Antwerpen (province)
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) , native_name_lang = nl , settlement_type = Province of Belgium , image_flag = Flag of Antwerp.svg , flag_size = , image_shield = Wapen van de provincie Antwerpen.svg , shield_size = 120px , image_map = Provincie Antwerpen in Belgium.svg , coordinates = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = , subdivision_type1 = Region , subdivision_name1 = , seat_type = Capital
, seat =
Antwerp Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504,
, leader_title = Governor , leader_name =
Cathy Berx Cathy Hilde Raymond Berx (born 8 January 1969 in Berchem) is a Belgian Christian Democrat politician, jurist and governor of the province of Antwerp. Cathy Berx is married to Johan Meeusen, vice-rector and professor of European Law at the Univers ...
(
CD&V Christian Democratic and Flemish (, , CD&V) is a Flemish Christian-democratic political party in Belgium. The party has historical ties to both trade unionism ( ACV) and trade associations (UNIZO) and the Farmer's League. Until 2001, the party wa ...
) , area_total_km2 = 2,876 , area_footnotes = , population_total = 1,857,986 , population_footnotes = , population_as_of = 1 January 2019 , population_density_km2 = auto , blank_name_sec2 = HDI (2019) , blank_info_sec2 = 0.945
· 4th of 11 , website = Antwerp Province ( nl, Provincie Antwerpen ' french: Province d'Anvers, german: Provinz Antwerpen) is the northernmost province both of the Flemish Region, also called Flanders, and of Belgium. It borders on the North Brabant province of the Netherlands to the north and the Belgian provinces of Limburg,
Flemish Brabant Flemish Brabant ( nl, Vlaams-Brabant ; french: Brabant flamand ) is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. It borders on (clockwise from the North) the Belgian provinces of Antwerp, Limburg, Liège, Walloon Brabant, Haina ...
and East Flanders. Its capital is
Antwerp Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504,
, which includes the Port of Antwerp, the second-largest seaport in Europe. It has an area of , and with over 1.85 million inhabitants as of January 2019, is the country's most populous province. The province consists of three
arrondissements An arrondissement (, , ) is any of various administrative divisions of France, Belgium, Haiti, certain other Francophone countries, as well as the Netherlands. Europe France The 101 French departments are divided into 342 ''arrondissements'', ...
: Antwerp,
Mechelen Mechelen (; french: Malines ; traditional English name: MechlinMechelen has been known in English as ''Mechlin'', from where the adjective ''Mechlinian'' is derived. This name may still be used, especially in a traditional or historical contex ...
and Turnhout. The eastern part of the province comprises the main part of the
Campine The Campine ( French ) or De Kempen (Dutch ) is a natural region situated chiefly in north-eastern Belgium and parts of the south-eastern Netherlands which once consisted mainly of extensive moors, tracts of sandy heath, and wetlands. It encom ...
region.


