Limburg (Belgium)

Limburg
(Dutch: Limburg)
Vlaams-limburg.png Limburg (Belgium) coa.PNG
Country Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgium
Region  Flemish Region
Capital Hasselt
Area 2,414 km²
Population 1/1/2008 826,690
Density 333 / km²
Governor Herman Reynders
BelgiumLimburg.png
Official Site
This article deals with a province in Belgium. For other uses of Limburg, see: Limburg. For the town of Limbourg or Limburg in Belgium, see: Limbourg

Limburg (Dutch: Limburg) is the easternmost province of Flanders (which is one of the three regions of Belgium), and is located west of the Maas river. It borders on (clockwise from the North) the Dutch provinces of North Brabant and Limburg and the Belgian provinces of Liège, Flemish Brabant and Antwerp. Its capital is Hasselt. It has an area of 2,414 km² which is divided into three Arrondissements (arrondissementen in Dutch) containing 44 municipalities. Among them is Genk, one of the economical centres of the province. An educational centre, as a result of the presence of a university, is Diepenbeek near Hasselt.

Contents

History

Governors since 1815

The following list contains all governors of the province of Limburg since 1815.[1]

Language

As in all Flemish provinces, the official language is Dutch, but two municipalities: Herstappe and Voeren are to a certain extent allowed to use French to communicate with their citizens; these are called the municipalities with language facilities.

Geography

Belgian Limburg is crossed by the Albert Canal, and has historically been a major coal-mining area. North of the Albert Canal and the river Demer, is the Campine region, with sandy soils, bush, forests and the coal-mining area. South of the Albert Canal and the river Demer, is the Hesbaye region, with fertile soils, farming and fruit. In the southeast also more low hills.

History

Limburg's name derives from the fortified castle town known as Limbourg, situated on the river Vesdre in the Ardennes, now in the Walloon province of Liège. It was the seat of the medieval Duchy of Limburg which extended into the Meuse region north of the city of Liège. However, most the area of the current Dutch Limburg was not part of this polity but was divided among several states including the Duchy of Brabant, the Duchy of Jülich, and the Bishopric of Liège, as well as the Duchy of Limburg. A result of this division is still evident in the plethora of distinct varieties of the Limburgish language spoken in Limburg municipalities.

Following the Napoleonic Era, the great powers (United Kingdom, Prussia, Austrian Empire, Russian Empire, and France) united the region with the new United Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1815. A new province was formed and was to receive the name "Maastricht", after its capital. The first king, William I, who did not want the name Limbourg to be lost, insisted that the name be changed to "Limburg". As such, the name of the new province derived from the old Duchy of Limburg that had existed until 1648 within the triangle of Maastricht, Liège, and Aachen.

When the Catholic South, both the Dutch and French speaking regions, split away from the mainly Calvinist, Dutch North in the Belgian Revolution of 1830, the province of Limburg was at first almost entirely under Belgian rule. In 1839 Limburg was split into so-called Dutch Limburg and Belgian Limburg, though it became Flemish when all provinces in Belgium came under control of institutional regions.

Limburg mijn Vaderland is the official anthem of both Belgian and Dutch Limburg.

Economy

Administrative divisions

LimburgBGemeenten.png

Arrondissement Hasselt:
  2. As
  3. Beringen
  8. Diepenbeek
10. Genk
11. Gingelom
12. Halen
13. Ham
15. Hasselt
18. Herk-de-Stad
20. Heusden-Zolder
26. Leopoldsburg
28. Lummen
33. Nieuwerkerken
34. Opglabbeek
38. Sint-Truiden
39. Tessenderlo
43. Zonhoven
44. Zutendaal

Arrondissement Maaseik:
  5. Bocholt
  7. Bree
  9. Dilsen-Stokkem
14. Hamont-Achel
16. Hechtel-Eksel
22. Houthalen-Helchteren
23. Kinrooi
27. Lommel
29. Maaseik
31. Meeuwen-Gruitrode
32. Neerpelt
35. Overpelt
36. Peer

Arrondissement Tongeren:
  1. Alken
  4. Bilzen
  6. Borgloon
17. Heers
19. Herstappe
21. Hoeselt
24. Kortessem
25. Lanaken
30. Maasmechelen
37. Riemst
40. Tongeren
41. Voeren
42. Wellen

Not to be confused with, though related to, the Dutch province of Limburg.

Famous Limburgers

Sports & Entertainment

Design

Leeglappen

Circuit

An internationally well known Limburgian place is Zolder, where racing circuit Terlamen is located, on which in the past among others two Worldchampionships in roadcycling were held, as well as several Formula one car races.

References

  1. ↑ (Dutch) Gouverneurs van 1815 tot nu, limburg.be

See also