speak [[Romance languages]]. In [[Middle Dutch]] (and French), the term ''Walloons'' included both historical secular Walloon principalities, as well as the French-speaking population of the [[Prince-Bishopric of Liège]]<ref>Footnote: In medieval French, the word ''Liégeois'' referred to all the inhabitants of the Principality vis-à-vis the other inhabitants of the Low Countries, the word ''Walloon'' being applied specifically to the French-speaking inhabitants vis-à-vis the other inhabitants of the Principality. {{Cite book
  | last = Stengers
  | first = Jean
  | author-link = Jean Stengers
  | contribution = Depuis quand les Liégeois sont-ils des Wallons?
  | year = 1991
  | title = Hommages à la Wallonie [mélanges offerts à Maurice Arnould et Pierre Ruelle]
  | editor-last = Hasquin
  | editor-first = Hervé
  | editor-link = Hervé Hasquin
  | pages = 431–447
  | place = Brussels
  | publisher = éditions de l'[[Université libre de Bruxelles|ULB]]
  | language = fr
  }}</ref> or the whole population of the [[Romance languages|Romanic]] [[sprachraum]] within the [[Middle Ages|medieval]] [[Burgundian Netherlands|Low Countries]].

== History ==
[[Image:Ludwigslied Manuscript Valenciennes p. 1+2.jpg|thumb|The ''[[Sequence of Saint Eulalia]]'', the oldest surviving text written in what would become [[Old French]], likely originated in or near Wallonia.<ref name="SSE" />]]
[[Image:Renier de Huy MCL3.jpg|right|thumb|[[Baptismal font]] of [[Renier de Huy]], an example of [[Mosan art]] and of medieval Walloon brass working expertise]]
{{main|History of Wallonia}}

[[Julius Caesar]] conquered [[Gaul]] in 57 BC. The [[Low Countries]] became part of the larger [[Gallia Belgica]] [[roman province|province]] which originally stretched from southwestern Germany to [[Normandy]] and the southern part of the Netherlands. The population of this territory was [[Celts|Celtic]] with a [[Germanic peoples|Germanic]] influence which was stronger in the north than in the south of the province. Gallia Belgica became progressively [[Romanization (cultural)|romanized]]. The ancestors of the Walloons became [[Gallo-Roman]]s and were called the "[[Walha]]" by their Germanic neighbours. The "Walha" abandoned their [[Gaulish language|Celtic dialects]] and started to speak [[Vulgar Latin]].<ref name="YoungRegion">{{cite web
 |title       = A young region with a long history (from 57BC to 1831)
 |url         = http://www.wallonie.be/en/discover-wallonia/history/a-young-region-with-a-long-history-from-57bc-to-1831/index.html
 |work        = Gateway to the Walloon Region
 |publisher   = Walloon Region
 |access-date  = 2009-01-13
 |date        = 2007-01-22
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20080501134629/http://www.wallonie.be/en/discover-wallonia/history/a-young-region-with-a-long-history-from-57bc-to-1831/index.html
 |archive-date = 2008-05-01
}}</ref>

The [[Merovingian]] [[Franks]] gradually gained control of the region during the 5th century, under [[Clovis I|Clovis]]. Due to the fragmentation of the former [[Roman Empire]], Vulgar Latin regionally developed along different lines and evolved into several ''[[langue d'oïl]]'' dialects, which in Wallonia became [[Picard language|Picard]], [[Walloon language|Walloon]] and [[Lorrain language|Lorrain]].<ref name="YoungRegion" /> The oldest surviving text written in a ''langue d'oïl'', the ''[[Sequence of Saint Eulalia]]'', has characteristics of these three languages and was likely written in or very near to what is now Wallonia around 880 [[AD]].<ref name="SSE">{{in lang|fr}} [[Maurice Delbouille]] ''Romanité d'oïl Les origines : la langue – les plus anciens textes'' in ''La Wallonie, le pays et les hommes'' Tome I (Lettres, arts, culture), La Renaissance du Livre, Bruxelles,1977, pp.99–107.</ref> From the 4th to the 7th century, the [[Franks]] established several settlements, probably mostly in the north of the province where the romanization was less advanced and some Germanic trace was still present. The language border (that now splits Belgium in the middle) began to crystallize between 700 under the reign of the [[Merovingian]]s and [[Carolingian]]s and around 1000 after the [[Ottonian Renaissance]].<ref>Kramer, pg. 59, citing {{cite journal
| author=M. Gysseling
| title=La genèse de la frontière linguistique dans le Nord de la Gaule
| journal=Revue du Nord
| volume=44
| year=1962
| issue=173
| pages=5–38, in particular 17
| doi=10.3406/rnord.1962.2410
| language=fr
}}</ref> French-speaking cities, with [[Liège]] as the largest one, appeared along the [[Meuse]], while Gallo-Roman cities such as [[Tongeren]], [[Maastricht]] and [[Aachen]] became Germanized.
[[Image:Braine-L'Alleud - Butte du Lion dite de Waterloo.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Lion's Mound]] commemorates the [[Battle of Waterloo]], fought in present-day Wallonia. Belgium was united with the Netherlands following the [[Napoleonic Wars]].]]
The [[Carolingian dynasty]] dethroned the Merovingians in the 8th century. In 843, the [[Treaty of Verdun]] gave the territory of present-day Wallonia to [[Middle Francia]], which would shortly fragment, with the region passing to [[Lotharingia]]. On Lotharingia's breakup in 959, the present-day territory of Belgium became part of [[Lower Lotharingia]], which then fragmented into rival principalities and duchies by 1190. Literary [[Latin]], which was taught in schools, lost its hegemony during the 13th century and was replaced by [[Old French]].<ref name="YoungRegion" />

In the 15th century, the [[Dukes of Burgundy]] took over the [[Low Countries]]. The death of [[Charles the Bold]] in 1477 raised the issue of succession, and the [[Prince-Bishopric of Liège|Liégeois]] took advantage of this to regain some of their autonomy.<ref name="YoungRegion" /> From the 16th to the 18th century, the Low Countries were governed successively by the [[Habsburg]] dynasty of Spain (from the early 16th century until 1713–14) and later by Austria (until 1794). This territory was enlarged in 1521–22 when [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor]] gained the [[Tournai]] region from France.<ref name="YoungRegion" />

Present-day Belgium was conquered in 1795 by the [[French First Republic|French Republic]] during the [[French Revolutionary Wars]]. It was [[annexed]] to the Republic, which later became the [[French First Empire|Napoleonic Empire]]. After the [[Battle of Waterloo]] and the [[Congress of Vienna]], Wallonia became part of the [[United Kingdom of the Netherlands|Kingdom of the Netherlands]] under King [[William I of the Netherlands|William of Orange]].<ref name="YoungRegion" /> The Walloons played an active part in the [[Belgian Revolution]] in 1830. The [[Provisional Government of Belgium]] proclaimed Belgium's independence and held elections for the [[National Congress of Belgium|National Congress]].<ref name="YoungRegion" />

===Belgian period===
[[File:Canal du Centre, l'Ascenseur No. 3.jpg|thumb|The [[lifts on the old Canal du Centre|boat lifts on the old Canal du Centre]] were first opened in 1888 and are now a [[World Heritage Site]].]]
[[Image:Bardouxha Mont 1893-mw-c.jpg|thumb|left|Mons fusillade on 17 April 1893]]
In the 19th century, the area began to industrialize, and Wallonia was the first fully industrialized area in [[continental Europe]].<ref name = "Atlas" /> This brought the region great economic prosperity, which was not mirrored in poorer Flanders and the result was a large amount of [[Flemish immigration in Wallonia|Flemish immigration to Wallonia]]. Belgium was divided into two divergent communities. On the one hand, the very [[Flemish people|Catholic Flemish society]] was characterized by an economy centred on agriculture; on the other hand, Wallonia was the centre of the continental European [[Industrial Revolution]], where classical liberal and socialist movements were rapidly emerging.<ref name="RegionAsserts">{{cite web
| title=The region asserts itself (from 1840 to 1970)
| url=http://www.wallonie.be/en/discover-wallonia/history/the-region-asserts-itself-from-1840-to-1970/index.html
| work=Gateway to the Walloon Region
| access-date=2009-01-14
| date=2007-01-22
| archive-date=2008-05-01
| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080501134642/http://www.wallonie.be/en/discover-wallonia/history/the-region-asserts-itself-from-1840-to-1970/index.html
| url-status=dead
}}</ref> Major strikes and [[general strike]]s took place in Wallonia, including the [[Walloon jacquerie of 1886]], the [[General strikes in Belgium|Belgian general strikes]] of [[Belgian general strike of 1893|1893]], 1902, 1913 (for [[universal suffrage]]), 1932 (depicted in ''[[Misère au Borinage]]''), and 1936. After [[World War II]], major strikes included the [[general strike against Leopold III of Belgium]] (1950), and the [[1960-1961 Winter General Strike]] for autonomy for Wallonia.