History

During the early Middle Ages the region was part of the Frankish Empire, which was divided into several '' pagi''. The territory of the present-day province belonged to several ''pagi'' of which the region around what would become the city of
Antwerp Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504,
belonged to the Pagus Renesium. The Pagus Toxandria stretched from North Brabant into the
Campine The Campine ( French ) or De Kempen (Dutch ) is a natural region situated chiefly in north-eastern Belgium and parts of the south-eastern Netherlands which once consisted mainly of extensive moors, tracts of sandy heath, and wetlands. It encom ...
region. To the south there was the Pagus Bracbatinsis and the Pagus Hasbaniensis. In 843 the Carolingian Empire of Charlemagne was divided among his sons and the river Scheldt became the border between West Francia and
East Francia East Francia (Medieval Latin: ) or the Kingdom of the East Franks () was a successor state of Charlemagne's Carolingian Empire, empire ruled by the Carolingian dynasty until 911. It was created through the Treaty of Verdun (843) which divided t ...
. In 974 Otto II established the
Margraviate of Antwerp The Margraviate of Antwerp (or Mark of Antwerp) consisted since the eleventh century of the area around the cities of Antwerp and Breda. Origin Under Otto II, emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, several marches were created along the border with ...
as a defence against the County of Flanders. In 1106,
Henry V Henry V may refer to: People * Henry V, Duke of Bavaria (died 1026) * Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor (1081/86–1125) * Henry V, Duke of Carinthia (died 1161) * Henry V, Count Palatine of the Rhine (c. 1173–1227) * Henry V, Count of Luxembourg (121 ...
granted the Margraviate to
Godfrey I of Leuven Godfrey I ( nl, Godfried, 1060 – 25 January 1139), called the Bearded, the Courageous, or the Great, was the Landgrave of Brabant, Count of Brussels and Leuven (Louvain) from 1095 to his death and Duke of Lower Lorraine from 1106 to 1129. He w ...
. His descendants would from 1235 onwards become the Dukes of Brabant and the region itself was the northern part of the Duchy of Brabant. In 1430 the Duchy became part of the Duchy of Burgundy until 1477 when it fell to the House of Habsburg. In 1713, at the end of the
Spanish Succession War The War of the Spanish Succession was a European great power conflict that took place from 1701 to 1714. The death of childless Charles II of Spain in November 1700 led to a struggle for control of the Spanish Empire between his heirs, Phil ...
the region became part of the Austrian Netherlands until 1794, with in 1790 the short lived United States of Belgium. On 1 October 1795 the former Austrian Netherlands were annexed by France under the
French Directory The Directory (also called Directorate, ) was the governing five-member committee in the French First Republic from 2 November 1795 until 9 November 1799, when it was overthrown by Napoleon, Napoleon Bonaparte in the Coup of 18 Brumaire and r ...
. The modern province was created as the '' Department of the two Netes'' during the First French Empire (when the Southern Netherlands were part of France). After the defeat of
Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
, the territory became part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands as the province of Central Brabant, distinguishing it from North Brabant and South Brabant. In 1830, after Belgium's independence the province was renamed Antwerp (after its major city and capital).


Prefects from 1800 until 1814

Prefects of the Department of the two Netes during the First French Empire *
Marquis A marquess (; french: marquis ), es, marqués, pt, marquês. is a nobleman of high hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The German language equivalent is Markgraf (margrave). A woman wi ...
Charles Joseph Fortuné d'Herbouville Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*karilaz'' (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was " ...
(1800–1805) *
Charles Cochon Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*karilaz'' (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was " ...
(1805–1808) *
Marc René Marie de Voyer d'Argenson Marc or MARC may refer to: People * Marc (given name), people with the first name * Marc (surname), people with the family name Acronyms * MARC standards, a data format used for library cataloging, * MARC Train, a regional commuter rail system of ...
(1809–1813) *
Baron Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than a lord or knig ...
Jacques Fortunat de Savoye-Rollin Ancient and noble French family names, Jacques, Jacq, or James are believed to originate from the Middle Ages in the historic northwest Brittany region in France, and have since spread around the world over the centuries. To date, there are over ...
(1813–1814)


Governors from 1815 until 1830

Governors of the province of Antwerp during the United Kingdom of the Netherlands * Charles–Louis van Keverberg van Kessel (1815–1817) *
Pierre Joseph Pycke Pierre is a masculine given name. It is a French language, French form of the name Peter (given name), Peter. Pierre originally meant "rock" or "stone" in French (derived from the Greek word πέτρος (''petros'') meaning "stone, rock", via ...
(1817–1820) *
Leonard Pierre Joseph du Bus de Gisignies Leonard Pierre Joseph, Viscount du Bus de Gisignies (28 February 1780 – 31 May 1849) was a soldier and politician in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. Early life He was born in Dottignies, Austrian Netherlands on 28 February 1780. He was ...
(1820–1823) *
André Charles Membrede André — sometimes transliterated as Andre — is the French and Portuguese form of the name Andrew, and is now also used in the English-speaking world. It used in France, Quebec, Canada and other French-speaking countries. It is a variation o ...
(1823–1828) *
Edmond Charles Giullaume Ghislain de la Coste Edmond is a given name related to Edmund. Persons named Edmond include: * Edmond Canaple (1797–1876), French politician * Edmond Chehade (born 1993), Lebanese footballer * Edmond Conn (1914–1998), American farmer, businessman, and politician ...
(1828–1829) *
Alexandre François Ghislain van der Fosse Alexandre may refer to: * Alexandre (given name) * Alexandre (surname) * Alexandre (film) See also

