Wezembeek-Oppem

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Municipal flag Wezembeek-Oppem
 
Location on map of Belgium
Coat of arms Location of Wezembeek-Oppem in Flemish Brabant
Geography
Country Belgium
Region Flag of Flanders Flemish Region
Community Flag of Flanders Flemish Community
Province Flag of Flemish Brabant Flemish Brabant
Arrondissement Halle-Vilvoorde
Coordinates 50°51′N 04°29′E / 50.85, 4.483Coordinates: 50°51′N 04°29′E / 50.85, 4.483
Area 6.82 km²
Population (Source: NIS)
Population
– Males
– Females
- Density
13,504 (January 1, 2006)
47.87%
52.13%
1980 inhab./km²
Economy
Unemployment rate 6.80% (January 1, 2006)
Mean annual income 14,847 €/pers. (2003)
Government
Mayor François van Hoobrouck d'Aspre (LB-UF)
Governing parties LB-UF, GE-EC, independent
Other information
Postal codes 1970
Area codes 02
Web address www.wezembeek-oppem.be

Wezembeek-Oppem is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. The municipality only comprises the town of Wezembeek-Oppem proper. On January 1, 2006 Wezembeek-Oppem had a total population of 13,504. The total area is 6.82 km² which gives a population density of 1,980 inhabitants per km².

The official language is Dutch (as everywhere in Flanders). In the 1960s, when the borders between administratively French-speaking, Dutch-speaking and bilingual parts of Belgium were finalized, special linguistic facilities were given to local French-speakers — mostly immigrants from Wallonia and Brussels. All inhabitants can request official documents from the local administration in French.

Wezembeek-Oppem town hall
Wezembeek-Oppem town hall

Many Flemings regard these measures as only transitory for the time needed for French-speaking locals to "integrate themselves in Flanders", that is to convert to using Dutch. Many French-speaking people however see these facilities as a permanent right, that compensates for the irreversible attribution of the commune to Flanders. This situation is made more difficult by this commune's satellite status to the Brussels-Capital Region, in which both French and Dutch are official languages.[citation needed]

It is a popular home to a large community of international expatriates, in part because of the presence of the 'Internationale Deutsche Schule Brüssel' in Wezembeek-Oppem itself, and the British School in nearby Tervuren.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

  • Deutsche Schule - This is the official web site of the Internationale Deutsche Schule.