The profitability of the heavy industries to which Wallonia owed its prosperity started declining in the first half of the 20th century, and the centre of industrial activity shifted north to Flanders. The loss of prosperity caused social unrest, and Wallonia sought greater autonomy in order to address its economic problems. In the wake of the [[1960-1961 Winter General Strike]], the process of [[state reform in Belgium]] got underway. This reform started partly with the [[Language legislation in Belgium|linguistic laws of 1962–63]], which defined the four language areas within the [[Constitution of Belgium|constitution]]. But the strikes of 1960 which took place in Wallonia more than in [[Flanders]] are not principally linked with the four language areas nor with the Communities but with the Regions. In 1968, the conflict between the communities burst out. French speakers in Flanders (who were not necessarily Walloons) were driven out of, most notably the Leuven-based [[Catholic University of Leuven (1834–1968)|Catholic University]] amid shouts of "''Walen buiten''!" ("Walloons out!"). After a formal split of the university in two and the creation of a [[Université catholique de Louvain|brand new campus]] in Wallonia,<ref name="RegionAsserts" /> a wider series of [[State reform in Belgium|State reforms was passed in Belgium]], which resulted in the federalisation of the nation and the creation of the Walloon Region and the [[French Community of Belgium|French Community]] (comprising both Wallonia and Brussels), administrative entities each of which would gain various levels of considerable autonomy.

== Geography ==
[[Image:Belgium resources 1968.jpg|thumb|left|Coalmining and steelmaking industrial areas in Belgium. The [[sillon industriel]] is the blue area along the [[Meuse]] and [[Sambre]].]][[File:Régions naturelles de Belgique.jpg|thumb|350px|The natural regions of Belgium]]

Wallonia is [[landlocked]], with an area of {{convert|16901|km²|sqmi|abbr=on}}, or 55 percent of the total area of Belgium. The [[Sambre and Meuse valley]], from [[Liège]] ({{convert|70|m|ft|abbr=on}}) to [[Charleroi]] ({{convert|120|m|ft|abbr=on}}) is an [[entrenched river]] in a [[fault (geology)|fault line]] which separates Middle Belgium (elevation {{convert|100|–|200|m|ft|abbr=on}}) and High Belgium ({{convert|200|–|700|m|ft|abbr=on}}). This fault line corresponds to a part of the southern coast of the late [[London-Brabant Massif]]. The valley, along with [[Haine]] and [[Vesdre]] valleys form the ''[[sillon industriel]]'', the historical centre of the Belgian coalmining and steelmaking industry, and is also called the Walloon industrial backbone. Due to their long industrial historic record, several segments of the valley have received specific names: [[Borinage]], around [[Mons, Belgium|Mons]], le [[Centre region, Hainaut|Centre]], around [[La Louvière]], the [[Pays noir]], around [[Charleroi]] and the Basse-Sambre, near [[Namur]].

To the north of the Sambre and Meuse valley lies the Central Belgian plateau, which is characterized by [[intensive agriculture]]. The Walloon part of this plateau is traditionally divided into several regions: [[Walloon Brabant]] around [[Nivelles]], [[Western Hainaut]] ({{langx|fr|link=no|Wallonie picarde}}, around [[Tournai]]), and [[Hesbaye]] around [[Waremme]]. South of the sillon industriel, the land is more rugged and is characterized by more [[extensive farming]]. It is traditionally divided into the regions of Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse, [[Condroz]], [[Fagne (natural region)|Fagne]]-[[Famenne]], the [[Ardennes]] and [[Land of Herve]], as well as the [[Belgian Lorraine]] around [[Arlon]] and [[Virton]]. Dividing it into [[Condroz]], [[Famenne]], [[Calestienne]], [[Ardennes]] (including [[Thiérache]]), and Belgian Lorraine (which includes the [[Gaume]]) is more reflective of the physical geography. The larger region, the Ardennes, is a thickly forested plateau with caves and small gorges. It is host to much of Belgium's wildlife but little agricultural capacity. This area extends westward into France and eastward to the [[Eifel]] in Germany via the [[High Fens]] plateau, on which the [[Signal de Botrange]] forms the highest point in Belgium at 694 metres (2,277&nbsp;ft).
[[File:Charleroi - place Charles II.jpg|150px|thumb|right|View of Charleroi]]

== Subdivisions ==
The Walloon region covers {{convert|16901|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on}} and is divided into [[Provinces of Belgium|five provinces]], [[Arrondissements of Belgium|20 arrondissements]] and [[List of municipalities in Wallonia|261 cities or municipalities]].

{| class="wikitable sortable"
! colspan="2" | Province !! Capital city !!  Population<br />{{small|(1 January 2019)}}<ref name="auto"/> !! Area<ref name="auto1"/> !! Density
|-
| 1 || {{flag|Hainaut}} || [[Mons, Belgium|Mons]] || style="text-align:right" | 1,344,241 || {{convert|3813|km2|abbr=on}} || {{convert|353|/km2|abbr=on}} 
|-
| 2 || {{flag|Liège}} || [[Liège]] || style="text-align:right" | 1,106,992 || {{convert|3857|km2|abbr=on}} || {{convert|288|/km2|abbr=on}}
|-
| 3 || {{flag|Luxembourg (Belgium)|name=Luxembourg}} || [[Arlon]] || style="text-align:right" | 284,638 || {{convert|4459|km2|abbr=on}} || {{convert|64|/km2|abbr=on}}
|-
| 4 || {{flag|Namur}} || [[Namur]] || style="text-align:right" | 494,325 || {{convert|3675|km2|abbr=on}} || {{convert|135|/km2|abbr=on}}
|-
| 5 || {{flag|Walloon Brabant}} (''Brabant wallon'') || [[Wavre]] || style="text-align:right" | 403,599 || {{convert|1097|km2|abbr=on}} || {{convert|368|/km2|abbr=on}}
|}

The province of Walloon Brabant is the most recent one, being formed in 1995 after the splitting of the [[province of Brabant]].

[[File:Liege View 03.jpg|150px|thumb|right|View of Liège with the [[Meuse]]]]
[[File:Namur JPG02.jpg|150px|thumb|right|View of Namur with the [[Sambre]]]]

=== Cities ===
The largest cities in Wallonia are:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=&men=gcis&lng=en&des=gamelan&dat=200&srt=pnan&col=aohdqcfbeimg&geo=-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060328050708/http://www.world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=&men=gcis&lng=en&des=gamelan&dat=200&srt=pnan&col=aohdqcfbeimg&geo=-30|url-status=dead|title=Belgium: largest cities and towns and statistics of their population|archive-date=March 28, 2006}}</ref>
* [[Charleroi]] (204,146)
* [[Liège]] (195,790)
* [[Namur]] (110,428)
* [[Mons, Belgium|Mons]] (92,529)
* [[La Louvière]] (81,138)
* [[Tournai]] (69,792)
* [[Seraing]] (63,500)
* [[Verviers]] (56,596)
* [[Mouscron]] (55,687)
* [[Herstal]] (38,969)
* [[Braine-l'Alleud]] (38,748)
* [[Châtelet, Belgium|Châtelet]] (36,131)
{{Clear}}

The 10 largest groups of foreign residents in 2018 are:{{fact|date=September 2022}}

{|
|-
|{{flag|Italy}}||98,682
|-
|{{flag|France}}||81,148
|-
|{{flag|Germany}}||16,815
|-
|{{flag|Morocco}}||16,275
|-
|{{flag|Spain}}||16,040
|-
|{{flag|Romania}}||14,181
|-
|{{flag|Portugal}}||11,340
|-
|{{flag|Turkey}}||9,112
|-
|{{flag|Netherlands}}||7,534
|-
|{{flag|Democratic Republic of Congo}}||6,699
|}

==Science and technology==
{{Main|Science and technology in Wallonia}}
Contributions to the development of science and technology have appeared since the beginning of the country's history. The [[baptismal font]] of [[Renier de Huy]] is not the only example of medieval Walloon technical expertise: the words "houille" (coal)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnrtl.fr/definition/academie9/houille|title=HOUILLE : Définition de HOUILLE|work=cnrtl.fr}}</ref> or "houilleur" (coal miner) or "grisou" (damp) were coined in Wallonia and are [[Walloon language|Walloon]] in origin.

