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West Flanders[b] is the westernmostprovince of theFlemish Region, inBelgium. It is the only coastal Belgian province, facing theNorth Sea to the northwest. It has land borders with theDutch province ofZeeland to the northeast, the Flemish province ofEast Flanders to the east, theWalloon province ofHainaut in the south and theFrench department ofNord to the west. Its capital isBruges (Brugge). Other important cities areKortrijk in the south andOstend (Oostende) on the coast,Roeselare andYpres (Ieper). The province has an area of 3,197 km2 (1,234 sq mi) which is divided into eight administrative districts (arrondissementen) containing 64 municipalities.As of January 2024, West Flanders has a population of over 1.22 million.[5]
West Flanders consists of theNorth Sea coast, followed by a very flatpolder landscape. Only in the south are some small hills, with theKemmelberg (159 m (522 ft)) being the highest point in the province. TheLeie andIJzer are the main rivers. West Flanders is the only Belgian province that borders both France and The Netherlands; it is one of the only two provinces notlandlocked, the other beingAntwerp Province.
TheGross domestic product (GDP) of the province was 46.9 billion € in 2018. GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power was €34,700 or 115% of the EU27 average in the same year.[6]
The south is known for its textile industry, with companies such asBeaulieu andLibeco-Lagae. The region aroundKortrijk is called the "Dallas of Belgium" for its entrepreneurship.
Tourism is also an important industry in West Flanders. Major touristic attractions include the Belgian coast, the historic center of Bruges, theYser Tower inDiksmuide andFlanders Fields, theWorld War I battlefields aroundYpres.
