Herstappe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Herstappe
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Aerial view of Herstappe
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 Herstappe
Location in Belgium
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| Country | Belgium | ||
| Community | Flemish Community | ||
| Region | Flemish Region | ||
| Province | Limburg | ||
| Arrondissement | Tongeren | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 1.35 km2 (0.52 sq mi) | ||
| Population
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| • Total | Lua error in Module:Wd at line 1,575: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | ||
| Postal codes |
3717
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| Area codes | 012 | ||
Herstappe is a very small town, or 'municipality', in Belgium. It is located in the Limburg province of Flanders.
As of January 1, 2016, only 89 people lived there. This makes Herstappe the smallest municipality in Belgium by population. It is also one of the smallest in terms of land area, covering just 1.35 square kilometers.
People in Herstappe speak two languages: Limburgish and Walloon French. Because many French speakers live there, Herstappe is a special "municipality with linguistic facilities." This means it has rules to protect the rights of French speakers. These rules have helped Herstappe stay independent and not merge with the nearby city of Tongeren.
Buildings in Herstappe
Herstappe has a few important public buildings for its small community. You can find a local cafe where people meet. There is also a municipal office, which is like the town hall. The village has a Roman Catholic church and a post office. All the signs on these buildings are in two languages.
How Elections Work in Herstappe
In Belgium, towns usually hold elections to choose their local leaders. But for the Belgian local elections, 2012, Herstappe was special. It was the only place in Belgium where elections were not held. This happened because only one group of candidates wanted to run. When there is only one list, everyone on that list automatically wins. This had also happened many times before, between 1958 and 1994.
Herstappe's Mayors
The mayor is the main leader of a town. From 1994 to 2014, the mayor of Herstappe was Serge Louwet. In 2012, he was known for being the lowest-paid mayor in Belgium. His official salary was €1,400 per month. However, he felt this was too much for his small town. So, he only kept €675 and gave the rest back to the town's money manager, called the municipal treasurer.
In 2014, Mayor Louwet decided to step down. Claudy Prosmans then became the new mayor. One of the first things Mayor Prosmans wanted to do was bring Herstappe into the "digital era." He planned to buy a computer for the town hall and get an internet connection. They also started looking into creating an official website for the town.
Gallery
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The Heilig Huisje near Herstappe
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The Herstappeltombe
.JPG)
See also
In Spanish: Herstappe para niños