The economically important [[History of coal mining#Belgium|very deep coal mining]] in the course of the [[First Industrial Revolution]] has required highly reputed specialized studies for [[mining engineering|mining engineers]]. But that was already the case before the Industrial Revolution, with an engineer as [[Rennequin Sualem]] for instance.

Engineer [[Zenobe Gramme]] invented the [[Gramme dynamo]], the first generator to produce power on a commercial scale for industry. Chemist [[Ernest Solvay]] gave his name to the [[Solvay process]] for production of [[soda ash]], an important chemical for many industrial uses. Ernest Solvay also acted as a major philanthropist and gave its name to the [[Solvay Institute of Sociology]], the [[Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management]] and the [[International Solvay Institutes for Physics and Chemistry]] which are now part of the [[Université libre de Bruxelles]]. In 1911, he started a series of conferences, the [[Solvay Conference]]s on Physics and Chemistry, which have had a deep impact on the evolution of quantum physics and chemistry.

[[Georges Lemaître]] of the [[Université catholique de Louvain]] is credited with proposing the [[Big Bang]] theory of the origin of the universe in 1927.

Three [[Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine|Nobel Prizes in Physiology or Medicine]] were awarded to Walloons: [[Jules Bordet]] ([[Université libre de Bruxelles]]) in 1919, [[Albert Claude]] (ULB) together with [[Christian De Duve]] (UCLouvain) in 1974.

In the present day, [[Bureau Greisch]] has acquired an international reputation as consulting engineer and architect in the fields of structures, civil engineering and buildings, including the [[Millau Viaduct]] in France.

== Economy ==
[[Image:Ougree 16.jpg|thumb|Steelmaking along the [[Meuse]] at [[Ougrée]], near [[Liège]], on the ''[[sillon industriel]]'']]
Wallonia is rich in iron and coal, and these resources and related industries have played an important role in its history. In ancient times, the [[Sambre and Meuse valley]] was an important industrial area in the [[Roman Empire]]. In the [[Middle Ages]], Wallonia became a center for [[brass]] working and [[bronze]] working, with [[Huy]], [[Dinant]] and [[Chimay]] being important regional centers. In the 12th and 13th centuries, the iron masters of [[Liège]] developed a method of refining iron ore by the use of a blast furnace, called the [[Oregrounds iron|Walloon Method]]. There were also a few coal mines around [[Charleroi]] and the [[Borinage]] during this period, but their output was small, and was principally consumed as fuel by various industries such as the important glassmaking industry that sprang up in the [[Charleroi]] basin during the 14th century.<ref>Allan H. Kittel, "The Revolutionary Period of the Industrial Revolution", ''Journal of Social History'', Vol. I, n° 2 (Winter 1967), pp. 129–130.</ref>

In the 19th century, the area began to industrialize, mainly along the so-called [[sillon industriel]]. It was the first fully <!--waste ?--> industrialized area in [[continental Europe]],<ref name = "Atlas">{{cite web | title =  Wallonie : une région en Europe | url = http://sder.wallonie.be/ICEDD/CAP-atlasWallonie2006/pages/atlas.asp?txt=conWalEur | publisher = Ministère de la Région wallonne | access-date = September 29, 2007|language=fr}}</ref> and Wallonia was the second industrial power in the world, in proportion to its population and its territory, after the United Kingdom.<ref>Philippe Destatte, ''L'identité wallonne'', Institut Destrée, Charleroi, 1997, pages 49–50 {{ISBN|2-87035-000-7}}</ref> The sole industrial centre in Belgium outside the collieries and blast furnaces of Wallonia was the historic cloth making town of [[Ghent]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://en.erih.net/index.php?pageId=114|title=Welcome|work=erih.net|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130731024244/http://en.erih.net/index.php?pageId=114|archive-date=2013-07-31}}</ref>

The two World Wars curbed the continuous expansion that Wallonia had enjoyed up till that time. Towards the end of the 1950s, things began to change dramatically. The factories of Wallonia were by then antiquated, the coal was running out and the cost of extracting coal was constantly rising. It was the end of an era, and Wallonia has been making efforts to redefine itself. The restoration of economical development is high on the political agenda, and the government is encouraging development of industries, notably in cutting-edge technology and in business parks.<ref name="wallonie.be">{{cite web |url=http://www.wallonie.be/en/discover-wallonia/economy/walloon-incentives/index.html |title=Walloon incentives - Portal Wallonia |access-date=2008-12-22 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110521083719/http://www.wallonie.be/en/discover-wallonia/economy/walloon-incentives/index.html |archive-date=2011-05-21 }}</ref> The economy is improving,<ref>{{cite news|title=Wallonia battles wasteland image |url= https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7647591.stm|work=BBC News|date= October 6, 2008|access-date=September 27, 2009}}</ref> but Wallonia is not yet at the level of [[Flanders]] and is still suffering from difficulties.

[[Image:Spa JPG02.jpg|thumb|left|The word ''[[spa]]'' comes from the healing [[hot springs]] of [[Spa, Belgium|Spa]] in the [[Ardennes]]. Tourism is an important part of the economy of Wallonia.<ref>According to [[La Libre Belgique]] on 26 August 2010: 9.8 million visitors in 2009 (2.8 in Brussels), 6% of the regional economy (15% in Brussels)</ref>]][[File:Belgium, Charleroi (Dampremy), Rue Arthur Decoux (1).jpg|thumb|right|250px|Urban blight in Damprémy near Charleroi]]
The current Walloon economy is relatively diversified, although certain areas (especially around Charleroi and Liège) are still suffering from the steel industry crisis, with an unemployment rate of up to 30 percent. Nonetheless, Wallonia has some companies which are world leaders in their specialized fields, including [[Weapon|armaments]], glass production,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uwe.be/bases-de-donnees/leaders-mondiaux/agc-flat-glass-leadership-through-innovation|title=AGC Flat Glass: Leadership through innovation|website=Uwe.be|access-date=11 November 2008|archive-date=9 October 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081009135400/http://www.uwe.be/bases-de-donnees/leaders-mondiaux/agc-flat-glass-leadership-through-innovation|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Calcium oxide|lime]] and [[limestone]] production,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uwe.be/bases-de-donnees/leaders-mondiaux/carmeuse-expansion-through-partnership-and-knowledge|title=Carmeuse: expansion through partnership and knowledge|website=Uwe.be|access-date=2008-11-11|archive-date=2011-07-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722023258/http://www.uwe.be/bases-de-donnees/leaders-mondiaux/carmeuse-expansion-through-partnership-and-knowledge|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[cyclotron]]s<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uwe.be/bases-de-donnees/leaders-mondiaux/iba2019s-growth-still-accelerating|title=IBA's growth still accelerating|website=Uwe.be|access-date=2008-11-11|archive-date=2011-07-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706142424/http://www.uwe.be/bases-de-donnees/leaders-mondiaux/iba2019s-growth-still-accelerating|url-status=dead}}</ref> and aviation parts.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uwe.be/bases-de-donnees/leaders-mondiaux/sonaca-increasing-visibility-in-north-america|title=Sonaca: Increasing visibility in North America|website=Uwe.be|access-date=2008-11-11|archive-date=2011-07-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706142434/http://www.uwe.be/bases-de-donnees/leaders-mondiaux/sonaca-increasing-visibility-in-north-america|url-status=dead}}</ref> The south of Wallonia, bordering [[Luxembourg]], benefits from its neighbour's economic prosperity, with many Belgians working on the other side of the border; they are often called ''frontaliers''. The [[Ardennes]] area south of the [[Meuse]] is a popular tourist destination for its nature and outdoor sports, in addition to its cultural heritage, with places such as [[Bastogne]], [[Dinant]], [[Durbuy]], and the famous [[hot springs]] of [[Spa, Belgium|Spa]].

