NIS code

The NIS code (Dutch: NIS-code, French: code INS) is an alphanumeric code for regional areas of Belgium.

Provinces of Belgium
Provincies van België (Dutch)
Provinces de Belgique (French)
Provinzen Belgiens (German)
CategoryDecentralised unit in a federal state
LocationKingdom of Belgium
Number10 provinces
Populations278,748 (Luxembourg) – 1,813,282 (Antwerp)
Areas1,090.6 km2 (421.07 sq mi) (Walloon Brabant) – 4,440 km2 (1,715 sq mi) (Luxembourg)
GovernmentProvincial government
SubdivisionsArrondissement

This code is used for statistical data treatment in Belgium. This code was developed mid-1960s by the Statistics Belgium. It was first used for the census of 1970.

Structure of the code

The NIS code consists of 5 digits:

  • The first number identifies the province. if this digit is followed by 4 zeroes, this code identifies the complete province. Example: 70000 identifies the province Limburg.
  • The second digit identifies the arrondissement within this province. If after the two first digits there are three zeroes, then this code identifies the complete arrondissement. Example: 71000 identifies the arrondissement of Hasselt.
  • The last three digits uniquely identify the community within that arrondissement. Example: 71066 identifies Zonhoven.

Special cases

  • The country Belgium received the code 01000.
  • The three regions received the codes 02000 for Flanders, 03000 for Wallonia and 04000 for the Brussels region.
  • In 1995 the province of Brabant with first digit 2 was split in Flemish Brabant and Walloon Brabant. Flemish Brabant received code 20001 and Walloon Brabant received code 20002. The arrondissements kept their old codes.
  • The provinces and communities of Brussels are sorted alphabetically on their French name.

Mergers

  • Communities that were merged and received a new name also received a new NIS code, which followed the last number of the list of communities of that arrondissement.
  • Communities that lost their independence by merger and became community parts, also lost their NIS code. Per merged community only 1 NIS code remained. At the same time the structure of the NIS sector was adapted. An alphabetic letter was added per community part to be able to uniquely identify such a community part.
  • The Arrondissement of Brussels-Periphery with code 22000 merging in 1971 with the arrondissement of Halle-Vilvoorde, also lost its code by merger. The communities within this arrondissement received a new NIS code.

Examples

40000: Province East Flanders

  • 4 Province East Flanders
  • 0000 This code identifies the complete province

32000: Arrondissement of Diksmuide

  • 3 Province West Flanders
  • 2 Arrondissement of Diksmuide
  • 000 This code identifies the complete arrondissement

73032: Community Hoeselt

61012: Community Clavier

23105: Community Affligem

71022E: Community part Stokrooie

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