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West Flanders | |
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Coordinates: 51°00′N03°00′E / 51.000°N 3.000°E | |
Country | ![]() |
Region | ![]() |
Capital (and largest city) | Bruges |
Government | |
• Governor | Carl Decaluwé |
Area | |
• Total | 3,197 km2 (1,234 sq mi) |
Population (1 January 2024 [2] ) | |
• Total | 1,226,375 |
• Density | 380/km2 (990/sq mi) |
GDP | |
• Total | €52.323 billion (2021) |
ISO 3166 code | BE-VWV |
HDI (2021) | 0.940 [4] very high · 5th of 11 |
Website | www |
West Flanders [b] is the westernmost province of the Flemish Region, in Belgium. It is the only coastal Belgian province, facing the North Sea to the northwest. It has land borders with the Dutch province of Zeeland to the northeast, the Flemish province of East Flanders to the east, the Walloon province of Hainaut in the south and the French department of Nord to the west. Its capital is Bruges (Brugge). Other important cities are Kortrijk in the south and Ostend (Oostende) on the coast, Roeselare and Ypres (Ieper). The province has an area of 3,197 km2 (1,234 sq mi) which is divided into eight administrative districts (arrondissementen) containing 64 municipalities. As of January 2024, West Flanders has a population of over 1.22 million. [5]
The North Sea coast of Belgium, an important tourism destination, lies in West Flanders. A tram line runs the length of the coast, from De Panne on the French border to Knokke-Heist on the Dutch border. West Flanders has two seaports, the Port of Zeebrugge and the Port of Ostend.
West Flanders consists of the North Sea coast, followed by a very flat polder landscape. Only in the south are some small hills, with the Kemmelberg (159 m (522 ft)) being the highest point in the province. The Leie and IJzer are the main rivers. West Flanders is the only Belgian province that borders both France and The Netherlands; it is the only province not landlocked.
The Gross domestic product (GDP) of the province was 46.9 billion € in 2018. GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power was 34,700 € or 115% of the EU27 average in the same year. [6]
In the north of the province, most industry is concentrated in and around the cities of Bruges and Ostend. Both cities also have important seaports: the port of Bruges-Zeebrugge and the port of Ostend.
The south is known for its textile industry, with companies such as Beaulieu and Libeco-Lagae. The region around Kortrijk is called the "Dallas of Belgium" for its entrepreneurship.
Tourism is also an important industry in West Flanders. Major touristic attractions include the Belgian coast, the historic center of Bruges, the Yser Tower in Diksmuide and Flanders Fields, the World War I battlefields around Ypres.
A Dutch dialect called West Flemish is spoken here.
The city of Bruges has two clubs playing at the highest level of football in Belgium (Belgian First Division A), namely Club Brugge and Cercle Brugge.
Other cities with teams playing at the highest level are Kortrijk (KV Kortrijk), Ostend (KV Oostende) and Waregem (Zulte Waregem).
The teams Knack Randstad Roeselare and Prefaxis Menen play in the highest volleyball league. Knack Randstad Roeselare also plays in the CEV Champions League, the European Championsleague.
BC Oostende is a basketball team which plays in the major basketball league of Belgium.
The Province of West Flanders is divided into 8 administrative arrondissements.
The Province of West Flanders is divided into 4 judicial arrondissements.
Municipalities that have city status have (city) after their names.
1. Alveringem
2. Anzegem
3. Ardooie
4. Avelgem
5. Beernem
6. Blankenberge (city)
7. Bredene
8. Bruges (city)
9. Damme (city)
10. De Haan
11. De Panne
12. Deerlijk
13. Dentergem
14. Diksmuide (city)
15. Gistel (city)
16. Harelbeke (city)
17. Heuvelland
18. Hooglede
19. Houthulst
20. Ichtegem
21. Ypres (Ieper) (city)
22. Ingelmunster
23. Izegem (city)
24. Jabbeke
25. Knokke-Heist
26. Koekelare
27. Koksijde
28. Kortemark
29. Kortrijk (city)
30. Kuurne
31. Langemark-Poelkapelle
32. Ledegem
33. Lendelede
34. Lichtervelde
35. Lo-Reninge (city)
36. Menen (city)
37. Mesen (city)
38. Meulebeke
39. Middelkerke
40. Moorslede
41. Nieuwpoort (city)
42. Ostend (city)
43. Oostkamp
44. Oostrozebeke
45. Oudenburg (city)
46. Pittem
47. Poperinge (city)
48. Roeselare (city)
49. Ruiselede
50. Spiere-Helkijn
51. Staden
52. Tielt (city)
53. Torhout (city)
54. Veurne (city)
55. Vleteren
56. Waregem (city)
57. Wervik (city)
58. Wevelgem
59. Wielsbeke
60. Wingene
61. Zedelgem
62. Zonnebeke
63. Zuienkerke
64. Zwevegem
Transport in Belgium is facilitated with well-developed road, air, rail and water networks. The rail network has 2,950 km (1,830 mi) of electrified tracks. There are 118,414 km (73,579 mi) of roads, among which there are 1,747 km (1,086 mi) of motorways, 13,892 km (8,632 mi) of main roads and 102,775 km (63,861 mi) of other paved roads. There is also a well-developed urban rail network in Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent and Charleroi. The ports of Antwerp and Bruges-Zeebrugge are two of the biggest seaports in Europe. Brussels Airport is Belgium's biggest airport.