The Gross domestic product (GDP) of the region was 105.7 billion € in 2018, accounting for 23% of Belgian economic output. GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power was €25,700  or 85% of the EU27 average in the same year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/2995521/10474907/1-05032020-AP-EN.pdf/81807e19-e4c8-2e53-c98a-933f5bf30f58|title=Regional GDP per capita ranged from 30% to 263% of the EU average in 2018|website=Eurostat}}</ref>

==Politics and government==
[[File:Di_Rupo_cropped.jpg|thumb|[[Elio Di Rupo]] was the [[Minister-President of Wallonia]] from 2019 till 2024.]]
[[File:La Citadelle de Namur.JPG|thumb|The [[Parliament of Wallonia]] in [[Namur]] (in pink), at a symbolic place at the confluence of the [[Meuse]] and [[Sambre]] rivers. Two-thirds of the population of Wallonia lives along the [[Sambre and Meuse valley]].]]
{{main|Politics of Wallonia|Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium}}

Belgium is a [[federal state]] made up of three communities and three regions, each with considerable autonomy. One of these is the Walloon Region, which is governed by the [[Parliament of Wallonia]] and the executive [[Government of Wallonia]]. The Walloon Region's autonomy extends even to foreign policy; Wallonia is entitled to pursue its own foreign policy, including the signing of treaties, and in many domains, even the Belgian federal government is not able to sign an international treaty without the agreement of the Parliament of Wallonia.

Wallonia is also home to about 80 per cent of the population of the [[French Community of Belgium]], a political level responsible for matters related mainly to culture and education, with the remainder living in [[Brussels]]. Wallonia is also home to the small [[German-speaking Community of Belgium]] in the east, which has its own government and parliament for culture-related issues. Although in [[Flanders]], the [[Flemish Region]] assigned all of its powers to the [[Flemish Community]], the Walloon Region remains in principle distinct from and independent from the French Community, and vice versa. Despite this, the [[Parliament of the French Community|French Community's parliament]] is almost entirely composed of members of Wallonia's and Brussels' parliaments, so the bodies are governed by the same individuals. Additionally, the French Community of Belgium has controversially begun referring to itself exclusively as the 'Wallonia-Brussels Federation' to emphasize the links between the French Community, Wallonia and Brussels.

The Walloon Region has a [[unicameral parliament]] with 75 members elected for five years by direct [[universal suffrage]], and an executive, the [[Government of Wallonia]], elected by a political majority in Parliament. The Government has nine members with the president. Each member is called a ''Walloon minister''. The head of the Government is called the [[Minister-President of Wallonia]]. The coalition government for the 2014–2019 legislature was a centre-left coalition [[Parti Socialiste (Belgium)|PS]]-[[cdH]] until July 28 when it was replaced by a centre-left coalition MR-cdH. The current Minister-President is [[Elio Di Rupo]].

===History of Walloon autonomy===
{{main|Walloon Movement|History of the Walloon Movement}}
Following several [[State reform in Belgium|state reforms]], especially the 1993 state reform, Belgium became a federal state made up of three communities and three regions, with Wallonia being represented by the Walloon Region and its two language communities. The directly elected Walloon Parliament was created in June 1995, replacing the ''Conseil régional wallon'' (Regional Council of Wallonia). The first Council had sat on 15 October 1980 and was composed of members of the [[Chamber of Representatives (Belgium)|Belgian Chamber of Representatives]] and the [[Belgian Senate]] elected in Wallonia.

===Political landscape===
Wallonia is considered to be [[left-wing]] politically, in contrast to Flanders, which is more right-wing.<ref name="e352">{{cite web | title=Getting to know Belgian politics: the traditional pillars versus left and right | website=belganewsagency.eu | date=2024-01-03 | url=https://www.belganewsagency.eu/getting-to-know-belgian-politics-the-traditional-pillars-versus-left-and-right-1 | access-date=2024-06-12}}</ref> The region has been described as one of the few places in Europe without a significant [[right-wing populism]] presence.<ref name="n010">{{cite journal | last=de Jonge | first=Léonie | title=The Curious Case of Belgium: Why is There no Right-Wing Populism in Wallonia? | url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/05D6B4081B60B2D7318809C228791575/S0017257X20000081a.pdf/the-curious-case-of-belgium-why-is-there-no-right-wing-populism-in-wallonia.pdf | journal=Government and Opposition | volume=56 | issue=4 | date=2021 | issn=0017-257X | doi=10.1017/gov.2020.8 | pages=598–614}}</ref><ref name="b581">{{cite web | last=Kasteel | first=Jean van | title=The Walloons do not send any far-right elected officials either to the Region, nor to the Federal, nor to Europe | website=DHnet | date=2024-06-11 | url=https://www.dhnet.be/actu/belgique/2024/06/11/les-wallons-nenvoient-aucun-elu-dextreme-droite-ni-a-la-region-ni-au-federal-ni-a-leurope-MLW7OZWL7JFAVABFA4VWHEJKN4/ | language=fr | access-date=2024-06-12}}</ref> In Wallonia, there is a [[cordon sanitaire (politics)|cordon sanitaire]] in the media, where [[far-right]] politicians are banned from interviews and live appearances.<ref name="o684">{{cite web | last=Joyner | first=Ella | title=Belgian election tests limits of media's far-right boycott – DW – 06/04/2024 | website=dw.com | date=2024-06-04 | url=https://www.dw.com/en/belgian-election-tests-limits-of-medias-far-right-boycott/a-69161435 | access-date=2024-06-12}}</ref><ref name="y238">{{cite web | title=Belgium's far right struggles to break through media ban | website=www.euractiv.com | date=2024-05-06 | url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/elections/news/belgiums-far-right-struggles-to-break-through-media-ban/ | access-date=2024-06-12}}</ref> The ban has also affected more mainstream right-wing parties such as the [[N-VA]].<ref name="r906">{{cite web | first1=Jeroen | last1=Struys | first2=Peter |last2=De Lobel | title=N-VA-kandidaat in Wallonië in de ban geslagen: waarom er rechts van MR geen zuurstof is over de taalgrens | website=De Standaard | date=2024-03-25 | url=https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20240324_97085493 | language=nl | access-date=2024-06-12}}</ref>

==Symbols==
[[File:Fosses-la-Ville JPG01W.jpg|thumb|left|upright|A red rooster is the main symbol of Wallonia]]
The first appearance of the French word ''Wallonie'' as a reference to the romance world as opposed to Germany is said to date from 1842.<ref>There is also a mention of ''Wallonie'' in 1825 : {{in lang|fr}} « les Germains, au contraire, réservant pour eux seuls le noble nom de Franks, s'obstinaient, dès le onzième siècle, à ne plus voir de Franks dans la Gaule, qu'ils nommaient dédaigneusement Wallonie, terre des Wallons ou des Welsches » [[Augustin Thierry]], ''Histoire de la conquête de l'Angleterre par les Normands'', Éd. Firmin Didot, Paris, 1825, tome 1, p. 155. [https://books.google.com/books?id=2WUOAAAAQAAJ read online]</ref> Two years later, it was first used to refer to the Romance part of the young country of Belgium.<ref>{{in lang|fr}} Albert Henry, ''Histoire des mots Wallons et Wallonie'', Institut Jules Destrée, Coll. «Notre histoire», Mont-sur-Marchienne, 1990, 3rd ed. (1st ed. 1965), p. 12.</ref> In 1886, the writer and Walloon militant [[Albert Mockel]], first used the word with a political meaning of cultural and regional affirmation,<ref>{{in lang|fr}} «C'est cette année-là [1886] que naît le mot ''Wallonie'', dans son sens politique d'affirmation culturelle régionale, lorsque le Liégeois Albert Mockel crée une revue littéraire sous ce nom» Philippe Destatte, ''L'identité wallonne'' p. 32.</ref> in opposition with the word ''Flanders'' used by the [[Flemish Movement]]. The word had previously appeared in German and Latin as early as the 17th century.<ref>''La préhistoire latine du mot Wallonie'' in Luc Courtois, Jean-Pierre Delville, Françoise Rosart & Guy Zélis (editors), ''Images et paysages mentaux des XIXe et XXe siècles de la Wallonie à l'Outre-Mer, Hommage au professeur [[:fr:Jean Pirotte (professeur)|Jean Pirotte]] à l'occasion de son éméritat'', Academia Bruylant, Presses Universitaires de l'UCL, Louvain-la-Neuve, 2007, pp. 35–48 {{ISBN|978-2-87209-857-6}}, p. 47</ref>

