Politics and government of Brussels |
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The 19 municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region [1] [2] are the political subdivisions of Belgium's central region. [3] The government of each municipality is responsible for the handling of local level duties, such as law enforcement and the upkeep of schools and roads within its borders. [4] Municipal administration is also conducted by a mayor, a council, and an executive. [4]
In 1831, Belgium was divided into 2,739 municipalities, including 20 within the current Brussels-Capital Region (which at that time did not exist). [5] In 1841, a 21st and 22nd municipality were created when Berchem-Sainte-Agathe formally separated from neighbouring Koekelberg and Jette-Ganshoren split into Jette and Ganshoren. Since then, three municipalities have been merged with the City of Brussels: Laeken, Haren, and Neder-Over-Heembeek, in 1921. Unlike most of the municipalities in Belgium, the ones located in the Brussels-Capital Region were not merged with others during mergers occurring in 1964, 1970, and 1975. [5] However, many territorial changes have occurred, predominantly between the City of Brussels and its neighbouring municipalities.
The largest and most populous of the municipalities is the City of Brussels, covering 32.6 km2 (12.6 sq mi) with 176,545 inhabitants. The least populous is Koekelberg with 21,609 inhabitants, and the smallest in area is Saint-Josse-ten-Noode, which is only 1.1 km2 (0.4 sq mi) and also has the highest population density, at 24,650/km2 (63,800/sq mi). Watermael-Boitsfort has the lowest population density, at 1,928/km2 (4,990/sq mi).
The names of the municipalities are given in the two official languages of the Brussels-Capital Region: French and Dutch.
No. | French name | Dutch name | Flag | CoA | Postcode | Population (1/1/2017) | Area | Population density (km2) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Anderlecht | Anderlecht | 1070 | 118,241 | 17.7 km2 (6.8 sq mi) | 6,680 | [6] | ||
2 | Auderghem | Oudergem | 1160 | 33,313 | 9.0 km2 (3.5 sq mi) | 3,701 | [7] | ||
3 | Berchem-Sainte-Agathe | Sint-Agatha-Berchem | 1082 | 24,701 | 2.9 km2 (1.1 sq mi) | 8,518 | [8] | ||
4 | Ville de Bruxelles* | Stad Brussel* | 1000 1020 1030 1040 1050 1120 1130 | 176,545 | 32.6 km2 (12.6 sq mi) | 5,415 | [9] | ||
5 | Etterbeek | Etterbeek | 1040 | 47,414 | 3.1 km2 (1.2 sq mi) | 15,295 | [10] | ||
6 | Evere | Evere | 1140 | 40,394 | 5.0 km2 (1.9 sq mi) | 8,079 | [11] | ||
7 | Forest | Vorst | 1190 | 55,746 | 6.2 km2 (2.4 sq mi) | 8,991 | [12] | ||
8 | Ganshoren | Ganshoren | 1083 | 24,596 | 2.5 km2 (1.0 sq mi) | 9,838 | [13] | ||
9 | Ixelles | Elsene | 1050 | 86,244 | 6.3 km2 (2.4 sq mi) | 13,690 | [14] | ||
10 | Jette | Jette | 1090 | 51,933 | 5.0 km2 (1.9 sq mi) | 10,387 | [15] | ||
11 | Koekelberg | Koekelberg | 1081 | 21,609 | 1.2 km2 (0.5 sq mi) | 18,008 | [16] | ||
12 | Molenbeek-Saint-Jean | Sint-Jans-Molenbeek | 1080 | 96,629 | 5.9 km2 (2.3 sq mi) | 16,378 | [17] | ||
13 | Saint-Gilles | Sint-Gillis | 1060 | 50,471 | 2.5 km2 (1.0 sq mi) | 20,188 | [18] | ||
14 | Saint-Josse-ten-Noode | Sint-Joost-ten-Node | 1210 | 27,115 | 1.1 km2 (0.4 sq mi) | 24,650 | [19] | ||
15 | Schaerbeek | Schaarbeek | 1030 | 133,042 | 8.1 km2 (3.1 sq mi) | 16,425 | [20] | ||
16 | Uccle | Ukkel | 1180 | 82,307 | 22.9 km2 (8.8 sq mi) | 3,594 | [21] | ||
17 | Watermael-Boitsfort | Watermaal-Bosvoorde | 1170 | 24,871 | 12.9 km2 (5.0 sq mi) | 1,928 | [22] | ||
18 | Woluwe-Saint-Lambert | Sint-Lambrechts-Woluwe | 1200 | 55,216 | 7.2 km2 (2.8 sq mi) | 7,669 | [23] | ||
19 | Woluwe-Saint-Pierre | Sint-Pieters-Woluwe | 1150 | 41,217 | 8.9 km2 (3.4 sq mi) | 4,631 | [24] |
* — English: "City of Brussels"/"Brussels-City"
Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, is a region of Belgium comprising 19 municipalities, including the City of Brussels, which is the capital of Belgium. The Brussels-Capital Region is located in the central portion of the country and is a part of both the French Community of Belgium and the Flemish Community, but is separate from the Flemish Region and the Walloon Region, located less than 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) to the south. Historically Dutch-speaking, Brussels saw a language shift to French from the late 19th century. Nowadays, the Brussels-Capital Region is officially bilingual in French and Dutch, although French is the majority language and lingua franca. Brussels is also increasingly becoming multilingual. English is spoken widely and many migrants and expatriates speak other languages as well.
The minister-president of the Brussels Capital-Region is the person leading the Government of the Brussels-Capital Region. The post is appointed for 5 years along with 4 ministers and 3 "state" secretaries. While being the leader of the Government, the Minister-President also is the president of the college of the Common Community Commission of Brussels.
Ganshoren is one of the 19 municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium. Located in the north-western part of the region, it is bordered by Berchem-Sainte-Agathe, Jette, and Koekelberg, as well as the Flemish municipality of Asse. In common with all of Brussels' municipalities, it is legally bilingual (French–Dutch).
Jette is one of the 19 municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium. Located in the north-western part of the region, it is bordered by the City of Brussels, Ganshoren, Koekelberg, and Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, as well as the Flemish municipalities of Asse and Wemmel. In common with all of Brussels' municipalities, it is legally bilingual (French–Dutch).
Koekelberg is one of the 19 municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium. Located in the north-western part of the region, it is bordered by Berchem-Sainte-Agathe, Ganshoren, Jette, and Molenbeek-Saint-Jean. In common with all of Brussels' municipalities, it is legally bilingual (French–Dutch).
Berchem-Sainte-Agathe or Sint-Agatha-Berchem, often simply called Berchem, is one of the 19 municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium. Located in the north-western part of the region, it is bordered by Ganshoren, Koekelberg, and Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, as well as the Flemish municipalities of Asse and Dilbeek. In common with all of Brussels' municipalities, it is legally bilingual (French–Dutch).
Molenbeek-Saint-Jean or Sint-Jans-Molenbeek, often simply called Molenbeek, is one of the 19 municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium. Located in the western part of the region, it is bordered by the City of Brussels, from which it is separated by the Brussels–Charleroi Canal, as well as by the municipalities of Anderlecht, Berchem-Sainte-Agathe, Dilbeek, Jette, and Koekelberg. The Molenbeek brook, from which it takes its name, flows through the municipality. In common with all of Brussels' municipalities, it is legally bilingual (French–Dutch).
Woluwe-Saint-Pierre or Sint-Pieters-Woluwe is one of the 19 municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium. Located in the eastern part of the region, it is bordered by Etterbeek, Auderghem and Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, as well as the Flemish municipalities of Kraainem and Tervuren. In common with all of Brussels' municipalities, it is legally bilingual (French–Dutch).
Articles related to Belgium include:
The Woluwe is a stream that goes through several municipalities in the south-east and east of Brussels, Belgium, and is a right tributary of the Senne in Vilvoorde. The Kleine (little) Maalbeek is a tributary of the Woluwe in Kraainem. Many ponds formed along the stream over time, among which the Mellaerts Ponds still exist. The valley of the Woluwe crosses the municipalities of Auderghem, Watermael-Boitsfort, Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, Kraainem, Zaventem, Machelen and Vilvoorde.
