Ghent, Belgium

Ghent is a city and a municipality situated in the Flemish district of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders region. The city commenced as an arrangement at the union of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle periods became one of the major and richest cities of northern Europe. Today it is an active city with a port and a university.
The municipality includes the city of Ghent suitable and the neighbouring towns of Oostakker, Gentbrugge, Sint-Denijs-Westrem, Afsnee, Desteldonk, Drongen, Mariakerke, Mendonk, Sint-Amandsberg, Sint-Kruis-Winkel, Ledeberg, Wondelgem and Zwijnaarde. With 240,191 residents in the starting of 2009, the city is Belgium’s second biggest municipality by number of citizens. The metropolitan region, including the outer traveller zone, covers an area of 1,205 km2 and has a overall inhabitants of 594,582 as of 1 January 2008, which ranks it as the fourth most crowded place in Belgium. The present mayor of the city, Daniël Termont, leads a association of the sp.a, Groen and Open VLD.
The ten-day-long “Ghent Festival” (Gentse Feesten in Dutch) is held every year. About two million tourists attend.