Arrondissement of Brussels-Capital

Arrondissement
of Brussels-Capital
  • Arrondissement de Bruxelles-Capitale (French)
  • Arrondissement Brussel-Hoofdstad (Dutch)
Location of the arrondissement in Belgium
Location of the arrondissement in Belgium
Coordinates: 50°51′N 4°21′E / 50.85°N 4.35°E / 50.85; 4.35
Country Belgium
Region Brussels Capital Region
Provincenone (extraprovincial)
Municipalities19
Area
 • Total
161.38 km2 (62.31 sq mi)
Population
 (1 January 2017)
 • Total
1,191,604
 • Density7,400/km2 (19,000/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)

The Arrondissement of Brussels-Capital (French: Arrondissement de Bruxelles-Capitale; Dutch: Arrondissement Brussel-Hoofdstad) is the only administrative arrondissement in the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium. Because it is the only administrative arrondissement in the Brussels Region, its territory coincides with that of the latter.

The arrondissement was created in 1963 upon the splitting of the arrondissement of Brussels into the capital one and the surrounding arrondissement of Halle-Vilvoorde. They remained part of the Province of Brabant until it was split as well in 1995. In that year, the arrondissement of Nivelles formed the new Walloon Brabant and the arrondissements of Halle-Vilvoorde and Leuven formed the new Flemish Brabant. The arrondissement of Brussels-Capital, corresponding to the Brussels-Capital Region, thus became extraprovincial, meaning it is not a province, neither does it belong to one, nor does it contain any. However, it was the only Belgian arrondissement that was headed by a governor and a vice-governor until 2014 when these posts were abolished in accord with the 2011 state reform.

The Brussels-Capital Region is divided into 19 municipalities, of which the City of Brussels is the largest and most populous. See the list of municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region.