Wallonia
Wallonia (French: Wallonie, German: Wallonie(n), Dutch: Wallonië, Luxembourgish: Wallounien, Picard: Walonnie, Walloon: Walon(r)eye) or the Walloon Region (French: Région wallonne) is a French-speaking region in the south of Belgium. Its official languages are French (98%) and German (2%). Many people understand the local language Walloon, some still speak it, and few people write it. German is spoken mainly in the area of the German-speaking Community of Belgium.
|
Wallonie (French) | |
|---|---|
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
| Anthem: Le Chant des Wallons ("The Song of the Walloons") | |
 Present-day Belgian Wallonia (dark green) shown within Belgium and Europe. | |
| Country | Belgium |
| Region in Belgium | 1980 |
| Seat | Namur |
| Government | |
| • Executive | Walloon Government |
| • Minister-President | Elio Di Rupo (PS) |
| • Legislature | Walloon Parliament |
| Area | |
| • Land | 16,901 km2 (6,526 sq mi) |
| Population (1 January 2022) | |
| • Total | 3,662,495 [1][2] |
| • Density | 217/km2 (560/sq mi) |
| • Official language | French and German |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| ISO 3166 code | BE-WAL |
| Website | www |
| The area and population figures are given for the Walloon Region, not the French Community. | |
The capital of the region is Namur. Other important cities are: Liège, Charleroi, Mons, Tournai and Verviers.
French speaking Walloons share the French community with French speaking people of Brussels.
Current Minister-President of the Walloon Government is Elio Di Rupo.
Provinces
Wallonia has five provinces:
| Province | Capital | Population 2022 |
Area km² |
Density km² |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hainaut | Mons | 1,351,127 | 3,813 | 354 |
| Liège | Liège | 1,110,989 | 3,857 | 288 |
| Luxembourg | Arlon | 291,143 | 4,459 | 65 |
| Namur | Namur | 499,454 | 3,675 | 136 |
| Walloon Brabant | Wavre | 409,782 | 1,097 | 374 |
Wallonia Media
Hymne wallon - Le Chant des Wallons
The Sequence of Saint Eulalia, the oldest surviving text written in what would become Old French, likely originated in or near Wallonia.
Baptismal font of Renier de Huy, an example of Mosan art and of medieval Walloon brass working expertise
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 boat lifts on the old Canal du Centre were first opened in 1888 and are now a World Heritage Site.
Mons fusillade on 17 April 1893
Coalmining and steelmaking industrial areas in Belgium. The sillon industriel is the blue area along the Meuse and Sambre.
The natural regions of Belgium
Charles II square aka. Ville-Haute square in Charleroi, Belgium. View from the belfry on market day.
View of Liège with the Meuse
Related pages
Wallonia (or Walloon Region) is one of three regions in Belgium. The other two regions are:
- Flanders (or Flemish Region) for the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium
- Brussels-Capital Region is bilingual (Dutch and French)
References
- ↑ Population, Statbel
- ↑ Area, Statbel
Other websites
- The Walloon Region, belgium.be
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