Oudsbergen
Oudsbergen (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈʌutsˌbɛrɣə(n)]; Limburgish: Audsberge [ˈawtsbæʀ(ə)ɣə]) is a municipality in the Belgian province of Limburg that arose on 1 January 2019 from the merging of the municipalities of Opglabbeek and Meeuwen-Gruitrode.
Oudsbergen | |
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Commandery of Gruitrode | |
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Flag Coat of arms | |
Location of Oudsbergen | |
Oudsbergen Location in Belgium
Location of Oudsbergen in Limburg | |
| Coordinates: 51.0866°N 5.5885°E | |
| Country | Belgium |
| Community | Flemish Community |
| Region | Flemish Region |
| Province | Limburg |
| Arrondissement | Maaseik |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Marco Goossens (CD&V) |
| • Governing party/ies | CD&V |
| Area | |
| • Total | 116.37 km2 (44.93 sq mi) |
| Population (2022-01-01)[1] | |
| • Total | 23,611 |
| • Density | 200/km2 (530/sq mi) |
| Postal codes | 3660, 3670 |
| NIS code | 72042 |
| Area codes | 011, 089 |
| Website | oudsbergen.be |
The merged municipality has an area of 116.24 km2 and a population of 23,520 people in 2021.[2]
Creation
The Flemish Government provides incentives for municipalities to voluntarily merge. The municipal councils of Opglabbeek and Meeuwen-Gruitrode approved a merge in principle in November 2016. Definitive approval occurred on 26 June 2017, which was ratified by Flemish decree of 4 May 2018 alongside several other merges, all to be effective per 1 January 2019.
As of 1 January 2018, the municipality of Opglabbeek had a population of 10,332 and Meeuwen-Gruitrode a population of 13,091.
Government
The first elections for the new municipality were held during the regular local elections of 14 October 2018, electing a municipal council for the legislative period of 2019–2024. CD&V obtained a majority of seats in the municipal council (17 out of 27). Lode Ceyssens, who was mayor of Meeuwen-Gruitrode until then, became mayor of Oudsbergen.
References
- "Bevolking per gemeente op 1 januari 2022". Statbel.
- "Bevolking per statistische sector - Sector 72040". Statistics Belgium. Retrieved 8 May 2022.