* Alexander * Xano (disambiguation), a Portuguese hypocoristic of the name "Alexandre" {{Disambig ...
(1830)


Governors since 1830

Governors of the Belgian province of Antwerp *
François de Robiano Count François Xavier Jean-Marie de Robiano (23 December 1778 – 6 July 1836) was a Belgian politician and art collector. He was the first governor of the province of Antwerp after the independence of Belgium in 1830. Political career Franço ...
(1830–1831) *
Jean-François Tielemans Jean–François Tielemans (15 November 1799 – 5 July 1887) was a Belgian lawyer and liberal politician. He was interim governor of the province of Antwerp from 7 April 1831 until 14 June 1831 and governor of Liège Province from 4 June ...
(1831) * Charles Rogier (1831–1832 and 1834–1840) *
Henri de Brouckère Jonkheer Henri Ghislain Joseph Marie Hyacinthe de Brouckère (25 January 1801 – 25 January 1891) was a Belgian nobleman and liberal politician. Born in Bruges, he was a magistrate, and a professor at the Université Libre de Bruxelles. His b ...
(1840–1844) *
Jules Malou Jules Edouard Xavier Malou (19 October 1810 – July 1886) was a Belgian statesman, a leader of the clerical party. Career Malou was born at Ypres. He was a civil servant in the department of justice when he was elected to the Chamber of Deput ...
(1844–1845) *
Jan Teichmann Jean (Jan) Théodore Frédéric Teichmann (3 August 1788 – 4 June 1867) was a Belgian engineer and politician. He was governor ad interim of the province of Antwerp from 11 October 1833 until 3 August 1834 and governor from 10 November 1845 ...
(1845–1862) *
Edward Pycke d'Ideghem Baron Jean Joseph Edouard Pycke d'Ideghem (11 December 1807 – 27 April 1892) was a Belgian liberal politician. He was governor of the province of Antwerp ) , native_name_lang = nl , settlement_type = Province of Belgium , ...
(1862–1887) *
Charles du Bois de Vroylande Jonkheer Charles Louis du Bois de Vroylande (21 January 1835 – 30 December 1888) was a Belgian lawyer and politician. He was governor of the province of Antwerp from 24 March 1887 until 30 December 1888. Political career Charles du Bois ...
(1887–1888) *
Edward Osy de Zegwaart Baron Eduardus (Edouard) Josephus Franciscus de Paulo Osy de Zegwaart (24 March 1832 – 5 December 1900) was a Belgian politician. Political career Edouard Osy de Zegwaart was a member of the provincial council for the canton of Antwerp fro ...
(1889–1900) *
Fredegand Cogels Baron Fredegandus (Fredegand) Patricius Josephus Maria Cogels (14 April 1850 – 17 February 1932) was a Belgian politician and a member of the Meeting party. He was governor of the province of Antwerp from 16 December 1900 until 28 May 1907 ...
(1900–1907) *
Louis de Brouchoven de Bergeyck Count Louis Charles Joseph Marie de Brouchoven de Bergeyck (14 May 1871 – 20 December 1938) was a Belgian politician. He was governor of the province of Antwerp from 15 November 1907 until 14 March 1908. Political career Louis de Brouchov ...
(1907–1908) *
Ferdinand de Baillet-Latour Ferdinand Charles Louis Antoine, Count of Baillet-Latour (21 January 1850 – 18 September 1925) was a Belgian politician. He was governor of the province of Antwerp from 14 March 1908 until 31 December 1912. Family Baillet-Latour was b ...
(1908–1912) *
Gaston van de Werve de Schilde Baron Gaston van de Werve et de Schilde (22 March 1867 – 18 August 1923) was a Belgian Roman Catholic politician. He was governor of the province of Antwerp from 16 December 1912 until his death on 18 August 1923 . He was the son of baron H ...
(1912–1923) *
Georges Holvoet Baron Georges Josephus Lamoraldus Maria Gislemus Holvoet (16 August 1874 – 23 April 1967) was a Belgian lawyer and Roman Catholic politician. He was governor of the province of Antwerp from 8 November 1923 until 21 December 1945. Politic ...
(1923–1945) *
Richard Declerck Richard August François Declerck (31 December 1899 – 12 March 1986) was a Belgian Belgian may refer to: * Something of, or related to, Belgium * Belgians, people from Belgium or of Belgian descent * Languages of Belgium, languages spoken ...
(1946–1966) *
Andries Kinsbergen Andries Kinsbergen (25 September 1926 – 24 June 2016) was a Belgian lawyer and politician. Education Andries Kinsbergen went to highschool at the Royal Athenaeum of Deurne. An auditorium at his old highschool was named after him in 2010. In ...
(1967–1993) *
Camille Paulus Camille Paulus (born 24 April 1943) is a Belgian lawyer and liberal politician. Education He graduated with a doctorate in law at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) in 1966. Career He succeeded Frans Van den Eynde as the mayor of Aartselaar ...
(1993–2008) *
Cathy Berx Cathy Hilde Raymond Berx (born 8 January 1969 in Berchem) is a Belgian Christian Democrat politician, jurist and governor of the province of Antwerp. Cathy Berx is married to Johan Meeusen, vice-rector and professor of European Law at the Univers ...
(since 2008)


