The southern part of its territory corresponds more or less with the present-day Belgian province of Antwerp.

[2] It was created on 1 October 1795, when the Austrian Netherlands were officially annexed by the French Republic.

After the annexation of the Kingdom of Holland in 1810, the department was expanded with the western half of the present-day Dutch province of North Brabant, itself historically part of the Duchy of Brabant.

The Chef-lieu of the department was Antwerp (Anvers in French).

The department was subdivided into the following four arrondissements and cantons (with French names): After Napoleon was defeated in 1814, the department became part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands as the provinces of Antwerp and North Brabant.