The rising of a Walloon identity led the [[Walloon Movement]] to choose different symbols representing Wallonia. The main symbol is the "bold rooster" ({{langx|fr|link=no|coq hardi}}), also named "Walloon rooster" ({{langx|fr|link=no|coq wallon}}, {{langx|wa|cok walon}}), which is widely used, particularly on arms and flags. The rooster was chosen as an emblem by the [[Walloon Assembly]] on 20 April 1913, and designed by [[Pierre Paulus]] on 3 July 1913.<ref name="Walloon flag">{{cite web|url=http://www.allstates-flag.com/fotw/flags/be-wal_l.html#wal98 |title=AllStates Flag Co., Inc.|publisher=Allstates-flag.com |date= |access-date=2022-02-27}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=February 2022}} The [[Flag of Wallonia]] features the red rooster on a yellow background.

An anthem, {{lang|fr|[[Le Chant des Wallons]]}} (''The Walloons' Song''), written by Theophile Bovy in 1900 and composed by Louis Hillier in 1901, was also adopted. On September 21, 1913, the "national" feast day of Wallonia took place for the first time in [[Verviers]], commemorating the participation of Walloons during the [[Belgian Revolution]] of 1830. It is held annually on the third Sunday of September. The Assembly also chose a [[motto]] for Wallonia, "Walloon Forever" ({{langx|wa|Walon todi}}), and a cry, "Liberty" ({{langx|fr|link=no|Liberté}}). In 1998, the [[Walloon Parliament]] made all these symbols official except the motto and the cry.

==Religion==
The population of Wallonia is predominantly of Christian heritage. In 2016, 68% of residents of Wallonia declared themselves to be [[Roman Catholic]] (21% were practising Catholics and 47% were non-practising), 3% were [[Muslim]], 3% were [[Protestant]] Christian, 1% were of other religions and 25% were non-religious.<ref name=2016religion>{{Cite news|url=http://www.lesoir.be/1106186/article/actualite/belgique/2016-01-28/75-des-francophones-revendiquent-une-identite-religieuse|title=75% des francophones revendiquent une identité religieuse|last=lesoir.be|date=28 January 2016|work=lesoir.be|access-date=2017-06-05|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160131090919/http://www.lesoir.be/1106186/article/actualite/belgique/2016-01-28/75-des-francophones-revendiquent-une-identite-religieuse|archive-date=31 January 2016}}</ref>
{{Pie chart
|thumb = right
|caption = Religion in Wallonia (2016)<ref name=2016religion/>
|label1 = [[Roman Catholicism]]
|value1 = 68
|color1 = DarkOrchid
|label2 = [[Protestantism]]
|value2 = 3
|color2 = DodgerBlue
|label3 = [[Islam]]
|value3 = 3
|color3 = Green
|label4 = Non-religious
|value4 = 25
|color4 = Honeydew
|label5 = Other religion
|value5 = 1
|color5 = Chartreuse
}}

==Languages==
{{Moresources|section|date=June 2023}}
[[Image:Linguistic map of Wallonia.png|thumb|400px|left|A linguistic map of Wallonia. In all areas, except the German-speaking part, French is currently the dominant language.]]

=== Official languages ===
[[French language|French]] is the official language of Wallonia and by far the most used; in the [[Eupen-Malmedy|East Cantons]], [[German language|German]] is also official.<ref name="constitution2">{{cite web|date=May 2007|title=La Constitution belge (Art. 4)|url=http://www.senate.be/doc/const_fr.html|access-date=2009-01-18|publisher=the [[Belgian Senate]]|language=fr|quote=La Belgique comprend quatre régions linguistiques : la région de langue française, la région de langue néerlandaise, la région bilingue de Bruxelles-Capitale et la région de langue allemande.}}</ref> The [[German-speaking Community of Belgium]] accounts for about 2% of the region's population. [[Belgian French]], which is also spoken in the [[Brussels|Brussels-Capital Region]], is similar to that spoken in France, with slight differences in pronunciation and some vocabulary differences, notably the use of the words ''septante'' (70) and ''nonante'' (90), as opposed to ''soixante-dix'' and ''quatre-vingt-dix'' in France.

There are noticeable Walloon accents, with the accent from [[Liège]] and its surroundings being perhaps the most striking. Other regions of Wallonia also have characteristic accents, often linked to the regional language.

=== Regional languages ===
[[Walloons]] traditionally also speak regional Romance languages, all from the ''[[Langues d'oïl]]'' group. Wallonia includes almost all of the area where [[Walloon language|Walloon]] is spoken, a [[Picard language|Picard]] zone corresponding to the major part of the [[Hainaut Province]], the [[Gaume]] (district of [[Virton]]) with the [[Lorrain language]] and a [[Champenois]] zone. There are also regional Germanic languages, such as the [[Luxembourgish language]] in [[Arelerland]] (Land of [[Arlon]]). The regional languages of Wallonia are more important than in France, and they have been officially recognized by the government. With the development of education in French, however, these dialects have been in continual decline. There is currently an effort to revive Walloon dialects; some schools offer language courses in Walloon, and Walloon is also spoken in some radio programmes, but this effort remains very limited.

== Culture ==
{{Moresources|section|date=June 2023}}
===Literature===
[[Image:Marionetes Tchantchès.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Traditional puppets ([[Charlemagne]] [[Tchantchès]]) of an (also) [[avant-garde]] theater linking French language and [[Walloon language]] literature ]]

====In Walloon====
Literature is written principally in French but also in Walloon and other regional languages, colloquially called Walloon literature. [[Walloon language|Walloon]] literature (regional language not French) has been printed since the 16th century. But it did have its golden age, paradoxically, during the peak of the [[Flemish immigration to Wallonia]] in the 19th century: "That period saw an efflorescence of Walloon literature, plays and poems primarily, and the founding of many theaters and periodicals."<ref>''"Switching Languages", Translingual Writers Reflect on Their Craft'', Edited by Steven G. Kellman Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2003, p. 153; {{ISBN|978-0-8032-2747-7}}</ref> 

The [[New York Public Library]] possesses a surprisingly large collection of literary works in Walloon, quite possibly the largest outside Belgium, and its holding are representative of the output. Out of nearly a thousand, twenty-six were published before 1880. Thereafter the numbers rise gradually year by year, reaching a peak of sixty-nine in 1903, and then they fall again, down to eleven in 1913. See 'Switching Languages', p.&nbsp;153. Yves Quairiaux counted 4800 plays for 1860–1914, published or not. In this period plays were almost the only popular show in Wallonia. But this theater remains popular in the present-day Wallonia: Theater is still flourishing, with over 200 non-professional companies playing in the cities and villages of Wallonia for an audience of over 200,000 each year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://users.skynet.be/lorint/wallang/index.html|title=The Walloon language page|work=skynet.be|accessdate=29 June 2023}}</ref> 

There are links between French literature and (the very small) Walloon literature. For instance [[Raymond Queneau]] set [[Editions Gallimard]] the publication of a Walloon Poets' anthology. [[Ubu roi]] was translated in Walloon by [[André Blavier]], a 
[[Verviers]]
[['Pataphysics|pataphysician]], for the new and important [[Puppets]] theater of Liège of Jacques Ancion, the [[Al Botroûle]] theater "at the umbilical cord" in Walloon indicating a desire to return to the source (according to Joan Cross). But Jacques Ancion wanted to develop a regular adult audience. From the 19th century, he included the Walloon play ''Tati l'Pèriquî'' by E.Remouchamps and the avant-garde ''[[Ubu roi]]'' by [[Alfred Jarry|A.Jarry]].<ref>Joan Gross, Speaking in Other Voices: An Ethnography of Walloon Puppet Theaters. Amsterdam and Philadelphia: John Benjamins Press, 2001; {{ISBN|1-58811-054-0}}</ref> 

