Baarle-Hertog

"Baerle-Duc" redirects here. For the French town, see Bar-le-Duc.
Baarle-Hertog
Municipality

Former town hall

Flag
Coat of arms
Baarle-Hertog

Location in Belgium

Coordinates: 51°27′N 04°56′E / 51.450°N 4.933°E / 51.450; 4.933Coordinates: 51°27′N 04°56′E / 51.450°N 4.933°E / 51.450; 4.933
Country Belgium
Community Flemish Community
Region Flemish Region
Province Antwerp
Arrondissement Turnhout
Government
 • Mayor Leo van Tilburg (CDK)
 • Governing party/ies CDK
Area
 • Total 7.48 km2 (2.89 sq mi)
Population (1 January 2016)[1]
 • Total 2,663
 • Density 360/km2 (920/sq mi)
Postal codes 2387
Area codes 014
Website Official website

Baarle-Hertog (Dutch pronunciation: [ˌbaːrlə ˈɦɛrtɔx]) is a Flemish municipality of Belgium, much of which consists of a number of small Belgian exclaves in the Netherlands.

While some of its territory consists of exclaves in the Dutch province of North Brabant, it is part of the Belgian province of Antwerp. On 1 January 2006 Baarle-Hertog had a population of 2,306. The total area is 7.48 square kilometres (2.89 square miles) which gives a population density of 308 inhabitants per km² (798 inhabitants/sq mi).

Geography

Border with Baarle-Nassau

Map showing the enclaves of Baarle-Hertog

Baarle-Hertog is noted for its complicated borders with Baarle-Nassau, Netherlands.[2] In total it consists of 24 separate parcels of land. The main division of Baarle-Hertog is Zondereigen (named after its main hamlet), located north of the Belgian town of Merksplas. In addition there are twenty Belgian exclaves in the Netherlands and three other sections on the Dutch-Belgian border. There are also seven Dutch exclaves within the Belgian exclaves. Six of these Dutch enclaves are located within the largest Belgian enclave, and a seventh in the second-largest Belgian enclave. An eighth Dutch exclave is located nearby Ginhoven.

Some houses in the town of Baarle-Hertog/Baarle-Nassau are divided between the two countries. At one time, according to Dutch laws restaurants had to close earlier. For some restaurants on the border this simply meant that the customers had to move to a table on the Belgian side.[3] The border's complexity results from a number of equally complex medieval treaties, agreements, land-swaps and sales between the Lords of Breda and the Dukes of Brabant. Generally speaking, predominantly agricultural or built environments became constituents of Brabant and other parts devolved to Breda. These distributions were ratified and clarified as a part of the border settlements agreed under the Treaty of Maastricht in 1843.

Many fireworks shops are found in Baarle-Hertog, owing to Belgian laws controlling the sale of fireworks that are more lenient than those in the Netherlands. Close to the end of the year many Dutch tourists come to Baarle-Hertog to buy fireworks to celebrate the New Year.

Two villages in the municipality, Zondereigen and Ginhoven, are located in the main territory of Belgium.

List of enclaves

Netherlands enclaves

These are all part of Baarle-Nassau Commune.

Serial No. and Local Name [4] Area (ha) Notes
Netherlands N1, De Loversche Akkers – De Tommelsche Akkers5.3667Counter-enclave surrounded by Belgian exclave H1, in Baarle-Hertog; contains a mix of dwellings and farmland; boundary of N1 and H1 runs through one building.
Netherlands N2, De Tommelsche Akkers1.3751Counter-enclave surrounded by Belgian exclave H1, in Baarle-Hertog; contains 8 dwellings.
Netherlands N3, De Tommelsche Akkers0.2863Counter-enclave surrounded by Belgian exclave H1, in Baarle-Hertog; boundary of N3 and H1 bisects the loading dock of a liquor store.
Netherlands N4, De Rethsche Akkers1.2324Counter-enclave surrounded by Belgian exclave H1, in Baarle-Hertog; boundary of N4 and H1 runs through a warehouse, with vacant Dutch land to the rear of the warehouse.
Netherlands N5, De Rethsche Akkers1.9212Counter-enclave surrounded by Belgian exclave H1, in Baarle-Hertog; boundary of N5 and H1 runs through a furniture showroom, a shed and a barn.
Netherlands N6, Gierle Straat1.4527Counter-enclave surrounded by Belgian exclave H1, in Baarle-Hertog; consists of farmland with two buildings.
Netherlands N7, De Kastelein0.5812Counter-enclave surrounded by Belgian Oordeel exclave H8, in Baarle-Hertog; occupies part of a field.
Netherlands N8, Vossenberg2.8528Farmland enclave situated within Zondereigen, Belgium, less than 50 meters south of the Dutch border.

