West Flanders[b] is the westernmost province of the Flemish Region, in Belgium.
It is the only coastal Belgian province, facing the North Sea to the northwest.
Other important cities are Kortrijk in the south and Ostend (Oostende) on the coast, Roeselare and Ypres (Ieper).
The province has an area of 3,197 km2 (1,234 sq mi) which is divided into eight administrative districts (arrondissementen) containing 64 municipalities.
[5] The North Sea coast of Belgium, an important tourism destination, lies in West Flanders.
West Flanders consists of the North Sea coast, followed by a very flat polder landscape.
Only in the south are some small hills, with the Kemmelberg (159 m (522 ft)) being the highest point in the province.
The Gross domestic product (GDP) of the province was 46.9 billion € in 2018.
GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power was 34,700 € or 115% of the EU27 average in the same year.
[6] In the north of the province, most industry is concentrated in and around the cities of Bruges and Ostend.
The region around Kortrijk is called the "Dallas of Belgium" for its entrepreneurship.
Major touristic attractions include the Belgian coast, the historic center of Bruges, the Yser Tower in Diksmuide and Flanders Fields, the World War I battlefields around Ypres.
A Dutch dialect called West Flemish is spoken here.
The city of Bruges has two clubs playing at the highest level of football in Belgium (Belgian First Division A), namely Club Brugge and Cercle Brugge.
Other cities with teams playing at the highest level are Kortrijk (KV Kortrijk), Ostend (KV Oostende) and Waregem (Zulte Waregem).
The teams Knack Randstad Roeselare and Prefaxis Menen play in the highest volleyball league.
Knack Randstad Roeselare also plays in the CEV Champions League, the European Championsleague.
The Province of West Flanders is divided into 8 administrative arrondissements.
The Province of West Flanders is divided into 4 judicial arrondissements.