Walloon Brabant (, , , , ) is one of the five provinces of Wallonia in the country of Belgium.
History
Walloon in Walloon Brabant means that it is in the Wallon part of the former province of Brabant of Belgium. Brabant was an old region, the Duchy of Brabant. The word Brabant appears for the first time in the seventh century when the abbey of Nivelles was founded in the pagus Bracbatensis (pagus is a Latin word meaning a very small town, with only few houses).
Walloon Brabant is the youngest and the smallest province of Belgium. The province was created in 1995 when the former province of Brabant was split along the language border in three parts: a Flemish part (Flemish Brabant), a Wallon part (Walloon Brabant) and the Brussels Capital Region, which no longer belongs to any province.
Geography
The total area of the province is with a population of about 410,000 in 2022.
The province is very flat and the highest point is in Genappe, with an altitude of above sea level.
Also the geographical centre of Belgium is in the province, in the municipality of Walhain.
The province has an elongated shape and measures from east to west about and about from north to south.
The capital is Wavre; it is much more centrally located than the old capital, Nivelles.
Administrative division
The province of Walloon Brabant has only one arrondissement that is divided in 27 municipalities.
Population by arrondissement
Population x 1,000 (on 1 January since 1980).
The province of Walloon Brabant did not exist before 1995.