For Jean-Marie Klinkenberg, "the dialectal culture is no more a sign of attachment to the past but a way to participate to a new synthesis".<ref>Benoît Denis et Jean-Marie Klinkenberg, Littérature : entre insularité et activisme in Le Tournant des années 1970. Liège en effervescence, Les Impressions nouvelles, Bruxelles, 2010, pp. 237–253, p. 252. French : Ancion monte l'Ubu rwèen 1975 (...) la culture dialectalisante cesse d'être une marque de passéisme pour participer à une nouvelle synthèse...</ref>

====In French====
[[Jean-Marie Klinkenberg]] (member of the [[Groupe μ]]) wrote that Wallonia, and literature in Wallonia, has been present in French language since its formation.<ref>''Histoire de la Wallonie'', Privat Toulouse, 2004, {{ISBN|2-7089-4779-6}} p. 220. French: ''Le latin apporté en Gaule par les légions romaines avait fini par éclater en de multiples dialectes (...) peu à peu, pour répondre aux besoins des pouvoirs publics et religieux se forme une langue standard. Dans ce processus qui aboutira à l'élaboration du français, la Wallonie est présente dès les premières heures.''</ref> 

In their 'Histoire illustrée des lettres française de Belgique', Charlier and Hanse (editors), La Renaissance du livre, Bruxelles, 1958, published 247 pages (on 655 ), about the "French" literature in the Walloon provinces (or Walloon principalities of the Middle-Age, sometimes also Flemish provinces and principalities), for a period from the 11th to the 18th century. Among the works or the authors, the [[Sequence of Saint Eulalia]] (9th century), [[La Vie de Saint Léger]] (10th century), [[Jean Froissart]] (14th century in the [[County of Hainaut]]), [[Jean d'Outremeuse]], [[Jean Lebel]], [[Jean Lemaire de Belges]] (16th century from [[Bavay]]), the [[Charles-Joseph, 7th Prince of Ligne|Prince]] of [[Principality of Ligne|Ligne]] (18th century, [[Beloeil, Belgium|Beloeil]]). There is a Walloon [[Surrealism]],<ref>An Paenhuysen ''Surrealism in the Provinces. Flemish and Walloon Identity in the Interwar period'' in ''Image&Narrative'', n° 13, Leuven November, 2005</ref> especially in [[Hainaut Province]]. [[Charles Plisnier]] (1896–1952), born in Mons, won the [[Prix Goncourt]] in 1936, for his novel ''Mariages'' and for ''Faux Passeports'' (short stories denouncing Stalinism, in the same spirit as [[Arthur Koestler]]). He was the first foreigner to receive this honour. The Walloon [[Georges Simenon]] is likely the most widely read French-speaking writer in the world, according to the [[Tribune de Genève]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tdg.ch/loisirs/livres/georges-simenon-ecrivain-lu-monde-2009-08-28|title=L'écrivain français le plus dans le monde|website=Tdg.ch|access-date=28 February 2022|archive-date=27 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927205613/http://www.tdg.ch/loisirs/livres/georges-simenon-ecrivain-lu-monde-2009-08-28|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/09/12/1063341759443.html|title=Maigret and his master|work=theage.com.au|date=2003-09-14}}</ref> More than 500 million of his books have been sold, and they have been translated into 55 languages. There is a link between the [[Jean Louvet (playwright)|Jean Louvet]]'s work and the social issues in Wallonia.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qYfH1tOwsHcC&q=Louvet&pg=PA143|title=The Columbia Encyclopedia of Modern Drama|isbn=9780231144223|last1=Cody|first1=Gabrielle H.|last2=Sprinchorn|first2=Evert|year=2007|publisher=Columbia University Press }}</ref>

====In Picard====
[[Picard language|Picard]] is spoken in [[Hainaut Province]] of western Belgium. Notable Belgian authors who wrote in Picard include Géo Libbrecht, Paul Mahieu, Paul André, Francis Couvreur and Florian Duc.<!-- The list has been arbitrarily cut short, these may not be the most notable of the group but a longer list is unjustified and inappropriate if none have their own articles on the English Wikipedia.-->
[[Image:Met-de-bles3.jpg|thumb|left|300px|[[Herri met de Bles|Herri Met de Blès]], ''Landscape with the Fire of Sodom'', 21.5 x 33 cm, c. 1526–1550, Musée des Arts anciens du Namurois, Namur. This landscape is similar to the [[Meuse]] between [[Dinant]] and [[Namur]]]]

=== Mosan art, painting, architecture ===
[[Mosan art]] is a regional style of [[Romanesque art]] from the [[Meuse]] river valley in present-day Wallonia, and the [[Rhineland]], with manuscript illumination, metalwork, and enamel work from the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries. Among them is the masterpiece of [[Renier de Huy]] and perhaps of the whole Mosan art [[Baptismal font at St Bartholomew's Church, Liège]]. The architecture of Roman churches of Wallonia are also named mosan, exemplified by the [[Collegiate Church of Saint Gertrude]] in [[Nivelles]], and the churches of [[Waha]] and [[Hastière]], [[Dinant]]. The [[Ornamental brassware]] is also a part of the Mosan art and among these dinandiers [[Hugo d'Oignies]] and [[Nicholas of Verdun]].
[[Jacques du Broeucq]] was a sculptor of the 16th century.

[[Flemish art]] was not confined to the boundaries of modern Flanders and several leading artists came from or worked in areas in which langues d'oïl were spoken, from the region of modern Wallonia, e.g. [[Robert Campin]], [[Rogier van der Weyden]] (Rogier de la Pasture) and [[Jacques Daret]]. [[Joachim Patinir]] [[Herri met de Bles|Henri Blès]] are generally called [[Mosan art|mosan]] painters. [[Lambert Lombard]] ([[Liège]], 1505 – 1566) was a [[Renaissance]] painter, architect and theorist for the [[Prince-Bishopric of Liège]]. [[Gérard de Lairesse]], [[Bertholet Flemalle]] were also important painters in the Prince-Bishopric of Liège.

[[Gustave Serrurier-Bovy]] ([[Liège]], 1858 – [[Antwerp]], 1910)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.artnet.com/artists/gustave-serrurier-bovy/|title=Gustave Serrurier-Bovy &#124; artnet|website=Artnet.com}}</ref> architect and furniture designer, credited (along with [[Paul Hankar]], [[Victor Horta]] and [[Henry van de Velde]]) with creating the [[Art Nouveau]] style, coined as a style in Paris by Bing.<ref>[http://www.efi-costarica.com/Art-Nouveau-Belgium.html Your Antique Furniture Guide, ''Art Nouveau in Belgium''], Efi-costarica.com. Accessed 29 June 2023.</ref>  

[[George Grard]] (1901—1984) was a Walloon sculptor, known above all for his representations of the female, in the manner of [[Pierre Renoir]] and [[Aristide Maillol]], modelled in clay or plaster, and cast in bronze.

During the 19th and 20th centuries many original [[romanticism|romantic]], [[expressionism|expressionist]] and [[surrealism|surrealist]] Walloon painters emerged, including [[Félicien Rops]], [[Paul Delvaux]], [[Pierre Paulus]], [[Fernand Verhaegen]], [[Antoine Wiertz]], [[René Magritte]] ... The avant-garde [[COBRA (avant-garde movement)|CoBrA movement]] appeared in the 1950s.

