Wallonia (Wallonie in French) or Walloon Region (Région Wallonne in French) is the predominantly French-speaking region that constitutes one of the three federal regions of Belgium, with its capital at Namur. It encompasses the southern half of Belgium and comprises the following provinces:
Its economy was once dominated by the extensive iron and coal industries, as Wallonia was one of the first regions of continental Europe to see industrialisation. Subsequent downturns in the profitability of these types of heavy industries saw Wallonia exchange its position as the major economic engine of Belgium with its northern neighbour, Flanders.
The name Wallonia is related to the name Wales, as the old Germanic term Wale/Walis simply means "stranger". Both Wallonia and Wales are regions where a "strange" (i.e. non-Germanic) language and culture exist.
