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Ghent
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the Belgian city. For other uses, see Ghent (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with Genk.
Ghent
Gent
Municipality
View of Ghent with Belfry of Ghent and Saint Nicholas church visible
View of Ghent with Belfry of Ghent and Saint Nicholas church visible
Flag of Ghent
Flag Coat of arms of Ghent
Coat of arms
Ghent is located in Belgium GhentGhent
Location in Belgium
Ghent in the province of East Flanders [show]
Coordinates: 51°3′N 3°44′ECoordinates: 51°3′N 3°44′E
Country Belgium
Community Flemish Community
Region Flemish Region
Province East Flanders
Arrondissement Ghent
Government
• Mayor (list) Daniël Termont (sp.a)
• Governing party/ies sp.a, Open VLD, Pro Gent
Area
• Total 156.18 km2 (60.30 sq mi)
Population (1 January 2013)[1]
• Total 248,242
• Density 1,600/km2 (4,100/sq mi)
Postal codes 9000–9052
Area codes 09
Website www.gent.be
Ghent (/ˈɡɛnt/; Dutch: Gent [ɣɛnt]; French: Gand [ɡɑ̃]) is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Leie and in the late Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of northern Europe with some 50,000 people in 1300. Today it is a busy city with a port and a university.
The municipality comprises the city of Ghent proper and the surrounding towns of Afsnee, Desteldonk, Drongen, Gentbrugge, Ledeberg, Mariakerke, Mendonk, Oostakker, Sint-Amandsberg, Sint-Denijs-Westrem, Sint-Kruis-Winkel, Wondelgem and Zwijnaarde. With 240,191 inhabitants in the beginning of 2009,[2] Ghent is Belgium's second largest municipality by number of inhabitants. The metropolitan area, including the outer commuter zone, covers an area of 1,205 km2 (465 sq mi) and has a total population of 594,582 as of 1 January 2008, which ranks it as the fourth most populous in Belgium.[3][4] The current mayor of Ghent, Daniël Termont, leads a coalition of the Socialistische Partij Anders, Groen and Open VLD.
The ten-day-long "Ghent Festival" (Gentse Feesten in Dutch) is held every year and attended by about 1-1,5 million visitors.