Brabant, Province of

   The province of Brabant was one of the nine original provinces of Belgium. Brussels served as provincial capital. Occupying the southern region of the former duchy of Brabant, the province was formed in 1815 as successor to the département of the Dyle.

   The province was divided, effective 1 January 1995, into two separate provinces: Flemish Brabant (Du., Vlaams Brabant) and Walloon Brabant (Fr., Brabant Wallon). The division followed in the wake of the language laws of 1962-1963 and the progressive feder-alization of Belgium. Brussels no longer forms part of any province. The city and its environs now comprise the Brussels Capital Region, a distinct bilingual territory.