Until 2014, the Governor of the Administrative Arrondissement of Brussels-Capital has the responsibility to enforce laws concerned with public order in the Brussels-Capital Region, one of the three regions of Belgium. The governor's powers are actually quite limited. Just as the Governors of the provinces of Belgium he heads the coordination of all necessary actions and all emergency services during the provincial phase of a disaster on the territory of the Brussels-Capital Region.
Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde is a judicial arrondissement encompassing the bilingual—French and Dutch—Brussels-Capital Region, which coincides with the administrative arrondissement of Brussels-Capital and the surrounding Dutch-speaking area of Halle-Vilvoorde, which in turn coincides with the administrative arrondissement of Halle-Vilvoorde. Halle-Vilvoorde contains several municipalities with language facilities, i.e. municipalities where French-speaking people form a considerable part of the population and therefore have special language rights. The arrondissment is the location of a tribunal of first instance, enterprise tribunal and a labour tribunal.
Watermael-Boitsfort or Watermaal-Bosvoorde, often simply called Boitsfort in French or Bosvoorde in Dutch, is one of the 19 municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium. Located in the south-eastern part of the region, it is bordered by Auderghem, the City of Brussels, Ixelles, and Uccle, as well as the Flemish municipalities of Hoeilaart, Overijse and Sint-Genesius-Rode. In common with all of Brussels' municipalities, it is legally bilingual (French–Dutch).
Auderghem or Oudergem is one of the 19 municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium. Located in the south-eastern part of the region, along the Woluwe valley and at the entrance to the Sonian Forest, it is bordered by Etterbeek, Ixelles, Watermael-Boitsfort, and Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, as well as the Flemish municipalities of Tervuren and Overijse. In common with all of Brussels' municipalities, it is legally bilingual (French–Dutch).
The Brussels Ring, numbered R0, is a ring road surrounding the Brussels-Capital Region, as well as other smaller towns south of Brussels. It is about 75 kilometres (47 mi) long, with two or three lanes in each direction. While most of it is classified as a motorway (highway), part of it is merely an express route. It crosses the three regions of Belgium: its main part is situated in Flanders, whereas Wallonia comprises 18.2 kilometres (11.3 mi) of the total stretch and 5.5 kilometres (3.4 mi) is on Brussels territory.
Line 1 is a rapid transit line on the Brussels Metro in Belgium operated by STIB/MIVB. It has existed in its current form since 4 April 2009, when former line 1B, which ran between Stockel/Stokkel and Erasme/Erasmus, was shortened to Gare de l'Ouest/Weststation. The section between Gare de l'Ouest and Erasme is now served by line 5. The line serves 21 metro stations, and has a common section with line 5 between Gare de l'Ouest and Merode, and with lines 2 and 6 between Gare de l'Ouest and Beekkant. At Arts-Loi/Kunst-Wet, the line also connects with lines 2 and 6. Railway connections are possible at Brussels-Central, Brussels-Schuman, Merode and Brussels-West. The line crosses the municipalities of Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, Koekelberg, City of Brussels, Etterbeek, Woluwe-Saint-Pierre and Woluwe-Saint-Lambert.
Schaerbeek Cemetery, officially Schaerbeek New Cemetery, is a cemetery belonging to Schaerbeek in Brussels, Belgium, where the municipality's inhabitants have the right to be buried. It is not located in Schaerbeek itself; rather it is partially in the neighbouring municipality of Evere, and partially in the village of Sint-Stevens-Woluwe in Zaventem, Flemish Brabant. The cemetery is adjacent to Brussels Cemetery and Evere Cemetery, but should not be confused with either.
The Church of St. Clement is a Catholic church in the municipality of Watermael-Boitsfort in Brussels, Belgium. It is one of the earliest examples of Romanesque architecture in Belgium, dating from the 11th century. It is dedicated to Saint Clement.
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.
Since 18 June 1989, the date of the first regional elections, the Brussels-Capital Region has been an autonomous region comparable to the Flemish and Walloon Regions.(All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.)