Walloon region - SpeedyLook encyclopedia

See also: Wallonia (homonymy)

The Walloon region , commonly called Wallonia , is one of the three Régions constituting the Belgian Federal state. The term “Area” must-being included/understood differently from that of the Régions of France which are administrative divisions without this legislative power whose the Areas are equipped with Belgium. Like the other entities constitutive of federal Belgium, the Walloon region is equipped with a Parliament and a government. Its competences, fixed by the Belgian Constitution and the special federal laws, are exerted according to the double principle of the équipollence of the standards and the Exclusive competences, as well on the internal plan as on the international plan.

This " Région" account for one the third of the population and 55% of the territory of Belgium.

It has Namur for capital. But of other cities also have a statute of capitals (seats of Walloon institutions):

Charleroi is the social capital
Liege is the economic capital
Mons is the cultural capital
Verviers is the capital of water

The Walloon region contains the German-speaking Communauté of Belgium (70.000 nationals) whose German is the official language, the remainder of the Area being unilingual French-speaking person. She is " bilingue" in this direction, like the east with the clean direction the other area with French-speaking majority, the Area of Brussels-Capital where Dutch and French have a statute (juridically at least), equal. Traditionally, of the ministers originating in the two areas find themselves in the government of the French Communauté of Belgium, which justifies the designation of the latter under the name of Communauté Wallonia-Brussels . Wallonia accounts for about 80% of this unit.

Geography

The territory of the Walloon region, as defined by the Belgian Constitution, includes/understands the five following provinces:

the Walloon Brabant (1);
Hainaut (2);
Liege (3);
Luxembourg (4);
Namur (5).

This territory of: 16844 km ² are also divided into 20 districts, themselves divided into common. One counts 262 communes in Walloon region, of which 65 carry the title of Ville.

262 Walloon communes

List of the communes of the Walloon region
List of the communes before fusion of the Walloon region

Emblems

The emblem of the Walloon region is the same one as that adopted by the Walloon Mouvement : bold cock (with the combat) of mouths (red) on bottom of gold (yellow), and that since 1913 when he was regarded by a Walloon Congress gathering the majority of the Walloon members of Parliament as the national emblem of Wallonia.

The Area moreover allotted a logo : a " W" red on white zone whose last feature is prolonged of an arrow, overcoming the mention " WALLONNE" AREA; between two lines.

Policy

Proposal for a Walloon constitution

A proposal for a special decree instituting a Walloon constitution was deposited on May 4th, 2006 with the Walloon Parlement. Its Ier article affirms that Wallonia is a community of men and women equipped with a history, an identity and a collective conscience . The project was filed in by eight Walloon deputies of the parliamentary group PS (34 seats out of 75) and is discussed in Commission. On the Ier article, which can represent the vision of the Walloon Mouvement, certain reserves can be expressed (in particular on behalf of the German-speaking Belgian, which account for approximately 2% of the Walloon population). The two Walloon famous daily newspapers are favorable there, the press of Brussels is more reticent just as other Walloon deputies.

Economy

Transport

Airports

The two large Walloon metropolises have each one an airport.

The Aéroport of Charleroi Brussels-South became with the wire of time an important momentary airport, directed towards the companies with low tariffs such as Ryanair or Wizzair. A new momentary terminal is in construction and the number of passengers does not cease increasing, to arrive at a forecast of 2,5 million people for 2006.

The Aéroport of Liege, as for him, is directed towards goods transport, although the tourist destinations passengers are also ensured by flights charters. In this case also, the development is ensured with many investments. Liege is currently classified 9th airport European cargo liner and ambitionne to arrive until the 5th place in the ten next years.

Subway

Charleroi is the only Walloon city to have a subway.

Public transport

The Walloon region has its own network of bus, tce, connecting the Walloon communes between them, even of the cities bordering like Brussels, Givet, Aachen. The rail-bound transport is ensured by SNCB, as well inside the Walloon region as worms of the close cities such as Brussels, Luxembourg or Aachen. The stations of Mons, Charleroi, Namur and Liege-Guillemins moreover are stopped at by the Thalys. ICE of the Deutsche Bahn which connects Brussels-Midday to Frankfurt makes stop in station of Liege-Guillemins.

Inland waterways

Famous Walloons and personalities

See also: List of the Walloon personalities

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