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Flemish Region, Flemish Community
Belgium is a federal state comprising several federated entities. In a federal state the citizens are governed both by the federal government and the government of their federated entity. Belgium actually has two sorts of federated entity whose territory overlaps: communities and regions.
Communities.
Belgium has three communities: the Flemish Community, the French Community and the German-speaking Community. A community is a population group that speaks a single language. So the Flemish Community has authority in the first place in the Dutch language area, the French Community in the French language area. However, the Flemish and French Communities also have authority in certain fields in the bilingual Brussels-Capital area. So Flemish inhabitants of Brussels are part of the Flemish Community. The communities have powers in the fields of language, culture, education and welfare and health care.
Regions.
Belgium also has three regions. The regions exercise their authority in a precisely delineated territory. The territory of the Flemish Region is exactly the same as that of the Dutch language area. The Brussels Capital Region comprises the bilingual Brussels-Capital area, which is made up of the nineteen municipalities. The territory of the Walloon Region is made up of the French and German language areas. The regions have authority in such fields as the economy, employment, agriculture, roads, spatial planning and the environment.
The 19 municipalities of the Vlaamse Rand are part of both the Flemish Community and the Flemish Region. |
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