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Wallonia facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Flag of Wallonia
The flag of Wallonia
Coat of arms of Wallonia (Belgium)
The coat of arms of Wallonia
Map of Wallonia
Wallonia (red) and the rest of Belgium (gray)

Wallonia (which is also called the Walloon Region) is a French-speaking area in the south of Belgium. Its main language is French, spoken by about 98% of the people. A smaller group (about 2%) speaks German, mostly in a specific area. Many people in Wallonia understand the local language called Walloon, and some still speak it.

The capital city of Wallonia is Namur. Other important cities include Liège, Charleroi, Mons, Tournai, and Verviers.

People who speak French in Wallonia are part of the French Community along with French speakers from Brussels.

The current leader of the Walloon Government is Willy Borsus.

Wallonia is one of the three main regions in Belgium. The other two regions are Flanders (or the Flemish Region) and the Brussels-Capital Region.

Images for kids

  • Canal du Centre, l'Ascenseur No. 3

    The boat lifts on the old Canal du Centre were first opened in 1888, and they are now a World Heritage Site.

  • Charleroi - place Charles II

    View of Charleroi

  • Liege View 03

    View of Liège with the Meuse river

  • Fosses-la-Ville JPG01W

    A red rooster is the main symbol of Wallonia

  • Orval et son verre crop

    The Trappist beer Orval, with a branded glass

  • Ludwigslied Manuscript Valenciennes p. 1+2

    The Sequence of Saint Eulalia, the oldest surviving text written in what would become Old French, likely originated in or near Wallonia.

  • Bardouxha Mont 1893-mw-c

    Mons fusillade on 17 April 1893.

  • Régions naturelles de Belgique

    The natural regions of Belgium

  • Ougree 16

    Steelmaking along the Meuse River at Ougrée, near Liège, on the sillon industriel

  • Spa JPG02

    The word spa comes from the healing hot springs of Spa in the Ardennes. Tourism is an important part of the economy of Wallonia.

  • Linguistic map of Wallonia

    A linguistic map of Wallonia. Note that in all areas, except the German-speaking part, French is currently the dominant language.

  • Marionetes Tchantchès

    Traditional puppets (Charlemagne Tchantchès) of an avant-garde theater linking French language and Walloon language literature

  • Met-de-bles3

    Herri Met de Blès, Landscape with the Fire of Sodom, 21.5 x 33 cm, c. 1526–1550, Musée des Arts anciens du Namurois, Namur. This landscape is similar to the Meuse between Dinant and Namur

  • Frères Dardenne Cannes

    Dardenne Brothers

  • DragonLumecon

    The dragon and the white men of the Ducasse de Mons

  • Aeroport de Charleroi Bruxelles Sud

    Brussels South Charleroi Airport

  • Namur, treinstation 2007-05-01 10.22

    Namur Railway Station

  • Métro 54 partant de la station Charleroi-Sud (redressée)

    Charleroi Pre-metro

  • Bus TEC Liège-Verviers (extérieur)

    TEC Bus in Liège

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Región Valona para niños

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Wallonia Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.