Limburg

Limburg (lim'bûrg, Du. lim'bûrkh) [key], Fr. Limbourg, province (1991 pop. 750,435), 930 sq mi (2,409 sq km), NE Belgium, bordering on the Netherlands in the north. The chief cities are Hasselt (the capital), Tongeren, and Sint-Truiden. The province is bordered in the east by the Meuse River and is crossed by the Albert Canal. It is largely agricultural; dairy products, fruit, grains, and sugar beets as well as market garden produce are cultivated. Coal is mined, although in decreasing quantities, in the Campine region in the north. Most of Limburg was included in the prince-bishopric of Liège until 1792. It became (1815) part of the Dutch province of Limburg, which was divided between Belgium and the Netherlands in 1839. Limburg's population is largely Dutch-speaking.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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