Flobecq

Flobecq (Dutch: Vloesberg; Picard: Flôbek) is a Walloon municipality (with language facilities for Dutch) located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. It borders to the municipalities of Ellezelles (to the west) and Lessines (to the east) in the same province and to Brakel in the province of East Flanders, on the other side of the language border.

Flobecq

Vloesberg  (Dutch)
Municipality
Coat of arms
Flobecq
Location in Belgium
Location of Flobecq in Hainaut
Coordinates: 50°44′N 03°44′E
CountryBelgium
CommunityFrench Community
RegionWallonia
ProvinceHainaut
ArrondissementAth
Government
 • MayorPhilippe Mettens (PS)
 • Governing party/iesPS, CDH
Area
 • Total23.00 km2 (8.88 sq mi)
Population
 (2018-01-01)[1]
 • Total3,420
 • Density150/km2 (390/sq mi)
Postal codes
7880
Area codes068
Websitewww.flobecq.be

On January 1, 2008, Flobecq had a total population of 3,287. The total area is 23.00 km² which gives a population density of 143 inhabitants per km².

Flobecq is a tourist village. Each year, on the nearest Friday to 17 January, there is a marvelous local feast based on the adoration of Saint Antony.

History

Flobecq was initially under strong influence of Tournai and, as in Tournai, Picard was spoken there. Since the 13th century, the area was continuously disputed between the County of Flanders and the County of Hainaut. Therefore, the region (including neighbouring places like Lessines, Ellezelles, ...) was often called "debate land" (Dutch: debattenland; French: terre des débats).

In 1963, when the language border was fixed, within the municipality of Flobecq, only the village of La Houppe/D'Hoppe was Dutch-speaking. However, the village was not transferred to Dutch-speaking East Flanders and remained in French-speaking area. Instead, Flobecq as a whole became a municipality with language facilities for Dutch.

References
  1. "Wettelijke Bevolking per gemeente op 1 januari 2018". Statbel. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
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