Belgian enclaves

These are all part of Baarle-Hertog Commune, and are surrounded by Baarle-Nassau Commune (Netherlands).

Serial No. and Local Name [4] Area (ha) Notes
Belgium H1, Aen het Klooster Straetje - Hoofdbraek - Loveren - De Boschcovensche Akkers - De Loversche Akkers - De Tommelsche Akkers - De Tommel - De Gierle Straat - De Reth - De Rethsche Akkers - Het Dorp - De Kapel Akkers - De Kastelein 153.6448Forms a quadripoint with enclave H2; largest Belgian exclave; encompasses six Dutch enclaves; consists of dwellings for the most part, with outlying farmland and an industrial area; boundary runs through numerous buildings; contains a portion of the former Turnhout-Tilburg rail line, now a cycle path.
Belgium H2, De Rethsche Akkers2.4116Consists of farmland with a single point of connection (quadripoint) between enclaves H1 and H2 in the middle of a corn field.
Belgium H3, De Rethsche Akkers0.3428Occupies part of a field; boundary runs through a shed in one instance.
Belgium H4, De Rethsche Akkers1.476Consists of farmland; boundary runs through a house and three sheds.
Belgium H5, De Kapel Akkers0.9245Consists of farmland with a dwelling.
Belgium H6, Hoofdbraek1.7461Mixed land usage; boundary runs through a warehouse/factory.
Belgium H7, De Loversche Akkers0.2469Boundary runs through two dwellings, including the middle of one front door (giving it two house numbers: Loveren 2, Baarle-Hertog / Loveren 19, Baarle-Nassau).
Belgium H8, Boschcoven - De Kastelein - De Oordelsche Straat41.8781Second-largest Belgian exclave, contains a mix of dwellings and farmland; boundary runs through a barn, a dwelling and two businesses.
Belgium H9, De Kapel Akkers0.4005Boundary runs through a printing factory/warehouse in an industrial area.
Belgium H10, De Oordelsche Straat0.65Consists of farmland.
Belgium H11, De Oordelsche Straat0.93Consists of farmland.
Belgium H12, Boschcoven0.2822Consists of farmland.
Belgium H13, Boschcoven1.5346Boundary runs through about 20 dwellings.
Belgium H14, Boschcoven0.7193Boundary runs through about 13 dwellings.
Belgium H15, Boschcoven1.7211Boundary runs through about 16 dwellings.
Belgium H16, Keizershoek - Oordelsche Straat4.4252Boundary runs through a house and three sheds, with three turning points inside just one shed.
Belgium H17, Moleriet Heide14.9248Rural area containing a portion of the former Turnhout-Tilburg rail line, now a cycle path.
Belgium H18, De Manke Gooren2.9247Consists of farmland.
Belgium H19, De Peruiters0.6851Consists of several ponds and a field.
Belgium H20, Wurstenbosch - Vossenberg1.1681Consists of farmland.
Belgium H21, Baelbrugsche Beemden1.1845Consists of farmland.
Belgium H22, De Wit Hagen0.2632South of the village of Ulicoten; occupies part of a field; nationality was contested from the 1830s until 1995 (remained unallocated to either country in boundary treaty of 26 April 1974)

Famous inhabitants

See also

References

  1. ↑ Population per municipality as of 1 January 2016 (XLS; 397 KB)
  2. ↑ (Spanish) Map, pictures and infos on "Fronterasblog"
  3. ↑ "The Curious Case of Baarle-Nassau and Baarle-Hertog". Amusingplanet.com. 2012-11-06. Retrieved 2014-08-01.
  4. 1 2 Whyte, Brendan (2004). "En Territoire Belge et à Quarante Centimètres de la Frontière" An historical and documentary study of the Belgian and Dutch enclaves of Baarle-Hertog and Baarle-Nassau. The University of Melbourne, School of Anthropology, Geography and Environmental Studies. ISBN 0-7340-3032-0.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Baarle-Hertog.
For main division of Zondereigen
Baarle-Nassau (NL-NB)
Baarle-Nassau (NL-NB) Baarle-Nassau (NL-NB)
   Baarle-Hertog  
Merksplas Turnhout
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