Population

* 1846: 406,354 * 1856: 434,485 * 1866: 456,607 * 1880: 577,232 * 1890: 700,019 * 1900: 819,159 * 1910: 968,677 * 1920: 1,016,963 * 1930: 1,173,363 * 1947: 1,281,333 * 2008: 1,715,707 * 2010: 1,744,862


Language

As in all Flemish provinces, the official and standard language of the Antwerp province is Dutch. As with
Flemish Brabant Flemish Brabant ( nl, Vlaams-Brabant ; french: Brabant flamand ) is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. It borders on (clockwise from the North) the Belgian provinces of Antwerp, Limburg, Liège, Walloon Brabant, Haina ...
, North Brabant and Brussels, the local dialect is a Brabantian variety.


Religion

According to the ''International Social Survey Programme 2008: Religion III'' by the Association of Religion Data Archives, 73.3% of Antwerp's population identify themselves as
Catholics The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
, 24.1% as non-religious, 2.6% identify themselves as of other religions.


Government

The province of Antwerp has a provincial council, elected every six years, and an executive deputation headed by a governor. The current governor is
Cathy Berx Cathy Hilde Raymond Berx (born 8 January 1969 in Berchem) is a Belgian Christian Democrat politician, jurist and governor of the province of Antwerp. Cathy Berx is married to Johan Meeusen, vice-rector and professor of European Law at the Univers ...
, appointed in 2008 by the Flemish Government. The last elections were held on 14 October 2018. The following parties were elected to the 36-member council: * New Flemish Alliance (N-VA): 14 seats * Christian Democratic and Flemish (CD&V): 6 seats *
Flemish Interest , ideology = , predecessor = Vlaams Blok , position = , europarl = Identity and Democracy , european = Identity and Democracy Party , youth_wing = Vlaams Belang Jongeren , colours = , ...
(Vlaams Belang): 6 seats * Green (Groen): 5 seats * Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats (Open Vld): 2 seats *
Socialist Party – Different Vooruit (Dutch for Forward, ) is a Flemish social democratic political party in Belgium. The party was known as the Flemish Socialist Party (1978–2001: ''Socialistische Partij'', SP; 2001–2021: ''Socialistische Partij Anders'', SP.A) until 2 ...
(sp.a): 2 seats * Workers' Party of Belgium (PVDA+): 1 seats


Geography

* Highest point: ''Beerzelberg'' (55 m) located in the municipality of
Putte Putte () is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Antwerp. The municipality includes the towns of Putte, Beerzel, and the hamlets and . The town of Putte is around east of Mechelen. In 2021, Putte had a total population of 18,109 ...
. * Most important rivers: Scheldt, Rupel,
Grote Nete The Nete (; french: Nèthe, ) is a river in northern Belgium, right tributary of the Rupel. It flows through the Belgian province of Antwerp. It is formed in Lier, at the confluence of the rivers Grote Nete and Kleine Nete. It flows through Duf ...
,
Kleine Nete The Nete (; french: Nèthe, ) is a river in northern Belgium, right tributary of the Rupel. It flows through the Belgian province of Antwerp. It is formed in Lier, at the confluence of the rivers Grote Nete and Kleine Nete. It flows through Duf ...


