Wallonia
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| National motto: Walon todi ! (Walloon forever!) | ||
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| Official languages | French, German | |
| Capital | Namur | |
| Minister-President | Jean-Claude Van Cauwenberghe | |
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| National anthem | Li Tchant des Walons | |
Wallonia (French: Wallonie) or Walloon Region (French: Région Wallonne) is the predominantly French-speaking region that constitutes one of the three federal regions of Belgium, with its capital at Namur. It encompasses the southern half of Belgium and comprises the following provinces:
Its major cities and towns include Liege, Namur, Charleroi, Mons, Tournai, Arlon, Bastogne, Wavre, Verviers and Dinant.
The French dialect Belgian French is spoken throughout the region, except in the East Cantons, an area where German is used instead. In 1990, Belgium also officially recognised Champenois, Gaumais, Picard, and Walloon as regional languages.
Historically, Wallonia did not include the German language areas in the north east of the region that became part of Belgium in 1918. Many German speakers are trying to gain more autonomy from a Walloon region that they believe does not treat them correctly. The current president of the executive of the German speaking community in Belgium, Karl-Heinz Lambertz, wants his community to obtain regional autonomy, thus cutting it completely of Wallonia.
Economy
The current Walloon economy is relatively diversified, altough certain areas -especially in the Borinage, Charleroi and Liège are still facing massive problems, with very high unemployment and low economy innovation. Industrial activity was, and is, concetrated in the key industrial areas of Borinage/Charleroi and Liège. Services are heavily concentrated in the urgan aeas. Tourism is quite well developped in the Ardennes area south of the Meuse river.
Since a few decennia, areas as the provinces of Namur, Walloon Brabant and Luxembourg, and the area around Tournai have seen their share of economic activity rise significantly faster ten the old industrial areas.
The Walloon economy was once -since the 18th century- dominated by the extensive iron and coal industries, as Wallonia was one of the first regions of continental Europe to see industrialisation. Subsequent downturns in the profitability of these types of heavy industries, and the influence of a rather old-fashioned socialist trade union and political party, saw Wallonia exchange its position as the major economic engine of Belgium with its northern neighbour, Flanders and with other dynamic regions in Western-Europe.
Politics
Walloon politics is similar to the politics of the French-speaking community in Belgium: the French-speaking socialist party PS dominates both. The liberal party Mouvement Réformateur (MR) is a close second on both, and the greens (Ecolo) and the christian-democrats, who recently rebaptised towards the Centre Démocrate Humaniste (CDH) battle for a distant third place. Wallonia has no notable political party that is only active in Wallonia, and not in Brussels.
General public policy is currently dominated by the PS which controls all federal levels of governement, all provincial executives, as well as all large and nearly all mid-size city governements. Elio Di Rupo, its president is widely seen as by far the most powerful politician in French-speaking Belgium. Many even consider him the number one Belgium. Walloon public services are very important and heavily funded (mostly by national finance). The employment is Walloon public services is probably the highest in the entire European Union, towering between 60 to 70% above EU-averages (in terms of numbers of public servants and other staff in public services per 1000 inhabitants).
Also, when during 2002 and 2003, the question of giving voting rights to immigrants without requiring them to take on all responsibilities of the citizens (as would be the case upon naturalisation), all French-speaking parties were in favour, although around 1/3 of the French-speakers were against; the arguments against got only rare attention in the mainstream press.
Etymology
The name Wallonia is related to the name Wales, as the old Germanic term Wale/Walis simply means "stranger". Both Wallonia and Wales are regions where a "strange" (i.e. non-Germanic) language and culture exist. Wallachia in Romania has a similar derivation. The term Walloon' was also used in the late 18th and the 19th century to refer to French-speakers who migrated to the Netherlands, e.g. 'Walloon parishes' in Dutch province of Nederlands-Limburg.
See also
External link
- Official gateway to the Walloon Region (http://www.wallonie.be/en/home.shtml)
| Communities, regions and provinces of Belgium | 
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Communities: French Community of Belgium | Flemish Community in Belgium | German speaking community in Belgium | |
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Regions and provinces: | |
| Flanders: Antwerp | East Flanders | Flemish Brabant | Limburg | West Flanders | |
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Wallonia: Hainaut | Liège | Luxembourg | Namur | Walloon Brabant | |
de:Wallonien
eo:Valonio
fr:Wallonie
nl:Wallonië
no:Vallonien
ro:Valonia
wa:Walonreye