===Music===
[[Image:DufayBinchois.jpg|thumb|200px|[[Guillaume Dufay]] (left), with [[Gilles Binchois]]]]
There was an important musical life in [[Prince-Bishopric of Liège]] since the beginning. Between 1370 and 1468, a school of music flourished in Liège, notably producing [[Johannes Brassart]] and [[Johannes Ciconia]] (the third Master of [[Ars Nova]]).<ref>French ''Le troisième grand Maître de l'Ars Nova'' in Robert Wangermée et Philippe Mercier,  La musique en Wallonie et à Bruxelles, La Renaissance du livre, Bruxelles, 1980, Tome I, pp. 37–40.</ref>

The [[vocal music]] of the so-called [[Franco-Flemish School]] developed in the southern part of the Low Countries and was an important contribution to Renaissance culture. Robert Wangermée and Philippe Mercier wrote in their encyclopedic book about the Walloon music that [[Liège]], [[Cambrai]] and [[Hainaut Province]] played a leading part in the so-called Franco-Flemish School.<ref>Robert Wangermée et Philippe Mercier,  La musique en Wallonie et à Bruxelles, La Renaissance du livre, Bruxelles, 1980, Tome I, p. 10.</ref>

Among them were [[Orlande de Lassus]], [[Gilles Binchois]], [[Guillaume Dufay]] In the 19th and 20th centuries, there was an emergence of major violinists, such as [[Henri Vieuxtemps]], [[Eugène Ysaÿe]] (author of the unique opera in [[Walloon language|Walloon]] during the 20th century ''Piére li houyeû'' – Pierre the miner – based on a real incident which occurred in 1877 during a miners' strike in the Liège region), and [[Arthur Grumiaux]], while [[Adolphe Sax]] (born in [[Dinant]]) invented the saxophone in 1846. The composer [[César Franck]] was born in [[Liège]] in 1822, [[Guillaume Lekeu]] in [[Verviers]]. More recently, [[André Souris]] (1899–1970) was associated with [[Surrealism]]. [[Zap Mama]] is a more international group.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=70wwbh-ZXYkC&q=Zap+&pg=PA119|title=Dictionnaire de la chanson en Wallonie et à Bruxelles|isbn=9782870096000|last1=Wangermée|first1=Robert|year=1995|publisher=Editions Mardaga }}</ref>

[[Henri Pousseur]] is generally regarded as a member of the [[Darmstadt School]] in the 1950s. Pousseur's music employs [[serialism]], mobile forms, and aleatory, often mediating between or among seemingly irreconcilable styles, such as those of [[Franz Schubert|Schubert]] and [[Anton Webern|Webern]] (''[[Votre Faust]]''), or Pousseur's own serial style and the protest song "We shall overcome" (''Couleurs croisées''). He was strongly linked to the social strikes in [[Liège]] during the 1960s.<ref>The "Trois Visages de Liege", (...) full of provocative sound collages  [evokes..] not only moments in sonic civic history, but the sounds of its historical events as well: wildcat strikes and their ensuing violence in 1960, protests against new laws being enacted, etc. See [http://www.answers.com/topic/acousmatrix-4-scambi-trois-visages-de-liege-paraboles-mix Acousmatrix 4: Scambi/Trois Visages de Liege/Paraboles Mix]</ref> He worked also with the French writer [[Michel Butor]].

=== Cinema ===
[[Image:Frères Dardenne Cannes.jpg|thumb|right|Dardenne Brothers]]
Walloon films are often characterized by [[social realism]]. It is perhaps the reason why the documentary ''[[Misère au Borinage]]'', and especially its co-director [[Henri Storck]], is considered by Robert Stallaerts as the father of the Walloon cinema. He wrote: "Although a Fleming, he can be called the father of the Walloon cinema".<ref>''Historical dictionary of Belgium''  (Scarecrow press, 1999, p. 191; {{ISBN|0-8108-3603-3}}).</ref> For F. André between ''Misère au Borinage'' and the films like those of the [[Dardenne brothers]] (since 1979), there is ''[[Déjà s'envole la fleur maigre]]'' (1960) (also shot in the [[Borinage]]),<ref>''Cinéma wallon et réalité particulière'', in TOUDI, n° 49/50, septembre-octobre 2002, p. 13.</ref> a film regarded as a point of reference in the history of the cinema.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.autourdu1ermai.fr/motscles/chemins/motcle-chemins-5.html|title=les films repères dans l'histoire du cinéma|work=autourdu1ermai.fr}}</ref> On the other hand, films such as [[Thierry Zéno]]'s ''[[Vase de noces]]'' (1974), ''Mireille in the life of the others'' by [[Jean-Marie Buchet]] (1979), ''C'est arrivé près de chez vous'' (English title: ''[[Man Bites Dog (film)|Man bites dog]]'') by [[Rémy Belvaux]] and [[André Bonzel]] (1992) and the works of [[Noël Godin]] and [[Jean-Jacques Rousseau (author-filmmaker)|Jean-Jacques Rousseau]] are influenced by [[surrealism]], [[absurdism]] and [[black comedy]]. The films of the [[Dardenne brothers]] are also inspired by the Bible and ''[[The Son (2002 film)|Le Fils]]'' for instance is regarded as one of the most spiritually significant films.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://artsandfaith.com/t100|title=The Arts & Faith Top 100 Films|website=Artsandfaith.com|accessdate=29 June 2023|archive-date=3 March 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110303084057/http://artsandfaith.com/t100/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Festivals===
[[Image:DragonLumecon.jpg|thumb|right|The dragon and the ''white men'' of the [[Ducasse de Mons]]]]
The [[Ducasse de Mons]] (Walloon French for [[Kermesse (festival)|Kermesse]]), is one of the [[UNESCO]] [[Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity]]. It comprises two important parts: the procession, the descent and the ascent of the shrine of [[Waltrude]], and the combat between [[Saint George]] and the dragon. The combat (after the procession), plays out on the Trinity Sunday between 12:30 pm and 1:00 pm on the [[Mons, Belgium|Mons]]'s central square. It represents the fight between Saint George (the good) and the dragon (the evil). The dragon is a mannequin carried and moved by the ''white men'' (''fr:Hommes blancs''). The dragon fights Saint George by attacking with his tail. Saint George on his horse turns clockwise and the dragon turns in the other direction. Saint George finally kills the dragon.

The [[Gilles]] of [[Binche]] and the giants' procession in [[Ath]] are also [[UNESCO]] [[Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity]].

===Cuisine===
[[File:Orval et son verre crop.jpg|thumb|upright|The [[Trappist beer]] [[Orval Brewery|Orval]], with a branded glass]]
Wallonia is famous for a number of different foods and drinks, a great many of which are specialties of certain cities or regions. The [[Liège waffle]] a rich, dense, sweet, and chewy waffle native to Liège, is the most popular type of waffle in Belgium, and can be found in stores and even vending machines throughout the country. [[Cougnou]], or the ''bread of Jesus'', is a sweet bread typically eaten around Christmas time and found throughout the region.

Other specialties include [[Herve cheese]], an [[apple butter]] called ''[[sirop de Liège]]'', the [[Garden strawberry]] of [[Wépion]]. Also notable is the [[Dinant]] specialty [[Flamiche]]: These cheese tarts are not found in window displays as they are meant to be eaten straight from the oven. As one restaurateur stated in a book about Walloon gastronomy "it is the client who waits for the flamiche, as the flamiche does not wait for the client".<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.dinant.be/index.htm?lg=3&m1=28&m2=152 |title=Dinant |access-date=2010-06-16 |archive-date=2010-08-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100819040358/http://www.dinant.be/index.htm?lg=3&m1=28&m2=152 |url-status=dead }}</ref> There are also the [[Ardennes]] [[ham]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.practicallyedible.com/edible.nsf/pages/ardennesham|title=Ardenne Ham|website=Practicallyedible.com|access-date=28 February 2022|archive-date=3 October 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091003184347/http://www.practicallyedible.com/edible.nsf/pages/ardennesham|url-status=dead}}</ref> the ''tarte al djote'' from [[Nivelles]], a dessert pie made with beet leaves and cheese,<ref>The Simon and Schuster international pocket food guide, 1981.</ref> while [[tarte au riz]] is a rice-pudding filled pie from [[Verviers]].  The Walloons of the Door Peninsula in Wisconsin have a tradition of making what is called a Belgian Pie but which is a flat pie more like a pizza covered with prune purée and topped with a thin cheese layer.  These were made by the dozens in outdoor stone ovens for the many kermisses, in a tradition that dates back to immigration in the 1850s.