Traffic infrastructure

The province has a network of roads, railroads, canals and rivers which provide a modern infrastructure. Historically, the traffic infrastructure was an important element of connecting the Port of Antwerp with the Ruhr Area in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Both the Iron Rhine railroad and the E313 (''King
Baudouin Baudouin (;, ; nl, Boudewijn Albert Karel Leopold Axel Maria Gustaaf, ; german: Balduin Albrecht Karl Leopold Axel Maria Gustav. 7 September 1930 – 31 July 1993), Dutch name Boudewijn, was King of the Belgians from 17 July 1951 until his dea ...
highway'') and E34 highway connect Antwerp with the Ruhr Area. Of the International E-road network, the E313, E19, and E34 run through parts of the province. The Kennedy Tunnel and the
Liefkenshoek Tunnel The Liefkenshoektunnel is a toll tunnel between Antwerp and Beveren under the River Schelde. The tunnel is a continuation of Highway R2, the ring motorway surrounding the city and harbour of Antwerp. In 2013 the tunnel was used by 6,373,894 v ...
connect the highway network of the province with East Flanders and Ghent. In addition a new Oosterweelconnection is under consideration. The railroads connect the major cities of the province, such as Antwerp,
Mechelen Mechelen (; french: Malines ; traditional English name: MechlinMechelen has been known in English as ''Mechlin'', from where the adjective ''Mechlinian'' is derived. This name may still be used, especially in a traditional or historical contex ...
, Herentals, Turnhout and Mol. The Iron Rhine connects Antwerp with Mönchengladbach in Germany. The new High Speed Train connects Antwerpen-Centraal railway station with Brussels ( HSL 4) and Amsterdam ( HSL-Zuid) at high speed. Antwerp International Airport, located in Deurne, is a regional airport. The river
Schelde The Scheldt (french: Escaut ; nl, Schelde ) is a river that flows through northern France, western Belgium, and the southwestern part of the Netherlands, with its mouth at the North Sea. Its name is derived from an adjective corresponding to ...
, an important waterway, connects the Port of Antwerp with the North Sea. The Albert Canal connects the Scheldt in Antwerp with the Meuse and
Liège Liège ( , , ; wa, Lîdje ; nl, Luik ; german: Lüttich ) is a major city and municipality of Wallonia and the capital of the Belgian province of Liège. The city is situated in the valley of the Meuse, in the east of Belgium, not far from b ...
. Other canals are the Canal Dessel
Kwaadmechelen Kwaadmechelen is a village in the Ham, Belgium, Ham municipality of the Limburg (Belgium), Limburg province in the Flemish Community of Belgium. Kwaadmechelen was an independent municipality until 1977 when it merged into Ham. History The area has ...
, Schoten – Turnhout – Dessel, and Herentals – Bocholt which flows into the Nete canal.


Tourism

The province contains several historical cities, such as Antwerp, Mechelen, Turnhout, Herentals and Lier. The Campine region is becoming a popular destination for tourists searching for a quiet and relaxed weekend. Old farms were transformed into bed and breakfast-hotels, the restaurant and café business is very active and an ingenious network for bicycle tours has come to life in recent years. Here and there are still areas of large heathland - and forests, such as the Kalmthoutse Heide (E: Kalmthout heathland) in Kalmthout, the
moor Moor or Moors may refer to: Nature and ecology * Moorland, a habitat characterized by low-growing vegetation and acidic soils. Ethnic and religious groups * Moors, Muslim inhabitants of the Maghreb, Iberian Peninsula, Sicily, and Malta during ...
s around Turnhout, the ''Liereman'' ( Oud-Turnhout) and the ''Prinsenpark'' in Retie. In a number of villages one can still see the typical Campine ''langgevelboerderijen'' (E: ''long facade farms'').


