Flanders ('Vlaanderen') is one of the three Belgian regions with its own government, parliament and administration. The other two are the Brussels-Capital Region and the Walloon Region. Comprised of the Dutch-speaking part of the country, the Flemish Region has the largest population of the three (58%).
As a result of various state structure reforms over the last 30 years, Belgium has been transformed into a federal state, giving the regions more and more responsibilities. Apart from the environment, the Flemish government is also competent in other matters, such as the economy, employment, education and culture, agriculture, foreign trade, land planning, urban development, housing, public works ...
More information on Flanders
|
Flanders |
Belgium |
EU-27 |
| total population (2009) |
6 211 065 |
10 757 356 |
497 649 125 (2008) |
| surface area |
13 522 km² |
30 528 km² |
4 403 357 km² (2006) |
| capital |
Brussels |
Brussels |
Brussels |
| highest point |
Voeren (288 m) |
Botrange (694 m) |
Mont Blanc (4 811 m) |
| population density (2008) |
456 inhabitants/km² |
349 inhabitants/km² |
116 inhabitants/km²
(2008) |
| population growth (2000-2008) |
4.1 % |
4.6 % |
3.4 % |
proportion of population aged
65 or older (2008) |
17.9 % |
17.1 % |
17.0 % |
proportion of population younger
than 20 (2008) |
22.1 % |
23.0 % |
21.7 %
|
gross domestic product (GDP)
(2009) |
195,1 billion euros |
338,1 billion euros |
11 802,5 billion euros |
| GDP per inhabitant (2008) |
30 100 euros |
29 700 euros |
25 100 euros |
average real annual GDP growth
in 2000-2009 |
3.0 % |
3.0 % |
2.5 % |
| level of employment (a) (2009) |
65,8 % |
61,6 % |
64.6 % |
| level of unemployment (b) (2009) |
7.1 % |
7.9 % |
8.9 % |
number of fatal traffic victims per
100 000 inhabitants (2008) |
8.0 |
8.8 |
8.9 (2007) |
|
life expectancy (at birth) (2007)
men |
77.9 years |
77.0 years |
76.1 years |
life expectancy (at birth) (2007)
women |
82.9 years |
82.7 years |
82.2 years |
proportion of CHP in gross
electricity consumption (%) |
18.9 (2009) |
12.5 (2007) |
11.0 (2008) |
proportion of renewable energy
sources in gross electricity
consumption (%) (2008) |
4.7 (2009) |
5.3 |
16.7 |
(a) number of employed as % of the population at active employment age (15-64 years)
(b) number of unemployed as % of the population at active employment age (15-64 years)
Source: FGS Economy (Statistics Department), Eurostat (Thematical statistics database), Eurostat Yearbook 2010, Research Centre of the Flemish Government (including Flanders in Figures 2010), FGS Employment, Labour and Social Policy and Flanders Energy Balance VITO