City of Brussels

The City of Brussels is the largest municipality and historical centre of the Brussels-Capital Region. It is also the capital of the French Community of Belgium, the Flemish Region (from which it is separate), and Belgium itself. This important city serves as the administrative centre of the European Union, hosting many key EU institutions in its European Quarter.

Located within the Pentagon, the central historic town is surrounded by areas like the former municipalities of Haren, Laeken, and Neder-Over-Heembeek, as well as beautiful spots such as the Avenue Louise/Louizalaan and the Bois de la Cambre/Ter Kamerenbos park. These areas extend into parts of Flanders.

As of January 1, 2024, the City of Brussels was home to 196,828 people. Covering an area of 33.09 km² (12.78 sq mi), it has a busy population density of 5,949 people per km² (15,410 per sq mi). The city is legally bilingual, with both French and Dutch spoken, just like the rest of Brussels' municipalities.

Territorial history

Main articles: Neighbourhoods in Brussels and Pentagon (Brussels)

The City of Brussels started as the area inside the old city walls, now known as the Small Ring. Over time, the city grew and absorbed nearby villages.

In 1838, a new area called the Leopold Quarter was added to the east. In 1864, the city added a strip of land for Avenue Louise and the Bois de la Cambre park after long discussions with nearby towns. In 1921, the city also added Haren, Laeken, and Neder-Over-Heembeek to its area.

Demographics

Historical population

As of January 1, 2024, the City of Brussels had 196,828 people living there. The city covers an area of 33.09 km² (12.78 sq mi), which means many people live in a small space.

Foreign population

The City of Brussels has many people from other countries. There are more people from outside Europe than from Belgium itself. Like nearby areas such as Ixelles, Etterbeek, and Schaerbeek, the city also has many people from Moroccan backgrounds.

As of 2023, more than half of the people in Brussels were born to parents from outside Europe, mostly from Morocco, India, and Congo. About a quarter are from Europe but not Belgium, and around 17% are from Belgian families. Many people who moved to Brussels have become Belgian citizens.

The city has large groups of people from different countries, each with more than 1,000 members as of January 1, 2020.

France	9,049
Morocco	7,431
Romania	7,057
Italy	5,175
Spain	4,690
Poland	2,777
Portugal	1,832
Greece	1,758
Netherlands	1,704
India	1,591
Bulgaria	1,573
Germany	1,565
DR Congo	1,511
Turkey	1,389
Guinea	1,309
United Kingdom	1,177

Politics

See also: List of mayors of the City of Brussels

Like all cities in Belgium, Brussels is led by a mayor. This mayor is different from the leaders of the larger Brussels-Capital Region or the area's governor. In October 2018, people voted for their city council. Philippe Close is the current mayor. He belongs to a political group called PS and works together with other groups including Ecolo, Groen, DéFI, and Forward.

Environmental policy

In 2022, Brussels was named one of the cities that is growing greener very quickly. Before, the city was known for lots of traffic and tall buildings made of concrete. Now, city leaders have a plan with seven steps to help Brussels become more sustainable. The plan talks about using resources wisely, creating a circular economy, and keeping the air clean with a low-carbon economy. The city wants to become a “10-minute city”, meaning that important places like shops and parks should be close enough to reach in less than 10 minutes. There are also plans to add more green spaces. People living in Brussels will get to help make decisions, and everyone should have a good quality of life.

City of Brussels local election – 14 October 2018

Party
		Votes	%	Swing (pp)	Elected 2018	Change
	PS	19,997	28.38	0.74	17 / 49 (35%)	1
	Ecolo - Groen	11,847	16.81	4.42	9 / 49 (18%)	2
	MR - Open Vld	9,772	13.87	4.02	7 / 49 (14%)	3
	PVDA-PTB	8,159	11.58	10.02	6 / 49 (12%)	6
	cdH - CD&V	6,543	9.29	8.72	5 / 49 (10%)	5
	DéFI	5,317	7.55	0.08	3 / 49 (6%)
	N-VA	2,606	3.70	0.64	1 / 49 (2%)
	Vooruit (Change Brussels)	2,269	3.22	New	1 / 49 (2%)	1
	Vlaams Belang	1,138	1.61	0.59	0 / 49 (0%)	-
	ISLAM	1,125	1.60	1.30	0 / 49 (0%)	-
	Others	1,694	2.40	1.56	0 / 49 (0%)	-

Culture

Further information: Culture of Brussels

The City of Brussels is a very important place for culture. It is the largest part of the Brussels-Capital Region and the heart of Belgium's government. Many big meetings and important buildings are found here, especially in an area called the European Quarter. The city includes old parts near the Pentagon shape and also some nearby areas like Haren, Laeken, and Neder-Over-Heembeek, along with beautiful parks such as Bois de la Cambre/Ter Kamerenbos.

Honorary citizens

The City of Brussels has given honorary citizenship to several important people.

Symbols

Main article: Symbols of Brussels

Heraldry

Vexillology

Previous versions
	The Original arms were plain Gules. From the 16th century on, it was customary to put the figure of the city seal representing Saint Michael, first as a shadow then in a more elaborate form. Note: many of the arms of the Seven Noble Houses of Brussels were variants of these arms.
	1730 arms
	Napoleonic arms

Flag of the City of Brussels
	Description: Green and red with at its centre Saint Michael slaying the dragon (Devil). Symbolism: Saint Michael is the city's patron saint. See: Saint Michael slaying the Devil