Staden is a village and rural municipality in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality has around 11 000 inhabitants.
The Battle of the Yser was a battle of the First World War that took place in October 1914 between the towns of Nieuwpoort and Diksmuide, along a 35 km (22 mi) stretch of the Yser River and the Yperlee Canal, in Belgium. The front line was held by a large Belgian force, which halted the German advance in a costly defensive battle.
The Flemish peasant revolt of 1323–1328, sometimes referred to as the Flemish Coast uprising in historical writing, was a popular revolt in late medieval Europe. Beginning as a series of scattered rural riots in late 1323, peasant insurrection escalated into a full-scale rebellion that dominated public affairs in Flanders for nearly five years until 1328. The uprising in Flanders was caused by excessive taxations levied by the Count of Flanders Louis I and by his pro-French policies. The insurrection had urban leaders and rural factions, which took over most of Flanders by 1325.
Science and technology in Flanders, being the Flemish Community and more specifically the northern region of Belgium (Europe), is well developed with the presence of several universities and research institutes. These are strongly spread over all Flemish cities, from Kortrijk and Bruges in the Western side, over Ghent as a major university center alongside Antwerp, Brussels and Leuven to Hasselt and Diepenbeek in the Eastern side.
The Arrondissement of Bruges is one of the eight administrative arrondissements in the Province of West Flanders, Belgium.
Brugge railway station is the main railway station in Bruges, West Flanders, Belgium. The station opened on 12 August 1838 on railway lines 50A, 51 and 66. The current building has been in use since 1939. The station is one of the busiest in Belgium. The train services are operated by the National Railway Company of Belgium (NMBS/SNCB).
Kortrijk railway station is the main railway station in Kortrijk, West Flanders, Belgium. The station was first inaugurated on 22 September 1839. With around 10,000 passengers per day, Kortrijk is the fifteenth-busiest railway station in Belgium, and the second in West Flanders. It is operated by the National Railway Company of Belgium (NMBS/SNCB).
AZ Groeninge is a large teaching hospital, affiliated with the Flemish KU Leuven Hospital network, in Kortrijk, West Flanders, Belgium. The hospital is the result of a merger of four hospitals in Kortrijk and is in number of beds, in its current form, the fifth largest hospital system in Belgium. The new 1000+ hospital bed facility at the Kennedylaan, opened in 2017, is one of the largest hospital sites in Belgium. In 2023 Newsweek ranked az groeninge 6th best hospital in Belgium and first non-academic hospital.
The N8 road in Belgium is a road connecting Brussels and Koksijde, passing Ninove, Oudenaarde, Kortrijk, Ypres and Veurne.
Legislative elections were held in Belgium in June and July 1884, for partial Chamber and full Senate elections respectively. Voter turnout was 79.1% in the Chamber of Representatives elections, although only 69,276 people were eligible to vote.
Oostende railway station is a railway station in Ostend, West Flanders, Belgium. It is operated by the National Railway Company of Belgium (NMBS/SNCB).
Transport in Flanders is run in two levels regarding the federal nature of Belgium with certain functions run on behalf of the national Cabinet of Belgium and other functions run on behalf of Flemish Government. Therefore, the railways are run at national level by NMBS and are under the auspices of the Cabinet of Belgium, whilst the light railways are run at regional level by De Lijn under the auspices of the Flemish Government. The railway infrastructure is managed by Infrabel and thus is under the auspices of the Cabinet of Belgium.
Fort Knokke or Fort de Cnocke or Fort de la Knocque or Fort de Knocke was an important fortification that defended western Flanders from the 1580s until it was demolished in the 1780s. During its 200 year history, the place was held by the Spanish Empire, Kingdom of France, Habsburg Austria and the Dutch Republic. The existing defenses were improved in 1678 by the famous military engineer Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban. The fort was attacked by the Grand Alliance in 1695 during the Nine Years' War but the French garrison successfully held out. It was captured from the French by a ruse in 1712 during the War of the Spanish Succession. Control of the fort and other strong places in the Austrian Netherlands was a key feature of the so-called Barrier Treaty in 1713. The French captured the fort after a two-month siege in 1744 during the War of the Austrian Succession. Emperor Joseph II had the citadel demolished in 1781. The site is on the Yser River about 8 kilometres (5 mi) southwest of Diksmuide, Belgium.
Station Roeselare is a Belgian railway station on railway line 66 in the city of Roeselare.
VIVES University of Applied Sciences is a University College in West Flanders. The name refers to the Spanish-Brussian humanist Juan Luis Vives. VIVES is the result of a merger between KATHO and KHBO in 2013.
The Top Division Men One (TDM1), also known as the Belgian Second Division or the Tweede Nationale, is the second level of men's basketball in Belgium and the highest amateur level in Flanders.