Brabant

Brabant (Fr. bräbäN`, Du. bräbänt`), former province, central Belgium. The region is drained by the Dijle, Senne, and Demer rivers. Much of its soil is fertile and under cultivation, and industry is prevalent. Belgian Brabant occupies the southern part of the former duchy of Brabant. In 1995 it was split into two provinces—Dutch-speaking

Flemish Brabant (1995 pop. 999,186), 813 sq mi (2,106 sq km), with its capital at Louvain, and French-speaking

Walloon Brabant (1995 pop. 339,062), 421 sq mi (1,091 sq km), with its capital at Wavre (1995 pop. 29,906). The Brussels capital region is surrounded by, but not part of, Flemish Brabant.

---

Brabant

Old duchy, northwestern Europe. Located in what is now the southern part of The Netherlands and central and northern Belgium, the region in the 9th century AD was part of the kingdom of Lotharingia. In the late 12th century it became independent; it finally passed to the house of Burgundy in 1430. Inherited by the Habsburgs in 1477, it became a centre of culture and commerce (see Antwerp; Brussels). The northern section of Brabant took part in a revolt from Spain, and in 1609 it was awarded to the United Provinces, while the southern section remained part of Spanish (later Austrian) Netherlands. The northern section now forms the Dutch province of North Brabant. The southern section eventually became part of Belgium and is divided between the provinces of Flemish Brabant and Walloon Brabant.

---

Brabant

1. a former duchy of W Europe: divided when Belgium became independent (1830), the south forming the Belgian provinces of Antwerp and Brabant and the north forming the province of North Brabant in the Netherlands

2. a former province of central Belgium; replaced in 1995 by the provinces of Flemish Brabant and Walloon Brabant