Education and research

The province is home to several
educational institutions An educational institution is a place where people of different ages gain an education, including preschools, childcare, primary-elementary schools, secondary-high schools, and universities. They provide a large variety of learning environments an ...
and the University of Antwerp. Several research institutions are located in the province, such as the SCK•CEN, the European Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM) and the Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO). International schools in Antwerp include Antwerp International School and
Lycée Français International d'Anvers Lycée Français International Anvers is a French international school in Antwerp, Belgium. In the heart of Antwerp the Lycée Français International offers a curriculum in French, English and Dutch. Run in conjunction with the Agency for French E ...
.


Economy

The Gross domestic product (GDP) of the province was 88 billion € in 2018. GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power was 41,900 € or 139% of the EU27 average in the same year. The Port of Antwerp is the economic heart of the province. Until the agricultural crisis of 1880, the eastern part of the province was a largely agricultural region. The industrial development of the eastern part of the province, part of the
Campine The Campine ( French ) or De Kempen (Dutch ) is a natural region situated chiefly in north-eastern Belgium and parts of the south-eastern Netherlands which once consisted mainly of extensive moors, tracts of sandy heath, and wetlands. It encom ...
region, started at the end of the 19th century when industry established itself in the region. The availability of cheap labor, new roads, canals, tramways and railroads such as the Iron Rhine, stimulated the settlement of new industry. A
brick A brick is a type of block used to build walls, pavements and other elements in masonry construction. Properly, the term ''brick'' denotes a block composed of dried clay, but is now also used informally to denote other chemically cured cons ...
making industry was established alongside the canals, paper and printing business in Turnhout, as were non-ferrous
metallurgy Metallurgy is a domain of materials science and engineering that studies the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements, their inter-metallic compounds, and their mixtures, which are known as alloys. Metallurgy encompasses both the sc ...
in Balen-Nete, dynamite factories in Arendonk and Balen, tobacco and cigar factories in Arendonk, and the first shoe factory in Herentals. During the 1920s, the industrial expansion of the region continued with the radium and copper factories in
Olen Olen may refer to: Places *Olen, Belgium, a municipality in the province of Antwerp, Belgium * Olen, Russia, a village in Tula Oblast, Russia *Ølen, a former municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway **Ølensjøen, a village formerly within t ...
, the glass factory in Mol-Gompel and the diamond industry in Grobbendonk and Nijlen. In the 20th century the first nuclear installation in Belgium was established at the SCK•CEN in Mol in 1962. The European Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM), one of the EU Joint Research Centres, was founded in Geel in 1957 as a result of the
Treaty of Rome The Treaty of Rome, or EEC Treaty (officially the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community), brought about the creation of the European Economic Community (EEC), the best known of the European Communities (EC). The treaty was sig ...
. Innotek is a technology centre located in Geel and is part of the European Business and Innovation Centre Network (EBN). Industry in the Campine region of the province is mainly located alongside the E313, the E34 and the Albert Canal.


Unemployment

The unemployment rate stood at 5.9% in 2017 and was lower than the national average.


Chemical industry

After World War II the Port of Antwerp was expanded, and on its premises several chemical factories and
oil refineries An oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial process plant where petroleum (crude oil) is transformed and refined into useful products such as gasoline (petrol), diesel fuel, asphalt base, fuel oils, heating oil, kerosene, liquefie ...
were established, including facilities of
Bayer Bayer AG (, commonly pronounced ; ) is a German multinational corporation, multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company and one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. Headquartered in Leverkusen, Bayer's areas of busi ...
, BASF, and Monsanto. The chemical and petrochemical industry is widely represented in the port region and comprises the world's second-largest cluster petrochemical industry cluster, after that of Houston (United States). Amoco Chemical Belgium N.V., now part of BP, was founded in Geel in 1967. A pharmaceutical industry was founded in
Beerse Beerse () is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Antwerp. The municipality comprises the towns of Beerse proper and . In 2021, Beerse had a total population of 18,194. The total area is 37.48 km2 (14.5 sq mi). The pharmaceutical ...
in the 1960s, with Janssen Pharmaceutica and more recently with Genzyme in Geel. Soudal ( silicon) in Turnhout and
Ravago Ravago is a Belgian plastic producing company with its headquarters located in Luxembourg. The company is active in polymer and chemical distribution, building materials, recycling and compounding of plastic and elastomeric raw materials. Theodoros ...
(
plastics Plastics are a wide range of synthetic polymers, synthetic or semi-synthetic materials that use polymers as a main ingredient. Their Plasticity (physics), plasticity makes it possible for plastics to be Injection moulding, moulded, Extrusion, e ...
) in Arendonk became leading companies in their markets.