Cussette is a fresh cheese which gets its airborne ''P. roqueforti'' culture from a tradition of making it in the kitchen.  This is aged only one week at 30 degrees C, until it develops a faint blue cast and a tang.  Walloon headcheese differs from the German in that it is more finely ground, includes bits of cartilage, and is allowed to sit for a month or two in a cool place before being eaten.

In terms of drink, Wallonia mirrors Belgium as a whole; beer and wine are both popular, and a great diversity of beers are made and enjoyed in Wallonia. Installed in Bierghes in the Senne valley, the Gueuzerie Tilquin is the only gueuze blendery in Wallonia. Wallonia boasts three of the seven [[Trappist beer]]s (from [[Chimay]], [[Orval Brewery|Orval]] and [[Rochefort, Belgium|Rochefort]]) in addition to a great number of other locally brewed beers. Wallonia is also home to the last bastion of traditional rustic ''[[saison]]'', most notably those produced at the [[Brasserie de Silly]] and the Brasserie Dupont (located in {{ill|Tourpes|fr|Tourpes}}, in the region of Western [[Hainaut Province]] historically known for its production of rustic farmhouse ales). [[Jupiler]], the best-selling beer in Belgium, is brewed in [[Jupille-sur-Meuse]] in [[Liège]]. Wallonia also home to a [[Jenever]] called Peket, and a [[May wine]] called Maitrank.

==Transportation==
{{Moresources|section|date=June 2023}}
=== Airports ===
The two largest cities in Wallonia each have an airport. The [[Brussels South Charleroi Airport]] has become an important passenger airport, especially with low fares companies such as [[Ryanair]] or [[Wizzair]]. It serves as a low-cost alternative to [[Brussels Airport]], and it saw 7 303 720 passengers in 2016. The [[Liège Airport]] is specialized in freight, although it also operates tourist-oriented charter flights. Today, Liège is the 8th airport for European freight and aims to reach the 5th rank in the next decade.

=== Railways, motorways, buses ===
[[TEC (transport)|TEC]] is the single [[public transit]] authority for all of Wallonia, operating buses and trams. [[Charleroi]] is the sole Walloon city to have a [[Rapid transit|metro system]], the [[Charleroi Pre-metro]].

Wallonia has an extensive and well-developed rail network, served by the Belgian National Railway Company, [[SNCB]].

Wallonia's numerous motorways fall within the scope of the [[Trans-European Transport Network]] (TEN-T). This priority programme run by the European Union provides more than 70,000&nbsp;km of transport infrastructure, including motorways, express rail lines and roadways, and has been developed to carry substantial volumes of traffic.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.investinwallonia.be/ofi-belgium/investir-en-wallonie/vivre-en-wallonie/se-deplacer.php|title=AWEX|website=Investinwallonia.be|access-date=28 February 2022|archive-date=5 January 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100105035857/http://www.investinwallonia.be/ofi-belgium/investir-en-wallonie/vivre-en-wallonie/se-deplacer.php|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Waterways ===
With traffic of over 20 million tonnes and 26 kilometres of quays, the [[autonomous port]] of Liège (PAL) is the third largest inland port in Europe.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.liege.port-autonome.be/en/pages/liege-port-autonome.aspx|title=Liege port authority|website=Liege.port-autonome.be|access-date=2010-01-24|archive-date=2011-05-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514123036/http://www.liege.port-autonome.be/en/pages/liege-port-autonome.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref> It carries out the management of 31 ports along the [[Meuse]] and the [[Albert Canal]]. It is accessible to sea and river transporters weighing up to 2,500 tonnes, and to push two-barge convoys (4,500 tonnes, soon to be raised to 9,000 tonnes). Even if Wallonia does not have direct access to the sea, it is very well connected to the major ports thanks to an extensive network of navigable waterways that pervades Belgium, and it has effective river connections to [[Antwerp]], [[Rotterdam]] and [[Dunkirk]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.logisticsinwallonia.be/index.php?page=94&lng=en&text=L%252592excellence+logistique|title=Qui sommes-nous? – logistics in Wallonia|website=Logisticsinwallonia.be |date=5 September 2025 }}</ref>

On the west side of Wallonia, in [[Hainaut Province]], the [[Strépy-Thieu boat lift]], permits river traffic of up to the new 1350-tonne standard to pass between the waterways of the Meuse and [[Scheldt]] rivers. Completed in 2002 at an estimated cost of €160&nbsp;million (then 6.4&nbsp;billion [[Belgian franc]]s) the lift has increased river traffic from 256&nbsp;kT in 2001 to 2,295&nbsp;kT in 2006.

<gallery class="center">
File:Aeroport de Charleroi Bruxelles Sud.jpg|[[Brussels South Charleroi Airport]]
File:Namur, treinstation 2007-05-01 10.22.JPG|[[Namur]] Railway Station
File:Métro léger de Charleroi - véhicule 7429 rénové - 2024-02-01 - 01.jpg|[[Charleroi Pre-metro]]
File:Bus TEC Liège-Verviers (extérieur).JPG|[[TEC (transport)|TEC]] Bus in [[Liège]]
</gallery>

==International relations==
===Trade===
The [[Walloon Export and Foreign Investment Agency]] (AWEX) is the Wallonia Region of Belgium's government agency in charge of foreign trade promotion and foreign investment attraction.<ref>{{cite web |title=AWEX (WALLONIA FOREIGN TRADE AND INVESTMENT AGENCY) |url=http://www.skywin.be/fr/node/161 |website=Skywin.be}}</ref>

The AWEX organizes regular trade missions to the promising market of Kazakhstan, where it has a representative office in Almaty. In 2017, the AWEX together with the [[Flanders Investment and Trade]] brought a delegation of 30 companies to Astana and Almaty, the two largest cities in Kazakhstan.<ref>{{cite web |title=Economic cooperation between Kazakhstan and Belgium discussed in Brussels |url=http://mfa.kz/en/content-view/v-brussele-obsudili-ekonomiceskoe-sotrudnicestvo-mezdu-kazahstanom-i-belgiej |website=Mfa.kz |access-date=24 August 2018 |archive-date=25 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180825041341/http://mfa.kz/en/content-view/v-brussele-obsudili-ekonomiceskoe-sotrudnicestvo-mezdu-kazahstanom-i-belgiej |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Twin towns and sister states===
*{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Aichi]], Japan<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pref.aichi.jp/soshiki/kokusai/belgiummou.html |title=ベルギー3地域と「友好交流及び相互協力に関する覚書」を締結|website=Pref.aichi.jp |access-date=15 May 2017}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|USA}} [[Maryland]], USA<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sos.maryland.gov/International/Pages/default.aspx|title=Maryland Sister States Program|website=Maryland Secretary of State|access-date=28 February 2022}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Belgium}}
* [[History of coal mining]]
* [[Manifesto for Walloon culture]]
* [[Huguenots]]
* [[History of the term Wallon]]

==References==

===Footnotes===
{{notelist}}

===Notes===
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |title=Zweisprachigkeit in den Benelux-ländern
|language=de
|author=Johannes Kramer
|publisher=Buske Verlag
|year=1984
|isbn=978-3-87118-597-7}}
* {{Cite book |title=Les contes populaires wallons |first=George |last=Laport |author-link=:nl:George Laport |publisher=Suomalainen Tiedeakatemia |date=1932 |lang=FR}}

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline}}
* [http://www.wallonie.be/ www.wallonie.be] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120531060922/http://www.wallonie.be/ |date=31 May 2012 }}
* [http://www.logisticsinwallonia.be/index.php?page=38&display=416&lng=en Logistics in Wallonia]
* [http://www.walloniabelgiumtourism.co.uk/ Tourism in Wallonia]
* [http://www.musiwall.ulg.ac.be/spip.php?page=accueil Musique en Wallonie] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303191956/http://www.musiwall.ulg.ac.be/spip.php?page=accueil |date=2016-03-03 }}
* [http://www.lamediatheque.be/travers_sons/walcomp.htm Walloon composers (French)]

{{Subdivisions of Belgium}}
{{SaarLorLux}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Wallonia| ]]
[[Category:Culture of Wallonia]]
[[Category:Countries and territories where French is an official language]]
[[Category:Regions of Belgium]]
[[Category:NUTS 1 statistical regions of the European Union]]
[[Category:Walloon people]]
[[Category:Autonomous administrative divisions in Europe]]