Arrondissement of Maaseik

The Arrondissement of Maaseik (Dutch: Arrondissement Maaseik; French: Arrondissement de Maaseik) is one of the three administrative arrondissements in the Province of Limburg, Belgium.^[1] It is not a judicial arrondissement. The municipalities of Bocholt, Bree, Kinrooi, Meeuwen-Gruitrode, Dilsen-Stokkem and Maaseik, are part of the Judicial Arrondissement of Tongeren, while the rest of its municipalities are part of the Judicial Arrondissement of Hasselt.

Arrondissement of Maaseik Arrondissement Maaseik
Arrondissement of Belgium
Location of the arrondissement in Limburg
Coordinates: 51.15°N 5.5°E / 51.15; 5.5
Country	Belgium
Region	Flanders
Province	Limburg
Municipalities	13 (until 2018) 12 (since 2019)
Area
• Total	909.41 km2 (351.13 sq mi)
Population  (1 January 2017)
• Total	239,842
• Density	260/km2 (680/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)

History

The arrondissement was created in 1839 to form the Belgian part of the former arrondissement of Roermond, which ceased to exist due to the splitting of Limburg. The canton of Peer was also moved from the arrondissement of Hasselt to the new arrondissement of Maaseik.

Per 1 January 2019, the municipalities of Overpelt and Neerpelt were merged into the new municipality of Pelt, and Meeuwen-Gruitrode and Opglabbeek (a municipality in the arrondissement of Hasselt) were merged into Oudsbergen.

Municipalities

The Administrative Arrondissement of Maaseik consists of the following municipalities:

• Bocholt
• Bree
• Dilsen-Stokkem
• Hamont-Achel
• Hechtel-Eksel
• Houthalen-Helchteren
• Kinrooi
• Lommel
• Maaseik
• Oudsbergen
• Pelt
• Peer

References

1. Lesthaeghe, Ron (January 2010). "Long-term Spatial Continuities in Demographic Innovations: Insights from the Belgian Example, 1846-2000" (PDF). Population Studies Center Research Report.