Diamond

The diamond industry and trade is traditionally located in
Antwerp Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504,
. At the end of the 19th century Hendrik Cassiers founded a diamond-cutting company outside Antwerp, in Grobbendonk. Hendrik Cassiers and Frans Dela Montagne laid the foundations of the diamond industry in the Campine region. The industry would settle in Nijlen, Herenthout,
Bevel A bevelled edge (UK) or beveled edge (US) is an edge of a structure that is not perpendicular to the faces of the piece. The words bevel and chamfer overlap in usage; in general usage they are often interchanged, while in technical usage they ...
, Kessel,
Vorselaar Vorselaar () is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Antwerp. The municipality comprises only the town of Vorselaar proper. In 2021, Vorselaar had a total population of 7,995. The total area is 27.62 km2. Famous inhabitants * ...
and Berlaar.


Paper

The region around Turnhout became famous for its printing business, with companies such as Brepols, which roots date back to 1796 when
Pieter Corbeels Pieter Corbeels (Leuven, 12 March 1755 – Tournai, 21 June 1799) was a Belgian book printer and resistance leader. He was a founder of the Belgian-based publishing company Brepols. He commanded part of the Brabantine forces during a revolt again ...
established his printing business in Turnhout. In 1833, Van Genechten N.V., Splichal N.V. in 1856, Mesmaekers Freres in 1859, Meses-Goris in 1872, L. Biermans in 1875, Poupaert in 1881, La Belgica N.V. in 1907, H. Proost & Co in 1913, J. Van Mierlo-Proost in 1918, Lityca in 1932 and Veloutex in 1951. More recently in 1970, Cartamundi was established, a world leader in playing cards.


Metallurgies

While Wallonia was famous for its steel industry, the
Campine The Campine ( French ) or De Kempen (Dutch ) is a natural region situated chiefly in north-eastern Belgium and parts of the south-eastern Netherlands which once consisted mainly of extensive moors, tracts of sandy heath, and wetlands. It encom ...
region became renowned for its non-ferrous metallurgies. The
Campine The Campine ( French ) or De Kempen (Dutch ) is a natural region situated chiefly in north-eastern Belgium and parts of the south-eastern Netherlands which once consisted mainly of extensive moors, tracts of sandy heath, and wetlands. It encom ...
region was scarcely populated in the 19th century, but with the establishment of canals, the Iron Rhine and cheap labor, several metallurgies were established in the region. In 1888-1889 the metallurgy La Vieille Montagne was founded in Balen-Nete, close to the Iron Rhine and the canal to Beverlo. The company had its roots in the exploitation of the zinc mines of Moresnet. The Union Minière du Haut Katanga founded the Société Générale Métallurgique de Hoboken in
Olen Olen may refer to: Places *Olen, Belgium, a municipality in the province of Antwerp, Belgium * Olen, Russia, a village in Tula Oblast, Russia *Ølen, a former municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway **Ølensjøen, a village formerly within t ...
, which was established along the Iron Rhine and the Albert Canal. The factory produced radium, cobalt and copper from the mines of the Union Minière in Katanga, Belgian Congo and
Rhodesia Rhodesia (, ), officially from 1970 the Republic of Rhodesia, was an unrecognised state in Southern Africa from 1965 to 1979, equivalent in territory to modern Zimbabwe. Rhodesia was the ''de facto'' successor state to the British colony of S ...
. Along the canal Turnhout- Schoten, the Métallurgique de la Campine was established in 1910 for the production of lead and antimony. La Metallo-Chimique was established in 1919; this specialized in the production of copper.


Glass

In 1872, the Sablières et Carrières Réunies (SCR), now Sibelco, was founded to extract the silica sand layers in Mol for industrial applications ( glass). In 1920 the glass bottle manufacturer Beles Réunios was set up in Mol-Donk. In 1921, a group of Belgian banks, the Mutuelle Mobilière & Immobilière, the Société Générale de Belgique, the Banque de Bruxelles and the Financière de Transport, together with the American group Libbey-Owens, founded the Cie Internationale pour la fabrication mécanique de Verre in Mol Gompel. In 1931, due to the economic crisis, the company merged into Glaces et Verres (Glaver). In 1961, Glaver merged with Univerbel to form Glaverbel.


Dynamite

Given that the Campine region was sparsely populated, several
dynamite Dynamite is an explosive made of nitroglycerin, sorbents (such as powdered shells or clay), and Stabilizer (chemistry), stabilizers. It was invented by the Swedish people, Swedish chemist and engineer Alfred Nobel in Geesthacht, Northern Germa ...
factories were established in the region. In 1875, the Societe Anonyme d'Arendonk was established which premises would later become part of
Ravago Ravago is a Belgian plastic producing company with its headquarters located in Luxembourg. The company is active in polymer and chemical distribution, building materials, recycling and compounding of plastic and elastomeric raw materials. Theodoros ...
. In 1881 La Forcite N.V. was established near Balen, which was later acquired in 1920 by the Poudreries Réunies de Belgique (PRB). In 1887 a factory was founded near Herentals, which was closed due to the vicinity to the city. The factories produced explosives for the mines and quarries. The factories in the province are now closed down.


Textiles

Historically, wool processing industry was based on the wool from the sheep which were kept on the
Campine The Campine ( French ) or De Kempen (Dutch ) is a natural region situated chiefly in north-eastern Belgium and parts of the south-eastern Netherlands which once consisted mainly of extensive moors, tracts of sandy heath, and wetlands. It encom ...
heath. The centre of the textile industry in the province could be found in Turnhout. Wool processing companies such as Wolspinnerij Van Iersel, Spinnerij en Weverij Van Hoof, and De Wollendekensfabriek Van Doren were located in Mol.


Tobacco

At the end of the 19th century Arendonk became the centre of the tobacco industry. Additional factories were founded in Turnhout, Mol, Geel and Herentals.De Turnhoutse Kempen, haar economische en sociale betekenis, Vlaams Economisch Verbond, pp. 90-93 After World War II, the ALTO cigar factory was founded by
Frans Van den Bergh Frans, Baron Van den Bergh (1 May 1914 in Merksplas – 21 October 1990 in Turnhout) was a Belgian businessman, who founded the cigar factory ''Alto'' in Turnhout, Belgium, and who would become one of the leading managers of Janssen Pharmaceutica ...
who would also play an important role at Janssen Pharmaceutica.


Administrative subdivisions

The province is divided into three administrative arrondissements (''arrondissementen'' in Dutch) containing 69 municipalities (numbers refer to the location of the municipalities on the map shown in this section):


See also

*
CIPAL CIPAL is an inter-municipal ICT service with headoffices in Geel. Its name refers to the province of Antwerp and Limburg. The organisation is a governmental ICT-agency and inter-municipal association of municipalities, cities, towns, Social Welfare ...
*
List of schools in Antwerp An incomplete list of schools in the province of Antwerp, Belgium. A *Antwerp **Antwerp ***Antwerp University *** Antwerp International Business School *** H. Pius X-Instituut *** Instituut Dames van het Christelijk Onderwijs *** Instituut Sin ...


References

* Steve Heylen, Bart De Nil, Bart D’hondt, Sophie Gyselinck, Hanne Van Herck en Donald Weber, ''Geschiedenis van de provincie Antwerpen. Een politieke biografie'', Antwerpen, Provinciebestuur Antwerpen, 2005, 2 volumes


External links


Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Antwerp Province Brabant Provinces of Flanders